We live in a society that prides itself on independence. The very fabric of our great Nation is woven by the threads of self-government and self-accomplishments. Awards are given for “Person of the Year'', not “Group of the Year.” But we all know there are just sometimes we need help. There are just some things we can’t do by ourselves.

In the Gospel of Luke we hear, “There was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.” (Luke 13.11)) It wasn’t until Jesus reached out His hand, touched her, and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity,” (Luke 13.12) that she was able to stand straight and praise God.

So many times, we are weighed down by the burdens of life so much that it is all we can do to ‘get through the day’ let alone raise ourselves up and look upward toward Heaven. When we spend our time bent over staring at the ground, even the joy of birds singing can pass us by. We know we need help, but we either can’t admit it, or we don’t know how to get help. Thankfully for us, God STILL reaches His hand to us, through His Church, and touches us and looses us from our infirmity. Jesus Christ has given us His Church to help raise us up and praise God.

As we continue along our journey, preparing our souls for Christmas, now is a good time for us to consider asking God to help raise us up. The Nativity Fast is designed to help lighten our burden, so that we can praise God. Fasting helps us to understand we need God. We need His mercy. We need His helping hand. We need His forgiveness. Without His forgiveness, our sins will continue to weigh us down. Without His forgiveness, we will keep looking down in shame, rather than looking up at God with praise.

Turning to the Church Jesus said, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20.23) The Church has reached out her hand to us through the Mystery of Holy Confession so that we can hear the words, “Your sins are forgiven,” and we will be loosed from our infirmity and we can be raised up to praise God. But we can’t get there by ourselves; we need the Church.

Holy Confession is available every Friday afternoon until Christmas between 1 and 3 in the Saint Dionysios Chapel. No appointment is necessary. If you cannot come Friday afternoon, contact me and we can schedule a time during the week.

Fr Theofanis

This Sunday we celebrate and commemorate St.Barbara

Saint Barbara was the daughter of a rich pagan named Dioscorus and she was carefully guarded by her father who kept her locked up in a tower in order to preserve her from the outside world. Having secretly become a Christian, she rejected an offer of marriage that she received through her father. That is why her father was so outraged that he himself severed his daughter's head! Immediately following Barbara's death, a terrible thunderstorm arose. As punishment for his monstrous crime, Dioscuros was killed by lightning.

In addition to her life struggles and martyrdom, I would like to discuss the following important message that I believe her life represents. As we read, she was locked in a tower by her father so she could be protected because she was very beautiful. That tower had two windows at her bath. As soon as her father left for a short while, she asked for a third window to be built in order to have more light. In some texts, we read that her maid taught her about the Holy Trinity. But St. Symeon tells us that the Holy Spirit came to her and enlightened her mind about the Holy Trinity, and that is why she wanted to open a third window. Based on St. Symeon’s text, I believe the important thing to recognize is the deeper meaning behind St. Barbara’s request for a third window.

The first window represents the mind, meaning ourselves. It symbolizes every human that is logically trying to find his own existence. Why we have come to this world, where we are going, etc. The second window represents the world, meaning the knowledge of the world that we absorb through our education, life experiences, chances we are given, the pleasures of life, our relations with others, basically everything in this world that was made for us all. Both of these windows give every person the chance to live, have dreams, and have a successfully happy life.

The third window that St. Barbara opened represents the church. In the church, there exists no time, no limits of the physical. There is no death because everyone is given the chance for eternal life. The reason St. Barbara opens a third window at her bath is to represent the opportunity we all have for the Holy Spirit to enter our lives. The fact that the windows are near her bath, instead of a bedroom for example, is also very symbolic. The bath with the three windows surrounding it represents our baptism, when we are getting sealed by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Vikentios Livanos

Greetings in Christ,

On Thanksgiving day, our Soup Kitchen ministry ran their annual Thanksgiving Meal for those in need within our Tarpon Springs Community. It is a blessed thing that we can do as Orthodox Christians, I am proud and thankful for our Soup Kitchen, and all those who help make our outreach programs succeed.

