Christ is Risen! Truly He has Risen!
The holy Myrrh-bearing Women
Pious Joseph of Arimathaea and Righteous Nicodemus
The Myhrr Bearing Women at Christ’s Tomb
The Myrhh Bearing Women
The third Sunday 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 proclaiming that Christ had risen from the dead.
Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all, the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called “the mother of James and Joses” (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene (celebrated July 22); Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna. As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence.
Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Savior, Joseph and Nicodemus. Of these, Nicodemus was probably a Jerusalemite, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, learned in the Law and instructed in the Holy Scriptures. He had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Savior’s preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. Furthermore, he brought some one hundred pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence for the divine Teacher (John 19:39).
Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was a wealthy and noble man, and one of the counselors who were in Jerusalem. He went bodly unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial. Since time did not permit the preparation of another tomb, he placed the Lord’s body in his own tomb which was hewn out of rock, as the Evangelist says (Matthew 27:60).
Read the entire story on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Apr 19 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Apr 22 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Apr 23 — St. George Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 24 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Apr 25 — Pauline Poulos Funeral Visitation 11am Funeral 12:00pm
- Sat Apr 25 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
The New Schedule for Pauline Poulos Funeral
The funderal for Pauline Poulos has been reschedule. Pauline’s funeral will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Visitation at 11:00am, Funeral at 12:00pm, Internment at Fort Myers Cemetary at 2:00pm.
May her memory be eternal!
Please Fill in Your Pledge Forms
The forms are available on the counter in the Narthex.
When You Give to the Good Samaritan Mercy Fund, You Fulfill the Law of Christ
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galations 6:2)
St. Paul teaches us that God’s law, to love God and neighbor, is fulfilled when we bear one another’s burdens. The Good Samaritan Mercy fund helps us do that by helping parishioners who because of catastrophic circumstances face problems that we can help them with. This year is proving greater than past years so any donation you can make to our fund enables us to carry those burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
All support is local, within our parish. Donations are approved by Fr. Hans and Ron Franklin our Parish Council President. Donations remain confidential.
St. John Chrysostom says those who can give receive their abundance from God in order to give. When we give from our abundance a double blessing occurs — one to the recipient in need, and another to him who gives.
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.
Register on the DOMSE website.
St. Peter Greeters
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – Spring Months 2026
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- April 2026 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #1 Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, April 5 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, April 12 Pascha- Coffee an muffins
- Sunday, April 19 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, April 26 – Coffee and donuts
- May 2026 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #2 – Vicki Ullemeyer Group
- Sunday, May 3 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, May 10 – Mother’s Day – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, May 17 – Pot Luck
- Sunday, May 24 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, May 31 – Coffee and donuts
- June 2026 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #3
- Sunday, June 7- Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, June 14 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, June 21 – Father’s Day – Pot Luck
- Sunday, June 28 – Coffee and muffins
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 19 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Apr 22 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Apr 23 — St. George Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Apr 24 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Apr 25 — Pauline Poulos Funeral Visitation 11am Funeral 12:00pm
- Sat Apr 25 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
APRIL – MAY
- SUN Apr 26 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Apr 29 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri May 01 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat May 02 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
MAY
- SUN May 03 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 06 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri May 07 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat May 09 — Parish Council Meeting 10:00am
- Sat May 09 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN May 10 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 13 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri May 15 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat May 16 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN May 17 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 20 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu May 20 — Sts. Constantine and Helen Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri May 22 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat May 23 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN May 24 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon May 25 — Finding of the Head of St. John Baptist Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed May 26 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat May 30 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
The word of the man reveals what is in his mind and heart (reveals the mind—unseen, dominating, and creating) Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
If the Lord were not long-suffering, if He were not the Lover of men, would He have borne with our great offences? would He have been incarnate? would He have suffered and died for you? would He have given you His most pure Body and Blood, upon which even the angels look with fear and trembling? Would He have saved you from sin and spiritual death so many innumerable times? Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Every passion, every even seemingly insignificant sinful predilection results at times in unbearable inner torment, creating a true hell in one’s soul. The one given over to passions and vices begins to experience already here on earth the full force of the torments of hell that await the sinner in the afterlife.
Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
The intellect does many good and bad things without the body, whereas the body can do neither good nor evil without the intellect. This is because the law of freedom applies to what happens before we act. Saint Kosmas Aitolos
As medicines purge the body from the impurity of bad humours, so grievous afflictions purify the heart from evil passions. Venerable Isaac the Syrian, bishop of Nineveh
Current Prayer List
Donna Eardley (Pateras)
Jack Eardley (Pateras)
Efstrathios Papadopoulos (Pateras)
Vera Pateras Stathes (Pateras)
Maureen (Breitenbach)
Doug (Kucera)
Katrina (Marianthi)
Katherina (Sovjani)
Arsen (Sovjani)
Arion (Sovjani)
David (Sovjani)
Joe (Repya)
Bp. Nicholas
Mary Teresa (Dusckas)
Adam (Krotov)
Ariyon (Sovjani)
Diana (Veraj)
Arjan (Veraj)
Thoma (Sovjani)
Lucia
Ioannes
Stratton (Leopold)
Mary (Copeland)
Robert (Tewis)
Gene (Forderhase)
Ruth (Mudd)
Barbara (Duskas)
Maria (Duskas)
Rachel (Voss)
Ken John (Eaton)
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)
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 (Hurley 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)
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)
Kathy (Breitenbach)
Hope (Isadore)
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)
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 (Zeena)
Vassilike (Hord)
Helen (Mitchell)
Catherine (Forderhase)
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
The Reading from the Acts of the Saintly and Pure Apostles. (6:1-7)
The Lord is my strength and my song.
The Lord has chastened me severely.
In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the Twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.
GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (15:43-16:8)
At that time, Joseph of Arimathaea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the Kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if He were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether Jesus was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that He was dead,he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking Him down, wrapped Him in the linen shroud, and laid Him in a tomb, which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where He was laid.
And when the Sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices so that they might go and anoint Him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified. He has risen, He is not here; see the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His Disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
