Welcome

We welcome you to Sts. Peter & Paul! It's truly a blessing to have you join us in prayer. If you care to prayerfully follow along with today's services please scan the QR code then select today's date and the service in progress.

We look forward to gathering in fellowship after the Divine Liturgy during Coffee Hour! Please visit us at the social hall in the lower level following the Divine Liturgy.

Saints and Feasts

March 26

Sunday of St. John Climacus

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on March 30, where his biography may be found. He is celebrated today because his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, is a sure guide to the ascetic life, written by a great man of prayer experienced in all forms of the monastic polity; it teaches the seeker after salvation how to lay a sound foundation for his struggles, how to detect and war against each of the passions, how to avoid the snares laid by the demons, and how to rise from the rudimental virtues to the heights of Godlike love and humility. It is held in such high esteem that it is universally read in its entirety in monasteries during the Great Fast.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.

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

Apolytikion for Sun. of St. John Climacus in the Plagal Fourth Mode

With the streams of thy tears, thou didst cultivate the barrenness of the desert; and by thy sighings from the depths,thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou becamest a luminary, shining with miracles upon the world, O John our righteous Father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Ταίς τών δακρύων σου ροαίς, τής ερήμου τό άγονον εγεώργησας, καί τοίς εκ βάθους στεναγμοίς, εις εκατόν τούς πόνους εκαρποφόρησας, καί γέγονας φωστήρ, τή οικουμένη λάμπων τοίς θαύμασι, Ιωάννη Πατήρ ημών, Όσιε, Πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών.

Apolytikion for the Church in the Fourth Mode

As the first in rank of the Apostles and teachers of the world, intercede with the Master of all that He grant peace unto all the world and great mercy unto our souls.

Οι τών Αποστόλων πρωτόθρονοι, καί τής Οικουμένης διδάσκαλοι, τώ Δεσπότη τών όλων πρεσβεύσατε, ειρήνην τή οικουμένη δωρήσασθαι, καί ταίς ψυχαίς ημών τό μέγα έλεος.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"

Τὴ ὑπερμάχω στρατηγῶ τὰ νικητήρια, ὡς λυτρωθεῖσα τῶν δεινῶν εὐχαριστήρια, ἀναγράφω σοὶ ἡ Πόλις σου Θεοτόκε, Ἀλλ' ὡς ἔχουσα τὸ κράτος ἀπροσμάχητον, ἐκ παντοίων μὲ κινδύνων ἐλευθέρωσον, ἵνα κράζω σοί, Χαῖρε νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 6:13-20

BRETHREN, when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore to himself, saying, "Surely I will bless you and multiply you." And thus Abraham, having patiently endured, obtained the promise. Men indeed swear by a greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he interposed with an oath, so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible that God should prove false, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

Sunday of St. John Climacus
Πρὸς Ἑβραίους 6:13-20

Ἀδελφοί, τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενος ὁ θεός, ἐπεὶ κατʼ οὐδενὸς εἶχεν μείζονος ὀμόσαι, ὤμοσεν καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ, λέγων, Ἦ μὴν εὐλογῶν εὐλογήσω σε, καὶ πληθύνων πληθυνῶ σε. Καὶ οὕτως μακροθυμήσας ἐπέτυχεν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας. Ἄνθρωποι μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μείζονος ὀμνύουσιν, καὶ πάσης αὐτοῖς ἀντιλογίας πέρας εἰς βεβαίωσιν ὁ ὅρκος. Ἐν ᾧ περισσότερον βουλόμενος ὁ θεὸς ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῖς κληρονόμοις τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τὸ ἀμετάθετον τῆς βουλῆς αὐτοῦ, ἐμεσίτευσεν ὅρκῳ, ἵνα διὰ δύο πραγμάτων ἀμεταθέτων, ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι θεόν, ἰσχυρὰν παράκλησιν ἔχωμεν οἱ καταφυγόντες κρατῆσαι τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος· ἣν ὡς ἄγκυραν ἔχομεν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀσφαλῆ τε καὶ βεβαίαν, καὶ εἰσερχομένην εἰς τὸ ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος· ὅπου πρόδρομος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς, κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισεδὲκ ἀρχιερεὺς γενόμενος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. John Climacus
The Reading is from Mark 9:17-31

At that time, a man came to Jesus kneeling and saying: "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; and wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." And they brought the boy to him; and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us." And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting." They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he would not have any one know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise."

