Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from Acts of the Apostles 9:32-42

IN THOSE DAYS, as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints that lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed." And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now there was at Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him entreating him, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter rose and went with them. And when he had come, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping, and showing tunics and other garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, rise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and lifted her up. Then calling the saints and widows he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Paralytic
The Reading is from John 5:1-15

At that time, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water; whoever stepped in first after the troubling of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked.

Now that day was the sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, 'Take up your pallet, and walk.' "They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your pallet, and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

Saints and Feasts

May 03

Sunday of the Paralytic

Close to the Sheep's in Jerusalem, there was a pool, which was called the Sheep's Pool. It had round about it five porches, that is, five sets of pillars supporting a domed roof. Under this roof there lay very many sick people with various maladies, awaiting the moving of the water. The first to step in after the troubling of the water was healed immediately of whatever malady he had.

It was there that the paralytic of today's Gospel way lying, tormented by his infirmity of thirty-eight years. When Christ beheld him, He asked him, "Wilt thou be made whole?" And he answered with a quiet and meek voice, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool." The Lord said unto him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." And straightaway the man was made whole and took up his bed. Walking in the presence of all, he departed rejoicing to his own house. According to the expounders of the Gospels, the Lord Jesus healed this paralytic during the days of the Passover, when He had gone to Jerusalem for the Feast, and dwelt there teaching and working miracles. According to Saint John the Evangelist, this miracle took place on the Sabbath.

May 03

The Holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura

The holy Martyrs Timothy and Maura were husband and wife. Timothy was from Penapeis in the Thebaid, a reader in the Church, and had been married to Maura only twenty days when he was betrayed to Arian, the Governor of the Thebaid, as a teacher of the Christians. Arian commanded Timothy to surrender his sacred books, which he refused to do, comparing it to a father's giving up his children to death. For this answer, heated iron spits were thrust through his ears. As he was being put to other tortures, Arian summoned Maura, hoping that she would persuade her husband to worship the idols, but she confessed herself a Christian. The hair of her head was pulled out, her fingers were cut off, then she was lowered into a cauldron of boiling water, but remained unharmed. Finally husband and wife were crucified facing each other, and after nine days, received their martyric end, during the reign of Diocletian (284-305).

May 03

Ahmet the Calligrapher & Martyr

May 03

Father Theodosius, Abbot of Kiev Caves Lavra

Our righteous Father Theodosius was born in 1009, not far from Kiev, and brought up in Kursk. From early childhood he showed the wisdom of an elder, avoiding childish games and refusing to wear anything but the poorest of clothing. When he was about thirteen years old, and his father died, he began to humble himself even more, going out to work with the serfs in the field. His mother went so far as to beat him in her attempts to make him behave more respectably. Hearing of the labours of Saint Anthony of Kiev, he fled to him secretly and was accepted by him as his disciple. He was tonsured at the age of twenty-four by Saint Anthony's disciple Nicon, and was elected Abbot of the Caves Monastery in 1057, since Saint Anthony refused this out of humility, and lived his whole life as a hermit. It was Saint Theodosius who introduced in Russia the cenobitic rule of the Monastery of Studium in Constantinople, and under his guidance many monks attained to great holiness, and the monastic life spread. When Prince Svyatoslav drove out his elder brother the pious Prince Isyaslav, and ascended to the throne of Chernigov in his place, Saint Theodosius courageously rebuked him, and continued reproving him even when threatened with exile. At the request of Prince Shimon, the son of a Varangian (Viking) prince, the Saint wrote a prayer for the nobleman's forgiveness of sins, and, at his behest, had it placed in his coffin, whence arose this custom in Russia. He reposed on May 3, 1074, being sixty-five years of age.

May 03

Peter the Wonderworker

May 03

Xenia of Kalamata the Great Martyr

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Χριστός Ανέστη εκ νεκρών, θανάτω θάνατον πατήσας, καί τοίς εν τοίς μνήμασι, ζωήν, χαρισάμενος. Christos anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patisas, ke tis en ti mnimasi zoi, harisamenos.

Christos anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patisas, ke tis en ti mnimasi zoi, harisamenos.

Christ is Risen from the dead/ by death trampling down upon death/ and to those in the tombs He has/ granted life.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Third Mode

Ευραινέσθω τά ουράνια, αγαλλιάσθω τά επίγεια, ότι εποίησε κράτος εν βραχίονι αυτού ο Κύριος· επάτησε τώ θανάτω τόν θάνατον· πρωτότοκος τών νεκρών εγένετο, εκ κοιλίας Άδου ερρύσατο ημάς, καί παρέσχε τώ κόσμω τό μέγα έλεος.

Εfrenesto ta ourania, agaliasto ta epigia, oti epiise kratos, en vrahioni autou o Kirios, epatise to thanato to thanaton, prototokos ton nekron egeneto, en kilias adou erisato imas, ke paresche to kosmo to mega eleos.

