A Warm Welcome to Our Visitors

It is our hope that we will help you learn more about our parish and the Orthodox Christian faith that we confess. At St. Gregory of Nyssa, you will discover an ancient, yet dynamic faith, a warm Church family and even perhaps a spiritual home where you can grow roots and a deep relationship with Christ in the Holy Spirit. Please know that in the Holy Orthodox Church, Holy Communion is given only to those Baptized/Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared themselves through prayer, fasting and recent Confession. You are welcome to come forward at the end of the Liturgy to be given the Blessed Bread(Antidoron), of which all are blessed to partake, & a blessing from the Priest.

Welcome to our Church Home! We would like to meet you! Please join us at Coffee Hour following the service.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4

Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand.

Gospel Reading

Forgiveness Sunday
The Reading is from Matthew 6:14-21

The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

"And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Tone

Let all things above in heav'n rejoice, and let all things below on earth be glad. With all the might and strength of His arm an eternal deed the Lord did perform. Beneath His feet He has trampled down death by death, and first born of the dead has He become. From the womb of Hades has He delivered us, and to all the world has granted His great redeeming mercy.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Sixth Tone

Teacher of wisdom, Bestower of virtue, who teachest the thoughtless and protectest the poor: Strengthen and enlighten my heart, O Master. Give me word, O Word of the Father, for behold my lips will not be restrained from crying to thee: Have mercy on me, the transgressor, O merciful Lord.

Saints and Feasts

February 26

John Claphas the new Martyr

February 26

Forgiveness Sunday

The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined, but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all the divine commands. Taking occasion from today's Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one another and all creation.

February 26

Porphyrius, Bishop of Gaza

Saint Porphyrius had Thessalonica as his homeland. He became a monk in Scete of Egypt, where he lived for five years. He went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, after which he spent five years in much affliction in a cave near the Jordan. Stricken with a disease of the liver, he departed to Jerusalem, where he was ordained presbyter and appointed Keeper of the Cross at the age of 45. Three years later he was made Bishop of Gaza. He suffered much from the rulers and pagans of Gaza; but with the friendship of Saint John Chrysostom, and the patronage of the Empress Eudoxia, he razed the temple of the idol Marnas in Gaza and built a great church to the glory of God. He reposed in 450.

February 26

The Holy Great Martyr Photine, the Samaritan Women

Saint Photine was the Samaritan Woman who encountered Christ our Saviour at Jacob's Well (John 4:1-42). Afterwards she laboured in the spread of the Gospel in various places, and finally received the crown of martyrdom in Rome with her two sons and five sisters, during the persecutions under the Emperor Nero.

February 26

Holy Martyr Theocletus

Prayer List

HEALTH & WELFARE:
Abducted Metropolitan Paul & Archbishop John; Nick Koucoumaris, Richie, Margie, Arseny, Barbara and Paul Lane, Zach and Gizelle George, Alexi, Ralph Bradley, Dr. Minerva, Sarah, Richard, Stella Angeles, Carl Anthony, Stan, James, Kyriakos, Dora, Julia, Alexandra, Sebastian, Queentina, Diana, Nico, Janet Burgess, John Peters, Dionysios, Haralambos, Lillian Ana Grace, George(Marc's Uncle), Samantha(Marc's friend), Bonnie-Father's mother, Sarah-Betsy's mother, MaryAnn, Gabrielle, Kiki, Michael; Father John Pilafas & family;Virginia, Corey and family;Adrienne & Josef as they prepare to become Missionaries; George, Maria Hazlaris, Sarah Oftedal and her family, Darin Williams, Marika Stantcheva, Athina Cavelaris, Dionisios & Eftixia Diakoumeas, Nicky, Michael and Cathy Jean Alexander.

DEPARTED: Memory Eternal; Steve Kosic, Effie Matsolis, George, Arety, Manny, Archimandrite Paul, Eleni (Kyriako's Sister), Gregory Galanis, Deacon Michael; George and Iris Pilafas, Manuel Dragan, Elizabeth Zogob, Darla Gliptis, George Mastorakos and Fr. Theodore Phillips, Sophia Vourexis, Jason Hyde, Peter Kanelos, Mary Giana, Katherine Armatas; Lana Piliaris; William Piliaris, Katherine Kladouras, Heather Grinnell and Danny Ranglos

FOR OUR CHURCH LEADERS:
Patriarch Bartholomew; Archbishop Demetrios; Metropolitan Gerasimos; Bishop Apostolos; Father Simeon Corona, Presbytera Joy & family; Chris Psillas & the members of the Parish Council; Philoptochos; Pete Shenas and our Building Committee; Chris Kotitsa & our Stewardship Committee; Chanters & our Sunday School teachers, Mothers Victoria, Melania & the Mothers & Sisters of St. Barbara's & Holy Assumption Monasteries. Frs. Dionisie & Neonil of Holy Resurrectuion Monastery in Temecula.

