Second Sunday after Pentecost
Second Sunday of Matthew
Martyr Julian of Tarsus; Martyr Aphrodisius of Cilicia; New-Martyr Nikita of Nisyros near Rhodes
Who Was the Martyr Julian Of Tarsus, in Cilicia?
The Holy Martyr Julian of Tarsus was born in the Asia Minor province of Cilicia. He was the son of a pagan senator, but his mother was a Christian. After the death of her husband the mother of St Julian moved to Tarsus, where her son was baptized and raised in Christian piety. When Julian reached age 18, a persecution against Christians began under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Among those arrested was St Julian. They brought him before the governor Marcian for trial, and for a long time they urged him to renounce Christ. Neither tortures nor threats, nor promises of gifts and honors could convince the pious youth to offer pagan sacrifice and deny Christ. The holy confessor remained steadfast in his firm faith.
For a whole year they led the martyr through the cities of Cilicia, everywhere subjecting him to interrogation and tortures, after which they threw him in prison. St Julian’s mother followed after her son and prayed that the Lord would strengthen him. In the city of Aegea, she besought the governor to permit her to visit the prison, ostensibly to persuade her son to offer sacrifice to idols. She spent three days in prison with St Julian, exhorting him to be strong until the end.
St Julian was again brought to stand before the governor. Thinking that the mother had persuaded her son to submit to the imperial decree, the governor began to praise her prudence. But suddenly she boldly confessed Jesus Christ, and even more fearlessly and boldly denounced polytheism. The governor then gave orders to cut off her feet, since she had accompanied her son from Tarsus. They tied the Martyr Julian into a sack, filled with sand and poisonous snakes, and threw it into the sea. The body of the sufferer was carried by the waves to the shores of Alexandria, and with reverence was buried by a certain pious Christian. The martyr’s death occurred in about the year 305. Afterwards his relics were transferred to Antioch. St John Chrysostom honored the holy Martyr Julian with an encomium.
St. Thaddeus (Jude) the Apostle Divine Liturgy Friday, June 19 2020 at 9:30am
The holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostle Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and his brother, along with St. James, by virtue of being the son of St. Joseph the Betrothed. He is also called Levi or Thaddeus and sometimes the name Jude is rendered as Judas, but he is not to be confused with Judas Iscariot, the Apostle Matthew (also called “Levi”), or the Apostle Thaddeus of the Seventy. He is referenced in the Synoptic Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and wrote an epistle which is part of the New Testament. His feast day is on June 19.
Jude was the brother of St. James and son of St. Joseph, Betrothed to the Theotokos. Sometimes he is called Levi or Thaddeus (some English translations call him “Judas”). He protested along with Simon and Hosea when the elderly Joseph wanted to leave a portion of his estate to Jesus upon his death. He was often called ‘brother of James’ out of humility and shame for he did not believe in Christ at first, yet St. James did.
He was one of the Twelve Apostles (not to be confused with the Thaddeus of the Seventy Apostles) and after the Ascension he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Idumea, Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Armenia. While preaching in the area around Ararat he was captured by pagans, crucified and killed by being shot with arrows.
Yearly Sts. Peter and Paul Feast Day Celebration — Great Vespers and Divine Liturgy on June 28/29 2020
Every year St. Peter’s of Bonita Springs and St. Paul’s of Naples celebrate their feast days together — Sts. Peter and Paul. We alternate yearly on where we celebrate the feast. This year St. Paul’s in Naples is the host and all services will be celebrated there.
- The main celebration with be a shared Great Vespers on Sunday, June 28 at 5:00pm, the eve of the Feast Day.
- The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Monday, June 29, 2020 with Orthros at 8:30am followed by Divine Liturgy at 9:30am
Please mark you calendars and plan on attending. In this troublesome time we need the help of the Saints, particularly the protectors of our parishes. God is glorified in His Saints, God works His wonders (miracles) through His Saints, the Church teaches us.
When we worship God and venerate His Saints, we attract the grace of the Saints that God has given them; the Saints provide opportunities for the parishes that bear their names to flourish and prosper.
