Epiphany - Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Tarpon Springs, Florida + Sunday, May 14, Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, May 14

Transcript

1 Epiphany - Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral Tarpon Springs, Florida + Sunday, May 14, 2017 Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, May 14

2 WEEKLY MESSAGE Each year on Mothers Day, we honor the women who bring life into the world. These women, our mothers, sisters, daughters, cousins, and friends possess a unique and God-given power to become co-creators with Him and bring all human life into the world. Without motherhood, we would be lost. Without motherhood, we would not know love. Through the God-given stewardship of motherhood and by example, our mothers teach us to love one another, to sacrifice for each other, to serve each other, and the greatest lesson of all to love and serve the Lord. It is not surprise that we honor them with a special day set aside in the calendar, so that they know we love and appreciate them. Of course, the example par excellence of motherhood is the Panagia herself. The Mother of God, in her love, dedication and obedience to God, brought Life into the world, so that the entire world could live eternally with God. The Mother of God, serving as our Mother, inspires us to a deep love relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As the icon above the Holy Altar in almost every Orthodox Church throughout the world reveals, she has enthroned God upon her heart, and with open arms she invites us to do the same. The Panagia, like all dedicated and loving mothers, brings us to the Lord. On the Fifth Sunday of Pascha the Church honors another woman who brought an entire city to know Christ. Saint Photini, the Samaritan Woman at the well, met Jesus in the hot desert sun. She wasn t perfect, just as our mothers are not perfect. When she first met Christ she was hesitant. "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" (John 4.9) She found it difficult to understand who Jesus was, and how He would be able to help her. "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?" (John ) Finally God revealed her innermost secrets to her, and she responded, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. (John 4.19) Despite her hesitation and skepticism, Saint Photini continued her dialogue with Christ. Eventually He revealed Himself to her, "I who speak to you am He." (John 4.26) From that moment, she never doubted nor hesitated again. She immediately ran to the nearest town and invited the people, "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" (John 4.29) On Mothers Day we honor the faith and dedication of the women who helped us, and continue to help us understand God s love. Our mothers may not be perfect, but they are persistent in bringing us to Church, teaching to love God and each other, and to live as faithful Greek Orthodox Christians. Our mothers are modernday examples of the Panagia and Saint Photini in their love for God. Thank you for not giving up! Because you brought us to Christ, we can join in the crowd, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world." (John 4.42)

3 TODAY S SPECIAL SERVICES FIRST DIVINE LITURGY MEMORIALS 3-month: 1-year: 2-year: 4-year: 6-year: 10-year: 11-year: Pantelis Markoulakis, Elias Paravalos Anna Glymakopoulos Michael Paravalos George Demogenes Dimitrios Glymakopoulos Mary Kousaleos Nikolaos Koulias SECOND DIVINE LITURGY NO SPECIAL SERVICES SCHEDULED 40-DAY PRAYER LIST George, Periklis, Giannis, Panagiotis, Vissarion, Andie, Katherine, Patty, Joanne, Costas, Vassilis, Georgios, Glynn, Sheri, Natassa, Yiannis, Andriani, Stella, Eva, Artemis, Hrisovalandou, Milan, Panagiotis, Phyllis, Stathis, Michael, Artemisia, Nicholas, Ioanna, Christine, Evangelia, Helen, Katerini, Alexandra, Phyllis, Sotiria, Emanuel, Peter Prayer for a Sick Person Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your onlybegotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal me Your servant from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant me patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed. I pray that You heal me as Your servant and grant me the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. Names will be taken off the list after 40 days. To keep or add a loved one, please contact Soultana via e- mail (soultana@stnicholastarpon.org) or telephone ( ) by Monday at 5:00 pm.