If you would like our community to pray for you or a loved one or have a name removed, please call the Church office 619-593-0707.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Henceforward then we must be free from our listlessness; "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."[*] You see how he puts the Resurrection now close by them. For as the time advances, he means, the season of our present life is wasting away, and that of the life to come waxes nearer. If then thou be prepared, and hast done all whatsoever He hath commanded, the day is salvation to thee...Yes, for the day is calling us to battle-array, and to the fight. Yet fear not at hearing of array and arms. For in the case of the visible suit of armor, to put it on is a heavy and abhorred task. But here it is desirable, and worth being prayed for. For it is of Light the arms are! Hence they will set thee forth brighter than the sunbeam, and giving out a great glistening, and they place thee in security: for they are arms, and glittering do they make thee: for arms of light are they!...It is the deadly kind of passions then that he is for extinguishing, lust, namely, and anger. Wherefore it is not themselves only, but even the sources of them that he removes. For there is nothing that so kindles lust, and inflames wrath, as drunkenness, and sitting long at the wine...

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 25 on Romans 13, 4th Century

Here it were well to sigh aloud, and to wail bitterly: for not only do we imitate the hypocrites, but we have even surpassed them.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century

For I know, yea I know many, not merely fasting and making a display of it, but neglecting to fast, and yet wearing the masks of them that fast, and cloaking themselves with an excuse worse than their sin.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century

What He said is like this: Bury not gold in the earth, nor do any other such thing, for you do but gather it for the moth, and the rust, and the thieves. And even if you should entirely escape these evils, yet the enslaving of thine heart, the nailing it to all that is below, you will not escape: "For wheresoever thy treasure may be, there is thine heart also." ...

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century

For the same is both treasure and seed; or rather it is more than either of these. For the seed remains not for ever, but this abides perpetually. Again, the treasure germinates not, but this bears thee fruits which never die.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 20 on Matthew 6, 4th Century

Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.

St. Isaac of Syria

Unknown , 7th century

Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

Unknown, 18th century

Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we are at the same time reconciled with one another. A fast without mutual love is the fast of demons. . . We do not travel the road of Lent as isolated individuals but as members of a family.

His Grace Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia

20th Century

For he who is praying as he ought, and fasting, has not many wants, and he who has not many wants is not covetous. He who fasts is light, and winged, and prays with wakefulness, and quenches his wicked lusts, and propitiates God, and humbles his soul when lifted up ... nothing is mightier than the man who prays sincerely.

St. John Chrysostom

Fourth Century

The value of fasting consists not in abstinence only from food, but in a relinquishment of sinful practices, since he who limits his fasting only to an abstinence from meat is he who especially disparages it. The change in our way of life during these blessed days will help us to gain holiness. Therefore we should let our soul rejoice during the fast.

St. John Chrysostom

Fourth Century

The basis of all good things is the liberation of the soul from the captivity of the enemy. The light and life that accompany this freedom is attained by settling steadfastly in a single place and always fasting. That is, by regulating your life wisely and prudently, practicing restraint of the flesh, and remaining in a quiet place. He who puts these two rules into practice will eventually attain all the virtues.

Abba Isaac

A vainglorious ascetic is cheated both ways: he exhausts his body and gets no reward ... It is not he who depreciates himself who shows humility, but he who maintains the same love for every man who reproaches him.

St. John Climacus

. . .humble men like this are not men who have been converted, who have repented. They are men who are being converted, who are repenting. The Lord's call to repentance does not mean that we are to be converted once only, nor that we should repent from time to time (though one ought to begin with that). It means that our whole life should be a conversion, a constant repentance.

Archimandrite Vasileios

Hymn of Entry, 20th Century

It is required that not only with the body should we fast, but with the soul. Now the soul is humbled when it does not follow wicked opinions, but feeds on becoming virtues. For virtues and vices are the food of the soul, and it can eat either of these two. Bend your appetite toward virtues, as Paul says, "Being nourished by the word of truth."

St. Athansios of Alexandria

That great man Moses, when fasting, conversed with God, and received the law. Great and holy Elijah, when fasting, was thought worthy of divine visions, and at last was taken up like Him who ascended into heaven. And Daniel, when fasting, although a very young man, was entrusted with the mystery, and he alone under-stood the secret thing of the king. . .

