Publish-header
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2023-05-14
Bulletin Contents
Jcsamwom
Organization Icon
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (919) 781-4548
  • Street Address:

  • 5000 Lead Mine Road

  • Raleigh, NC 27612


Contact Information








Services Schedule

Orthros/ Matins: Sunday: 8:30 a.m.


Liturgy: Sunday: 10:00 a.m. ;  Weekday: Please see online Church Calendar.


Vespers: See online Church Calendar.

 


Past Bulletins


Announcements

HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

RALEIGH, NC

SUNDAY, MAY 14, 2023

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

ORTHROS 8:30 a.m. – DIVINE LITURGY 10:00 a.m.

Broadcasting begins at 8:25 a.m.

 

Altar Boy Team on Duty: Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

New members or visitors, please stop by the Welcome Table across from the candlestand.

Orthros and The Divine Liturgy are broadcast live online each week.

 

Memory Eternal

Please join us in prayer following the Divine Liturgy for the repose of the servants of God:

Christ Capetanos (15 year), Mitsa Capetanos (7 year) and family

Spyridon Nicholaos Vlachos (7 year)

May the Lord rest their souls where the just repose.

The Coffee Hour is sponsored by the Capetanos Family

 

40-Day Blessing

Today we welcome Vasiliki (Lindsey) Abboushi with her precious son, Nicholas Charles Abboushi, as Father Paul provides the 40-Day Blessing to Nicholas and his mother Vasiliki.

 

Prayers for our former Assistant Priest, Fr. Theodore Roupas

We ask that you include Fr. Theodore Roupas in your prayers.  He was our former Assistant Priest here at Holy Trinity. Fr. Theodore Roupas recently asked our parish to pray for him.  He was diagnosed with a severe heart condition and had open heart surgery a few days ago with a long road of recovery ahead.  We pray that he receives the hope and courage needed today and every day and that God heals his pain, calms his fears, and surrounds him with peace.

 

Sunday School

There will be no Sunday School classes this Sunday, May 14th. 

The last day of Sunday School will be May 21st.

 

Commitment Sunday, May 21 - Capital Campaign Update

Dear friends and stewards of Holy Trinity,

You will soon be receiving in your mail a Capital Campaign Packet which will include a Three Year Pledge Card in support for our new Master Plan.  Please fill it out and return this card to us by mail or you may choose to bring it to church with you on Commitment Sunday, May 21 where we will collect them at the end of liturgy.

In addition, here is a preview of the planned activities:

June 4 - Capital Campaign Special General Assembly to update Community on the Capital Campaign progress.  We are planning on serving Loukoumades and Frappes!  We want a big turnout. Hope to see you all there.

If you are interested in learning more about the work that is being done to make our new Holy Trinity home a reality, please contact George Pappas or Manny Economedes.

Here is the link for donations online: https://abundant.co/holytrinityraleigh/capcampaign2023

 

Church Office

The office will be closed on Monday, May 29th in observance of Memorial Day.

Please check our lost and found bin in the copier room if you are missing personal belongings, we have quite a few items looking for their owners.

 

Adult Greek Dance

The first practice will be Tuesday, May 16 at 7pm in the Fellowship Hall.  Please check out the church calendar for all future practice dates.

 

Greek Dance 8th - 12th graders

We practice every Sunday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm in the Fellowship Hall. 

All are welcome even if they are beginners.

 

GOYA News


If you are interested in running for an officer position for next year, please fill out this form as soon as possible, but no later than May 13th. We will be holding elections after Sunday School on May 21st. If you are running for a position, please be in attendance on that Sunday. Candidate list and short narrative will be sent out next week. Here is the link to the google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwMCl_NfYtJrP85Zv7KuJ7InPSh-yC9FWJ0PCtS0uAy2UXyg/viewform?usp=sf_link 

May 20, 3pm- Family pool party at the Nickolas' home. Please plan to bring a side or dessert.  The Nickolas family will be providing the main course.  We are so grateful for their generosity. Additional details and address will be in next week's email. 

June 17, 4-7pm-  End of year celebration at Kings Bowling

Alley and dinner at Chuy's. More details to come! 

6th graders are encouraged to participate in all May and June activities.  Please reach out to Bryce and Jamie to be added to the email list asap. 

 

Preschool Summer Camps

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Preschool will be having 4 weeklong camps over the summer. All camps will feature a specific theme and will have arts & crafts, math, music, movement, and literacy.

June 12th-16th Ocean

June 19th-23rd Dinosaur

August 7th-11th Nutrition

August 14th-18th Bugs

Class Hours :  9:00am - 1:00pm daily

Cost Per Camp: $125.00 per child

Forms can be found on the candle stand, if you have questions please reach out to Shae Noffsinger at shaejn@yahoo.com

 

Philoptochos News

Dear Philoptochos sisters and supporters,

Christos Anesti!

  Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful mothers in our lives, including everyone that provides motherly love and guidance. You truly are the reason our world is so lovely!

