Fifth Sunday of Great Lent
St. Mary of Egypt
The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil
Hieromartyr Januarios, bishop of Benevento and companions; Martyr Alexandra the Queen and companions
St. Mary of Egypt
Who was St. Mary of Egypt?
Our holy mother Mary was born in Egypt. She had left her parents at the age of twelve to go to Alexandria, where she spent the next seventeen years in debauchery and the greatest profligacy. Living on charity and linen-weaving, she nevertheless offered her body to any man, not being forced to it by dire necessity as were so many poor women, but as though she were consumed by the fire of a desire that nothing was able to appease.
One day, seeing a crowd of Lybians and Egyptians moving towards the port, she followed them and set sail with them for Jerusalem, offering her body to pay her fare. When they arrived in the Holy City, she followed the crowd that was thronging towards the Church of the Resurrection, it being the day of the Exaltation of the Cross. But, when she reached the threshold of the church, an invisible force prevented her entering in spite of repeated efforts on her part, although the other pilgrims were able to go in without hindrance.
Left alone in a corner of the narthex, she began to realize that it was the impurity of her life that was preventing her approaching the holy Wood. She burst into tears and smote her breast and, seeing an icon of the Mother of God, made this prayer to her: “O Sovereign Lady, who didst bear God in the flesh, I know that I should not dare to look upon thine icon, thou who are pure in soul and body, because, debauched as I am, I must fill thee with disgust. But, as the God born of thee became man in order to call sinners to repentance, come to my aid! Allow me to go into the church and prostrate before His Cross. And, as soon as I have seen the Cross, I promise that I will renounce the world and all pleasures, and follow the path of salvation that thou willest to show me.”
She felt herself suddenly freed from the power that had held her and was able to enter the church. There she fervently venerated the Holy Cross and then, returning to the icon of the Mother of God, declared herself ready to follow the path that the Virgin would show her. A voice replied to her from on high: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find rest.”
Read more on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Fr. Thomas Hopko on “St Mary of Egypt”
On the fifth Sunday of Lent, we commemorate St. Mary of Egypt. By her example, we are reminded of the extraordinary power of repentance and God’s mercy, by which even the greatest sinner may be transformed and sanctified.
Fr. Thomas starts with a review of the Gospel reading of Mark for the Fourth Sunday of Lent and transitions to the 5th Sunday explaining how reigning with our Lord is dependent on suffering with Him.
St. Mary of Egypt
Fr. Thomas contrasts the story of the fallen, then raised Mary of Alexandria with that of another Mary– the Theotokos.
Listen here:
The Fifth Week of Great Lent
Fr. Thomas gives an overview of the services for the 5th week of Great Lent and their final emphasis on penitence and repentance.
Listen here:
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Apr 14 — SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Apr 15 — Great Compline 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed Apr 17 — Full Canon of St. Andrew / Canon of St. Mary of Egypt LIVE STREAM
- Thu Apr 18 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 19 — Complete Salutations/Akathist Hymn 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 19 — CANCELLED
Men of St. Paisios 7:30pm - Sat Apr 20 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
PLEASE NOTE: The Great Vespers on Saturday April 20 WILL BE HELD. The retreat that Fr. Hans was scheduled to give in Miami that cause the original cancellation has been postponed.
Presanctified Lenten Suppers
Every Wednesday after Presanctified Liturgy on the Wednesdays during Lent, we gather for fellowship over a simple Lenten supper.
Journey to Pascha
Click to enlarge and print
Decorating the Kovouklion (Tomb of Christ)
Decoration of the Kovouklion is scheduled for May 3 at 10:00am. Please donate for the flowers. Donations can be given to Angela Long, Ron Franklin, or Fr. Hans.
Can You Help Support St. Peter Good Samaritan Fund?