4 ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Πράξεις τῶν Ἀποστόλων 11:19-30 Ἐ ν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, διασπαρέντες οἱ Ἀπόστολοι ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως τῆς γενομένης ἐπὶ Στεφάνῳ διῆλθον ἕως Φοινίκης καὶ Κύπρου καὶ Ἀντιοχείας μηδενὶ λαλοῦντες τὸν λόγον εἰ μὴ μόνον Ἰουδαίοις. Ἦσαν δέ τινες ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρες Κύπριοι καὶ Κυρηναῖοι οἵτινες εἰσελθόντες εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν ἐλάλουν πρὸς τοὺς Ἑλληνιστάς εὐαγγελιζόμενοι τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν. Καὶ ἦν χεὶρ Κυρίου μετ' αὐτῶν πολύς τε ἀριθμὸς ὁ πιστεύσας ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον. Ἠκούσθη δὲ ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰ ὦτα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Ἰεροσολύμοις περὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν Βαρνάβαν ἕως Ἀντιοχείας ὃς παραγενόμενος καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν χάριν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐχάρη, καὶ παρεκάλει πάντας τῇ προθέσει τῇ καρδίας προσμένειν τῷ Κυρίῳ ὅτι ἦν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς καὶ πλήρης Πνεύματος ἁγίου καὶ πίστεως. Καὶ προσετέθη ὄχλος ἱκανὸς τῷ Κυρίῳ. Ἐξῆλθε δὲ εἰς Ταρσὸν ἀναζητῆσαι Σαῦλον καὶ εὑρὼν ἤγαγεν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν. Ἐγένετο δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐνιαυτὸν ὅλον συναχθῆναι ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ διδάξαι ὄχλον ἱκανόν χρηματίσαι τε πρῶτον ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ τοὺς μαθητὰς Χριστιανούς. Ἐν ταύταις δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις κατῆλθον ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων προφῆται εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν ἀναστὰς δὲ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὀνόματι Ἅγαβος ἐσήμανε διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος λιμὸν μέγαν μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι ἐφ' ὅλην τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅστις καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ Κλαυδίου Καίσαρος. Τῶν δὲ μαθητῶν καθὼς εὐπορεῖτό τις ὥρισαν ἕκαστος αὐτῶν εἰς διακονίαν πέμψαι τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ἀδελφοῖς ὃ καὶ ἐποίησαν ἀποστείλαντες πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους διὰ χειρὸς Βαρνάβα καὶ Σαύλου. ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΝ Κατὰ Ἰωάννην δʹ 5-42 Τ ῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἔρχεται ὁ Ἴησοῦς εἰς πόλιν τῆς Σαμαρείας λεγομένην Συχὰρ, πλησίον τοῦ χωρίου ὃ ἔδωκεν Ἰακὼβ Ἰωσὴφ τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ. ἦν δὲ ἐκεῖ πηγὴ τοῦ Ἰακώβ. ὁ οὖν Ἰησοῦς κεκοπιακὼς ἐκ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας ἐκαθέζετο οὕτως ἐπὶ τῇ πηγῇ ὥρα ἦν ὡσεὶ ἕκτη. ἔρχεται γυνὴ ἐκ τῆς Σαμαρείας ἀντλῆσαι ὕδωρ. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Δός μοι πεῖν. οἱ γὰρ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπεληλύθεισαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, ἵνα τροφὰς ἀγοράσωσι. λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρεῖτις Πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν παρ' ἐμοῦ πεῖν αἰτεῖς, οὔσης γυναικὸς Σαμαρείτιδος ; οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται Ἰουδαῖοι Σαμαρείταις. ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Εἰ ᾔδεις τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ λέγων σοι, δός μοι πεῖν, σὺ ἂν ᾔτησας αὐτὸν, καὶ ἔδωκεν ἄν σοι ὕδωρ ζῶν. λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή Κύριε, οὔτε ἄντλημα ἔχεις, καὶ τὸ φρέαρ ἐστὶ βαθύ πόθεν οὖν ἔχεις τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ζῶν; μὴ σὺ μείζων εἶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἰακώβ, ὃς ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν τὸ φρέαρ, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἔπιε καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ θρέμματα αὐτοῦ; ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Πᾶς ὁ πίνων ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος τούτου διψήσει πάλιν ὃς δ' ἂν πίῃ ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος οὗ ἐγὼ δώσω αὐτῷ, οὐ μὴ διψήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὕδωρ ὃ δώσω αὐτῷ, γενήσεται ἐν αὐτῷ πηγὴ ὕδατος ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον. λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ γυνή Κύριε, δός μοι τοῦτο τὸ ὕδωρ, ἵνα μὴ διψῶ μηδὲ ἔρχομαι ἐνθάδε ἀντλεῖν. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Ὕπαγε φώνησον τὸν ἄνδρα σου καὶ ἐλθὲ ἐνθάδε. ἀπεκρίθη ἡ γυνὴ καὶ εἶπεν Οὐκ ἔχω ἄνδρα. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Καλῶς εἶπας ὅτι ἄνδρα οὐκ ἔχω πέντε γὰρ ἄνδρας ἔσχες, καὶ νῦν ὃν ἔχεις οὐκ ἔστι σου ἀνήρ τοῦτο ἀληθὲς εἴρηκας. λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή Κύριε, θεωρῶ ὅτι προφήτης εἶ σύ. οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ προσεκύνησαν καὶ ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐστὶν ὁ τόπος ὅπου δεῖ προσκυνεῖν. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Γύναι, πίστευσόν μοι ὅτι ἔρχεται ὥρα ὅτε οὔτε ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ οὔτε ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις προσκυνήσετε τῷ πατρί. ὑμεῖς προσκυνεῖτε ὃ οὐκ οἴδατε, ἡμεῖς προσκυνοῦμεν ὃ οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἡ σωτηρία ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐστίν. ἀλλ' ἔρχεται ὥρα, καὶ νῦν ἐστιν, ὅτε οἱ ἀληθινοὶ προσκυνηταὶ προσκυνήσουσι τῷ πατρὶ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ τοιούτους ζητεῖ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτόν. πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ δεῖ προσκυνεῖν. λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή Οἶδα ὅτι Μεσσίας ἔρχεται ὁ λεγόμενος Χριστός ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, ἀναγγελεῖ ἡμῖν πάντα. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Ἐγώ εἰμι, ὁ λαλῶν σοι. καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἦλθαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐθαύμασαν ὅτι μετὰ γυναικὸς ἐλάλει οὐδεὶς μέντοι εἶπε, τί ζητεῖς ἤ τί λαλεῖς μετ' αὐτῆς; Ἀφῆκεν οὖν τὴν ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις Δεῦτε ἴδετε ἄνθρωπον ὃς εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα μήτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός; ἐξῆλθον οὖν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἤρχοντο πρὸς αὐτόν. Ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ ἠρώτων αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ λέγοντες Ραββί, φάγε. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἐγὼ βρῶσιν ἔχω φαγεῖν, ἣν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε. ἔλεγον οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους Μή τις ἤνεγκεν αὐτῷ φαγεῖν; λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Ἐμὸν βρῶμά ἐστιν ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με καὶ τελειώσω αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον. οὐχ ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι ἔτι τετράμηνός ἐστι καὶ ὁ θερισμὸς ἔρχεται; ἰδοὺ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐπάρατε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν καὶ θεάσασθε τὰς χώρας, ὅτι λευκαί εἰσι πρὸς θερισμόν. ἤδη. καὶ ὁ θερίζων μισθὸν λαμβάνει καὶ συνάγει καρπὸν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ἵνα καὶ ὁ σπείρων ὁμοῦ χαίρῃ καὶ ὁ θερίζων. ἐν γὰρ τούτῳ ὁ λόγος ἐστὶν ὁ ἀληθινὸς, ὅτι ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ σπείρων καὶ ἄλλος ὁ θερίζων. ἐγὼ ἀπέστειλα ὑμᾶς θερίζειν ὃ οὐχ ὑμεῖς κεκοπιάκατε ἄλλοι κεκοπιάκασι, καὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὸν κόπον αὐτῶν εἰσεληλύθατε. Ἐκ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν διὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς γυναικὸς, μαρτυρούσης ὅτι εἶπέ μοι πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησα. ὡς οὖν ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ Σαμαρεῖται, ἠρώτων αὐτὸν μεῖναι παρ' αὐτοῖς καὶ ἔμεινεν ἐκεῖ δύο ἡμέρας. καὶ πολλῷ πλείους ἐπίστευσαν διὰ τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, τῇ τε γυναικὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν, καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου, ὁ Χριστὀς.