Sunday of St. John Climacus
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 9:17-31

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἄνθρωπός τις προσῆλθε τῷ Ἰησοῦ λέγων, διδάσκαλε, ἤνεγκα τὸν υἱόν μου πρός σε, ἔχοντα πνεῦμα ἄλαλον. καὶ ὅπου ἂν αὐτὸν καταλάβῃ, ῥήσσει αὐτόν, καὶ ἀφρίζει καὶ τρίζει τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ξηραίνεται· καὶ εἶπον τοῖς μαθηταῖς σου ἵνα αὐτὸ ἐκβάλωσι, καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτῷ λέγει· ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος, ἕως πότε πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔσομαι; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν; φέρετε αὐτὸν πρός με. καὶ ἤνεγκαν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτόν. καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν εὐθέως τὸ πνεῦμα ἐσπάραξεν αὐτόν, καὶ πεσὼν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐκυλίετο ἀφρίζων. καὶ ἐπηρώτησε τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· πόσος χρόνος ἐστὶν ὡς τοῦτο γέγονεν αὐτῷ; ὁ δὲ εἶπε· παιδιόθεν. καὶ πολλάκις αὐτὸν καὶ εἰς πῦρ ἔβαλε καὶ εἰς ὕδατα, ἵνα ἀπολέσῃ αὐτόν· ἀλλ᾿ εἴ τι δύνασαι, βοήθησον ἡμῖν σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι, πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ πιστεύοντι. καὶ εὐθέως κράξας ὁ πατὴρ τοῦ παιδίου μετὰ δακρύων ἔλεγε· πιστεύω, κύριε· βοήθει μου τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ. ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι ἐπισυντρέχει ὄχλος, ἐπετίμησε τῷ πνεύματι τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ λέγων αὐτῷ· τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἄλαλον καὶ κωφόν, ἐγώ σοι ἐπιτάσσω, ἔξελθε ἐξ αὐτοῦ καὶ μηκέτι εἰσέλθῃς εἰς αὐτόν. καὶ κράξαν καὶ πολλὰ σπαράξαν αὐτὸν ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἐγένετο ὡσεὶ νεκρός, ὥστε πολλοὺς λέγειν ὅτι ἀπέθανεν. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς κρατήσας αὐτὸν τῆς χειρὸς ἤγειρεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀνέστη. Καὶ εἰσελθόντα αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπηρώτων αὐτὸν κατ᾿ ἰδίαν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο τὸ γένος ἐν οὐδενὶ δύναται ἐξελθεῖν εἰ μὴ ἐν προσευχῇ καὶ νηστείᾳ. Καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐξελθόντες παρεπορεύοντο διὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἵνα τις γνῷ· ἐδίδασκε γὰρ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἀναστήσεται.

Parish Calendar

Parish Calendar

March 26 to April 2, 2023

Sunday, March 26

8:00AM **Orthros/Divine Liturgy**

11:00AM Church School - no class today

2:00PM Greek Independence Day Parade

Monday, March 27

6:00PM Great Compline

Wednesday, March 29

6:00PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

7:00PM Lenten Talk Series

Thursday, March 30

5:00PM Catechism Class

6:00PM Byzantine Choir Practice

Friday, March 31

9:00AM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

6:00PM Greek School

7:00PM Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos

Saturday, April 1

10:00AM Maryland/Northern Virginia District Oratorical Festival @ Frederick

5:00PM Great Vespers

Sunday, April 2

8:30AM Orthros/Divine Liturgy

12:00PM Solemn Vespers

Parish Ministries

Parish Council: George Lountos (President), Elizabeth A. Kostas-Polston (Vice President), Bruce Flanders (Treasurer), Christo Cambetes (Secretary), Georgette Calomeris, Dimitri Rotov, Gregory Nerantzis.

Greek School: Dr. George Lountos (Principal). Email: gtlountos@gmail.com or cell: 404-375-3180.

HOPE & JOY Ministry: Open

GOYA: Mrs. Christina Summers. Email: mrs.summers@aol.com

Religious Education: Mrs. Despina Horst (Interim Principal). Email: horst7213@aol.com. Lessons begin after Holy Communion. We encourage our youth to participate in Sunday School, to learn and live the life of our Holy Orthodox Faith.

Kali Parea: This ministry is for adults 50 years and older. Come and join us! Contact Aliki McDonald alikimcdonold@gmail.com

St. Eugenia Ladies Philoptochos: – Mrs. Maria Moungelis Bedard, President. All in the Parish are encouraged to be members of the Philoptochos Society. Contact Maria if interested in joining. Email ladies@sainteugeniaphiloptochos.net

Hospitality Ministry: Tyler Shuck (coordinator) This ministry welcomes visitors and also coordinates fellowship activities after Sunday Liturgy in order to provide a warm and welcoming environment for both parishioners and visitors alike. Please contact the Church Office if you're interested in hosting Coffee Hour.

The Three Hierarchs Book Club: The book club meets in the fall and in the spring to discuss the book of the season. Please contact Fr. George if you're interested in joining. frgeorgemastakas@gmail.com

Visitation Ministry: Should you or a loved one need hospital or long term care, Fr. George would like to visit. Please be advised that Frederick Memorial Hospital (and most facilities) will not automatically notify Fr. George upon admission, but only when requested by the patient or caregiver.