Let all the things above in heaven 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 Plagal Fourth Mode

Into the grave you descended, Immortal One, / yet you destroyed the power of Hades, / and as victor / you arose, O Christ our God;/ you proclaimed to the myrrh-bearing women a greeting of joy, / you brought peace to your holy apostles, / and to the fallen you granted resurrection.

Welcome

This Weeks Announcements

We extend greetings and a warm welcome to all visitors worshipping with us today. Please fill out a“visitor information card” located in the narthex and hand to one of the greeters. Following the Liturgy, please join us in our social hall for the coffee social.
Holy Communion in our Church is offered only to Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through the disciplines of our faith. Speak to Fr. Costas for further details.

We kindly ask everyone to Please silence cell phones and pagers while in Church

Today ~ Adult Catechism with Elaine Poulos in the Teen room following Holy Communion.
Today ~ TRISAGIA: 6 years for Irene Pantazoglou; for Nicholas Hallios; for Erato Hallios; for John Hallios; for Moshoula Vangelos; for Renata Papadopoulos.
Monday - Tuesday ~ 9:00 a.m. Festival baking. We invite all men and women who have a few hours available to join us as we make stuffed grape leaves. Lunch is provided.
Monday ~ 6:30 p.m. GOYA volleyball practice at St. Michael on Mill Road.
Tuesday ~ 6:30 p.m. Philoptochos dinner meeting at 100^th Bomb Group on Brookpark Road.
Wednesday ~ 7:00 p.m. monthly Parish Council meeting.
Thursday ~ 7:00 p.m. Bible Study with Frank Chirakos and Father Costas.

Upcoming Events in Our Parish – Respond Early

Next Sunday ~Epistle Reading, Acts 16:16-34; Gospel Reading, John 9:1-38.
Next Sunday ~ MNYMOSINA: 40 days for Mary Karagiozis; for the departed members of AHEPA Chapter #480; TRISAGIA: for Stegros and Stella Makiaris; for Michael Makiaris; for James and Eleni Makiaris; for Constantine and Lambrini, Clara, Andrew and Jim Karagiozis; Vassiliki and Harry Martsekis; for Panaghi and Penelope Portolos; for James and Mary Kranides; for Mike, Bessie, Anthony and Alexandra Kastanis; for Peter, Mary (Pagonakis) Kaverakis, and Ted Kaverakis; for Chris and Athena Kavos.
Next Sunday ~ Artoclasia for the members of AHEPA Chapter #480 and their families.
Next Sunday ~ Dance practice for all dancers at all levels following Sunday School.
Next Sunday ~ last day of Sunday school classes.
Next Sunday ~ 12:00 p.m. General Assembly meeting in Teen Room. Join us!!!
May 23 ~ 9:00-11:00 a.m. Priests will offer graveside Trisagion service at St. Theodosius Cemetery.
May 25 ~ 10:00 a.m. our Priests will offer graveside Trisagion service at St. Theodosius Cemetery.
June 8 ~ 10:00 a.m. 10^th Annual Golf Outing at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Brecksville. $125/person. Please consider participating as a golfer or hole sponsor. $10,000 hole in one contest. Proceeds to benefit the Capital Improvement Fund.
Project Pantry ~ Help support the growing boys of St. Innocent Orphanage by donating some of the most needed items. Complete list of needs posted on bulletin board and in May Messenger. Items can be placed in boxes located in the Hellenic Center on Sundays.

Events in the Greater Cleveland Area and Beyond…

Monday ~ IOCC Annual Benefit at Ridge Manor Party Center.
Saturday ~ Metropolis GOYA Volleyball tournament hosted by Holy Trinity Canton.
May 18 ~ 7:00 p.m. Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry meeting at Holy Trinity in Parma. Guest speaker from prison ministry program of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland will make presentation.
May 20 ~ 7:00 p.m. Great Vespers for Sts. Constantine and Helen at Sts. Constantine & Helen in Cleveland Heights.
May 21 ~ feast of Sts. Constantine and Helen & Holy Ascension; 9:00 a.m. Orthros; 10:00 a.m. Liturgy at Sts. Constantine & Helen in Cleveland Heights followed by luncheon.
May 22 – 25 ~ Annunciation Cleveland Tremont Festival. Our St. Paul Hellenic Dancers will be performing on Friday evening at 8:00 p.m.
May 29 - 31 ~ 3^rd Annual Pan Orthodox Convention in Akron. More information at http://panorthodoxunited.org/.
May 31 ~ 6:00 p.m. First of five Sunday evening class series “The Intersection of Heaven and Earth: Worship in the Divine Liturgy” taught by Paul Finley, Director of St. Herman House of Hospitality FOCUS Cleveland at St. Matthew on Albion Road. FREE. Everyone welcome!
June 6 ~ 11:00 a.m. Eastern Orthodox Women’s Guild brunch/book review at Annunciation Cleveland. See Evangeline Bozikis for more information.