{"id":7971,"date":"2019-10-22T05:00:01","date_gmt":"2019-10-22T09:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/?p=7971"},"modified":"2019-10-22T05:00:01","modified_gmt":"2019-10-22T09:00:01","slug":"st-peter-newsletter-october-22-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stpeterorthodoxchurch.com\/st-peter-newsletter-october-22-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"St. Peter Newsletter October 22, 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
\nThe Seventh Sunday of Luke<\/h2>\n

The Martyr Nestor of Thessalonica;
\nProcla (Claudia) the wife of Pontius Pilate;
\nKyriakos, Patriarch of Constantinople;
\nVenerable Nestor the Chronicler of the Kiev Caves<\/h4>\n
\"The
The Martyr Nestor of Thessalonica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich<\/p>\n

In the time of the suffering of St. Demetrios the Myrrhgusher, there was a young man of Thessalonica, Nestor, who learned the Christian Faith from St. Demetrios himself.<\/p>\n

At that time Christ’s enemy, Emperor Maximian, organized various games and amusements for the people. Nestor 01The emperor’s favorite in these games was a Vandal by the name of Lyaeus, a man of Goliath-like size and strength. As the emperor’s gladiator, Lyaeus challenged men every day to single combat and slew them. Thus, the bloodthirsty Lyaeus amused the bloodthirsty, idolatrous Maximian. The emperor built a special stage for Lyaeus’s battles, similar to a threshing floor on pillars. Spears, points upward, were planted beneath this platform. When Lyaeus defeated someone in wrestling, he would throw him from the platform onto the forest of spears. The emperor and his pagan subjects cheered as some poor wretch writhed in torment on the spears until he died.<\/p>\n

Among Lyaeus’s innocent victims were many Christians: when no one volunteered to duel with Lyaeus, by the emperor’s orders Christians were arrested and forced to duel with him. Seeing this horrifying amusement of the pagan world, Nestor’s heart was torn with pain, and he decided to come forward for a duel with the gigantic Lyaeus. But first, he went to prison to see St. Demetrios and sought a blessing from him to do this. St. Demetrios blessed him, signed him with the sign of the Cross on the forehead and on the chest and prophesied to him: “You will defeat Lyaeus, but you will suffer for Christ.” Thus, young Nestor went to duel with Lyaeus.<\/p>\n

Maximian was present with a multitude nestor34of people; everyone felt pity for the young Nestor, who would surely die, and tried to dissuade him from dueling with Lyaeus. Nestor crossed himself and said: “O God of Demetrios, help me!” and with God’s help, he overcame Lyaeus, knocked him down, and threw him onto the sharp spears, where the heavy giant soon found death. Then all the people cried out: “Great is the God of Demetrios!” But the emperor, shamed before the people and sorrowing for his favorite Lyaeus, was greatly angered at Nestor and Demetrios, and commanded that Nestor be beheaded and Demetrios run through with lances. Thus, the Christian hero Nestor ended his earthly life and took up his habitation in the Kingdom of his Lord in the year 306.<\/p>\n

Source: The Antioch Patriarch<\/a> website.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/div>\n

Divine Liturgy for St. Demetrios and Parish Pot Luck on Saturday, October 26 at 4:30pm<\/h2>\n

Why so late? Because the pot-luck follows at 6:00pm. Asking the people who live 45 minutes or more away to come in the morning, go home, and then come back is three hours of driving. So we moved the Liturgy to a time accessible for all.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"St.
St. Demetrios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Who Was St. Demetrios?<\/h4>\n

The holy, glorious and right-victorious Great-martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki the Myrrh-streamer (also Demetrios) is one of the most popular saints in the Orthodox world. He was martyred around the year 306 in Thessalonica, and his cult rapidly grew during the Middle Ages, when he was regarded as the first recognized patron and protector of the city, militarily as well as spiritually. His feast day is celebrated on October 26. The Serbian Orthodox Church commemorates the Saint as a Mitar having a feast of Mitrovan on November 8.<\/p>\n