Apostles Fast Begins June 15 – June 29
In the Orthodox Church the Fast of the Holy Apostles lasts from the day after the Sunday of All Saints to the 29th of June, the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul. This fast may be of longer of shorter duration depending upon which day PASCHA is celebrated. According to the Julian Calendar it could last from as little as 8 days to as many as 42 days dpeending on the date of PASCHA, but this is shortened by the Revised Julian Calendar which sometimes obliterates the Fast altogether, though rarely. If the feast of PASCHA occurs sooner, then the Apostles’ Fast is longer; if PASCHA comes later, then the Apostles’ Fast is shorter.
The Fast of the Apostles is somewhat more lenient than the Great Fast before Holy Week and PASCHA.
Prescription:
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday: No meat or dairy
- Wednesday and Friday: Strict Fast – No meat, dairy, olive oil, or wine.
Sunday Attendance Increased to 40 persons
- Sunday Sign-ups continue (sign up here) with a maximum limit of 40 persons.
- We will continue with this plan until we receive permission to increase our number.
- Social distancing must be maintained.
Regarding the Social Distancing: Toward the end of Divine Liturgy last Sunday, a lot of people congregated toward the front of the Church since our regular Social Hour is still restricted. If you would like to talk to others (and we all do of course), please also use the sidewalks outside so that proper social distances can be maintained.
Driver Needed
Could someone drive Barbara Dusckas to an eye appointment on Thursday, June 25 2020? The appointment begins at 8:45am. If you can provide a ride for Barbara please call her at 239-659-2363.
Theo Palis at Life Care Center
Theo Palis is at Life Care Center of Estero recovering from a fall. He will be there at least 3 weeks and would appreciate receiving a get well card or letter from parishioners because he cannot have any visitors. You can send it to:
Theo Palis — ROOM 433
LIFE CARE CENTER OF ESTERO
3850 Williams Road
Estero, FL 33928
The St. Peter Sermon Page is Back!
You can catch a replay of Fr. Hans’ latest sermons on the website.
Please make sure to subscribe! That way the St. Peter YouTube page rises higher in the Google search rankings.
Sign Up for the DOMSE Newsletter
The Diocese of Miami is growing and we need to stay informed. Sign up for the DOMSE News and the get the news delivered directly to your inbox. Send an email to dmcdomse@gmail.com to get added!
Bishop NICHOLAS Offers a Weekly Live Stream
His Grace Bishop NICHOLAS offers a LIVE STREAM talk with questions and answers to everyone in the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast every Sunday at 3:00pm ET.
You will be able to send questions directly to Bishop NICHOLAS via chat during the live stream. A recording of the live stream will be posted to the DOMSE BAND group. You must join the newly formed Domse band group to join in.
Open this invite link below on your iPhone, Android, or desktop: https://band.us/@domse
If you have BAND already, you will be able to simply join the group. If you do not have BAND, you will be able to download the application and join the group.
Interfaith Charities is Ramping Up and the Shelves are Bare
Interfaith Charities gave out all their available food during the coronavirus pandemic. The shelves are bare and they are asking local churches and business for help in feeding the poor in the south Lee County area (where St. Peter’s is located).
They need:
- Cereal
- Peanut butter
- Soups
- Canned vegetable (any and all)
- Staples (any and all except for rice and beans)
St. Peter partners with Interfaith Charities as part of our service to the larger community. You can find out more on the Interfaith Charities website.
Pledge & Income Report – May 2020
Donations received in May: $20,421.00
Amount of money needed to cover expenses: $18,121.00
We are ahead by $2,300.00
Please keep current with your pledge. The financial health and stability of our parish requires us to do our part.