Occasionally members of St. Peter’s on fixed incomes are having a hard time making ends meet particularly when an emergency arises. We support our members through the Good Samaritan Fund, an earmark in our budget to aid parish families through the occasional hard times that come. With the weakening economy and particularly with the high inflation, the needs are increasing and the funds are running low.
We would like to raised $10,000 to $15,000 to replenish the fund. Your gift will remain anonymous (it will be recorded on your year end statement as a charitable donation) as well as those who receive it.
Please contribute a separate check with the notation “Good Samaritan Fund” in the memo line. Give it to Fr. Hans or Ron Franklin or drop it in the offering box.
Orthodoxy 101 Class Continues
Subdeacon Joseph will lead the classes. The classes will run every Sunday following Social Hour. Schedule and syllabus will be handed out at the next class this Sunday.
We will use Fr. Spyridon Bailey’s “Small Steps into the Kingdom” available from Amazon here.
All catechumens are required to attend but the class is open to everyone.
Web Site Fixed — But Please Be Patient Because…
…It still needs some fine tuning. Websites are fickle beasts but we are almost there. The good news is that the calendar is back. One or two weeks and it will be where we want it to be.
Bible Bowl Invitation!
All teens are invited to join our Catechism team and study the book of Romans. Actually adults are invited too as we can have an adult team as well.
St. Peter’s teens won 2nd place last year at the Parish Life Conference for the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast.
The competition this year will be held in Georgia, near Atlanta over the weekend of June 13-15. All questions for the competition will be from the book of Romans.
If you are interested in studying Romans, whether you want to travel to the conference in Georgia or just study with the team, please contact Diana Najjar at 317-213-5785 or msdiananajjar@gmail.com. Currently we are studying by zoom, but we plan to meet together when the opportunity arises. Diana is flexible to work with teens at a time that fits their schedule.
Sign up the the Monthly DOMSE Newsletter on the DOMSE (Diocese of Miami and the Southeast) Website!
Visit the DOMSE Website (scroll to the bottom, fill in the form on the left side) to sign up for "The Light" Newsletter and DOMSE emails.
DOMSE Parish Life Retreat in Hiram Georgia
More information at DOMSE website.
ST. PETER'S GREETERS
APRIL 2024
- Apr 07 — George Tsikatis — Candice Rosen — Joe Repya
- Apr 14 — George Tsikatis — Pavlo Bilych — Moriah Peterson
- Apr 21 — George Tsikatis — Candice Rosen
- Apr 28 — George Tsikatis — Will Schwarz
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
APRIL 2024
TEAM #1 — Barbara Dionysopoulas Group for April 2024
April 07 — Coffee, Bagels and Mixed Fruit
April 14 — Coffee, Donuts and Mixed Fruit
April 21 — Coffee, Cookies and Mixed Fruit
April 28 — Coffee, Coffee Cake and Mixed Fruit*
MAY 2024
TEAM #2 Margie Zimmerman Group for May 2024
May 05 — Pascal Dinner at 1:00pm
May 12 — Coffee, Donuts and Mixed Fruit
May 19 — Coffee, Cookies and Mixed Fruit
May 26 — Coffee, Coffee Cake and Mixed Fruit*
For Special Events/Koliva please contact BARBARA SASEN and give her a completed Special Events Form which is found in the lobby of the church.
The Social Hall All Stars are the men and women that make St. Peter's Social Hall happen. Thank you All Stars!
