Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Μαρία δὲ εἱστήκει πρὸς τῷ μνημείῳ κλαίουσα ἔξω. ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιε, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον καὶ θεωρεῖ δύο ἀγγέλους ἐν λευκοῖς καθεζομένους, ἕνα πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ καὶ ἕνα πρὸς τοῖς ποσίν, ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ. καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὅτι ἦραν τὸν Κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν. καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι ᾿Ιησοῦς ἐστι. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρός ἐστι, λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν, κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· Μαρία. στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ· ῥαββουνί, ὃ λέγεται, διδάσκαλε. λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· μή μου ἅπτου· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου· πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν, καὶ Θεόν μου καὶ Θεὸν ὑμῶν. ἔρχεται Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀπαγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακε τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ.

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Epistle Reading

Προκείμενον. Plagal Fourth Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 75.11,1.
Εὔξασθε καὶ ἀπόδοτε Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν.
Στίχ. Γνωστὸς ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ὁ Θεός, ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ μέγα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς ῾Ρωμαίους 13:11-14, 14:1-4.

Ἀδελφοί, νῦν ἐγγύτερον ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία ἢ ὅτε ἐπιστεύσαμεν. Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν· ἀποθώμεθα οὖν τὰ ἔργα τοῦ σκότους, καί ἐνδυσώμεθα τὰ ὅπλα τοῦ φωτός. Ὡς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, εὐσχημόνως περιπατήσωμεν, μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις, μὴ κοίταις καὶ ἀσελγείαις, μὴ ἔριδι καὶ ζήλῳ. Ἀλλʼ ἐνδύσασθε τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς πρόνοιαν μὴ ποιεῖσθε, εἰς ἐπιθυμίας. Τὸν δὲ ἀσθενοῦντα τῇ πίστει προσλαμβάνεσθε, μὴ εἰς διακρίσεις διαλογισμῶν. Ὃς μὲν πιστεύει φαγεῖν πάντα, ὁ δὲ ἀσθενῶν λάχανα ἐσθίει. Ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν μὴ ἐσθίοντα μὴ ἐξουθενείτω, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα μὴ κρινέτω· ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο. Σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; Τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει. Σταθήσεται δέ· δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς στῆσαι αὐτόν.

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

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
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 6:14-21

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ᾿Εὰν γὰρ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, ἀφήσει καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀφῆτε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ἀφήσει τὰ παραπτώματα ὑμῶν. ῞Οταν δὲ νηστεύητε, μὴ γίνεσθε ὥσπερ οἱ ὑποκριταὶ σκυθρωποί· ἀφανίζουσι γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὅπως φανῶσι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύοντες· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν αὐτῶν. σὺ δὲ νηστεύων ἄλειψαί σου τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν σου νίψαι,ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων, ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ, καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι ἐν τῷ φανερῷ. Μὴ θησαυρίζετε ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅπου σὴς καὶ βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται διορύσσουσι καὶ κλέπτουσι· θησαυρίζετε δὲ ὑμῖν θησαυροὺς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅπου οὔτε σὴς οὔτε βρῶσις ἀφανίζει, καὶ ὅπου κλέπται οὐ διορύσσουσιν οὐδὲ κλέπτουσιν· ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρὸς ὑμῶν, ἐκεῖ ἔσται καὶ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν.

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 Plagal Fourth Mode

Ἐξ ὕψους κατῆλθες ὁ εὔσπλαγχνος, ταφὴν καταδέξω τριήμερον, ἵνα ἡμᾶς ἐλευθερώσῃς τῶν παθῶν. Ἡ ζωὴ καὶ ἡ Ἀνάστασις ἡμῶν, Κύριε δόξα σοι.

You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and condescended to be buried for three days, so that from the passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to You.

Apolytikion for Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker in the First Mode

Κανόνα πίστεως καὶ εἰκόνα πραότητος, ἐγκρατείας Διδάσκαλον, ἀνέδειξέ σε τῇ ποίμνῃ σου, ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκτήσω τῇ ταπεινώσει τὰ ὑψηλά, τῇ πτωχείᾳ τὰ πλούσια. Πάτερ Ἱεράρχα Νικόλαε, πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῷ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν

The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness and a teacher of Temperance; for this cause thou hast achieved the Heights by humility, Riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch, Nicholas, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kanóna písteos ke ikóna praótitos, engratías didáskalon, anédixe se pímni sou, i ton pragmáton alíthia;dia toúto ektíso ti tapinόsi ta ipsilá, ti ptohía ta ploúsia. Páter Ierárcha Nikólae, présveve Hristó to Theó, sothíne tas psihás imón.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Second Mode

Τῆς σοφίας ὁδηγέ, φρονήσεως χορηγέ, τῶν ἀφρόνων παιδευτά, καὶ πτωχῶν ὑπερασπιστά, στήριξον, συνέτισον τὴν καρδίαν μου Δέσποτα. Σὺ δίδου μοι λόγον, ὁ τοῦ Πατρός Λόγος· ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὰ χείλη μου, οὐ μὴ κωλύσω ἐν τῷ κράζειν σοι· Ἐλεῆμον, ἐλέησόν με τὸν παραπεσόντα.

