The Entrance of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into Jerusalem
Palm Sunday
Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Palm Sunday
On the Sunday before the Feast of Great and Holy Pascha and at the beginning of Holy Week, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of its most joyous feasts of the year. Palm Sunday is the commemoration of the Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem following His glorious miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. Having anticipated His arrival and having heard of the miracle, the people went out to meet the Lord and welcomed Him with displays of honor and shouts of praise. On this day, we receive and worship Christ in this same manner, acknowledging Him as our King and Lord.at the Virgin would show her. A voice replied to her from on high: “If you cross the Jordan, you will find rest.”
The biblical story of Palm Sunday is recorded in all four of the Gospels (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38; and John 12:12-18). Five days before the Passover, Jesus came from Bethany to Jerusalem. Having sent two of His disciples to bring Him a colt of a donkey, Jesus sat upon it and entered the city.
People had gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover and were looking for Jesus, both because of His great works and teaching and because they had heard of the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus. When they heard that Christ was entering the city, they went out to meet Him with palm branches, laying their garments on the ground before Him, and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”
Read more about Palm Sunday on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Lazarus Saturday Baptismal Liturgy on Saturday, April 12, 2025
The Raising of Lazarus
On the Saturday before Holy Week, the Orthodox Church commemorates a major feast of the year, the miracle of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when he raised Lazarus from the dead after he had lain in the grave four days. Here, at the end of Great Lent and the forty days of fasting and penitence, the Church combines this celebration with that of Palm Sunday. In triumph and joy the Church bears witness to the power of Christ over death and exalts Him as King before entering the most solemn week of the year, one that leads the faithful in remembrance of His suffering and death and concludes with the great and glorious Feast of Pascha.
We will hold one baptism following the Liturgy.
Read more on the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese website.
Parents – Bring Your Children to the Saturday of Lazarus!
We will begin with the Liturgy (where Fr. Hans will explain the importance of the day to the children), a pancake breakfast, making palm crosses to be distributed the next day at Palm Sunday and confession for the kids.
Palm Sunday Brunch Sunday April 13, 2025
St. Peter’s will hold a Palm Sunday Brunch following the Liturgy on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025. This is a great time of fellowship for all.
Thank you to Mythos restaurant for sponsoring the Palm Sunday brunch.
Learn About Lent
Click image to learn about Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha
Check out the rich resources about Lent and Holy Week on the Antiochian website.
Services and Events This Week
- 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
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
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 — March 2025
Contributions received in March were $42,443
The amount of money needed to cover expenses: $33,785.
For this month we are ahead by $8,658.
Year-to-date, we are behind by $7,028.
If you have not already done so, please complete a 2025 pledge form. Your pledge will play 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 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
- HOLY WEEK Sunday April 13 — Palm Sunday- Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Brunch in Social Hall following Divine Liturgy
Bridegroom Service 6:30pm - Mon Apr 14 — HOLY MONDAY – Bridegroom Service 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Tue Apr 15 — HOLY TUESDAY – Bridegroom Service 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Wed Apr 16 — HOLY WEDNESDAY – Holy Unction 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Thu Apr 17 — HOLY THURSDAY – Liturgy of the Last Supper 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Reading of the Twelve Gospels 6:00pm (note earlier time) LIVE STREAM - Fri Apr 18 — HOLY FRIDAY – Royal Hours 9:00am LIVE STREAM
Decoration of Tomb of Christ 10:30am
Taking Christ Down from the Cross 3:00pm LIVE STREAM
Lamentations 6:30pm LIVE STREAM - Sat Apr 19 — HOLY SATURDAY – First Resurrection Service 9:30am / Baptisms LIVE STREAM
Great and Holy Pascha 10:00pm LIVE STREAM - Sun Apr 20 — Agape Vespers / Reading of Gospel in different languages 12:00pm LIVE STREAM
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
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)
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
Blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord.
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians. (4:4-9)
Brethren, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice! Let your forbearance be known to all people. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things. The things which you both learned and received, and heard and saw in me, these things do; and the God of peace will be with you.
GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (12:1-18)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus who had died was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at table with Him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.
But Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of His Disciples (he who was to betray Jesus), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the moneybox he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of My burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me.”
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that He was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, “Hosanna! Blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”
And Jesus found a young ass and sat upon it; as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on an ass’s colt!” His Disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of Him and had been done to Him. The crowd that had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet Jesus was that they heard He had done this sign.