5 EPISTLE Acts of the Apostles 11:19-30 I n those days, those apostles who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad; and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose; for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large company was added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church, and taught a large company of people; and in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians. Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabos stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world; and this took place in the days of Claudius. And the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brethren who lived in Judea, and they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. GOSPEL John 4:5-42 A t that time, Jesus came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and so Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?" Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain; and you say that Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that the Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city and said to the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" They went out of the city and were coming to him. Meanwhile the disciples besought him, saying "Rabbi, eat." But he said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him food?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how the fields are already white for harvest. He who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony. "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard ourselves, and we know that this is indeed Christ the Savior of the world."

6 Variable Sunday Liturgy Hymns Ἀπολυτίκιον Ἀναστάσιμον Τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως κήρυγμα, ἐκ τοῦ Ἀγγέλου μαθοῦσαι αἱ τοῦ Κυρίου Μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν προγονικὴν ἀπόφασιν ἀπορρίψασαι, τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις καυχώμεναι ἔλεγον Ἐσκύλευται ὁ θάνατος, ἠγέρθη Χριστὸς ὁ Θεός, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος. Ἀπολυτίκιον τῆς Ἑορτῆς Μεσούσης τῆς ἑορτῆς, διψῶσάν μου τὴν ψυχήν, εὐσεβείας πότισον νάματα ὅτι πᾶσι Σωτὴρ ἐβόησας ὁ διψῶν, ἐρχέσθω πρός με καὶ πινέτω Ἡ πηγὴ τῆς ζωῆς, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς δόξα σοι. Τοῦ Ναοῦ Κανόνα πίστεως και εικόνα πραότητος, εγκρατείας διδάσκαλον, ανέδειξέ σε τη ποίμνη σου, η των πραγμάτων αλήθεια δια τούτο εκτήσω τη ταπεινώσει τα υψηλά, τη πτωχεία τα πλούσια, Πάτερ Ιεράρχα Νικόλαε, πρέσβευε Χριστώ τω Θεώ, σωθήναι τας ψυχάς ημών. Κοντάκιον Εἰ καὶ ἐν τάφῳ κατῆλθες Ἀθάνατε, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ᾅδου καθεῖλες τὴν δύναμιν καὶ ἀνέστης ὡς νικητής, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, γυναιξὶ Μυροφόροις φθεγξάμενος, Χαίρετε, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις εἰρήνην δωρούμενος, ὁ τοῖς πεσοῦσι παρέχων ἀνάστασιν. Resurrectional Apolytikion When the tidings of the Resurrection from the glorious Angel was proclaimed unto the Women Disciples and our ancestral sentence also had been abolished, to the Apostles with boasting did they proclaim that death is vanquished evermore and Christ our God has risen from the dead and granted to the world His great mercy. Apolytikion for the Feast O Lord, midway through the feast, give drink to my thirsty soul from the waters of true religion. For to all You the Savior cried aloud, "Let whoever is thirsty come to Me and drink." O Christ our God, the fountain of life, glory to You. Of the Church As rule of the faith and picture of gentleness, and teacher of temperance you were exhibited to your flock, by the truth of the evidence, Thus you acquired the lofty through humility, abundance through poverty. Father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ our God, that our souls may be saved. Kontakion Though You went down into the tomb, O Immortal One, yet You brought down the dominion of Hades; and You rose as the victor, O Christ our God; and You called out "Rejoice" to the Myrrh-bearing women, and gave peace to Your Apostles, O Lord who to the fallen grant resurrection.