O Master, Prudence, Guide of Wisdom, Instruction to the foolish and Defender of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it discernment. Give me words, Word of the Father, for behold, I shall not keep my lips from crying out to You, "O Merciful One, have mercy on me who has fallen

This Week at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

Friday, March 8

4 PM Greek School

Sunday, March 10

Sunday of Forgiveness

8:30 AM Orthros/Divine Liturgy

11:30 AM Poem Practice for Greek Independence Program

12 PM Hope/Joy event

5 PM Vespers

6 PM Community Soup Dinner

Monday, March 11

Clean Monday –Καθαρἀ Δευτἐρα

6:30 PM Philoptochos Board Mtg.

Tuesday, March 12

Clean Tuesday –Καθαρἀ Τρἰτη

5:30 PM Goya St. Stephens Meeting

Wednesday, March 13

Clean Wednesday Καθαρἀ Τετἀρτη

10 AM Orthodox Coffee Hour

5:30 PM Pre-Sanctified Liturgy

7 PM Lenten Meal Book Study

Thursday, March 14

Clean Thursday-Kαθαρἀ Πἐμπτη

Friday, March 15

Clean Friday-Καθαρἀ Παρασκευἠ

Newsletter Admissions Due

4 PM Greek School

7 PM Salutations to the Theotokos

Saturday, March 16

Clean Saturday-Καθαρἀ Σἀββατο

3rd Saturday of the Souls

8 AM Orthros/Divine Liturgy

10:30 AM Baptism

1:00 PM Baptism

Sunday, March 17

Sunday of Orthodoxy

8:30 AM Orthros/Divine Liturgy

Procession of the Icons

11:30 AM Poem Practice for Greek Independence Day

3 PM Holy Friday Youth Retreat Mtg

Parish Council Members on Pangari Duty today: Dino Psilos and Koula Fragos

Next week: Lee King and Manny Miliotis

**Please remember to visit our wonderful bookstore on your way to Coffee Hour!!

Today’s fellowship hour will be hosted by the Festival Committee

Parish News & Updates

**NEW**Please join us for Vespers on Sunday evening at 5 PM. Immediately after we will have a Community Lenten Soup Dinner. If you are inspired, please bring a pot of your favorite lenten soup to share.

**NEW**AGAPE-PASCHA LUNCHEON…SAVE THE DATE…April 28, 2019, for our Agape Service at 12 Noon and Luncheon immediately following in the Hellenic Center. To reserve a table for your family, contact Kay Skandalakis.

**NEW**OCF BEAUTIFICATION OF ST. NICHOLAS…On Saturday, March 30, 2019, from 10 – 2 PM. OCF sponsored Lenten church clean-up but all ages are welcome to participate. Happiness is a clean spiritual home!!

**NEW** BAGS OF LOVE” is a Lenten ministry for the needy and homeless. Parishioners are invited to donate needed items between March 10 – April 7, 2019. We will be accepting donations of the following items: Sports Drinks, Heart meat soups fully cooked in easy open containers, meal replacement bars, snack packs, travel size toiletry items, individually wrapped dried fruit, nuts, men socks. No time to shop? You may also give a monetary donation.

PHOTO DIRECTORY...Did you miss our photo blitz last year? If yes, please submit a family photo with names to office@stnicholaswilmington.org. We are ready to print our 2019 Photo Directory but are waiting for YOU! Are you all in? Say yes and submit today.

GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY PROGRAM…SAVE THE DATE…Celebrate Greek Independence Day after Divine Liturgy in the Hellenic Center March 24, 2019…Special Guest speaker Manny Miliotis followed by poems, dances, and songs. Poem practices will take place today and March 17 for students who need help. Lunch will be provided as a fundraiser for the Hellenic School at $10 per person children under 12 are free.

RISE AGAINST HUNGER…You can help make sure children get the nutritious meals they need to grow and succeed. Our goal is to raise $5,140.80 or approximately 15,120 meals This year, we need to raise these funds before we can schedule the event. As soon as we meet our goal, we can schedule our event, hopefully, this spring.

Please visit http://events.stophungernow.org/StNicholasCaresto contribute to our meal packaging event. No gift is too small--every donation makes a difference in the lives of children and families around the world. One hundred meals are $34. Two hundred meals are $68. A $100 donation will provide 294 meals.