APRIL
- SUN Apr 14 — SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Apr 15 — Great Compline 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed Apr 17 — Full Canon of St. Andrew / Canon of St. Mary of Egypt LIVE STREAM
- Thu Apr 18 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 19 — Complete Salutations/Akathist Hymn 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 19 — Men of St. Paisios 7:30pm
- Sat Apr 20 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Apr 21 — SUNDAY OF ST. MARY OF EGYPT Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Apr 22 — Great Compline 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed Apr 24 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 26 — Small Compline with Canon of St. Lazarus 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Sat Apr 27 — Lazarus Saturday Liturgy 9:30am / Make crosses / Pancake breakfast / Children confessions — Full Schedule TBA LIVE STREAM
HOLY WEEK
- Sun April 28 — PALM SUNDAY Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am
Brunch in Social Hall following Divine Liturgy
Bridegroom Service 6:30pm LIVE STREAM - Mon Apr 29 — HOLY MONDAY Bridegroom Service 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Tue Apr 30 — HOLY TUESDAY Bridegroom Service 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 01 — HOLY WEDNESDAY Holy Unction 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 02 — HOLY THURSDAY Liturgy of the Last Supper 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Reading of the Twelve Gospels 6:00pm (note earlier time) LIVE STREAM - Fri May 03 — HOLY FRIDAY Royal Hours 9:00am LIVE STREAM
Decoration of Tomb of Christ 10:30am LIVE STREAM
Taking Christ Down from the Cross 3:00pm LIVE STREAM
Lamentations 6:30pm LIVE STREAM - Sat May 04 — HOLY SATURDAY – First Resurrection Service 9:30am / Baptisms LIVE STREAM
Great and Holy Pascha 10:00pm LIVE STREAM - Sun May 05 — Agape Vespers / Reading of Gospel in different languages 11:00am LIVE STREAM
Paschal Dinner in Social Hall 1:00pm / Easter egg hunt for children
A chatterbox may meet with success in this world, but he will not do so in the next. St. John of Karpathos
Abba Moses then said: “True discrimination comes to us only as a result of true humility.” Abba Moses
Take care to bridle the flesh, that it might not plunge its rider — the mind — into danger. Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
But when God dwells in a man, then the demons and passions are driven out, and the man becomes a temple of God, rifled with sanctification, filled with illumination, purity and grace. Blessed is he who sees the Lord in the innermost treasury of his heart as in a mirror. Venerables Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet, monks of Palestine
Your children should not hear you arguing even once, not even if you raise the tone of your voices to one another. Elder Porphyrios
- Names will remain on the list for three months.
- If you would like to keep them on longer please mention it to Fr. Hans. We will keep the names on the list for as long as the person needs prayers.
- Names will include the person who requested the prayers and the month the name will be removed.
- The permanent list includes friends and members of St. Peter's and others including shut-ins.
Were names dropped that should have remained? Please mention it to Fr. Hans. He will add them back.
Current Prayer List
Barbara (Duskas)
Doug S (Duskas)
Marc C. (Duskas)
Rachel (Voss)
Ken John (Eaton)
Diane (Najar)
William (Semeretis)
David (Orfanos)
Maria (Orfanos)
William (Long)
George (Chionis 11-1)
Haley
Lydia
Mark (Chionis 11-1)
Katheryn (Chionis 11-1)
Jacob (Chionis 11-1)
Ken (Chionis 11-1)
Maxim (Koco)
George (Tsikistas 8/1)
George (Mourgis 8/1)
Barbara (Sason 8/1)
Anthony (Breitenbach 6/1)
Arielle (Ghanem 6/1)
Nicholas (Ghanem 6/1)
Christos
Father Demetris
Jamie
Pamela
David
Jessica
Christina (Hildreth)
Georgia and Richard and their unborn child (Chapekis)
Dionysios Chapekis)
Nancy (Forderhase)
Kayla (Palantine)
George (3/23 Chapekis)
Penelope (3/23 Chapekis)
Theodora (3/23)
Victor (3/23)
Les (3/23
Lynn (Hurely 1/23)
Irene and newborn baby (Tsikitas 1/23)
Linda (Pappas 1/23)
