Placing of the Sash of the Theotokos in Halkoprateia
Twelfth Sunday of Matthew
Gennadius, Patriarch of Constantinople; Hieromartyr Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage
The Placing of the Sash of the Mother of God
The Placing of the Venerable Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos in a church of Constantinople’s Chalcoprateia district took place during the reign of the emperor Theodosius the Younger. Before this the holy relic, entrusted to the Apostle Thomas by the Mother of God Herself, was kept by pious Christians at Jerusalem after Her Dormition. During the reign of Emperor Leo the Wise (886-911), his wife Zoe was afllicted with an unclean spirit, and he prayed that God would heal her.
The empress had a vision that she would be healed of her infirmity if the Belt of the Mother of God were placed upon her. The emperor then asked the Patriarch to open the coffer. The Patriarch removed the seal and opened the coffer in which the relic was kept, and the Belt of the Mother of God appeared completely whole and undamaged by time. The Patriarch placed the Belt on the sick empress, and immediately she was freed from her infirmity. They sang hymns of thanksgiving to the Most Holy Theotokos, then they placed the venerable Belt back into the coffer and resealed it.
Read the entire story on the Orthodox Church in America website.
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Aug 24 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 27 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 27 — Parish Council Meeting via ZOOM 7:00pm
- Fri Aug 29 — BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST DIVINE LITURGY 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Aug 29 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 30 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Time to Register your Child for Sunday School
Dear Parents and Grandparents:
It is unimaginable that summer time as we know it here in Florida will be considered over very
soon and our children will be returning to their classrooms.
Traditionally, we do not officially begin Sunday school until one week after Labor Day. This year
September 7 th . However, the Church is required to maintain Sunday school records. We know it
is a nuisance, but your help in expediting this procedure will be greatly appreciated.
We are setting two Sundays aside in the Social Hall so you may enjoy your coffee and snack while
signing up your child/children:
We look forward to teaching the children in a loving and fun manner.
Thank you.
Georgia Katsigianopoulos
Sunday School Administrator
Remember to Keep Up With Your Pledge
The bills are the same in the summer as they are in the winter so please do not fall behind on you pledge.
Support always dips in support but our obligations remain the same. Your consistent support is necessary keep our parish on firm and responsible financial footing.
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.
Sign up the the Monthly DOMSE Newsletter on the DOMSE (Diocese of Miami and the Southeast) Website!
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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.
TBA
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SOCIAL HALL ALL STARS
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS – SUMMER MONTHS 2025
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
- August 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #2 – Margie Zimmerman Group
- Sunday, August 3 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, August 10 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, August 17 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, August 24 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, August 31 – Coffee and donuts
- SSeptember 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #3
- Sunday, September 7 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, September 14 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, September 21 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, September 28 – 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!
AUGUST
- SUN Aug 24 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 27 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Aug 27 — Parish Council Meeting via ZOOM 7:00pm
- Fri Aug 29 — BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST DIVINE LITURGY 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Aug 29 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 30 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
SEPTEMBER
- SUN Aug 31 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Sep 01 — START OF ECCLESIASTICAL YEAR DIVINE LITURGY 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Sep 03 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Sep 05 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Sep 06 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Sep 07 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Sep 08 — NATIVITY OF THE THEOTKOS DIVINE LITURGY 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Sep 10 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Sep 12 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Sep 13 — Parish Council Meeting 10:00am
- Sat Sep 13 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Sep 14 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Sep 17 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Sep 18 – Sat Sep 19 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
- Fri Sep 19 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Sep 20 — CANCELLED
Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Sep 21 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Sep 23 — CONCEPTION OF ST JOHN BAPTIST DIVINE LITURGY 9:00AM LIVE STREAM
- Wed Sep 24 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Sep 25 – Sat Sep 27 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
- Fri Sep 26 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Sep 27 — CANCELLED
Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
OCTOBER
- SUN Sep 28 — SUNDAY LITURGY Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Oct 01 — EARLY MORNING LITURGY 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Sep 03 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Sep 04 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Without having freed itself from the world, the soul cannot love God sincerely. For worldly things, in the words of St. Antioch, are as it were a veil for the soul. St. Seraphim of Sarov
And conversely: if a man considers himself a believer, and has no misfortunes or illnesses, then this, according to the holy fathers, is a sign that he has not found favor with the Lord. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
One must force himself to prayer when he has not spiritual prayer; and thus God, beholding him thus striving and compelling himself by force, in spite of an unwilling heart, gives him the true prayer of the Spirit. St. Macarius the Great
There is a need, rather, to become good watchers of the heart, as well as the mind; to discern that which is good and fosters our prayer from that which rends it from us. This is the spiritual labor of disciplined prayer, and is the preparation by which we draw near to God. Bishop Irenei Steenberg
Orthodoxy is life. If we don’t live Orthodoxy, we simply are not Orthodox, no matter what formal beliefs we might hold. Fr. Seraphim Rose
You become despondent and lost at the least temptation. The Lord allows this to happen so that you might discover your weakness and understand how much lies hidden in a person’s soul, and that labor is necessary in order to cleanse oneself of passions, to become the temple of the Living God and to achieve salvation. Abbot Nikon Vorobiev
Current Prayer List
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 (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)
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)
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
For the Placing of the Sash of the Theotokos
My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Savior.
For He hath regarded the lowliness of His servant.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (9:1-7)
Brethren, even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence; it is called the Holy Place. Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies, having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. These preparations having thus been made, the priests go continually into the outer tent, performing their ritual duties; but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.
THE GOSPEL
For the Twelfth Sunday of Matthew
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (19:16-26)
At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, “Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which?” And Jesus said, “You shall not kill, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, honor your father and mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “All these I have observed; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