7 Saints and Feasts of the Week SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN One of the most ancient cities of the Promised Land was Shechem, also called Sikima, located at the foot of Mount Gerazim. There the Israelites had heard the blessings in the days of Moses and Jesus of Navi. Near to this town, Jacob, who had come from Mesopotamia in the nineteenth century before Christ, bought a piece of land where there was a well. This well, preserved even until the time of Christ, was known as Jacob's Well. Later, before he died in Egypt, he left that piece of land as a special inheritance to his son Joseph (Gen. 49:22). This town, before it was taken into possession by Samaria, was also the leading city of the kingdom of the ten tribes. In the time of the Romans it was called Neapolis, and at present Nablus. It was the first city in Canaan visited by the Patriarch Abraham. Here also, Jesus of Navi (Joshua) addressed the tribes of Israel for the last time. Almost three hundred years later, all Israel assembled there to make Roboam (Rehoboam) king. When our Lord Jesus Christ, then, came at midday to this city, which is also called Sychar (John 4:5), He was wearied from the journey and the heat, and He sat down at this well. After a little while the Samaritan woman mentioned in today's Gospel passage came to draw water. As she conversed at some length with the Lord and heard from Him secret things concerning herself, she believed in Him; through her many other Samaritans also believed. Concerning the Samaritans we know the following: In the year 721 before Christ, Salmanasar (Shalmaneser), King of the Assyrians, took the ten tribes of the kingdom of Israel into captivity, and relocated all these people to Babylon and the land of the Medes. From there he gathered various nations and sent them to Samaria. These nations had been idolaters from before. Although they were later instructed in the Jewish faith and believed in the one God, they worshipped the idols also. Furthermore, they accepted only the Pentateuch of Moses, and rejected the other books of Holy Scripture. Nonetheless, they thought themselves to be descendants of Abraham and Jacob. Therefore, the pious Jews named these Judaizing and idolatrous peoples Samaritans, since they lived in Samaria, the former leading city of the Israelites, as well as in the other towns thereabout. The Jews rejected them as heathen and foreigners, and had no communion with them at all, as the Samaritan woman observed, "the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans" (John 4:9). Therefore, the name Samaritan is used derisively many times in the Gospel narrations. After the Ascension of the Lord, and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the woman of Samaria was baptized by the holy Apostles and became a great preacher and Martyr of Christ; she was called Photine, and her feast is kept on February 26. ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟΣ ΜΑΡΤΥΣ Ο Άγιος Ισίδωρος ήταν γιος ειδωλολατρών και ναύτης του βασιλικού στόλου, στα χρόνια του αυτοκράτορα Δεκίου. Κάποια μέρα που η μοίρα του στόλου ήταν αγκυροβολημένη στη Χίο, καταγγέλθηκε από τον κεντυρίων Ιούλιο στο Ναύαρχο Νουμέριο ότι ο Ισίδωρος είναι χριστιανός. Ο Νουμέριος δεν άργησε να τον προσκάλεσει να ομολογήσει. Τότε τον έδειραν σκληρά και κατόπιν τον έριξαν στη φυλακή.ο πατέρας του μόλις έμαθε το γεγονός αυτό, κίνησε για τη Χίο. Ο Ισίδωρος, μόλις αντίκρισε τον πατέρα του, με πολλή ευλάβεια και στοργή τον ασπάσθηκε. Το ίδιο έκανε και ο πατέρας του, αλλά δεν άργησε να εκφράσει και τη θλίψη του γι' αυτόν. Ο Ισίδωρος του είπε ότι μάλλον έπρεπε να χαίρεται, διότι είδε το φως που προσφέρει ο Ιησούς Χριστός. Ο πατέρας του τον παρακάλεσε να επιστρέψει στην ειδωλολατρία, αλλά ο Ισίδωρος έμεινε αμετακίνητος στην πίστη του. Τότε, οργισμένος αυτός, παρότρυνε το Νουμέριο να τον θανατώσει. Και πράγματι, ο Ισίδωρος μετά από βασανιστήρια αποκεφαλίσθηκε. ISIDORE THE MARTYR OF CHIOS This Saint was a soldier from Alexandria. He came with the Roman fleet to Chios, where he was betrayed as a Christian to Numerian, Commander of the Fleet. Because he boldly professed himself to worship Christ as God and refused to worship any other, he was tormented and beheaded in 251, during the reign of Decius.

