Second Sunday of Great Lent
St. Gregory Palamas
The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil
Martyr Sabinos of Egypt; Venerable Christodoulos the wonderworker of Patmos
St. Gregory Palamas
From “A Man Fully Alive” by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick.
On the Second Sunday of Great Lent we celebrate St. Gregory Palamas, the archbishop of Thessalonica in Greece for a number of years in the 14th century, right around the same time that Geoffrey Chaucer was born, the man who wrote The Canterbury Tales.
But before he became an archbishop, Gregory was a monk on the holy mountain of Athos. During his time there and also when he later became an archbishop, Gregory was involved in a controversy that cut straight to the heart of this longing for life that all of us who are sons and daughters of Adam share.
At that time, there was a certain heretic named Barlaam, who was from the southern part of Italy, which was Greek-speaking at the time. Barlaam made the claim that the highest possible knowledge of God that anyone could have was through the mind, that the philosophers knew God better than the prophets and even the apostles.
Gregory answered that the human mind, while a great gift from God, was not actually capable of the kind of intimate knowledge and communion that Adam had received from God, that there was something much deeper, that the Christian could actually know God and see Him with the heart, as a light shining in. And indeed, sometimes this heart knowledge of God was so powerful and so pervasive that some people were actually seeing the light of God with their physical eyes.
Isn’t that why we’re here? Don’t we want to see God? Aren’t we here not just to learn about God with our minds, but truly to know Him with our hearts?
Read Fr. Damick’s complete essay.
Read a brief history of St. Gregory Palamas.
Services and Events This Week
- SUN Mar 09 — SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY DIVINE LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Mar 10 — Great Compline 6:30pm
- Wed Mar 12 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Mar 14 — Second Stanza Salutations to the Theotokos (Akathist Hymn) LIVE STREAM
- Sat Mar 15 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
Mark Your Calendar – Annual Lenten Womens Retreat On Saturday, March 29, 2025: Walking on the Water With Christ
Join us on Saturday March 29 for our Annual Lenten Retreat presented by Pres. Susan Jacobse. Coffee and light breakfast items start at 9am. The session concludes around 3pm with Vespers following. Lunch will be served.
Please RSVP with a call or text to Pres. Sue at 239-220-3971.
Journey to Pascha
Preparation begins with a resolution in the heart to do better this year than we did last year. Lent requires more of us but the requirement is never a demand but an invitation because God is not coercive. He freely gives so that we may freely receive.
But God is what the scripture calls a “jealous God.” This does not mean that God is jealous, but that the requirements for salvation, the things that are necessary to experience His salvation do not change. For us Americans it might be easier to understand it this way: God’s directives are not subject to negotiation or compromise.
More is expected from us. The Sunday services will be longer because we perform the Liturgy of St. Basil instead of St. John Chrysostom. The prayers are longer and we will pray them all because we don’t negotiate or compromise with what the Fathers have handed down to us.
We are expected to fast from certain foods during Lent. Why? Because bodily discipline is necessary for the healing of the soul.
We are expected to attend more services? Why? Because prayer and worship are necessary to draw us closer to God. When we draw closer to God, He draws closer to us St. Paul teaches.
We are expected to aid the poor more. Why? Because he who cares for the poor finds honor from his maker.
We Americans don’t like being told what to do. We naturally resist any statement that begins with “We are expected…” We reflexively equate obedience with servitude and we don’t like servitude.
Remember though that God gives freely and we are to receive freely. God does not force obedience. If He did obedience would be coercion and not freely given.
At the same time, we don’t change the Church and its practices to fit our idea of how things should be. Through the Church we learn how to conform ourselves to Christ. We don’t conform the Church into our own image.
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
- 2 – Katina Protopapadakis
- 9 – Evie Malek and Barbara Sasen
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!
Here’s Something To Do On A Sunday Afternoon
Greg from St. Paul’s (David Siwarski’s Godfather) is a member of the concert band. They play monthly at the Riverside Park Amphitheater in Bonita Springs. If you would like to attend, let Greg know and bring a lawn chair. We have a special section reserved for members of St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s. Contact Greg at 262-366-8528.
More information about the concert band can be found on their website.
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 — January 2025
Contributions received in January $43,498.
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $33,785.