Mark your calendars and attend the General meeting at 12 noon and party at 4pm on Sunday May 21!  Purchase tickets in advance for our End of Year Party.  Please see all the information below.

General meeting Sunday May 21 at 12 noon

This will be our last meeting before summer break. It will be brief and extremely important as we will conduct elections for our new Board members and vote for the nonprofits that will be our grant recipients.

Then join us for our End of Year Party on Sunday May 21 at 4pm.

Come celebrate alongside us as we eat, drink, and enjoy the end of a fabulous year. The Ladies of Philoptochos will be hosting this party from 4pm-6pm at:

Ladyfingers (3710 Exchange Glenwood Place)

Tickets are $35.00 and can be purchased during coffee hour. Payment can be made by cash, check (made out to Ladies of Philoptochos), or credit card.

If you have any questions regarding the party, please contact Francesca (fip3832@gmail.com)

or Anna(annakouba@yahoo.com). We hope to see you all there!

Agape,

Lekita

 

 

St Anthony’s Group

May
       20th - Saturday: Chair exercises at 1:30 in Parish Hall.
June
       11th – Sunday: Annual group planning at 12pm in the library.
       6th - Tuesday: Monthly spaghetti luncheon at 12:30pm in Parish Hall.  Casey Baldwin will be available to discuss individual medication lists.
       8th – Thursday: Herb tour by Maria Hristova-Kamierski
       17th – Saturday: Chair exercises at 1:30 in Parish Hall.

 

Save the Date!  Orthodox Parenting Retreat

with Dr. Philip Mamalakis on June 2-3

We're thrilled to announce that Dr. Philip Mamalakis, author of

Parenting toward the Kingdom: Orthodox Christian Principles of Child-Rearing,

will be visiting us for a parenting retreat Friday, June 2, and Saturday, June 3.

Friday evening, Dr. Mamalakis will provide a seminar to both moms and dads. Childcare will be provided.

Saturday, mothers will gather after the Saturday of Souls service for lunch and an afternoon focused on our unique role.

More details to follow in the coming weeks. We hope to see you there!

 

Graduation Sunday June 11

On Sunday, June 11, following Divine Liturgy, the 2023 Graduates will be recognized for their achievements.  Parents of graduates, we need you to complete the Graduation Sunday Student Information Form and submit it to us by the end of day June 1st.  If you don’t plan to attend the Liturgy in person, please complete the form and plan to join us virtually.  If you would like an electronic copy of the form, please email htraleighoffice@gmail.com

Please email the completed form to htraleighoffice@gmail.com

or mail to: HTGOC, 5000 Lead Mine Road, Raleigh, NC 27612.

 If you have questions, please contact: Shae Noffsinger at shaejn@yahoo.com

 

 

UPCOMING SERVICES

 

SUNDAY, MAY 14

SUNDAY OF THE SAMARTIAN WOMAN

Orthros - 8:30am

Divine Liturgy - 10:00am

 

SUNDAY, MAY 21

SUNDAY OF THE BLIND MAN

Orthros - 8:30am

Divine Liturgy - 10:00am

 

THURSDAY, MAY 25

HOLY ASCENSION

Orthros - 8:30am

Divine Liturgy - 9:30am

 

SUNDAY, MAY 28

FATHERS OF THE FIRST COUNCIL

Orthros - 8:30am

Divine Liturgy - 10:00am

 

SATURDAY, JUNE 3

SATURDAY OF THE SOULS

Divine Liturgy - 9:00am

 

SUNDAY, JUNE 4

HOLY PENTECOST

Orthros - 8:30am

Divine Liturgy - 10:00am

 

BACK TO TOP

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal First Mode

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life.
Χριστός ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν, θανάτῳ θάνατον πατήσας, καί τοῖς ἐν τοῖς μνήμασι ζωήν χαρισάμενος.

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.
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.

Apolytikion for Mid-Pentecost in the Plagal Fourth Mode

At Mid-feast give Thou my thirsty soul to drink of the waters of piety; for Thou, O Saviour, didst cry out to all: Whosoever is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Wherefore, O Well-spring of life, Christ our God, glory be to Thee.
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.

Hymn of our Holy Trinity Church Community in the First Mode

O blessed are You, O Christ our God.  Who by sending down the Holy Spirit upon them, made the fisherman wise and through them illumined the world.  And to you the Universe was ever drawn, all glory to You, O Lord.

