Tenth Sunday of Luke The God-bearing Father Sabbas the Sanctified Venerable-Martyr Stephen the New, Martyr Irinarchos of Sebastia and those with him Who was the God-bearing Father Sabbas the Sanctified? Today, the fifth of December, is the feast-day of Saint Sabbas, one of the great monastic fathers of the Middle East in Late Antiquity. Saint Sabbas, who in the Orthodox Church … [Read more...]

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost Thirteenth Sunday of Luke Venerable-Martyr Stephen the New, Martyr Irinarchos of Sebastia and those with him Who was Venerable-Martyr Stephen the New?     The Monk Martyr and Confessor Stephen the New was born in 715 at Constantinople into a pious Christian family. His parents, having two daughters, prayed the Lord for a son. The … [Read more...]

The Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, also called The Presentation, is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on November 21. Among those Orthodox Christians who use the "Old" (Julian) calendar as their Church calendar, the date of this feast corresponds to December 4 in the secular calendar. According to … [Read more...]

Correction: St. John Chrysostom Divine Liturgy is on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 9:30am The newsletter sent out earlier this week had the wrong day.   St. John Chrysostom Interpreting the Epistles of Paul   Fundraising Concert for First Things Foundation Many of you are familiar with John Heers (a frequent guest at St. Peter's) and First Things Foundation … [Read more...]

Eighth Sunday of Luke Gregory Palamas, archbishop of Thessalonica; The Holy Apostle Philip (of the 70), New-martyr Constantine of Hydra; Justinian the emperor and his wife Theodora Who Was St. Gregory Palamas?     Our holy Father Gregory was born in Constantinople in 1296 of aristocratic parents who had emigrated from Asia Minor in the face of the Turkish invasion, … [Read more...]

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost Seventh Sunday of Luke Venerable Lazarus the Wonderworker of Magnesia The Thirty-three Martyrs of Melitene Who Was Venerable Lazarus the Wonderworker of Magnesia?     Saint Lazarus the Wonderworker of Mt Galesius near Ephesus was born in Lydia, in the city of Magnesium. An educated young man who loved God, Lazarus became a monk at … [Read more...]

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost Fifth Sunday of Luke Apostles Stachios, Apellos, Amplias, Urban, Aristoboulos and Narcissos of the Seventy; Martyr Epimachos of Alexandria; New-martyr Nicholas of Chios Apostles Stachios, Apellos, Amplias, Urban, Aristoboulos and Narcissos of the Seventy; Martyr Epimachos of Alexandria; New-martyr Nicholas of Chios The holy, glorious, … [Read more...]

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Sixth Sunday of Luke Great-Martyr Arethas (al-Haarith) and companions in Arabia, Martyr Sebastiana of Heraclea; Righteous Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia Great-Martyr Arethas These Martyrs contested for piety's sake in the year 524 in Najran, a city of Arabia Felix (present-day Yemen). When Dhu Nuwas, ruler of the Himyarite tribe in south Arabia, and … [Read more...]

Sunday of Holy Fathers of Seventh Ecumenical Council The Fourth Sunday of Luke Prophet Hosea; Venerable-martyr Andrew of Crete The Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council On Sunday the Church remembers the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council under the holy Patriarch Tarasius. The Synod of 787, the second to meet at Nicea, refuted the Iconoclast heresy … [Read more...]

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Third Sunday of Luke Holy Martyrs Eulampios and Eulampia at Nicomedia, Venerable Theophilos the confessor of Bulgaria; Venerable Ambrose of Optina Who was the Venerable Ambrose of Optina? Alexander Michailovich Grenkov was born Nov. 23, 1812 in the Russian province of Tambov. His parents raised him strictly and with fervent piety. Since he was of … [Read more...]

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Second Sunday of Luke Hieromartyr Dionysios the Areopagite Martyrs Eleutherios and Rustikos Who was Hieromartyr Dionysios the Areopagite? Saint Dionysius lived originally in the city of Athens. He was raised there and received a classical Greek education. He then went to Egypt, where he studied astronomy at the city of Heliopolis. It was in … [Read more...]

The “Encyclical for the Year of Youth” is a call for all of us together to confront the growing alienation between our youth and our parish communities. Refresh the page if it comes up empty.   … [Read more...]

Divine Liturgy Sunday, September 26, 2021 Repose of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian Saint John came from Bethsaida, a poor village in Galilee. He was the son of Zebedee the fisherman and of Salome, the daughter of Joseph, the Betrothed of the Virgin Mary. Joseph had four sons by his first marriage: James, Joses, Jude, and Simon (or Simeon), and three daughters: Esther, … [Read more...]

Sunday after the Elevation of the Holy Cross Martyrs Trophimos, Dorymedon and Savvatios; Hieromartyr Januarios of Benevento and his companions   Pictures from the Veneration of the Iveron Icon of Hawaii The icon was received at St. Paul's on September 3, 2021 and venerated by the … [Read more...]

Sunday before the Elevation of the Holy Cross Leave-taking of the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos Hieromartyrs Autonomos of Italy and Coronatos of Iconium; Venerable Daniel of Thasios   Nativity of the Theotokos Divine Liturgy — Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at 9:30am The Nativity of the Theotokos The birth and early life of the Virgin Mary is not recorded … [Read more...]

Paraklesis Service on Monday, September 6, 2021 Cancelled I overlooked that Monday is a national holiday and family plans are already made. Yours, Fr. Hans … [Read more...]

Myrrh-Streaming Iveron icon of Hawaii will be visiting St. Paul Orthodox Church in Naples this Friday, September 3 at 6:00pm The Iveron Icon of Hawaii   Quite unexpectedly (and thus this short notice), the myrrh-streaming Iveron icon of Hawaii will be visiting our sister parish of St. Paul's (get directions) this Friday, September 3, 2021 at 6:00pm. All are invited to venerate … [Read more...]

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost Eleventh Sunday of Matthew Prophet Zachariah, father of the Forerunner Obadiah, bishop of Persia; martyrdom of the Holy Passion-bearer Gleb   Prophet Zachariah, father of the Forerunner   Zechariah was slaughtered just like a lamb, Within the Temple for the Lamb of God. On the fifth Zechariah was slaughtered on the ground of the … [Read more...]

Beheading of the Forerunner and Baptist John Venerable Theodora of Thessalonica; Theopistis and Joseph the Sanctified of Samaka   Beheading of John the Baptist The Beheading of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John — Saturday August 29, 2020 at 9:30am The Beheading of the Prophet, Forerunner of the Lord, John the Baptist: The Evangelists Matthew … [Read more...]

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Ninth Sunday of Matthew After-feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos Martyr Agathonikos of Nicomedia and those with him     Who Were the Martyr Agathonicus of Nicomedia, and those with him who suffered under Maximian? The Martyrs Agathonicus, Zoticus, Theoprepius, Acindynus, Severian, Zeno and others accepted death for Christ … [Read more...]