For the month we are ahead by $9,713.
If you have not already done so, please complete a 2025 pledge form. Your pledge willplay 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.
MARCH
- March 2 — Will Schwarz – Loana Dumitru
- March 9 — Barb – Costa Dionysopoulas
- March 16 — Will Schwarz – (Still looking to fill this slot)
- March 23 — Tina – Doug Kureca
- March 30 — Will Schwarz – Joe Repya
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.
- March 2025 – Sunday Coffee Hours – Team #3
- Sunday, March 2 – Coffee and bagels
- Sunday, March 9 – Coffee and donuts
- Sunday, March 16 – Coffee and muffins
- Sunday, March 23 – Coffee and coffee cakes
- Sunday, March 30 – Coffee and donuts
- 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 Mar 09 — SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY DIVINE LITURGY – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Mar 10 — Great Compline 6:30pm
- Wed Mar 12 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm LIVE STREAM
- Fri Mar 14 — Second Stanza Salutations to the Theotokos (Akathist Hymn) LIVE STREAM
- Sat Mar 15 — GREAT VESPERS 5:30pm LIVE STREAM
- SUN Mar 16 — SUNDAY OF ST. GREGORY PALAMAS – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Mar 17 — Great Compline 6:30pm
- Wed Mar 19 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm
- Fri Mar 21 — Third Stanza Salutations 6:30pm
- Sat Mar 22 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
- SUN Mar 23 — SUNDAY OF THE VENERATION OF THE CROSS – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Mar 24 — Annunciation Great Vespers 6:30pm
- Tue Mar 25 — Annunciation Divine Liturgy 9:00am
- Wed Mar 26 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm
- Fri Mar 28 — Fourth Stanza Salutations 6:30pm
- Sat Mar 29 — Lenten Women’s Retreat 9:00am followed by Great Vespers
- SUN Mar 30 — SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN OF THE LADDER – Orthros 8:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Mar 31 — Great Compline 6:30pm
- Wed Apr 02 — Full Canon of St. Andrew w/ Life of St. Mary of Egypt 6:00pm
- Thu Apr 03 — Presanctified Liturgy 6:30pm
- Fri Apr 04 — Complete Salutations/Akathist Hymn 6:30pm
- Sat Apr 05 — Great Vespers 5:30pm
- 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
Wisdom From The Elders
I believe that Thou wilt come to judge the living and the dead, and all will stand in order, old and young, lords and princes, priests and virgins. Where shall I find myself? Therefore, I cry: Grant me, O Lord, repentance before the end.
The Canon of Repentance
It is incumbent upon us to strive, rather, to correct our faults and to improve our behavior.
St. John Cassian
On account of its soul-saving effect upon us of prayer in general, and of the rememberance of God or the prayer of Jesus in particular,as means to remaining in constant union with God and to constantly repulsing the attacks of the enemy, engagement in the prayer of Jesus is especially hateful to the devil.
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Satan dwells morally in a man when the man becomes a door of the devil’s will. It was in this way that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot (John 13:27), that is, he controlled his reason and will, and became one with him in spirit.
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
A man may seem to be silent, but if his heart is condemning others, he is babbling ceaselessly. But there may be another who talks from morning till night and yet he is truly silent, that is, he says nothing that is not profitable.
Abba Pimen
Can one climb a mountain without going up its foothills? Obviously not. In just such a way one cannot, without the foundation of all the Christian virtues – that is, without sincere faith in Christ – attain the summit of love.
Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) of Bogucharsk
Current Prayer List
Adam (Krotiv)
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)
Diane (Najar)
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
O Lord, Thou wilt preserve us and keep us from this generation.
Save me, O Lord, for the godly man hath disappeared.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Hebrews. (1:10-2:3)
“In the beginning, Thou, O Lord, didst found the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands; they will perish, but Thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle Thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will never end.” But to what angel has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies a stool for thy feet”? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation? Therefore, we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message, declared by angels, was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard Him.
GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (2:1-12)
At that time, when Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that Hewas at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He was preaching the Word to them. And they came, bringing to Jesus a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd,they removed the roof above Him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now, some of the scribes were sitting there, reasoning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they thus reasoned within themselves, said to them,“Why do you reason thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the paralytic – “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all. So that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