Our Greek Dance ministry was invited again to the Advent Health Hospital’s 36th Annual Lights of Love and Tree Lighting Ceremony, where they performed a set of dances that they have been practicing diligently for weeks to perform. It is no secret that our Tarpon Springs Community is steeped in Hellenic Culture, even still I believe it is a beautiful thing that we are able to share a part of our lives with the greater community.

This coming week we are blessed to return as a community to the feast day of our St. Nicholas Cathedral. Starting with Great Vespers on Monday with a Lenten Reception afterwards, followed by Orthros and Divine Liturgy and a Luncheon. I am personally very excited to celebrate this feast with all of you for the first time in my service to this parish.

This coming Wednesday the 7th of December we will return for our monthly Parish Ministry Night. Remember, this is a whole community event for all ages, and all ministries! We are blessed to have a group of wonderful volunteers who are preparing for this event so that we can offer nourishment in the form of food, fellowship, thoughtful discussion, and faith learning.

Next Sunday our Dance ministry will have their Annual Christmas Bazaar after Divine Liturgy to fundraise for their ministry events.

My challenge for us this week is to consider Christmas. In our American culture this season puts such an emphasis on Christmas trees, presents, Santa Claus and more. All in the name of holiday spirit. By emphasizing these things we often subvert the Nativity of Christ our God by prioritizing these other things. The clearest example of this is a choice that many of us have to make every year on Christmas morning. Option one is to wake up in the morning and open Christmas presents with our families. Option two is going to the Church to celebrate the Great feast of our Lord. Our Orthodox Christian families across the States are being pulled in those two directions every year. My Challenge for us is to consider how you can keep the reverence for the Miraculous birth of Christ our God, and still have fun with your family and friends. Maybe the Christmas gift opening can be moved after Liturgy, The Nativity scriptures can be read as a family leading up to the feast day. These are just a couple of suggestions to consider.

Did you know? Santa Claus is German for St. Nicholas. The ‘legend’ started from St. Nicholas’ philanthropy through feeding and clothing the poor. Over time the Saint stopped being recognised, and turned into the fantastical character that we know today.

Saints and Feasts

December 04

Barbara the Great Martyr

Saint Barbara was from Heliopolis of Phoenicia and lived during the reign of Maximian.

She was the daughter of a certain idolater named Dioscorus. When Barbara came of age, she was enlightened in her pure heart and secretly believed in the Holy Trinity. About this time Dioscorus began building a bath-house; before it was finished he was required to go away to attend to certain matters, and in his absence Barbara directed the workmen to build a third window in addition to the two her Father had commanded. She also inscribed the sign of the Cross with her finger upon the marble of the bath-house, leaving the saving sign cut as deeply into the marble as if it had been done with an iron tool. (When the Synaxarion of Saint Barbara was written, the marble of the bath-house and the cross inscribed by Saint Barbara were still preserved, and many healings were worked there.) When Dioscorus returned, he asked why the third window had been added; Barbara began to declare to him the mystery of the Trinity. Because she refused to renounce her faith, Dioscorus tortured Barbara inhumanely, and after subjecting her to many sufferings he beheaded her with his own hands, in the year 290.

December 04

John the Righteous of Damascus

Saint John was born in Damascus about the year 675, the son of wealthy and pious parents, of the family of Mansur. He was reared together with Saint Cosmas (see Oct. 14), who had been adopted by John's father Sergius, a man of high rank in the service of the Caliph of Damascus. Both of these young men were instructed by a certain monk, also named Cosmas, who had been taken captive in Italy by the Arabs and later ransomed by John's Father. Saint John became a great philosopher and enlightener of the age in which he lived, and was honoured by the Caliph with the dignity of counsellor.