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10 OUR PRIESTS ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU Fr. Athanasios Haros ( , and Fr. Sampson Kasapakis ( , are here to serve you. Please call, text or them for any spiritual needs. Kindly do not use the priests social media sites (e.g. Facebook) for emergencies, as your message might be inadvertently overlooked. Ο Πατήρ Αθανάσιος και ο Πατήρ Σαμψών είναι καθημερινά στην διάθεσή σας. Παρακαλούμε να τους καλείτε στα κινητά τους τηλέφωνα για πνευματικές ανάγκες. ST NICHOLAS KITCHEN St Nicholas Kitchen is an outreach ministry which provides a hot meal and fellowship to those in need. Volunteers for cooking, serving meals and cleanup between 8:00 am and 1:00 pm - along with monetary donations for the purchase of food - are welcome and needed. Remember the book of Matthew 25:35-36:...For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Your assistance helps feed approximately 100 people every Monday. Thank you for your support. Please call Chris Palaidis at for further information. BOOKSTORE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Our bookstore is experiencing a shortage of volunteers to keep this important ministry open during our Monday through Friday hours, 10 am - 2 pm. We are currently seeking volunteers for Wednesdays and Fridays, and would like to be open on Saturdays and Wednesday evenings. If you are looking for a rewarding volunteer project; enjoy meeting people, can spare two to four hours per week; and most of all, enjoy reading and sharing your knowledge of Orthodoxy, call Bill at CALLING ALL PARENTS OF YOUTH Important meeting with Fr Athanasios regarding St Nicholas youth ministries to take place Wednesday, May 17, at 7:00 pm in Fr Tryfon Hall. All parents of our youth are invited to attend.

11 CANNED FOOD DRIVE The St Nicholas Soup Kitchen is collecting canned goods for the Shepherd Center food pantry. We invite you to contribute to this worthy cause by dropping off your donation at the bin located in the front hallway of Fr Tryfon Hall, through Monday, May 22. TODAY GOYA Hosting Coffee Hour & MOTHER S DAY BAKE SALE All baked goods made by GOYA with LOVE...because our Moms are special! GOYA teens will also be handing carnations to mothers after both Liturgies. Please join us every Wednesday at 6:00 pm through Pentecost for our evening services. EVERY 1st WEDNESDAY: Agiasmos EVERY 2nd WEDNESDAY: Paraklesis to St. Nicholas EVERY 3rd WEDNESDAY: Paraklesis to Theotokos EVERY LAST WEDNESDAY: Holy Unction Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη! Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!

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13 ST NICHOLAS GREEK SCHOOL 2017 GRADUATION Friday, May 19, 6:30 pm Fr Tryfon Hall Graduates: Giorgos Glynatsis (Γιώργος Γλυνάτσης) Stavros Pantelis (Σταύρος Παντελής) Award of Excellence: Niki Glynatsis Evouli Kavouklis Eftyhia Trikilis Spelling Bee: George Glynatis May God bless you and guide your path for your future education! ST NICHOLAS COMMUNITY GRADUATES HIGH SCHOOL Palm Harbor University Tarpon Springs High School Evangelia Manias, Magna Cum Joseph Cooley Laude George Faklis Aglaia Margaris George Kontos Alexandra Haralambis UNIVERSITY Elias Klimis Maria Mavromatis, University of Anna Kossifidis South Florida (USF) Ancy Prodromitis Mary Samarkos, USF Yasuri Prodromitis Edward Shontz, University of Fotini Sisois Florida Michael Spirou Eva Shontz, Seminole State College

14 Sunday Church School News The St Nicholas Cathedral Sunday School wishes all our students and their families a great summer! See you next year! Clergy, teachers, parents and students at the Sunday School graduation on May 7, 2017

