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St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Christian Church
Publish Date: 2019-05-12
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St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Christian Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (619) 297-4165
  • Fax:
  • (619) 297-4181
  • Street Address:

  • 3655 Park Boulevard

  • San Diego, CA 92103


Contact Information






Services Schedule

Sunday Services

Orthros/Matins: 8:30am

Divine Liturgy: 10:00am


Past Bulletins


St. Spyridon Parish News, Events, Activities and Announcements

Christos Anesti / Christ is Risen!

This Sunday's Memorials

Theodore Samarkos - 40 days

Stamo Constantine - 1 year

Vassiliki Kassis - 1 year

George Tzathas - 11 years

James Constantine - 32 years

Pantelia Constantine - 36 years

Nicholas Constantine - 38 years

This Sunday's Acolyte Serving Team

St. Gregory: Captain: George Fratian, George Capetanakis, George Gonis, Demetri Maude, Luka Maude, Xaris Moskos, Demetri Zouvas 

Greek Festival 2019 Cooking & Baking Schedule

This Monday, May 13th at 9 am - Koulourakia & Paximadia; Monday, May 20th at 9 am - Kourambiethes & Melomakarona; Tuesday, May 28th at 9 am - Baklava; Wednesday, June 5th at 9 am - Melomata (syrup); Wednesday, June 5th at 9am - Packaging.

Come join in the fun as we prepare the delicious food and pastries that our church festival is famous for. Lunch will be provided, along with opportunity to participate in drawings for prizes! Questions? Contact Gina Balourdas 858-204-1016 or Christine Tradas 619-253-4153.

Festival Volunteer Sign-ups

Volunteers are needed in all booths and areas of our 50th festival. Sign up at  sdgreekfestival.com/volunteer, or contact Greg Balourdas at greg@thehanddoctor.com.

50th Festival Anniversary Photos

There will be a SPECIAL EXHIBIT at the Festival where photos and memorabilia from the past 50 years will be on display. WE NEED YOUR HELP!!! Please look thru your family albums, boxes, etc. and share a picture or article of YOUR family working, playing, dancing or perhaps cooking, at any of our past Festivals. We will scan the photos and return to you asap. For more info or to submit your photos please contact Stella Weil at (858)694-0570 or 4weils@sbcglobal.net. Thank you!.

Please see the "Inserts & Fliers" section below for more information 

50 Years of San Diego Greek Festival - Congratulatory Greetings & Commemorative Messages

This is a unique opportunity for all of us to place a Congratulatory Greeting and/or a Commemorative Message of loved ones, personalized with photos and dedications, in our Festival Brochure this year.

Please see the "Inserts & Fliers" section below for more information

Calling All Past and Present St. Spyridon Dancers!!! - Be Part Of A Special 50th Anniversary Festival Showcase Performance!!

Practice Tonight Friday, May 10th at 7:00 PM

If you or your child has ever been a part of the St. Spyridon Dance Program, you are invited to participate in this once in a lifetime performance on Saturday, June 8th at 7:00 PM. Tony Petroulias, Maria Terris and Dave Weil will be putting together this memorable performance! 

All past and present dancers are welcome, no matter your age! There will be practice on Friday, May 10th and 17th in the church hall at 7:00 P.M.

For more info Contact Stella Weil at (858)442-2830 OR 4weils@sbcglobal.net. 

Please note: If you want to participate in the performance but can't make it to practice, don't despair! Please contact Stella and we'll figure something out!

And please spread the word to your family and friends! 

Please see the "Inserts & Fliers" section below for more information

Festival Meeting

Next Festival meeting is Tuesday, May 14th at 7:00 PM in the Cypress Room.

Got Baklava?

If you’d like to pre-purchase our delicious festival pastries, the Pastry Shoppe is now open for pre-orders! Go to www.sdgreekfestival.com to place your order-pickup June 7th, 8th or 9th.

Philoptochos and Fellowship

We hope you continue to enjoy the long standing tradition of fellowship throughout the year. Philoptochos is thankful for the continued support from all the families and organizations that offer every week. We kindly ask that you consider offering at least once per year, so think of name days, celebrations, memorials, fundraisers, etc. Offering fellowship should be kept simple (bagels, cream cheese, fruit and cookies) as it is a light snack to enjoy  with family and friends following the Divine Liturgy. Therefore, the cost of fellowship should be approximately $100-$150 . You are also more than welcome to share your fellowship hour with another family or friend. If a ministry from the church offers fellowship then they can keep the donations for their group. Lastly, the donations collected from the coffee hour support our many ministries so please consider this when offering your donation.
 