When Emperor Leo the Isaurian (reigned 717-741) began his war on the holy icons, John wrote epistles defending their veneration. Since the Saint, being under the Caliph of Damascus, was beyond Leo's power, the Iconoclast Emperor had a letter forged in John's handwriting which invited Leo to attack Damascus, saying the city guard was then weak; Leo then sent this letter to the Caliph, who in his fury punished John's supposed treason with the severing of his right hand. The Saint obtained the Caliph's Permission to have his severed hand again, and that night prayed fervently to the most holy Theotokos before her icon. She appeared to him in a dream and healed his hand, which, when he awoke, he found to be healed in truth. This Miracle convinced the Caliph of his innocence, and he restored John to his office as counsellor. The Saint, however, with many pleadings obtained his permission to withdraw from the world to become a monk. He assumed the monastic habit in the Monastery of Saint Sabbas. Then he had as elder a very simple and austere monk who commanded him neither to write to anyone, nor to speak of the worldly knowledge he had acquired, and John faithfully obeyed. A monk grieving over his brother's death, however, after insisting vehemently, prevailed upon John to write a funeral hymn to console him for his brother's death. When John's elder learned of his transgression of the rule he had given him, he cast him out of his cell, and would only accept him back after John had humbly, with much self-condemnation and without murmuring consented to clean all the latrines in the lavra. After his elder had received him back, our Lady appeared to the elder and sternly charged him not to hinder John any longer from his writings and composition of hymns.

In his writings he fought courageously against the Iconoclasts Leo the Isaurian and his son Constantine Copronymus. He was also the first to write a refutation of Islam. The time he had spent as a counsellor in the courts of the Moslems of Damascus had given him opportunity to learn their teachings at first hand, and he wrote against their errors with a sound understanding of their essence. Saint John was surnamed Chrysorroas ("Golden-stream") because of the eloquence of his rhetorical style and the great abundance of his writings; this name - Chrysorroas was also the name of the river that flows by Damascus. In his writings he set forth the Orthodox Faith with exactness and order. In his old age, after his foster-brother Cosmas had been made Bishop of Maiuma, John also was ordained presbyter by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Having lived eighty-four years, he reposed in peace in 760. In addition to his theological writings, he adorned the Church of Christ with metrical and prose hymns and composed many of the prosomia used as the models for the melodies of the Church's liturgical chant; he also composed many of the sacred hymns for the feasts of the Lord Saviour and the Theotokos. The life of Saint John of Damascus was written by John, Patriarch of Jerusalem. See also June 28.

December 04

10th Sunday of Luke

December 04

New Hieromartyr Seraphim, Bishop of the Phanar in Greece

December 04

Juliana the Martyr of Heliopolis

December 04

Alexander Hotovitzky, New Hieromartyr of Russia, Missionary to America

Cathedral Listings

*THE DEADLINE IS MONDAY 5PM FOR ALL BULLETIN INFORMATION*

Memorials

Nicholas Tsongranis - 6 months

John Vouvalis - 6 months

Anastasia Kavouklis - 6 months

Maria Sokos - 9 months

Maria Zoidis - 4 years

Demetrios Soulounias - 6 years

Katherine Planes - 6 years; Frank Planes - 10 years;

Panagiotis Planes - 52 years

All ministries wishing to sign up and host the Sunday Coffee Hour please contact Chris Palaidis at 727-808-3895.

Memorial & Artoklasia Service Planning

If you are in need of a Memorial, or are contemplating having an Artoklasia Service, call our Parish Office at (727) 937-3540 to have the names put in the bulletin.

Kollyva (μνημόσυνα) for memorials can be ordered through:

Antonia Korfias (727) 937-8785

Evangelia Stavropoulos (727) 937-5649

Afrodity Tassopoulos (727) 674-3304

*Contact info for these preparers is provided as a service to parishioners and does not imply endorsement.

40 Day Prayer List

Iakovos, Michael, Yiannis, Carter, Nicholas, Alexandra, George, Eleftheri, Eugenia, Baby Anna Christina, Rita, Joyce, Chris, Jenny, Paraskava

*To add a loved one to this list, or to keep one from being taken off after 40 days, please contact our Denise on Mondays by 5:00 pm: denise@stnicholastarpon.org (727) 937-3540.

