Venerable Athanasius of Athos
Fifth Sunday of Matthew
Venerable Lampados of Irenoupolis; Hieromartyr Cyprian of Mount Athos
Who is Venerable Athanasius of Athos?
Saint Athanasius of Athos, in holy Baptism named Abraham, was born in the city of Trebezond. He was orphaned at an early age, and being raised by a certain good and pious nun, he imitated his adoptive mother in the habits of monastic life, in fasting and in prayer. Doing his lessons came easily and he soon outpaced his peers in study.
After the death of his adoptive mother, Abraham was taken to Constantinople, to the court of the Byzantine emperor Romanus the Elder, and was enrolled as a student under the renowned rhetorician Athanasius. In a short while the student attained the mastery of skill of his teacher and he himself became an instructor of youths. Reckoning as the true life that of fasting and vigilance, Abraham led a strict and abstinent life, he slept little and then only sitting upon a stool, and barley bread and water were his nourishment. When his teacher Athanasius through human weakness became jealous of his student, blessed Abraham gave up his teaching position and went away.
During these days there had arrived at Constantinople Saint Michael Maleinos (July 12), igumen of the Kyminas monastery. Abraham told the igumen about his life, and revealed to him his secret desire to become a monk. The holy Elder, discerning in Abraham a chosen vessel of the Holy Spirit, became fond of him and taught him much in questions of salvation. One time during their spiritual talks Saint Michael was visited by his nephew, Nikephóros Phocas, a military officer and future emperor. Abraham’s lofty spirit and profound mind impressed Nikephóros, and all his life he regarded the saint with reverent respect and with love. Abraham was consumed by his zeal for the monastic life. Having forsaken everything, he went to the Kyminas monastery and, falling down at the feet of the holy igumen, he begged to be received into the monastic life. The igumen fulfilled his request with joy and tonsured him with the name Athanasius.
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Read the entire biography on the Orthodox Church in America website
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Jun 28 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 30 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jul 01 — St. John Maximovitch Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 03 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Jul 04 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Hot Dogs on July 5th During Social Hall!
Celebrating July 4th the founding of America. Join us in the Fellowship Hall after Divine Liturgy.
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.
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St. Peter Greeters
Can you volunteer? Please call Joe Repya 612-270-4443.
SUNDAY COFFEE HOURS
Please note: A fruit bowl, veggie or hummus tray may be added to a week’s menu.
June 2026 (updated again) – Team #3
- Sunday, June 7- Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, June 14 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, June 21 – Father’s Day – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, June 28 – Coffee and muffins
July 2026 – Team #1 Barb Dionysopoulos Group
- Sunday, July 5 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, July 12 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, July 19 – POT LUCK
- Sunday, July 26 – Coffee and donuts
August 2026 – Team #2 Vicki Ullemeyer Group
- Sunday, August 2 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, August 9 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, August 16 – POT LUCK
- Sunday, August 23 – Coffee and bagel
- Sunday, August 30 – Coffee and donuts
September 2026 – Team #3
- Sunday, Sept 6 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, Sept 13 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, Sept 20 – POT LUCK
- Sunday, Sept 27 – 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!
JUNE-JULY
- SUN Jun 28 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 30 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jul 01 — St. John Maximovitch Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 03 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Jul 04 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jul 04 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jul 08 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 10 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Jul 11 — Parish Council Meeting 10:00am
- Sat Jul 11 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jul 12 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jul 15 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 17 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Jul 18 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jul 19 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 21 – Fri JUL 24 Fr. Hans Out of Town at Antiochian Clergy Symposium
- Wed Jul 22 — CANCELLED
Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM - Fri Jul 24 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Jul 25 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Jul 26 — SUNDAY ORTHROS 8:30am DIVINE LITURGY 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 27 — St. Panteleimon Divine Liturgy 9:00am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jul 29 — Early Morning Divine Liturgy 6:00am LIVE STREAM
- Fri Jul 31 — St Paisios Brotherhood 7:00pm
- Sat Aug 01 — Great Vespers 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
Psalmody calms the passions and curbs the uncontrolled impulses in the body; and prayer enables the intellect to activate its own energy. Evagrios the Solitary
What does my experience tell me when I am the prisoner of sin? I am tormented sometimes the whole day, and cannot turn to God with my whole heart, because sin hardens my heart, making God’s mercy inaccessible to me. I burn in the fire, and willingly remain in it, because sin has bound my powers, and I—like one inwardly chained—am unable to turn to God until He, seeing my helplessness, my humility, and my tears, takes pity on me and bestows His grace upon me. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
The majority of people have religious feelings, although they are suppressed, they are still active, glinting like a small spark deep in the recesses of the soul. Even if these feelings are hidden, they inspire one towards moral actions, and the person does good, stimulated by these inner feelings, sometimes subconsciously, not fully recognizing the fact. Archbishop Averky (Taushev)
Fasts and vigils, the study of Scripture, renouncing possessions and everything worldly are not in themselves perfection, as we have said; they are its tools. For perfection is not to be found in them; it is acquired through them. It is useless, therefore, to boast of our fasting, vigils, poverty, and reading of Scripture when we have not achieved the love of God and our fellow men. Whoever has achieved love has God within himself and his intellect is always with God. St. John Cassian
Humility is hard to acquire, and the deeper it is, the greater the struggle needed to gain it. St. Diadochus, bishop of Photike in Epirus
The spiritual person is transformed for the better by the Saint, and is not irritated by the carnal person. He sees a carnal person and feels pain for him, but suffers no harm. Another person who is in a moderate state of spirituality is transformed for the better by a truly spiritual person; however, he is also transformed by a carnal person, but this time toward evil. A carnal person cannot distinguish a saint and is provoked by another carnal person. And while the possessed sees the saint and flees, the carnal person approaches a saint in order to tempt him and to scandalize him. Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
Current Prayer List
RJ Schwegler (Breitenbach)
Sonya (Duskas)
Georgia (Katsigianopoulos)
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)
Pangiota (Poulos)
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
For St. Athanasius
The saints shall boast in glory, and they shall rejoice upon their beds.
Sing unto the Lord a new song; His praise is in the church of the saints.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. (5:22-6:2)
Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provocation of one another, no envy of one another. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
GOSPEL
For the Fifth Sunday of Matthew
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (8:28-9:1)
At that time, when Jesus came to the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs met Him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have we to do to Thee, O Son of God? Art Thou come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged Him, “If Thou castest us out, send us away into the herd of swine.” And He said to them, “Go.”
So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their neighborhood. And getting into a boat He crossed over and came to His own city.
