The Fiftieth Day after Pascha
The Great Feast of Pentecost
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
Fifty days after the Resurrection, on the existing Jewish feast of Pentecost, while the disciples and many other followers of Jesus Christ were gathered together to pray, the Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of “cloven tongues of fire,” with the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and they began to speak in languages that they did not know. There were many visitors from the Jewish diaspora to Jerusalem at that time for the Jewish observance of the feast, and they were astonished to hear these untaught fisherman speaking praises to God in their alien tongues. This account is detailed in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2.
The number fifty, as in the fiftieth day after Pascha, stands for eternal and heavenly fulfillment, seven times seven, plus one.
The Orthodox Church sees Pentecost as the final fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Christ and the first beginning of the messianic age of the Kingdom of God, mystically present in his Church. It is traditionally called the beginning of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
Besides celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit, the feast also celebrates the full revelation of the divine Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hymns of the Church celebrate the sign of the final act of God’s self-disclosure to the world of His creation.
To Orthodox Christians, the feast of Pentecost is not just a celebration of an event in history. It is also a celebration their membership in the Church. They have lived Pentecost and received “the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” in the sacrament of chrismation.
Read more on the Orthodox Wikiwebsite.
Pentecost Prayers Immediately Following the Divine Liturgy
Immediately following the Divine Liturgy we will read the Pentecost Prayers.
Why are we doing this? One reason is that Pentecost is a major feast day in our Church. Pentecost (the fifty days) is when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and then all the people in Jerusalem, the same Holy Spirit that Adam lost is restored through Jesus Christ (the Second Adam) and makes our salvation possible.
If Christ hung on a cross to make our salvation possible (and he did), then we can pray these prayers that have been given to us by our Fathers in order to receive Christ’s salvation more deeply. It takes discipline, but there is never any growth without discipline.
For those who cannot kneel to physical limitations, it is entirely appropriate to remain seated and both bow you head and “bow the knees of your heart” as scripture says. For those of us who can kneel, we should kneel.
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Jun 01 — SUNDAY LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue – Fri Jun 3-6 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
- Wed Jun 04 — CANCELLED
Early Morning Liturgy - Fri Jun 06 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jun 07 — SATURDAY OF THE SOULS Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Jun 07 — CANCELLED
Parish Council Meeting 10:00am - Sat Jun 07 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wednesday Early Morning Liturgy Cancelled
All our chanters are tied up and Fr. Hans is out of town! We will let you know as soon as they are untied.
Fr. Hans Out of Town From Tuesday to Friday June 3-6, 2025
He will be attending a conference at Antiochian Village.
Saturday of the Souls Liturgy on Saturday June 7 2025 at 9:00am (Saturday Before Pentecost)
Please mark you calendars. Parish Council Members: President Ron Franklin with be reaching out to schedule an alternative date for the Parish Council meeting originally scheduled for that date.
Falling Behind on Your Pledge? We Need You!
The bills are the same in the summer as they are in the winter so please do not fall behind on you pledge.
Things always get tight during the summer months. Although we have a reserve (an emergency fund for unseen events like a rise in rates for wind insurance that is required by our mortgage banker which happened this year), it has to get paid back. St. Peter’s has always run in the black thanks to our faithful parishioners, has always met all of its obligations, and has keep up with the increasing expenses that occur with a growing parish.
This success relies on you — the good parishioners of St. Peter’s. Please catch up on your pledge and if you have more to give, that would be welcome too!
Saint Peter’s Hurricane Response Planning Completed!
We are prepared for the next hurricane if it should come (and we hope that it doesn’t). Parishioners in flood zones have places to weather out the storm, those who need help with installing and removing hurricane shutters will have it, seniors needing rides will get them, and more.
Thank you to Joe Repya who heading this project and the entire St. Peter Safety and Security team for the planning of this needed service in our parish.
We Need Donations for the Good Samaritan Fund – We are Running Short
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 — May 2025
Contributions received in May were $24,097.
The amount of money needed to cover expenses: $33,785.
For this month we are behind by $9,688
Year-to-date, we are behind by $2,477.
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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Diocese of Miami Parish Life Conference June 11-14-2025
Go to the Parish Life Conference website for more information.
ST. PETER’S GREETERS
Please note: Volunteers to serve as greeters are needed for December. Please contact Joe Repya if you can serve.
JUNE
- June 1 — Barb Zeena – Vicki Matie
- June 8 — Pavlo – Yaryna Bilych
- June 15 — Joe – Deb Repya
- June 22 — Need volunteers
- June 29 — Need volunteers
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.
- June 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #3
- Sunday, June 1 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, June 8 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, June 15 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, June 22 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, June 29 – Coffee and bagels
- July 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #1 – Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, July 6 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday,July 13 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, July 20 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, July 27 – Coffee and bagels
- 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
- September 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!
JUNE
- SUN Jun 01 — SUNDAY LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue – Fri Jun 3-6 — Fr. Hans Out of Town
- Wed Jun 04 — CANCELLED
Early Morning Liturgy - Fri Jun 06 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jun 07 — SATURDAY OF THE SOULS Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Sat Jun 07 — CANCELLED
Parish Council Meeting 10:00am - Sat Jun 07 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jun 08 — SUNDAY LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed – Sat Jun 10-14 — Fr. Hans Out of Town – Parish Life Conference
- Wed Jun 11 — CANCELLED
Early Morning Liturgy - Fri Jun 13 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jun 14 — CANCELLED
Great Vespers 5:30pm
- SUN Jun 15 — SUNDAY LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 18 — Early Morning Liturgy
- Fri Jun 20 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jun 21 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jun 22 — SUNDAY LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jun 24 — DIVINE LITURGY Nativity of St. John Baptist 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 25 — Early Morning Liturgy
- Fri Jun 27 — Men of St. Paisios 7:00pm
- Sat Jun 28 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Since the Resurrection of the Lord is the ever-present event by which He enters into unlimited Communion with all mankind, we can conclude that this same mystery should become a concrete reality within the sphere of our social life. His Beatitude, Patriarch IGNATIUS IV
When someone has a vice we should try to bombard him with rays of love and compassion so that he may be cured and freed. These things are achieved only through the grace of God. Think that this person is suffering more than you. In a coenobitic monastery when someone is at fault we should not tell him that he is to blame. We must adopt an attitude of care, respect and prayer. We must endeavour not to do anything harmful. When we endure insults from our brother, it counts as martyrdom. And it is something we should endure with joy. Elder Porphyrios
God is everywhere. You decide if you are close to him or not. St. John Chrysostom
Our life depends on the kind of thoughts we nurture. If our thoughts are peaceful, calm, meek, and kind, then that is what our life is like. If our attention is turned to the circumstances in which we live, we are drawn into a whirlpool of thoughts and can have neither peace nor tranquility. Elder Thaddeus
Not only that: truth is truth; but if at some point you speak the truth without discernment, this is not truth. For example, it is true that so and so is mentally disturbed. But if you go and tell this truth you do not benefit anyone. Elder Paisios of Mount Athos
Current Prayer List
Mary Teresa (Dusckas)
Tara (Breitenbach)
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)
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)
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)
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
Their voice has gone out into all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God.
The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles. (2:1-11)
When the day of Pentecost had come, the Disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. John. (7:37-52; 8:12)
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now this He said about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
When they heard these words, many of the people said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” So there was a division among the people over Him. Some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him. The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in Him? But this crowd, who do not know the Law, are accursed.”
Nicodemus, who had gone to Him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our Law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.” Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”