Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!The Sunday of the Myrrh Bearing Women The second Sunday after the Feast of Holy Pascha is observed by the Orthodox Church as the Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers. The day commemorates when the women disciples of our Lord came to the tomb to anoint his body with myrrh-oils but found the tomb empty. As the woman wondered what this meant, angels appeared … [Read more...]

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his … [Read more...]

Pascha - The Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ On Death and Resurrection in Christ — St. Gregory the Theologian, Easter Orations Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him. Yesterday I died with Him; today I am made alive with Him. Yesterday I was buried with Him; today I am raised up with Him. Let us offer to Him Who suffered and … [Read more...]

Palm Sunday The Entrance of Our Lord Jesus Christ Into Jerusalem At the outset of His public ministry Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God and announced that the powers of the age to come were already active in the present age (Lk 7.18-22). His words and mighty works were performed "to produce repentance as the response to His call, a call to an inward change of mind and heart which would … [Read more...]

The Fifth Sunday of Great Lent — St. Mary of Egypt The Life of 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 … [Read more...]

The Fourth Sunday of Great Lent — St. John of the Ladder By St. John of the Ladder The lessening of evil breeds abstinence from evil; abstinence from evil is the beginning of repentance; the beginning of repentance is the beginning of salvation; and the beginning of salvation is a good resolve; a good resolve is the mother of labors. The beginning of labors is the virtues; … [Read more...]

Starting Saturday, March 29 at 9:00am this stream will be showing the Divine Liturgy and Funeral Services for His Eminence Metropolitan Philip. Visit the Tele Lumiere/Noursat English language website, where you can watch their programming live on your computer. Technical Note: This stream is not compatible with iOS (Apple) devices. Noursat does provide an iOS app via their website. … [Read more...]

Annunciation of the Theotokos Vesperal Liturgy, March 25 A Vesperal Divine Liturgy for the Annunciation of the Thetotokos will be held tomorrow evening at St. Paul's (get map) starting at 5:30pm. … [Read more...]

The Third Sunday of Great Lent — Veneration of the Cross By Fr. Alexander Schmemann. The third Sunday of Lent is called "The Veneration of the Cross." At the Vigil of that day, after the Great Doxology, the Cross is brought in a solemn procession to the center of the church and remains there for the entire week— with a special rite of veneration following each service. It … [Read more...]

The Second Sunday of Great Lent — St. Gregory Palamas On the second Sunday of Lent, we celebrate the triumph of the teachings of St. Gregory Palamas, who upheld the Orthodox doctrine that humans can know God not through the intellect alone, but through experience of God's uncreated energies. The Council of Blachernae in 1351 which upheld St. Gregory's teachings was considered a second … [Read more...]

The Sunday of Forgiveness O Lord, we were estranged before from paradise, because of eating from the tree. Therefore, lead us into it again by Thy Cross and by Thy Passion, my Savior and my God. Fortify us therein that we may fulfill our fast with becoming purity, and worship Thy divine Resurrection and Passover of salvation, by the intercessions of Thy Mother. From Orthros, Tone 2 For those … [Read more...]

The Sunday of the Last Judgment First we heard about Zaccheus and learned that sometimes we have to climb to tree to see Jesus. Then we heard about the Publican and the Pharisee and learned that without humility all our efforts won't put us into the right relationship with Christ. Next we heard about the Prodigal Son and learned three things 1) the Father's love towards us … [Read more...]

Memorial Prayers for Rena Brooks On Sunday, February 16, 2014 (tomorrow), we will read the memorial prayers for Rena Brooks. Mary Copeland will host the Coffee Hour in her honor. Visitation will be held on Monday, February 17th, 2014 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., with prayers at 6:00 p.m., at Fuller Funeral Home, 1625 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, FL 34109. The funeral service will be on Tuesday, … [Read more...]

Four Items to Ponder About the Prodigal Son The reading this Sunday is about the Prodigal Son. To prepare for the sermon please think over these four points: The word prodigal means to be wasteful especially with money. In Jewish custom the oldest son got double the inheritance, all other sons got a single portion. In the original Greek, the phrase "He came to his senses" actually reads … [Read more...]

317AD — Christianity Goes Mainstream Our St. Peter lecture series continues at the Collier Public Library on Thursday, February 13 starting at 6pm. Invite your friends. We will also hold the lecture following Divine Liturgy this Sunday (February 9) starting at 11:30 for anyone who would like to attend. Do Receive the WORD Magazine? The WORD Magazine is the official … [Read more...]

The Sunday of Zaccheus Means Lent is Coming Whenever we hear the reading of Zaccheus, we also hear a warning far off in the distance to begin preparing for Lent. Lent is still a ways off, but it is approaching faster than we realize and when it comes we want to be ready. Lent is a season of interior purification, the kind of purification that is necessary to grow closer to God so that He … [Read more...]