Ekaterina (Chapekis 1/23)
Lee (Hurley 1/23)
Emmanuel (Kalousdis 1/23)
Katherine (Dusckas 1/23)
Vassiliki (Diveris 1/23)
Zena Touma (Contorelli 1/23
Lamia Touma (Contorelli 1/23
Matthew (Contorelli 1/23
Emmanuel (Kaloudis 1/23)
Nicholas
Marlene (Tewis 12/22)
Tina (Johnson 12/22)
Nicholas (De Lorenzo 12/22)
Priest Anthony (Karbo 11/22)
Archpriest Dionysius (Valentine 9/12)
Anthony Presbyter (Kerr 10/22)
John Presbyter (Jacobse)
Elain Presbytera (Jacobse)
Constantine(Jacobse)
Chrysoula(Jacobse)
Angel (Ghanem 10/22)
Edgar (Chapekis 9/22)
Evthriki (Jacobse 9/22)
Christos (Johnson 8/22)
Jon Paul (Andrew 8/22)
William (Brubaker 8/22)
Peter (Tewis 8/22)
The People of Ukraine and People of Russia and all those who are suffering in the war
Permanent Prayer List
Bonnie Joseph
Michael (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Maria (Sovjani)
Katerina (Sovjani)
Frederick (Sovjani)
Arsen (Sovjani)
Irene (Diveris)
Katheryn (Tolkkinen)
Markisia (Long)
Angela (Long)
Marina (Long)
Eleni (Long)
Raphaella (Long)
Joanne (Haley)
Corwin (Dusckas)
Corgette (Troutman)
Irina (Irina)
Lidia (Irina)
Sarina (Ghanem)
Debbie (Breitenbach)
Kathy (Breitenbach)
Hope (Isadore)
s
John (Long)
Pantelis (Tsikita)
Marisa (Tsikita)
Barbara (Dionysopoulos)
Patricia (Evanoff)
Gabriel (Mankus)
Baby Dani (Repya)
Despina (Diversis)
Fredericos (Diveris)
Herman (Kerr)
Innocent (Kerr)
Nicholas (Kerr)
Paola (Jacobse)
Gregory (Yankopolos)
Pauline (Poulos)
Sergio (Kazakos)
Fran (Hansen)
Nina (Krotov)
Franklin (Pyrrson)
Demetrios (Kuchera)
Theodosios (Palis)
Theodora (Webb)
Robert (Smith)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)
Vassilike (Hord)
Founders, Members, Benefactors and Friends Departed this Life
John (Hansen)
Anatoly (Kurdsjuk)
Thareni (Brooks)
Milan Evanoff
Jean (Sam)
Eleni (Pearson)
Richard (Pearson)
Fr. Stephanos (Shagoury)
Panagiota (Bea Chionis)
Anthony (Mourgis)
Anthony (Mankus)
Constantine (Houpis)
Constantine (Joseph)
Mary (Jarvis)
Panagiota Margarita (Palis)
Maria (Ninos)
Soterios (Ninos)
George (Ninos)
John (Katsigianopoulos)
George (Chionis)
Mary (Spiropoulos)
Gregory (Pappas)
Angela (Coran K
Eugene (Rust)
Robert (Jarvis)
George (Corey)
Patricia (Cotsones)
Seraphim (Zolio)
Apostolos
How should we pray for the sick? Remember them daily. Say their names (first names are sufficient) and ask God to bestow mercy and grace on them.
Add or remove names and print this list for easy reference during your prayer time on the St. Peter website.
EPISTLE
Make your vows to the Lord our God, and perform them.
God is known in Judah; His Name is great in Israel.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (9:11-14)
Brethren, when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, thenthrough the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), Heentered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but His ownblood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the bloodof goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself withoutblemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
GOSPEL
For the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (10:32-45)
At that time, Jesus took His twelve Disciples, and began to tell them what was to happento Him, saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of man will be delivered tothe chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles. And they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit upon Him, and kill Him; and after three days He will rise.”
And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Him, and said to Him, “Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire” And Jesus said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And they said to Him, “Grant us to sit, one at Thy right hand and one at Thy left, in Thy glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to Him, “We are able.”
And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized. But to sit at My right hand or at My left is not Mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to Him and said to them, “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be servant of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”