The Sunday after Theophany
The Martyr Tatiana of Rome and those with her;
Martyr Peter Absalom of Palestine
Who was the Martyr Tatiana of Rome and those with her?
The Martyr Tatiana of Rome
The Holy Virgin Martyr Tatiana was born into an illustrious Roman family, and her father was elected consul three times. He was secretly a Christian and raised his daughter to be devoted to God and the Church. When she reached the age of maturity, Tatiana decided to remain a virgin, betrothing herself to Christ. Disdaining earthly riches, she sought instead the imperishable wealth of Heaven. She was made a deaconess in one of the Roman churches and served God in fasting and prayer, tending the sick and helping the needy.
When Rome was ruled by the sixteen-year-old Alexander Severus (222-235), all power was concentrated in the hands of the regent Ulpian, an evil enemy and persecutor of Christians. Christian blood flowed like water. Tatiana was also arrested, and they brought her into the temple of Apollo to force her to offer sacrifice to the idol. The saint began praying, and suddenly there was an earthquake. The idol was smashed into pieces, and part of the temple collapsed and fell down on the pagan priests and many pagans. The demon inhabiting the idol fled screeching from that place. Those present saw its shadow flying through the air.
[…]
Read the entire history on the Orthodox Church of America website.
The Blessing of the Water will be held immediately following the Divine Liturgy.
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Jan 05 — THEOPHANY SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 05 — Blessing of the Waters follows Divine Liturgy LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jan 08 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jan 10 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jan 11 — Parish Council Meeting 10:00am
- Sat Jan 11 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Important Dates in January
- SUN Jan 12 — Cutting of the Vasilopita Following Divine Liturgy
- SUN Jan 19 — Parish Assembly Meeting Following Divine Liturgy
Cutting of the Vasilopita (St. Basil’s Bread) on Sunday, January 12, 2025
Following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, January 1 2023 we will cut the Vasilopita before going into the Social Hall.
The tradition of baking and cutting a special “pita” (which can mean a loaf of bread, a cake, or even a pie) each year in January and is observed in honor of our holy father Basil the Great, archbishop of Caesarea in Cappodocia– hence its name “Vasilopita” meaning “St. Basil’s Bread.” This tradition is observed in both parish churches and in the homes of the faithful. What is the meaning of this tradition and how did it begin?
Read the entire article on the Antiochian Archdiocese website.
St. Peter Parish Assembly Meeting on Sunday, January 19, 2025
St. Peter’s will hold their yearly General Assembly on Sunday, January 19, 2025 after Divine Liturgy following a very brief Social Hall. The General Assembly will review past year events, goals and forecasts for 2025.
Agenda:
- Opening Prayer — Fr. Hans
- Presenting of the Financials — Pres. Ron Franklin
- Approval of the 2025 Budget — Pres. Ron Franklin
- Questions
- State of the Parish — Fr. Hans
- Closing Prayer — Fr. Hans
Save the Date! St Peter’s Annual Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance, February 15, 2025!
Mark you calendars for Saturday, February 15, 2025, Saint Peter’s Annual Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance. Stay tuned! More information to follow.
House and Business Blessings
Fr. Hans will be available for house and business blessings. January is a very busy month however so some blessing may be scheduled into February. Please text him to schedule.
Catechumen Classes Resume in January
Reminder: These classes are required for all catechumens. If you cannot make please make sure to let Subdeacon Joseph know.
The class is taught by Subdeacon Joseph and we will use the book “Small Steps into the Kingdom”). The books are available for purchase in the bookstore.
Pledge and Income Report — December 2024
Contributions received in December were $40,437
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $31,105.
For the month we are ahead by $9,332.
Year to date we are behind by $11,268.
St. Peter Orthodox Church
7470 Hickory Drive
Fort Myers FL 33967
Supporting Our Sister Parish St. Paul’s Naples
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.
ST. PETER’S GREETERS
Please note: Volunteers to serve as greeters are needed for December. Please contact Joe Repya if you can serve.
JANUARY
- Sun January 05 – Will Schultz – George Tsikitas
- Sun January 12 – Paula Kamberos – Candice Rosen
- Sun January 19 – avlo Bilych – Will Schultz
- Sun January 26 – Tina Kucera – Doug Kucera
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – Winter Months 2024 – 2025
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- January 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #1 – Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, January 5 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, January 12 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, January 19 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, January 26 – Coffee and bagels
- February 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #2 – Margie Zimmerman Group
- Sunday, February 2 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, February 9 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, February 16 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, February 23 – Coffee and bagels
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!
JANUARY
- SUN Jan 05 — THEOPHANY SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 05 — Blessing of the Waters follows Divine Liturgy LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jan 08 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jan 10 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jan 11 — Parish Council Meeting 10:00am
- Sat Jan 11 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 12 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 12 — Cutting of the Vasilopita Following Divine Liturgy
- Wed Jan 15 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jan 17 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Fri Jan 17 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jan 18 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 19 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 19 — Parish Assembly Meeting Following Divine Liturgy
- Wed Jan 22 — Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jan 24 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jan 25 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jan 26 — SUNDAY DIVINE LITURGY Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jan 28 — Sat Feb 01 — Fr. Hans at DOMSE Clergy Mtg/ Retreat
- Wed Jan 29 — CANCELLED
Early Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM - Fri Jan 31 — CANCELLED
Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm - Sat Feb 01 — CANCELLED
GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Without love, there will never be peace, but only enmity pushing humanity towards self-destruction. This is why it is so sadly ridiculous to read about various world peace conferences and negotiations that aim at the establishment of enduring peace on earth. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
When bad thoughts surround us like a swarm of flies, we shouldnt become discouraged, but persevere in prayer and hold on. Elder Sergei of Vanves
It is not because of his own righteousness that a man finds salvation, but by the power of the all-purifying grace of God. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
Before holy baptism, grace encourages the soul towards good from the outside, while Satan lurks in its depths, trying to block all the intellect’s ways of approach to the divine. But from the moment that we are reborn through baptism, the demon is outside, grace is within. Thus, whereas before baptism error ruled the soul, after baptism truth rules it. St. Diadochus, bishop of Photike in Epirus
As the Apostle says, ‘It was not I but the grace of God which was with me’ (1 Cor. 15:10) that won this victory, raising me above the impure thoughts that assailed me. It was His grace that ‘delivered me from the wicked man’ (cf. Ps. 18:48. LXX), that is, from the devil and from the ‘old man’ within me (cf. Rom. 6:6). St. John of Karpathos
Current Prayer List
Ariyon (Sovjani)
Diana (Veraj)
Arjan (Veraj)
Thoma (Sovjani)
Lucia
Ioannes
Freida (Hansen)
Stratton (Leopold)
Mary (Copeland)
Robert (Tewis)
Gene (Forderhase)
Ruth (Mudd)
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)
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)
Archpriest Dionysius (Valentine 9/12)
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
Raymond
40 Days
Lori (Pateras Jan3)
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.
Sunday Readings
EPISTLE
For the Sunday after Theophany of Christ
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (4:7-13)
Brethren, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore, it is said, “When He ascended on high He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.” (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is He who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And His gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
GOSPEL
For the Sunday after Theophany of Christ
The reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (4:12-17)
At that time, when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulon and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”