Checks can be made out to Rise Against Hunger or St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church with “Rise Against Hunger” in the memo line. Checks can be turned in to Irene Sotiriou or Jimmie Stasios. As of 2/28/19, we have raised $1,324.00.

EASTER LILY OFFERING…forms are now available in the hall. Please make out your $10 checks to St. Nicholas Philoptochos. Deadline for submittal is Sunday, April 14, 2019.

Parish News and Updates (Continued)

Please pray for those who are ill, recovering, and/or homebound: Angelo Angeledes, Shelby Biancaniello (daughter of Sue Lawler), Bobby Bobon (brother of Sue Lawler), Stavros Chantiles, Anthony Constandy (father of Elisabeth Baynard), Sherry Demas, Nicholas Devoles, Constantine Dukas, Sue Fokakis (Autumn Care), Demitra George, Stephanie & Georgiana Jean Harrill (daughter & granddaughter of Pat and Marisa Gallaher), Helen Kaprantzes, George Kanes (brother-in-law of Barbara Harris), Nick Karloutsos (Silver Stream), Dan Kirkby (brother of Matthew), Emanuel Koklanaris, Nikolaos Kotsinis, Olga Mancuso, Calvin McGowan, Mary Compos Marmaras (Cypress Pointe), Maria Padgett-Velaetis, Koula Poulos, Dorothy Radomsky, Pat Skinner-Darby, Chloe Saffo, Kim Saffo, Charity Skinner-Darby (daughter of Pat), Tom Souflas, Peggy Stephanou, Debbie Triantafillopoulos, Helen Vurnakes, Vasilios Vogiatzis, MaryAnn Wall. Please contact the church office to add/remove someone from the list

**Please remember to visit our wonderful bookstore on your way to Coffee Hour on Sunday's!

LIVE STREAMING OF SERVICES... Please be reminded of the live streaming of our services at St. Nicholas that can be seen on our website directly at www.stnicholaswilmington.org/LiveStreaming.html. In case you would like to set your mobile devices up with the pertinent app please contact Alexandros Theodoropoulos at communications@stnicholaswilmington.org

ONLINE GIVING...We have an online giving system in place on our website that can be used for conveniently making donations towards stewardship pledges. The pertinent donation buttons are located on the left pane of the homepage at www.stnicholaswilmington.org as well as on the Stewardship page of our website at www.stnicholaswilmington.org/Stewardship.html .

During Divine Liturgy each Sunday throughout the year we have a staffed nursery with attendant available for the use of our youngest members from birth to age 5. If your child needs a wiggle break or a place to listen to the Divine Liturgy in a different environment, please feel free to use this provided Service.

We can provide hearing assistance systems. If you would like to use the system while you are attending Liturgical Services in person, please see an attendant at the pangari stand.

We welcome you to worship with us, whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us. Although Holy Communion and other Sacraments are offered only to Baptized and Chrismated (confirmed) Orthodox Christians in good standing with the church, ALL are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) from the priest at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The Antidoron is not sacramental, but it is reminiscent of the agape feast that followed worship in the ancient Christian Church.

WELCOME VISITORS! Please complete a Visitor’s Card before you leave Church and drop it in the offering tray, give it to one of our parishioners after Divine Liturgy, or mail it back to the church office. We would love to get to know you!

Bulletin Inserts

Bags of Love - OCF Sponsored

Between March 10 - April 17, OCF is sponsoring a Bags of Love donation drive. This is a mobile ministry to the needy and homeless. Each bag will be filled with non-perishable food and supplies desperately needed by the homeless and less fortunate. Parishioners are invited to donate needed items and help to assemble these bags of love.

Greek Independence Day Program

Celebrate Greek Independence Day after Divine Liturgy in the Hellenic Center on Sunday, March 24, 2019. Special Guest Speaker: Manny Miliotis followed by poems, dances, and songs. Lunch will be provided as a fundraiser for the Hellenic School...$10 per person and children 12 and under are free.

Sunday School News March 2019

We will all miss Presbytera Barbara!!

Rise to Hunger

Dear Fellow Parishioners and Friends of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, It is with great pleasure, that we will be participating in another Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event at St. Nicholas. (This was previously known as Stop Hunger Now). We pray with your support that this event will be successful in the fight against hunger. More than 40 percent of Rise Against Hunger’s meals are distributed to school feeding programs around the world. Those meals encourage school attendance and help put these children and their families on a path out of poverty. Our goal is to raise $5,140.80 or approximately 15,120 meals. Each meal costs $0.34. This year, we need to raise these funds before we can schedule the event. As soon as we meet our goal, we can schedule our event, hopefully, this spring. We will track our progress and provide you with updates. We will post sign-up sheets for volunteers to help with the event as soon as we schedule the event. You can help make sure children get the nutritious meals they need to grow and succeed. Please visit http://events.stophungernow.org/StNicholasCares to contribute to our meal packaging event. No gift is too small--every donation makes a difference in the lives of children and families around the world. One hundred meals are $34. Two hundred meals are $68. A $100 donation will provide 294 meals. Checks can be made out to Rise Against Hunger or St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church with “Rise Against Hunger” in the memo line. Checks can be turned in to Irene Sotiriou or Jimmie Stasios. As of 2/28/19, we have raised $1,324.00. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts IRENE SOTIRIOU AND JIMMIE STASIOS RAH COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS

LENTEN Church Clean-Up

Come serve with your community to Clean our beautiful St. Nicholas on March 30th between 10 AM - 2 PM. All ages are welcome! We will be having door prize raffles for all who attend! Lenten lunch will be provided! See Koula Fragos for more information.