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16 ΥΠΕΡ ΥΓΕΙΑΣ FOR HEALTH Detach, save, enter first names only of the living and submit at any Liturgy or Paraklesis. Please write full baptismal name - not nicknames. Example: Erasmia, not Mia. Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Tarpon Springs, Florida

17 ΨΥΧΟΧΑΡΤΙ PRAYER SHEET ΥΠΕΡ ΑΝΑΠΑΥΣΕΩΣ FOR THE DECEASED Write full baptismal name - not nicknames. Example: Haralambos, not Bobby. \\\Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Tarpon Springs, Florida

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20 ST NICHOLAS PHILOPTOCHOS Monday: 9:00-10:00 am Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:00 am - noon Mission Statement To aid the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of disasters, to undertake the burial of impoverished persons and to offer assistance to anyone who may need to help of the Church through fund-raising efforts. Special gifts were made by our members to distribute to those in nursing homes and hospital for Mother s Day. HAPPY MOTHER S DAY! UPCOMING EVENTS Monday, May 15: General Meeting, 6:00 pm, Fr Tryfon Hall. We will hold the elections for the Philoptochos Board for Please join us for a wonderful evening of fellowship, as this will be our last meeting until September. St Nicholas Philoptochos, 18 Hibiscus St (directly behind St. Nicholas Cathedral) Mailing address: P.O. Box 2043, Tarpon Springs, FL Tel:

21 ARTOKLASIES / MEMORIAL SERVICES Contemplating having an artoklasia or a memorial service? Kindly call Soultana in our parish office at to make arrangements. Kollyva for memorials (μνημόσυνα) may be ordered through: Antonia Korfias ( ) Irene Koutelas ( ) Evangelia Stavropoulos ( ) Contact info for these preparers is provided as a service to parishioners and does not imply endorsement. CAREER CORNER Greek-speaking caregiver available for fulltime, live-in employment. Please call Nona at Do you need help cleaning the house? Highly experienced housekeeper available for hire. Please call Dafina at LET US HOST YOUR NEXT PARTY Reserve Fr Tryfon Hall or the St Nicholas Community Center for your next event! Visit the hall rental website at or call the church office at

22 ST NICHOLAS BOOKSTORE Monday - Friday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm; Sunday: 10:00 am - noon Tel The perfect place to shop for your last minute Mother's Day gifts! Find that meaningful Mother's Day gift for Mom, YiaYia, or your favorite Aunt in your Cathedral Bookstore. Mother's Day greeting cards, beautiful icons of the Theotokos and the Resurrection, books on Orthodoxy and saints, Bibles, cookbooks, bracelets, and much more are in stock. The Scent of Holiness $19.00 Women s monasteries have their own special flavor. If you re a woman who s read of Mount Athos and longed to partake of its grace-filled atmosphere, this book is for you. Men who wish to understand how women s spirituality differs from their own will find it a fascinating read as well. A Guide to Greek Traditions & Customs in America $32.00 This best seller captures the essence of religious traditions and cultural practices for Greeks and Philhellenes who want to preserve this remarkable heritage and pass it on to succeeding generations. Includes a short history of Orthodoxy and a glimpse at the Greek Diaspora across the globe. Icons $ $36.00 Beautiful Icons of the Theotokos make a great Mother s Day gift. A large selection of Theotokos, Festal and Saints icons are available in various sizes and designs. Cookbooks $ $30.00 Can the Greeks Cook! Fun With Filo, It s all Greek to Me, We Cook- We Pray-We- Learn, Olive and Caper, Taste and See are just some of the cookbooks that make for great Mother s Day gifts. FOLLOW ST NICHOLAS CATHEDRAL BOOKSTORE ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM!

