Fifth Sunday of Great Lent
St. Mary of Egypt
The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil
Eutychios, patriarch of Constantinople; Venerable Platonida of Nisibis in Syria
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 Mar 30 — SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Mar 31 — Great Compline 6:30pm
- Wed Apr 02 — Full Canon of St. Andrew w/ Life of St. Mary of Egypt 6:00pm
- Thu Apr 03 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm
- Fri Apr 04 — Complete Salutations/Akathist Hymn 6:30pm
- Sat Apr 05 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
Please note: Wednesday service begins at 6:00pm, Presanctified Liturgy moved to Thursday this week.
Wednesday Lenten Suppers Follow Presanctified Liturgy
Every Wednesday after Presanctified Liturgy on the Wednesdays during Lent, we gather for fellowship over a simple Lenten supper.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered!
March
- 5 – Barbara and Kosta Dionysopoulos
- 12 – Kyriaki and Ioannis Ormandiou
- 19 – Glo Franklin and Barbara Sasson
- 26 – Barbara Sassen and Eleni Souganakis
April
- 3 – Katina Protopapadakis
- 9 – Evie Malek and Barbara Sasson
Women’s Book Club Meets Friday 11am in the Social Hall
We will begin, “Thinking Orthodox”, by, Dr Eugenia (Jeannie) Constantinou. The book can be purchased on-line at Ancient Faith Store.
All women are welcome and encouraged to attend. Coffee will be served. We can’t wait to gather together!
Flowers For The Kouvouklion/Christ’s Tomb
We are ordering flowers to decorate Christ’s Tomb and the interior of the church for the Lamentation Service on Holy Friday evening.
Donations for the flowers will be greatly appreciated. Please give your donations to Georgia in the office.
At the close of service, it is traditional—after venerating the Epitaphios tapestry of Christ in repose—to take a blessed flower for the home icon stand or altar.
We would like to keep the decorated Kouvouklion in tact through Bright Week. Fr.Hans would like—-as is customary—to give each parishioner a flower.
Holy Week Events for Children — Look for MyroForos (The Myrrh Bearing Women)
Dear Parents:
Pascha is fast approaching, and we are getting ready, in particular, for Holy Friday–one of the most holy days of the year.
We begin with the Royal Hours at 9:00 a.m., followed by the Parish women gathering to decorate the Kouvouklion (Tomb of Christ) with flowers.
Christ is taken down from the cross at 3:00 p.m.. This is an especially meaningful service for all the children. It is approximately 45 to 60 minutes long.
As is traditional, the children pay their respects by crossing under the Kouvouklion to be blessed.
During the Lamentations at 6:30, Myroforis–who were the women who followed Christ, attended to him and prepared his body for burial–are needed to
participate in the service. We need young ladies ages 9 to 13.
We will provide a white choir-like robe, flower headdress and white basket with flower petals to be tossed unto the Kouvouklion as they walk in a circle.
The girls should wear a white or light colored dress and white shoes or sandals.
Persephone and Alexis Johnson are in charge of this beautiful assignment. Please feel free to ask them or me any questions you may have.
Georgia
Your Sunday School Administrator
Does Anyone Need Living Room Furniture?
The following furniture is available free. You pick up. Tina Kuchera’s neighbor is moving and giving the sofa, love seat, chair, and table away. If interested call Tina at 239-980-1520 who will contact you with her neighbor. They are moving right away so act fast if you would like it.
We Need Donations for the Good Samaritan Fund
These are very difficult times for some of our parishioners. We need to replenish the Good Samaritan Fund to be able to help them. Can you donate? Please write a check and note “Good Samaritan Fund” in the memo box. If you would like to donate cash please put it in envelope marked “Good Samaritan Fund.”
When you bless a neighbor in need, you bless God.
Pledge and Income Report — February 2025
Contributions received in February were $22,441
The amount of money needed to cover expenses: $33,785.
For this month we are behind by $11,344
Year-to-date, we are behind by $1,631.
If you have not already done so, please complete a 2025 pledge form. Your pledge willplay a vital role in helping us meet our 2025 budget goals and will support ourpreparations for refinancing our mortgage in March 2026.
St. Peter Orthodox Church
7470 Hickory Drive
Fort Myers FL 33967
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ST. PETER’S GREETERS
Please note: Volunteers to serve as greeters are needed for December. Please contact Joe Repya if you can serve.
APRIL
- April 6 — Al Joseph – Loana Dumitru
- April 13 — Barb Zeena – Vicki Matie
- April 20 — Gabrial Voss – Ray Locklear
- April 27 — Tina Kuchera – Doug Kuchera
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – 2025
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- April 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #1 – Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, April 6 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, April 13 – Palm Sunday – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, April 20 – Pascha – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, April 27 – Coffee and donuts
- May 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #2 – Margie Zimmerman Group
- Sunday, May 4 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, May 11 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, May 18 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, May 25 – Coffee and donuts
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!
MARCH
The complete Lenten Schedule can be found on the St. Peter website.
All Lenten services will be live streamed.
- SUN Mar 30 — SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Mar 31 — Great Compline 6:30pm
- Wed Apr 02 — Full Canon of St. Andrew w/ Life of St. Mary of Egypt 6:00pm
- Thu Apr 03 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm
- Fri Apr 04 — Complete Salutations/Akathist Hymn 6:30pm
- Sat Apr 05 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
- SUN Apr 06 — SUNDAY OF ST. MARY OF EGYPT – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Apr 07 — Great Compline 6:30pm
- Wed Apr 09 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm
- Fri Apr 11 — Small Compline with Canon of St. Lazarus 6:30pm
- Sat Apr 12 — Lazarus Saturday Orthos 8:30 / Divine Liturgy 9:30am / Make crosses / Pancake breakfast / Children confessions – Full Schedule TBA
- Sat Apr 12 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
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
Current Prayer List
Adam (Krotov)
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
Kh. Denise (Breitenbach)
Fr. Patrick (Breitenbach)
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
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
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.”