Three Hierarchs Bookstore: Eleni Trivizas, Manager. The bookstore is located in the Social Hall and offers books, icons, censers, votives, and other spiritually edifying material. Anyone interested in volunteering to staff the bookstore on Sundays should reach out to Eleni or the Church office.

Greek Folk Dance Ministry: Open to all ages and levels of experience. Contact Georgette Calomeris if interested in participating. email: georgette@calomeris.com

Announcements

Please join us for fellowship at coffee hour before we depart for the Greek Independence Day Parade (begins @2pm) at the Greektown Section. (Ponca Street/Eastern Avenue).

Please consider hosting coffee hour in memory of a loved one or when celebrating an occasion. Click here to sign up.

Upcoming Hosts:

April 2nd Host needed
April 9th Palm Sunday Fish Luncheon hosted by the St. Eugenia Philoptochos
May 7th Host needed

Lenten Talk: Join us on Wednesdays after the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts beginning March 8th for a brief lecture and discussion series on the "Cornerstones of Great Lent," followed by a potluck fellowship.

Church Cleaning: Please consider joining us on Monday, April 3rd at 11am to clean and prepare our Church for the glorious celebration of Pascha.

Philoptochos is hosting and all are welcome to the annual Palm Sunday Fish Luncheon (April 9th) following the Divine Liturgy. You can purchase tickets in advance by clicking here or visiting the Philoptochos website.

Philoptochos is holding an Easter Bread Sale and now taking orders. Place and order and purchase Easter Bread by clicking here or by visiting the Philoptochos website.

Helen A. Carlos, exemplary Trustee of Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (HCHC) recently announced a $1 million ninety-day challenge grant. Her intention is to inspire others to give HCHC the working capital needed to further advance its ongoing strategic initiative to boost enrollment, ensure academic excellence, cultivate spiritual growth, and enhance the campus and its facilities. GIVE TODAY!

If you would like to decorate the icon of the Bridegroom service and/or contribute to the cost of the flowers for the icon, please contact the church office.

Date Available

April 9th (Bridegroom)

Great Lent Volunteer: Our parish has once again teamed up with the Frederick Rescue Mission to offer our parishioners an opportunity to volunteer during Great Lent. Together with prayer and fasting, we look to fortify our spiritual life by also offering alms and benefit those who are disadvantaged. Click here to volunteer.

Great Lent Services:

Great Compline every Monday at 6:00 pm. This is a prayer service in which many psalms are chanted together with evening prayers. It includes the well-known hymns “God is with Us” and “O Lord of Hosts”.

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts: Wednesdays at 6:00 pm and every Friday at 9:00 am. This special liturgy is allowed only during the Great Fast. The Divine Liturgy may not be celebrated on weekdays during Great Lent. However, the need still exists, especially during this time of year when we are struggling against evil and our own weaknesses, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ more often. Therefore, the priest consecrates an extra host on the previous Sunday which is then used during this liturgy, thus the name Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. This is one of the most beautiful services of the Church. Fasting is required from at least the noon meal in order to receive Holy Communion.

The Akathist Service to the Theotokos every Friday at 7:00 pm: This service is a Small Compline service and the Canon and salutations to the Theotokos. It is celebrated on the first five Fridays of the Great Fast.

2023 Stewardship: If you would like to pick up a 2023 Stewardship card, they are available in the Narthex. Click here to fill out yours.

Please contribute towards the Philoptochos Lenten Food Drive which supports the Frederick Food Bank. There is a great need in our community. Encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to donate the needed food items. We will have a drop-off location in the Narthex throughout the Lenten season.

Earthquake in Turkey & Syria The time to help is now!

Please keep the victims, their families and loved ones in your prayers and please be as generous as possible. Donations can be made online: https://ppay.co/-N5VYeUg5JI. Checks may also be sent to the National Philoptochos Society, 126 East 37th Street, New York, NY 10016 in the memo stating, “Turkey and Syria Earthquake Relief Fund.”

Click here to read the full press release on the emergency disbursement for Turkey and Syria.

St. Eugenia Ladies Philoptochos: Join the Philoptochos: PHILANTHROPY - FELLOWSHIP - FAITH IN ACTION. We invite all stewards of the Church to experience the beauty that can be found in service to others. 2023 Philoptochos Stewardship Sign-up

The Metropolis of NJ Clergy Laity Conference is coming up on Monday, May 15. All Philoptochos Chapter members are invited & encouraged to attend - especially if you’re considering a role on our Chapter Board. Our Philoptochos Chapter Board elections are coming up on May 7. All seats are open - so please consider participating as a Board member to fulfill our mission & lead our chapter forward.