A Prayer for Healing

"Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal me, Your servant, from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant me patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed. I pray that You heal me as Your servant and grant me the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen."

Our Priests are Here for You

If you, or a loved one, would like to request a priestly visit due to illness or extenuating circumstances, please call Father Athanasios (727) 741-0139 or Father Theofanis (727) 244-6842.

If you are in spiritual need, Father Athanasios wants to make himself available to you, and asks you to please call/text or email him directly, rather than through social media.

2022 St. Nicholas Parish Council Pangari Rotation Sunday Schedule

August 7, 2022 – January 15, 2023

PC Teams for rotation begins Sunday, 8/7/2022 with Team 2 on Duty

**President and 1^st Vice President are listed on a team, although they are there to respond to parishioner questions/concerns

**PC members are needed for St. Nicholas Feast Day, Epiphany and all major feast days during these months.

August 14, 28; September 11, 25; October 9, 23; November 6, 20; December 4, 18; January 1, 15

Team 1:

Solon Tsaoussis

Anna Billiris **

Themis Fountotos Tezza

Karen Koulias

Jon Michael Lelekis

John Lulias

Tony Zaronias

August 7, 21; September 4, 18; October 2, 16, 30; November 13, 27; December 11, 25; January 8

Team 2:

John Stamas

Nikitas Manias **

Rena Faklis

Emmanuel Gombos

Costas Sisois

Harry Andropoulos

Dean Prodromitis

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal 4th Mode

From on high You descended, Most Merciful; for us You condescended to a threeday burial to set us free from the passions. O Lord, our Resurrection and our Life, glory to You!

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

Apolytikion for Great Martyr Barbara in the 4th Mode

Let us honour Saint Barbara, for she hath broken the snares of the enemy; and like a sparrow, she, the all-modest maiden, was delivered out of them by the help and weapon of the Cross.

Βαρβάραν τὴν Ἁγίαν τιμήσωμεν, ἐχθροῦ γὰρ τὰς παγίδας συνέτριψε, καὶ ὡς στρουθίον ἐρρύσθη ἐξ αὐτῶν, βοηθεία καὶ ὅπλω τοῦ Σταυροῦ ἡ Πάνσεμνος.

Apolytikion for John of Damascus in the Plagal 4th Mode

The guide of Orthodox beliefs, and sacred teacher of true religion and of dignity, the luminary of the world, the God-inspired adornment of the episcopate, O John the wise, through your instructions you have illumined all, O harp of the Spirit. Intercede with Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

Ορθοδοξίας Οδηγέ, ευσεβίας διδάσκαλε καί σεμνότητος, τής οικουμένης ο φωστήρ, αρχιερέων θεόπνευστον εγκαλλώπισμα, Ιωάννη σοφέ, ταίς διδαχαίς σου πάντας εφώτισας, λύρα τού Πνεύματος, πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 3rd Mode

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.

Ἡ Παρθένος σήμερον, τὸν Προαιώνιον Λόγον, ἐν Σπηλαίῳ ἔρχεται, ἀποτεκεῖν ἀπορρήτως. Χόρευε ἡ οἰκουμένη ἀκουτισθεῖσα, δόξασον μετὰ Ἀγγέλων καὶ τῶν Ποιμένων, βουληθέντα ἐποφθῆναι, παιδίον νέον, τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων Θεόν.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Third Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:9-20

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them. After this He appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table and He upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw Him after He had risen. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