23 May SCHEDULE On-call for emergencies this week: Fr Sampson Kasapakis, LITURGICAL SERVICES OFFICE AND MINISTRIES OFFICE, M-F, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday Δευτέρα MAY 15 Bookstore, M-F 10:00 am-2:00 pm Dance Ministry, 4:00 pm, Community Center Philoptochos Monthly Meeting, 6:00 pm, Fr Tryfon Hall Tuesday Τρίτη MAY 16 Boy Scouts, 7:00 pm, Fr Tryfon Hall Wednesday Τετάρτη MAY 17 Thursday Πέμπτη MAY 18 Friday Παρασκευή MAY 19 Paraklesis to Theotokos 6:00 pm Little Lambs, 10:00 am, Sunday School Room on Hibiscus Greek School, 4:30 pm GOYA practice for Junior Olympics, 7:00 pm, Gym Youth Parents meeting, 7:00 pm, Fr Tryfon Hall Greek School, 4:30 pm Greek School Graduation, 6:30 pm, Fr Tryfon Hall Saturday Σάββατο MAY 20 Sunday Κυριακή MAY 21 Great Vespers 6:00 pm Orthros 7:20 am Divine Liturgy (Greek) 8:45 am Divine Liturgy (Eng.) 10:45 am Journey to Marriage, 9:30 am, Fr Tryfon Hall Bookstore 10:00 am-noon HOPE End-Of-Year Potluck GOYA, 5:00 pm, Fr Tryfon Hall

24 SAINT NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL Mailing address: 17 E Tarpon Ave, Tarpon Springs, FL Tel: Fax: CATHEDRAL OPEN FOR PRAYER: 36 N. Pinellas Ave, Monday-Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Dean: Rev Fr Athanasios Haros Assistant Priest: Rev Fr Sampson Kasapakis Parish Council President: Nikitas Manias Administrative Assistant: Soultana Kalligas Bookkeeper: Jocelyn Chapman Property Manager / Hall Rentals: Costas Sisois PARISH MINISTRIES & DEPARTMENTS ALTAR SERVERS J. Theophilopoulos BOOKSTORE Vasilis Panageotou BOY SCOUTS Theodora Genduso & Antonino Genduso BYZANTINE ARTS ACADEMY -- Fr Sampson Kasapakis CHANTER Theofanis Katsiklis CHOIR, 1 st DL Katie Faklis CHOIR, 2 nd DL DeRose Andropoulos DANCE MINISTRY Maria Kouskoutis & Eva Athanasatos EDUCATION, CULTURE & YOUTH Karen Markopulos EPIPHANY COMMITTEE Emmanuel Gombos & Johanna Kossifidis GOYA (6th-12th grade) Theodora Stathakis & Emmanuel Gombos & Penny Lambrianos GREEK SCHOOL Chris Palaidis HOPE (Pre-K-5th grade) -- Melissa Tsongranis LITTLE LAMBS (40 days-3 years old)-- Presvytera Mallory Kasapakis ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM ORATORICAL -- Maria Angeliadis PHILADELFIA MEN S MINISTRY -- George Tsongranis PHILOPTOCHOS Tina Chagaris PRESCHOOL Jane Malone STEWARDSHIP Charles Samarkos SUNDAY SCHOOL Galatiani Leadbetter YOUNG ADULT LEADERS (YAL) -- Fr Sampson Kasapakis YOUTH CHOIR -- Diane Anastasiades ORGANIZATIONS & SOCIETIES AHEPA Tim Keffalas DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE Margo Filley ATHENIAN SOCIETY Helen Kariofilis CHIOS SOCIETY Chrysanthi Psoras CRETAN SOCIETY Angelo Sakis EPIRUS SOCIETY -- Nova Michopoulos HALKI SOCIETY Michele Manousos HELLENIC BENEV. ASSN Maria Keramas ICARIAN SOCIETY -- Linda Tripodis Murray KALYMNIAN SOCIETY Litsa Ikonomou KARPATHIAN SOCIETY -- Minas Liristis, LACONIAN SOCIETY Vasilis Lambrinakos PANCYPRIAN SOCIETY Angela Georgiadis PROMETHEAS SOCIETY Effie Vassiliou SYMIAN SOCIETY Michael Faklis COUNCIL MEMBERS ON DUTY TODAY George Stamas Nikitas Manias Themis Fountotos Tezza Emm. Gombos Irene Karavokiros Chris Palaidis John Stamas