NOURISH NC

Please join the Ladies of Philoptochos in helping provide food for the Needy Families in Partnership with NOURISH NC. Look for the BIN in the Hellenic Center for the collection of items needed: Pasta/Mac & Cheese, Tuna, Fruit cups. You may also make a donation. Items will be collected now through March 10th.

Easter Flower Offering 2019

To donate Easter Lily please make checks payable to St. Nicholas Philoptochos. Deadline for submittal is Sunday, April 14, 2019.

Pascha Agape Luncheon

Easter - a celebration of Love!! Bring your family for an afternoon of fun and fellowship to the Agape Service and Luncheon in the Hellenic Center. Special Activities for Kids!! To reserve a table for your family contact: Kay Skandalakis at 910-762-1161 To accurately plan for the event, your reservation must be received NO LATER THAN Sunday, April 21, 2019.

Saints and Feasts

March 10

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.

March 11

Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem

This Saint was born in Damascus. As a young man he became a monk at the Monastery of Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch in Palestine, where he met John Moschus and became his close friend. Having a common desire to search out ascetics from whom they could receive further spiritual instruction, they journeyed together through Palestine, Syria, Asia Minor, and Egypt, where they met the Patriarch of Alexandria, Saint John the Almsgiver, with whom they remained until 614, when Persians captured Jerusalem (see also Saint Anastasius the Persian, Jan. 22). Saint Sophronius and John Moschus departed Alexandria for Rome, where they remained until 619, the year of John Moschus' death. Saint Sophronius returned to the Monastery of Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch, and there buried the body of his friend. He laboured much in defence of the Holy Fourth Council of Chalcedon, and traveled to Constantinople to remonstrate with Patriarch Sergius and the Emperor Heraclius for changing the Orthodox Faith with their Monothelite teachings. After the death of Patriarch Modestus in December of 634, Sophronius was elected Patriarch of Jerusalem. Although no longer in the hands of the Persians, the Holy Land was now besieged by the armies of the newly-appeared religion of Mohammed, which had already taken Bethlehem; in the Saint's sermon for the Nativity of our Lord in 634, he laments that he could not celebrate the feast in Bethlehem. In 637, for the sins of the people, to the uttermost grief of Saint Sophronius, the Caliph Omar captured Jerusalem. Having tended the flock of his Master for three years and three months, Saint Sophronius departed in peace unto Him Whom he loved on March 11, 638.

Saint Sophronius has left to the Church many writings, including the life of Saint Mary of Egypt. The hymn "O Joyous Light," which is wrongly ascribed to him, is more ancient than Saint Basil the Great, as the Saint himself confirms in his work "On the Holy Spirit" (ch. 29). However, it seems that this hymn, which was chanted at the lighting of the lamps and was formerly called "The Triadic Hymn," was later supplemented somewhat by Saint Sophronius, bringing it into the form in which we now have it. Hence, some have ascribed it to him.

Wisdom of the Fathers

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

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

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

St. Isaac of Syria

Unknown , 7th century

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

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

Metropolis of Atlanta News

His Eminence on the Cancellation of 2019 Presidents' Meeting

02/25/2019

https://atlmetropolis.org/news/cancellation-2019-presidents-meeting

After much careful consideration, in light of this year’s Metropolis Clergy-Laity Assembly, Philoptochos Conference, Choir Federation, & Presbyteres Meetings, the Metropolis has decided to forego our Annual Spring Presidents' Meeting. We hope that by offering this singular opportunity for planning, discussion and fellowship we shall see even greater Parish Council representation in Jacksonville, on June 25-29, 2019.

Assembly of Bishops News

Fast Questions and Fast Answers about American Orthodox Christian Monasteries

03/04/2019

http://www.assemblyofbishops.org/news/2019/fast-questions-fast-answers-monasteries

There are eighty Orthodox Christian monasteries in the USA which represent great variety of ethnic and liturgical traditions. In fact, America is, probably, the only place in the world where - within the same country - one can visit Greek, Russian, Romanian, Serbian Orthodox monasteries and experience their different 'ethnic' liturgical styles, worship practices, church architecture, musicology and iconography.

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