Third Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:9-20

Ἀναστὰς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρωῒ πρώτῃ Σαββάτου ἐφάνη πρῶτον Μαρίᾳ τῇ Μαγδαληνῇ, ἀφ' ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια. Ἐκείνη πορευθεῖσα ἀπήγγειλε τοῖς μετ' αὐτοῦ γενομένοις, πενθοῦσι καὶ κλαίουσι. Κᾀκεῖνοι ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ζῇ καὶ ἐθεάθη ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἠπίστησαν. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα δυσὶν ἐξ αὐτῶν περιπατοῦσιν ἐφανερώθη ἐν ἑτέρᾳ μορφῇ, πορευομένοις, εἰς ἀγρόν. Κᾀκεῖνοι ἀπελθόντες ἀπήγγειλαν τοῖς λοιποῖς, οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις ἐπίστευσαν. Ὕστερον, ἀνακειμένοις αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἕνδεκα ἐφανερώθη, καὶ ὠνείδισε τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν καὶ σκληροκαρδίαν, ὅτι τοῖς θεασαμένοις αὐτὸν ἐγηγερμένον, οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πορευθέντες εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἅπαντα, κηρύξατε τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει. Ὁ πιστεύσας καὶ βαπτισθείς, σωθήσεται, ὁ δὲ ἀπιστήσας, κατακριθήσεται. Σημεῖα δὲ τοῖς πιστεύσασι ταῦτα παρακολουθήσει. Ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου δαιμόνια ἐκβαλοῦσι, γλώσσαις λαλήσουσι καιναῖς, ὄφεις ἀροῦσι, κἂν θανάσιμόν τι πίωσιν, οὐ μὴ αὐτοὺς βλάψει, ἐπὶ ἀῤῥώστους χεῖρας ἐπιθήσουσι, καὶ καλῶς ἕξουσιν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κύριος, μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς, ἀνελήφθη εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἐξελθόντες, ἐκήρυξαν πανταχοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου συνεργοῦντος, καὶ τὸν λόγον βεβαιοῦντος, διὰ τῶν ἐπακολουθούντων σημείων. Ἀμήν.

Epistle Reading

Barbara the Great Martyr
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 3:23-29; 4:1-5

Brethren, before faith came, we were confined under the law, kept under restraint until faith should be revealed. So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no better than a slave, though he is the owner of all the estate; but he is under guardians and trustees until the date set by the father. So with us; when we were children, we were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Barbara the Great Martyr
Πρὸς Γαλάτας 3:23-29, 4:1-5

Ἀδελφοί, πρὸ τοῦ δὲ ἐλθεῖν τὴν πίστιν, ὑπὸ νόμον ἐφρουρούμεθα, συγκεκλεισμένοι εἰς τὴν μέλλουσαν πίστιν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι. Ὥστε ὁ νόμος παιδαγωγὸς ἡμῶν γέγονεν εἰς Χριστόν, ἵνα ἐκ πίστεως δικαιωθῶμεν. Ἐλθούσης δὲ τῆς πίστεως, οὐκέτι ὑπὸ παιδαγωγόν ἐσμεν. Πάντες γὰρ υἱοὶ θεοῦ ἐστε διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ὅσοι γὰρ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθητε, Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε. Οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ· πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, ἄρα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστέ, καὶ κατʼ ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι. Λέγω δέ, ἐφʼ ὅσον χρόνον ὁ κληρονόμος νήπιός ἐστιν, οὐδὲν διαφέρει δούλου, κύριος πάντων ὤν· ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ ἐπιτρόπους ἐστὶν καὶ οἰκονόμους, ἄχρι τῆς προθεσμίας τοῦ πατρός. Οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἦμεν νήπιοι, ὑπὸ τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου ἦμεν δεδουλωμένοι· ὅτε δὲ ἦλθεν τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ χρόνου, ἐξαπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός, γενόμενον ὑπὸ νόμον, ἵνα τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐξαγοράσῃ, ἵνα τὴν υἱοθεσίαν ἀπολάβωμεν.

Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 13:10-17

At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

10th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 13:10-17

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ῏Ην δὲ διδάσκων ἐν μιᾷ τῶν συναγωγῶν ἐν τοῖς σάββασι. καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἦν πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, καὶ ἦν συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακῦψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές. ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς προσεφώνησε καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· γύναι, ἀπολέλυσαι τῆς ἀσθενείας σου· καὶ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῇ τὰς χεῖρας· καὶ παραχρῆμα ἀνωρθώθη καὶ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Θεόν. ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, ἔλεγε τῷ ὄχλῳ· ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι· ἐν ταύταις οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε, καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου. ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ Κύριος καὶ εἶπεν· ὑποκριτά, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ ἀπαγαγὼν ποτίζει; ταύτην δέ, θυγατέρα ᾿Αβραὰμ οὖσαν, ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη, οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου; καὶ ταῦτα λέγοντος αὐτοῦ κατῃσχύνοντο πάντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι αὐτῷ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἔχαιρεν ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνδόξοις τοῖς γινομένοις ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

Wisdom of the Fathers

So great an evil is envy. For not against strangers only, but even against our own, is it ever warring.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 40 on Matthew 12, 4th Century

And yet here He speaks only; whereas elsewhere in many cases He heals by laying on of hands also. But nevertheless none of these things made them meek; rather, while the man was healed, they by his health became worse. For His desire indeed was to cure them before him, and He tried innumerable ways of healing, both by what He did in their presence, and by what He said: but since their malady after all was incurable, He proceeded to the work.

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 40 on Matthew 12, 4th Century

Important Updates From Our Ministries

St Nicholas Kitchen

Saint Nicholas Kitchen is an outreach ministry of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral that provides hot meals, helping hands and meaningful relationships to the impoverished in our community. The heart for this ministry is illustrated in the book of Matthew 25:35-36:

“….For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me….”

St. Nicholas Kitchen will continue preparing the Monday meals from 7:30 – 11:00 am. The meals will be delivered Monday's to the new Hope Center at the Sheppard center where the meals will be given to those in need by their, and our volunteers. We still need volunteers, food and monetary donations. Meals will be served from 11:00 – 12:00 pm. For further information, please call Chris Palaidis at (727) 808-3895.

Philoptochos (A Friend of the Poor) Ministry

ST NICHOLAS PHILOPTOCHOS

Hours of Operation
Mon: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Wed-Fri: 10:00 AM -12:00 Noon
18 Hibiscus Street (located directly behind St Nicholas Cathedral)

National Philoptochos Mission Statement
To aid the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of disasters, to undertake the burial of impoverished persons and to offer assistance to anyone who may need the help of the Church through fund-raising efforts.

If you would like to make a difference, learn from others and create relationships that will last a lifetime please send your name, e-mail. phone number and address to:

St Nicholas Philoptochos
PO Box 2043
Tarpon Springs, FL 34689

Annual Membership Fee of $35.00 assists Philoptochos to continue serving the poor.

Parish Flyers & Bulletin Board

St Nicholas Day Annual Lunch - after Liturgy on December 6

More Flyers and Updates!