To see which dates are available and sign up online visit our SignUp Genius page. To sign up over the phone, by email, or in person, contact Christina Vassos at cmvassos@gmail.com or 619-818-6882. Available dates can also be viewed using the fellowship calendar on the Philoptochos table in the hall. Thank you! 

Agape Meals 

Philoptochos has started a new outreach program and is looking for parishioners who are able to either cook or deliver (or both) a meal to fellow parishioners who are facing a difficult or stressful time in their life (illness, new baby, etc).  If you would like more information on how you can participate, please contact Stella Weil at (858)694-0570 or 4weils@sbcglobal.net.  Please join us as we come together as a community to help one another. Thank you.

Save The Date! - GOYA

Join us this Saturday, May 11th for our monthly activity. Come hungry for dinner and a casual evening with one another. Meet at our house – 8035 Morocco Drive, La Mesa 91942 at 5 pm. Parents pick your kids up at 8:30 pm. Please RSVP by May 7th to navridesfamily@gmail.com or (619) 992-6775.

Ancient Wisdom & Modern Coffee 

Sunday School class for adults (offered by Dn. Michael Kallas). Please join us as we follow the Bible readings from Pascha to Pentecost to study the Gospel according to St. John.  Our next session is Sunday, May 19th. We will meet in the Educational Building following the Divine Liturgy.  Please bring your Bible.

AHEPA

Sunday, May 19th - Free BBQ for the entire Parish after the Divine Liturgy. Family picnic and Tavli (Backgammon) tournament, Saturday, May 25th. CHANGE OF LOCATION - Allied Gardens Park, 5155 Greenbriar Avenue, San Diego. The picnic is free to all. Proceeds from the backgammon tournament will go to St. Innocent orpanage in Tijuana, Mexico. Call Costa Kotinopoulos at 858-848-5626 for Tavli entry info

Philoptochos Elections

Sunday, May 19th. We encourage all Philoptochos members to please stay after the Divine Liturgy for our elections to be held in the Education Building. If you are interested in becoming a Board Member and would like to learn more information, please contact Marian Dougenis at 619-520-3660. If you would like an absentee ballot, please contact Angie Georggin 858-748-9188.  Thank you.

Philoptochos

Your continued support of our Chapter has kept the mission of Philoptochos alive in San Diego for over 80 years. We invite you to become a new or renewed member for 2019. Anything over $30 is kept in our chapter to help us continue to do good work with our parish. 

Decorated Feast Day Icons

Philoptochos invites you and your family to commemorate a special Feast Day by offering a donation towards the cost of a beautifully decorated icon which will be displayed in the church Narthex for all to venerate. This is a perfect way to honor both your family member(s) as well as an important day in the life of the Church.  A suggested donation of $75 is much appreciated.

Please contact Stella Weil at 4weils@sbcglobal.net or (858)694-0570 to reserve your icon/date or if you have any questions. Thank you

The following Saints and Feast Days will be celebrated during May and June and have icons that can be displayed:

 

   

5/9                        THE HOLY MARTYR CHRISTOPHOROS

5/12                      SUNDAY OF THE MYRRH-BEARING WOMEN

5/21                      STS. CONSTANTINE AND HELEN 

6/6                        HOLY ASCENSION 

6/16                      HOLY PENTECOST 

6/24                      NATIVITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST

6/29                      APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL

ATTENTION PARENTS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS!

If your son or daughter is attending college, either in San Diego or away, including community college, undergraduate or graduate school, we want to reach out to them with some love from their St. Spyridon Philoptochos family. Please send your students postal mailing address and email address while they are in college, as well as the name of the school they are attending to Michelle Defelippi at mdefelippi@san.rr.com. or (858) 695-9772. 

Your Legacy and Your Church 

...to whom much is given; from them much more is required (Luke 12:48).  

Please remember to include your Saint Spyridon parish in your estate plan and bequest. 