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.
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.
BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Seventh Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:1-10

Τῇ μιᾷ τῶν Σαββάτων Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἔρχεται πρωῒ σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης, εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον· καὶ βλέπει τὸν λίθον ἠρμένον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου. Τρέχει οὖν, καὶ ἔρχεται πρὸς Σίμωνα Πέτρον, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄλλον μαθητήν, ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ᾞραν τὸν Κύριον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. Ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητής, καὶ ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον. Ἔτρεχον δὲ οἱ δύο ὁμοῦ· καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς προέδραμε τάχιον τοῦ Πέτρου, καὶ ἦλθε πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ παρακύψας, βλέπει κείμενα τὰ ὀθόνια· οὐ μέντοι εἰσῆλθεν. Ἔρχεται οὖν Σίμων Πέτρος ἀκολουθῶν αὐτῷ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα· καὶ τὸ σουδάριον, ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, οὐ μετὰ τῶν ὀθονίων κείμενον, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐντετυλιγμένον εἰς ἕνα τόπον. Τότε οὖν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς ὁ ἐλθὼν πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ εἶδε, καὶ ἐπίστευσεν. Οὐδέπω γὰρ ᾔδεισαν τὴν Γραφήν, ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆναι. Ἀπῆλθον οὖν πάλιν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς οἱ μαθηταί.

Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.


Epistle Reading

Προκείμενον. Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.24,1.
Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας.
Στίχ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων 11:19-30.

Ἐν ταῖς ἡμεραῖς 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 μετʼ αὐτῶν· πολύς τε ἀριθμὸς πιστεύσας ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον. Ἠκούσθη δὲ ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰ ὦτα τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις περὶ αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν Βαρνάβαν διελθεῖν ἕως Ἀντιοχείας· ὃς παραγενόμενος καὶ ἰδὼν τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐχάρη, καὶ παρεκάλει πάντας τῇ προθέσει τῆς καρδίας προσμένειν τῷ κυρίῳ· ὅτι ἦν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς καὶ πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου καὶ πίστεως· καὶ προσετέθη ὄχλος ἱκανὸς τῷ κυρίῳ. Ἐξῆλθεν δὲ εἰς Ταρσὸν ὁ Βαρνάβας ἀναζητῆσαι Σαῦλον, καὶ εὑρὼν ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν. Ἐγένετο δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐνιαυτὸν ὅλον συναχθῆναι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ διδάξαι ὄχλον ἱκανόν, χρηματίσαι τε πρώτον ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ τοὺς μαθητὰς Χριστιανούς. Ἐν ταύταις δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις κατῆλθον ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων προφῆται εἰς Ἀντιόχειαν. Ἀναστὰς δὲ εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὀνόματι Ἄγαβος, ἐσήμανεν διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος λιμὸν μέγαν μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι ἐφʼ 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.

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 11:19-30.

In 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 Reading

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 4:5-42

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἔρχεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς πόλιν τῆς Σαμαρείας λεγομένην Συχάρ, 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 ᾿Ιησοῦς· δός μοι πιεῖν. Οἱ γὰρ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἀπεληλύθεισαν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἵνα τροφὰς ἀγοράσωσι. Λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρεῖτις· Πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ πιεῖν 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 πιεῖν, σὺ ἂν ᾔτησας αὐτόν, 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 διψήσῃ 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 ἔρχωμαι 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 ῾Ιεροσολύμοις ἐστὶν ὁ τόπος ὅπου δεῖ προσκυνεῖν. Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Γύναι, πίστευσόν μοι ὅτι ἔρχεται ὥρα ὅτε οὔτε ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ οὔτε ἐν Ἰεροσολύμοις 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 ἦλθον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐθαύμασαν ὅτι μετὰ γυναικὸς ἐλάλει· οὐδεὶς μέντοι εἶπε, τί ζητεῖς ἢ 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· Ῥαββί, 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 θερισμὸν 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 ἀληθινός, 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. ᾿Εκ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν τῶν Σαμαρειτῶν διὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς γυναικός, 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 Χριστός.

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
The Reading is from John 4:5-42

At 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."


BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

Here is love! Here is teaching! Here is acquiescence! Here is a model! ... Those who love they also serve. If you want to find out how great your love is towards God, then measure your obedience to the will of God, and you will immediately learn.
Bishop Nicolai Velimirovic
Prolog, 7 Sept., B #80, 706.

The example of the good Samaritan shows that we must not abandon those in whom even the faintest amount of faith is still alive.
St. Ambrose of Milan
Two Books of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, Concerning Repentance, Chapter 11

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

Jcsamwom
May 14

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.


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.


Therapon
May 14

Holy Hieromartyr Therapontus


Allsaint
May 14

Holy New Martyrs Mark and John


Allsaint
May 14

Leontius, Patriarch of Jerusalem


Allsaint
May 14

Serapion the Holy Martyr


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."


Achilles
May 15

Achillius the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Larissa

Saint Achillius was one of the 318 God-bearing Fathers who were present at the First Ecumenical Council; after returning to Larissa he cast down many pagan temples, delivered many from the demons, and raised up churches to the glory of God. He reposed about the middle of the fourth century.


Allsaint
May 15

Placing of the Honorable Head of the Apostle Titus


Allsaint
May 15

Barbaros the Myrrhbearer of Kerkyra


BACK TO TOP