St. Athanasios of Alexandria

If we have true love with sympathy and patient labor, we shall not go about scrutinizing our neighbor's shortcomings. As it is said, "Charity shall cover the multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8). . . True love screens anything of this kind, as did the saints when they saw the shortcomings of men. Were they blind? Not at all! But they simply would not let their eyes dwell on sins.

St. Dorotheos of Gaza

One must not trust one's feelings, since because of his limitedness a man cannot know everything, and therefore his judgment is also relatively limited. "Even if you see with your own eyes that someone sins, do not judge, for the eyes also may be deceived."

St. John Climacus

0ne must in every way flee from judging, and pray in secret for those who have sinned. "This form of love is pleasing to God." Judging is bound up with impudence and is incompatible with true repentance: "To judge is to impudently appropriate to oneself the rank of God."

St. John Climacus

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Calendar

Calendar

February 26 to March 26, 2017

Sunday, February 26

FORGIVENESS SUNDAY! Godparents!

9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)

11:30AM Forgiveness Vespers

12:30PM Macaronatha Lunch

Monday, February 27

Pray the day! Great Fast!

7:00AM Matins and 1st Hour Lenten Prayers

11:00AM 3rd and 6th Hours

4:00PM 9th Hour and Vespers

6:30PM Compline with Great Canon

Tuesday, February 28

Clean Week!

11:00AM 3rd and 6th Hours

4:00PM 9th Hour and Vespers

6:30PM Compline with Great Canon

Wednesday, March 1

1st Presanctified Liturgy

7:00AM Matins and 1st Hour

11:00AM 3rd and 6th Hours

6:00PM 9th Hour

6:30PM 1st Presanctified Liturgy with Lenten Potluck to follow

8:00PM Compline with Great Canon

Thursday, March 2

Pray the day! Great Fast!

11:00AM 3rd and 6th Hours

4:00PM 9th Hour and Vespers

6:30PM Compline with Great Canon

Friday, March 3

Final Full Day of Prayer for Clean Week

6:30PM Small Compline with the Salutations to the Theotokos

Saturday, March 4

9:00AM Matins & Divine Liturgy - St. Theodore - Blessing Wheat

12:00PM San Diego Orthodox Youth Lenten Retreat

4:30PM 9th Hour

5:00PM Great Vespers AT St. Anthony's

Sunday, March 5

Sunday of Orthodoxy

9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)

6:00PM Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers

Monday, March 6

6:30PM Evening Compline

Tuesday, March 7

Office Closed

Wednesday, March 8

5:45PM 9th Hour Prayer

6:30PM Presanctified Liturgy with Lenten Meal to follow

Thursday, March 9

40 Holy Martyrs of Sebaste

4:00PM 9th Hour and Presanctified Liturgy for the 40 Martyrs

Friday, March 10

6:30PM Small Compline with Salutations to the Theotokos

Saturday, March 11

5:00PM Great Vespers

Sunday, March 12

St. Gregory Palamas/Daylight Savings

9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)

12:00PM Philoptochos Meeting

6:00PM Penitential Vespers

Monday, March 13

Photo Week

6:30PM Evening Compline

Tuesday, March 14

Office Closed

Wednesday, March 15

5:45PM 9th Hour Prayer

6:30PM Presanctified Liturgy with Lenten Potluck

Friday, March 17

9:00AM Presanctified Liturgy

6:30PM Small Compline with the Salutations to the Theotokos

Saturday, March 18

4:30PM 9th Hour

5:00PM Great Vespers

Sunday, March 19

Holy Cross

9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)

6:00PM Penitential Vespers AT ST. GREGORY

Monday, March 20

6:00PM Evening Compline

6:30PM Parish Council Meeting

Tuesday, March 21

Office Closed

Wednesday, March 22

5:45PM 9th Hour Prayer

6:30PM Presanctified Liturgy with Lenten Potluck

Friday, March 24

9:00AM Presanctified Liturgy

6:30PM Vespers for the Eve of the Annunciation

Saturday, March 25

9:00AM Matins and Divine Liturgy for the GREAT FEAST of the Annunciation

4:30PM 9th Hour Prayer

5:00PM Great Vespers

Sunday, March 26

St. John Climacus

9:00AM Morning Prayers (Orthros)

6:00PM Penitential Vespers at St. John of Kronstadt

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins

A Warm Welcome to Our Visitors

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Gospel Reading

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Tone

Seasonal Kontakion in the Sixth Tone

Saints and Feasts

John Claphas the new Martyr

Forgiveness Sunday

Porphyrius, Bishop of Gaza

The Holy Great Martyr Photine, the Samaritan Women

Holy Martyr Theocletus

Prayer List

Wisdom of the Fathers

Join Us On Facebook

Calendar

Calendar

February 26 to March 26, 2017