Receive Back 0.5% From “Amazon Smile” Foundation

We are pleased to announce that St. Spyridon GOCnow participates in AmazonSmile.  When you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church.  That’s right, every eligible purchase you or someone else makes at AmazonSmile 0.5% will be donated back to our parish!!!

Register by visiting AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com) and select “St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church” before you make your first purchase (be sure to select St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church - San Diego, California).    

For more information about AmazonSmile, go to http://smile.amazon.com/about 

We hope you’ll consider this easy way to support your beloved parish.  Everyone is eligible to participate so tell your friends and relatives and spread the word about this wonderful program.  

Live Stream Broadcast  

If you know someone who may be in the hospital or home bound or for whatever reason just cannot get to church, don’t forget about the Live Stream Broadcast of our Divine Services.  You can watch our Live Broadcast by going to our parish website and clicking on the “Live Broadcast” tab on the top tool bar.  Remember, our Live Stream Broadcast is for those who absolutely cannot physically make the divine services of the church and is not a substitute for being present.  Also, please be aware that conversations, crying babies, etc. can be heard on the broadcast.  We have a wonderful cry room facility, which is located off the Narthex behind the candle stand, and is comfortable and provided for your convenience. 

The Live Stream divine services of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego, CA may not be recorded, retransmitted or reproduced without the express written consent of the Parish Council of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego, CA. Thank you for your consideration.

Donations toward the digital ministries of the parish are warmly welcomed.  If you would like to help support the ministries of Saint Spyridon please contact the church office.  Again, thank you.

 

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Inserts and Fliers

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered in to the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Second Mode. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7.

In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "it is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
The Reading is from Mark 15:43-47; 16:1-8

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.


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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and bestowing life on those in the graves.

Apolytikion for Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday in the Second Mode

When You descended to death, O Immortal Life, then, the light of Your divinity destroyed Hades. When You raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers cried out, "Glory to You our Christ, the Giver of Life."

Apolytikion for Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday in the Second Mode

Lowering Your pure body from the Cross, Joseph wrapped it in clean muslin with fragrant spices and laid it in a new tomb. But on the third day You arose, O Lord, and granted the world Your great mercy.

Apolytikion for Holy Myrrhbearers Sunday in the Second Mode

Standing by the tomb the angel said to the Myrrh-bearing women: "Myrrh is for the dead; but Christ has shown Himself stranger to death." So go and cry aloud, "The Lord has risen and granted the world His great mercy."

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
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Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

Resolution of the Archdiocesan Council

05/10/2019

WHEREAS: We, her faithful children in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, are grateful to our Mother Church for its wisdom in granting us an Archdiocesan Charter, and approving Archdiocesan Regulations, that provide to our beloved Holy Eparchial Synod and to the Archdiocesan Council a specific, meaningful and substantive advisory role in the election of the Archbishop of America;

Process Summary for Election of Archbishop

05/10/2019

Relative Regulations and Charter Articles to the Election of Archbishop

Encyclical of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America

05/09/2019

Following the Apostolic injunction of speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), I have today the great honor to communicate with you in a spirit of truth and love, in order to share with you some important items related to the life and progress in Christ of our holy Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
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Wisdom of the Fathers

They [the women] had followed Him ministering to Him, and were present even unto the time of the dangers. Wherefore also they saw all; how He cried, how He gave up the ghost, how the rocks were rent, and all the rest.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 88 on Matthew 27, 4th Century

And these [the women] first see Jesus; and the sex that was most condemned, this first enjoys the sight of the blessings, this most shows its courage. And when the disciples had fled, these were present.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 88 on Matthew 27, 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

Myrrbear
May 12

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women

About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when the Lord Jesus was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their own homeland and from then on followed after Him. They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to the sepulchre, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to annoint His body. It is because of the myrrh-oils, that these God-loving women brought to the tomb of Jesus that they are called the Myrrh-bearers. Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all, the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called "the mother of James and Joses" (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene (celebrated July 22); Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee, Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna. As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence (Matt 27:55-56; 28:1-10. Mark 15:40-41. Luke 8:1-3; 23:55-24:11, 22-24. John 19:25; 20:11-18. Acts 1:14).

Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Saviour, Joseph and Nicodemus. Of these, Nicodemus was probably a Jerusalemite, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, learned in the Law and instructed in the Holy Scriptures. He had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Saviour's preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. Furthermore, he brought some one hundred pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence and love for the divine Teacher (John 19:39). Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was a wealthy and noble man, and one of the counsellors who were in Jerusalem. He went boldly unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial. Since time did not permit the preparation of another tomb, he placed the Lord's body in his own tomb which was hewn out of rock, as the Evangelist says (Matt. 27:60).


Glykeria
May 13

The Holy Martyr Glyceria

This Martyr contested in 141 in Trajanopolis of Thrace, during the reign of the Emperor Antoninus Pius. At a heathen festival, when Sabine the Governor of Trajanopolis was offering sacrifice, Saint Glyceria entered the temple and declared herself to be a handmaid of Christ. Sabine commanded her to sacrifice. She went to the statue of Zeus and overturned it, dashing it to pieces. She was subjected to many horrible tortures, and finally was cast to wild beasts; bitten once by one of them, she gave up her soul into the hands of God.


Allsaint
May 14

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 pro-fessed himself to worship Christ as God and refused to worship any other, he was tormented and beheaded in 251, during the reign of Decius.


Pachomiusdavidthess
May 15

Pachomius the Great

Saint Pachomius was born of pagan parents in the Upper Thebaid of Egypt. He was conscripted into the Roman army at an early age. While quartered with the other soldiers in the prison in Thebes, Pachomius was astonished at the kindness shown them by the local Christians, who relieved their distress by bringing them food and drink. Upon inquiring who they were, he believed in Christ and vowed that once delivered from the army, he would serve Him all the days of his life. Released from military service, about the year 313, he was baptized, and became a disciple of the hermit Palamon, under whose exacting guidance he increased in virtue and grace, and reached such a height of holiness that "because of the purity of his heart," says his biographer, "he was, as it were, seeing the invisible God as in a mirror." His renown spread far, and so many came to him to be his disciples that he founded nine monasteries in all, filled with many thousands of monks, to whom he gave a rule of life, which became the pattern for all communal monasticism after him. While Saint Anthony the Great is the father of hermits, Saint Pachomius is the founder of the cenobitic life in Egypt; because Pachomius had founded a way of monasticism accessible to so many, Anthony said that he "walks the way of the Apostles." Saint Pachomius fell asleep in the Lord before his contemporaries Anthony and Athanasius the Great, in the year 346. His name in Coptic, Pachom, means "eagle."


Allsaint
May 16

Theodore the Sanctified

This Saint, who was born in the Upper Thebaid of Christian parents, joined the community of Saint Pachomios at about the age of fourteen years, and became the greatest of his disciples. Because of Theodore's utter humility and unquestioning obedience, Pachomios called him more and more to his aid in governing the monasteries he had established. Although some found fault with this, because Theodore was younger than they, Pachomios continued to put his confidence in him, to such a degree that once he told the brotherhood, "Theodore and I fulfil the same service for God; and he also has the authority to give commands as father." Pachomios was succeeded as governor of the monks by Saint Orsiesius in 346, and Orsiesius later took Theodore as his fellow abbot. At Theodore's death in the year 368, the monks mourned him so bitterly that the sound of their crying was heard on the other side of the river.


Allsaint
May 17

The Holy Apostles Andronicus and Junia

These Apostles are mentioned by Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, where he writes: "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles, who also were in Christ before me" (Rom. 16:7).


Allsaint
May 18

Holy Martyrs: Peter, Dionysius, Andrew, Paul, Christina, Heraclius, Paulinus and Benedimus

These Saints all contested in martyrdom during the reign of Decius (249-251)- Peter was from Lampsacus in the Hellespont. For refusing to offer sacrifice to the idol of Aphrodite, his whole body was crushed and broken with chains and pieces of wood on a torture-wheel; having endured this torment courageously, he gave up his soul.

Paul and Andrew were soldiers from Mesopotamia brought to Athens with their governor, there they were put in charge of two captive Christians, Dionysios and Christina. The soldiers, seeing the beauty of the virgin Christina, attempted to move her to commit sin with them, but she refused and, by her admonitions, brought them to faith in Christ. They and Dionysios were stoned to death, and Christina was beheaded.

Heraclius, Paulinus, and Benedimus were Athenians, and preachers of the Gospel who turned many of the heathen from their error to the light of Christ. Brought before the governor, they confessed their Faith, and after many torments were beheaded.


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