You can mail your check to:
St. Peter Orthodox Church
24850 Old 41 RD Suite 6
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
You can also donate online (scroll to bottom of page):
Calendar At A Glance
June
- Sun Jun 19 — THADDEUS (JUDE) THE APOSTLE Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jun 21 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jun 24 — NATIVITY ST. JOHN BAPTIST Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jun 28 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jun 28 — STS. PETER AND PAUL Great Vespers at St. Paul Naples 5:00pm
- Mon Jun 29 — STS. PETER AND PAUL Divine Liturgy St. Paul Naples Orthros 8:30am, Divine Liturgy 9:30am
July
- Wed Jul 01 — STS. COSMAS AND DAMIAN Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Thu Jul 02 — ST. JOHN MAXIMOVITCH Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jul 05 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Tue Jul 07 — ST. KYRIAKE THE GREAT MARTYR Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jul 12 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Wed Jul 15 — ST. VLADIMIR EQUAL TO THE APOSTLES Diivne Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jul 19 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 20 — ELIAS (ELIJAH) THE PROPHET Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Sun Jul 26 — Orthros 8:30am / Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
- Mon Jul 27 — ST. PANTELEIMON THE GREAT-MARTYR AND HEALER Divine Liturgy 9:30am LIVE STREAM
Wisdom From The Elders
It comes about through our own fault, since it is caused by a decrease in attention and watchfulness over ourselves. This diminution of our attention comes about either as a response to the temptations existing in our surroundings—when various kinds of worldly delusion blunt and captivate us—or by the wiles of the enemy, who manages to persuade us to come out of our inner self. Fr. Jack Sparks
It is better for those who are not capable of long prayers to say short prayers, but with a fervent spirit. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning with ourselves, we always want to change others first and ourselves last. If everyone were to begin first with themselves, then there would be peace all around! Elder Thaddeus(Strabulovich) of Vitovnica
A monk was once asked: What do you do there in the monastery? He replied: We fall and get up, fall and get up, fall and get up again. Tito Colliander
When anyone, out of kindness, praises you to others, and they transmit these praises to you, do not consider them as a just tribute of esteem really due to you, but ascribe them solely to the kindness of heart of the person who thus spoke of you, and pray to God for him, that God may strengthen him in his kindness of heart and in every virtue; but acknowledge yourself to be the greatest of sinners, not out of humility, but truthfully, actually, knowing as you do your evil deeds. Righteous John, Wonderworker of Kronstadt
Remember in Your Prayers
The Prayer List has been revamped. To bring order to the list we will do the following:
- Names will remain on the list for two months.
- If you would like to keep them on longer please mention it to Fr. Hans. We will keep the names on the list for as long as the person needs prayers.
- Names will include the person who requested the prayers and the month the name will be removed.
- The permanent list includes friends and members of St. Peter’s and others including shut-ins.
Were names dropped that should have remained? Please mention it to Fr. Hans. He will add them back.
Current Prayer List (Resets July 1)
Lori (Dusckas 8/20)
Barbara (Dusckas 8/20)
Alberta (Dusckas 8/20)
Patricia (Copeland 8/20)
Demetrios (Copeland 8/20)
Efstathios (Mourgis 8/20)
Sergio (Mary Kazakos 8/20)
Francis (Copeland 7/20)
Dimitrios (Copeland 7/20)
Patricia (Copeland 7/20)
Dennis (Dusckas 7/20)
Jerry (Zafiris 7/20)
Harry James (Zafiris 7/20)
Permanent Prayer List
Demtrios (Kucera)
Margaret (Palis)
Theodosios (Palis)
Theodora (Webb)
Helen (Rogers)
Robert (Smith)
Robert (Jarvis)
Mary (Jarvis)
Presbytera Rosy (in Pakistan)
James (Hord)
Ann (Rellis)
Vassiliki (Kontinos)
Vassiliki (Morekeas)
Friends and Benefactors Departed this Life
John (Hansen)
Anatoly (Kurdsjuk)
Thareni (Brooks)
Jean (Sam)
Eleni (Pearson)
Richard (Pearson)
Fr. Stephanos (Shagoury)
Panagiota (Bea Chionis)
Anthony (Mourgis)
Anthony (Mankus)
Constantine (Houpis)
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 Second Sunday after Pentecost
Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. (2:10-16)
Brethren, glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. All who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law. For it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law who will be justified. When Gentiles who have not the Law do by nature what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the Law. They show that what the Law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Gospel
For Second Sunday of Matthew
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (4:18-23)
At that time, as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. And going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. And He went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.