Demetrios came from a noble family of the Roman province of Macedonia. Through this noble ancestry and through his own ability and virtue he rose to a high military position under Galerius Maximian, Caesar of the Eastern part of the Roman Empire (with Diocletian as the Augustus, or senior emperor). Despite this position in the still-pagan empire, he remained fervent in faith and works for Christ, encouraging many Christians to endure persecution and even bringing many pagans to the faith.<\/p>\n

When Maximian returned from one of his campaigns to Thessaloniki, which he had made his capital, he had pagan games and sacrifices celebrated for his triumph. Demetrios was denounced by pagans who were envious of his success, and he was thrown into prison. While in prison he was visited by a young Christian named Nestor, who asked him for a blessing to engage in single combat with the giant Lyaios (or Lyaeus), who was posing as the champion of paganism. Demetrios gave his blessing and Nestor, against all odds, slew his opponent in the arena, as David had once defeated Goliath.<\/p>\n

The enraged emperor, learning that this had occurred with Demetrios’s aid, first had Nestor beheaded outside the city and then had Demetrios impaled in prison. Later Demetrios’s servant Lupus was beheaded after using his master’s blood-stained tunic and signet ring to work many miracles. The Christians buried Demetrios and Nestor next together in the bath where Demetrios had been imprisoned. During the seventh century a miraculous flow of fragrant myrrh was found emanating from his tomb, giving rise to the appellation Mirovlitis, the Myrrh Gusher to his name. His tomb containing his relics is now in the crypt of the Church of St. Demetrios in Thessaloniki.<\/p>\n

St. Demetrios is revered as the patron saint of Thessaloniki and is believed by the people as having intervened to save the city over the years from invading foreigners, from the Slavic nations, Bulgarians, Arabs, Saracens, and others. While well remembered in the Hellenic world, the memory of the Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki found an attachment in the Slavic, particularly the Russian, world from the times of the Russian Primary Chronicle.<\/p>\n

Source: The Orthodoxwiki<\/a> website.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/div>\n

Remember This?<\/h2>\n

First published on September 17, 2017 after hurricane Irma.<\/em><\/p>\n

St. Demetrios Visits St. Peter’s<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I shared the following on Facebook in 2017:<\/p>\n

\n

After checking church today I entered my office (dark, no power) and as I opened the door a very strong aroma of myrrh had filled the office, and by strong I mean it was palpable.<\/p>\n

I located the source and it came from this icon that had some myrrh from the relics of St Demetrios of Thessaloniki. It exuded through the plastic.<\/p>\n

The Orthodox will understand the meaning of this. It is a sign of the protection of St. Demetrios towards our parish. I moved the icon to our still barren altar area.<\/p>\n

God is glorified through His Saints.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/div>\n

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: St. Peter’s Potluck Featuring John Panagiotou on Saturday, October 26 at 6:00pm<\/h2>\n

\"Plan<\/p>\n

St. Peter’s is growing and that means more planning, more organization, and more work — but it’s the kind of work that is blessed by God because we are building to help ourselves and the people that God will bring to us.<\/p>\n

We see that happening already, but it will grow. It’s our mission, but this mission is given to us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Potluck season is here too so we are combing two events into one. We will enjoy the food and fellowship we all love as well as a featured speaker. The first speaker will be John Panagiotou who will tell us how supporting St. Peter’s really works.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Diocese of Miami Winter Retreat<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Men: Join AMEN<\/h2>\n

\"Antiochian<\/p>\n

AMEN is growing in the Miami Diocese, very fast actually, and there is a lot of good energy behind it. Fr. Hans has been appointed the Spiritual Advisor to the group by Bp. Nicholas. Steve Breitenbach is our local president.<\/p>\n

What will AMEN do? It will bring together the men of the parish for friendship, fellowship, and work.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

St. Peter’s Men: <\/p>\n