Annual Pointsettia Sale - Daughters of Penelope - Dec 4

Master Calendar

Master Calendar

December 4 to December 19, 2022

Sunday, December 4

Fr Theofanis on Call - 727-244-6842

10th Sunday of Luke

7:45AM Othros/Matins

9:00AM Divine Liturgy

10:30AM Sunday School

12:00PM Parish Council Elections

6:00PM Visitation: Duchess Arfaras

Monday, December 5

Sabbas the Sanctified

8:00AM Soup Kitchen Meal

9:00AM Orthros/Matins

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

12:00PM Funeral: Duchess Arfaras

6:00PM Great Vespers

Tuesday, December 6

Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra

9:00AM Orthros/Matins

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

11:15AM St Nicholas Luncheon

1:00PM Funeral: Esther Gerakios

4:30PM Greek School

6:00PM Daily Vespers

7:00PM Boy Scouts

7:00PM Learn Conversational Greek

Wednesday, December 7

Ambrose, Bishop of Milan

9:00AM Daily Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

10:00AM Little Lambs

6:00PM Paraklesis to Theotokos

7:00PM Parish Ministry Night

Thursday, December 8

Forefeast of the Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

9:00AM Daily Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

11:00AM Women's Book Club

4:30PM Greek School

6:00PM Great Vespers

7:00PM Choir Practice

7:00PM Youth Choir

7:00PM Dance Board Meeting

7:00PM Philoptochos Board Meeting

Friday, December 9

The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

9:00AM Orthros/Matins

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

12:00PM Funeral: Theresa Angeliki Houllis

1:00PM OPEN Confessions - No Appointment Needed

6:00PM Daily Vespers

7:00PM Boy Scouts Christmas Party and Camp In

Saturday, December 10

Menas, Hermogenes, & Eugraphos, Martyrs of Alexandria

9:00AM Daily Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

6:00PM Great Vespers

Sunday, December 11

Fr Athanasios on Call - 727-741-0139

11th Sunday of Luke

7:45AM Othros/Matins

9:00AM Divine Liturgy

10:30AM Sunday School

6:00PM Carols in the Cathedral

Monday, December 12

Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous

8:00AM Soup Kitchen Meal

9:00AM Orthros/Matins

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

4:00PM Dance Ministry

5:30PM Preschool Committee Meeting

6:00PM Small Compline

7:00PM Orthodoxy 101

Tuesday, December 13

Martyrs Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugene, Mardarius, and Orestes of Greater Armenia

9:00AM Daily Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

4:30PM Greek School

6:00PM Daily Vespers

7:00PM Boy Scouts

7:00PM Learn Conversational Greek

Wednesday, December 14

Martyrs Thyrsus, Leucius, and Callinicus of Asia Minor, and Philemon, Apollonius, and Arian of Alexandria

9:00AM Daily Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

10:00AM Little Lambs

6:00PM Great Vespers

7:00PM Goya

Thursday, December 15

Eleutherios the Hieromartyr, Bishop of Illyricum, and his mother Anthia

9:00AM Orthros/Matins

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

11:00AM Women's Book Club

4:30PM Greek School

6:00PM Paraklesis to St Nicholas

7:00PM Choir Practice

7:00PM Youth Choir

7:00PM PC Board Meeting

Friday, December 16

The Holy Prophet Aggaeus (Haggai)

9:00AM Daily Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

1:00PM OPEN Confessions - No Appointment Needed

6:00PM Great Vespers

Saturday, December 17

Daniel the Prophet & Ananias, Azarias, & Misail, the Three Holy Youths

9:00AM Orthros/Matins

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

6:00PM Young Adult Ministry

6:00PM Great Vespers

Sunday, December 18

Fr Theofanis on Call - 727-244-6842

Sunday before Nativity

7:45AM Othros/Matins

9:00AM Divine Liturgy

10:30AM Sunday School

5:00PM Parish Christmas Party

Monday, December 19

Martyrs Boniface, Probus, Ares, Timothy, Polyeuktos, Eutychios and Thessaloniki

Tampa Bay Regional Greek Orthodox Calendar

Tampa Bay GOA Calendar

December 26 to December 27, 2022

Monday, December 26

St. Stefanos Vespers Reception

Tuesday, December 27

DISTRICT EVENT: Winter Youth Rally

9:00AM Orthros

10:00AM Divine Liturgy

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Barbara the Great Martyr

John the Righteous of Damascus

10th Sunday of Luke

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Juliana the Martyr of Heliopolis

Alexander Hotovitzky, New Hieromartyr of Russia, Missionary to America

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40 Day Prayer List

A Prayer for Healing

Our Priests are Here for You

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal 4th Mode

Apolytikion for Great Martyr Barbara in the 4th Mode

Apolytikion for John of Damascus in the Plagal 4th Mode

Seasonal Kontakion in the 3rd Mode

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Epistle Reading

Gospel Reading

Wisdom of the Fathers

Important Updates From Our Ministries

St Nicholas Kitchen

Philoptochos (A Friend of the Poor) Ministry

Parish Flyers & Bulletin Board

More Flyers and Updates!

Master Calendar

Master Calendar

December 4 to December 19, 2022

Tampa Bay Regional Greek Orthodox Calendar

Tampa Bay GOA Calendar

December 26 to December 27, 2022