Alternating Sundays:
9 AM Orthros Prayer Service &
10 AM Divine Liturgy Communion Service
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10 AM Typica Service
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The 10 AM Sunday services are followed by Coffee Hour and Fellowship.
UPCOMING SERVICES
Sunday, February 18 - Sunday of the Canaanite Woman
Sunday, February 25 - Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
Saturday, March 2
6:00 pm - Great Vespers and Holy Confessions
Sunday, March 3 - Sunday of the Prodigal Son
9:00 am - Orthros
10:00 am - Divine Liturgy
Sunday, March 10 - Judgment Sunday (Meatfare)
10:00 am Reader's Service
Saturday, March 16 - Saturday of Souls
9:00 am - Orthros
10:00 am - Divine Liturgy
Sunday, March 24 - Sunday of Orthodoxy
10:00 am - Reader's Service
Monday, March 25 - Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos
9:00 am - Orthros
10:00 am - Divine Liturgy
Saturday, March 30
6:00 pm - Great Vespers and Holy Confession
Sunday, March 31 - Sunday of Gregory Palamas
9:00 am - Orthros
10:00 am - Divine Liturgy
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, March 3 - Parish Council Elections.
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STEWARDSHIP
This is a prayerful encouragement to support our parish with a donation.
You can give as your regular stewardship or as a special donation either at church in the offering or online through our website at https://orthodoxsanangelo.org/about/ways-to-give
God continues to bless our Assumption Church and the witness of our Orthodox Christian faith, and your regular stewardship and special gifts help to support the growth of our Church and our fulfilling of the Great Commission through our worship and ministry.
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NEW PARISH EMAIL
Our new parish email is priest@orthodoxsanangelo.org.
Please use this to communicate with Fr. Nektarios.
If you have not visited our new website, please do so at http://orthodoxsanangelo.org
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RESOURCES FOR INQUIRERS
If you are inquiring about the Orthodox Christian faith, please reach out to Fr. Nektarios for resources.Our faith is focused on our worship and participation in the Church, the Body of Christ, and in cultivating our communion with God.
We can provide you with a prayer book to guide you in daily prayers, as well as a book and online resources that explain the Orthodox Christian faith and life.
Fr. Nektarios is also available to meet with you by phone, Zoom or in person to offer guidance as you follow God's guidance and seek your spiritual home in the Orthodox Church.
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ONLINE CATECHISM CLASS
Our next class will be on Thursday, February 22, at 7:00 pm.
Our focus between now and Holy Pascha (Easter) will be the book The Orthodox Faith, Worship, and Life. Most should have a copy of this book, as we used this same text in 2021, and it has been distributed to many of our catechumens and inquirers. If you do not have a copy, please let Father Nektarios know.
Our weekly sessions will be on Zoom at the link below. They will also be available livestream on our Assumption Facebook page, as well as on the YouTube Channel for St. Stephen Mission at https://www.youtube.com/@st.stephenorthodoxmission8116/streams
The sessions will also be archived at the same YouTube link in case you miss a session or would like to go back and listen to a specific week or topic.
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CARING MEALS MINISTRY
If you know someone who needs meals due to illness, birth, etc., please see Kathy Baughman or Noelle Bartl. Thank you to everyone who volunteers for this ministry. You are being the hands of Christ!
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HELP FOR THE GARCIA FAMILY
COFFEE HOUR
We have open slots on the sign up sheet for Coffee Hour, which can be found on the refrigerator in the church kitchen. Can you help host? It's okay to bring something simple, or even just one dish. Encourage others to sign up with you as co-hosts. "Many hands make the burden light." Thank you for your help!
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Check out the rest of the bulletin! See below for news from the world of Orthodoxy, online concerts and lecture series, and more.
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AFTER CHURCH
Please join us for refreshments in the Social Hall.
** As always, see the parish website for any changes and updates. **
Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking spices, which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered His words and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the Apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.
Prokeimenon. 4th Tone. 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 St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1.
Brethren, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.
Sunday of the Canaanite
The Reading is from Matthew 15:21-28
At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.
According to some, this Saint was born in Rome, but according to others in Tyrrenia (Tuscany), and was consecrated to the archiepiscopal throne of Rome in 440. In 448, when Saint Flavian, Archbishop of Constantinople, summoned Eutyches, an archimandrite in Constantinople, to give account for his teaching that there was only one nature in Christ after the Incarnation, Eutyches appealed to Saint Leo in Rome. After Saint Leo had carefully examined Eutyches's teachings, he wrote an epistle to Saint Flavian, setting forth the Orthodox teaching of the person of Christ, and His two natures, and also counseling Flavian that, should Eutyches sincerely repent of his error, he should be received back with all good will. At the Council held in Ephesus in 449, which was presided over by Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria (and which Saint Leo, in a letter to the holy Empress Pulcheria in 451, was the first to call "The Robber Council"), Dioscorus, having military might behind him, did not allow Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian to be read, although repeatedly asked to do so; even before the Robber Council was held, Dioscorus had uncanonically received the unrepentant Eutyches back into communion. Because Saint Leo had many cares in Rome owing to the wars of Attila the Hun and other barbarians, in 451 he sent four delegates to the Fourth Ecumenical Council, where 630 Fathers gathered in Chalcedon during the reign of Marcian, to condemn the teachings of Eutyches and those who supported him. Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian was read at the Fourth Council, and was confirmed by the Holy Fathers as the Orthodox teaching on the incarnate person of our Lord; it is also called the "Tome of Leo." The Saint wrote many works in Latin; he reposed in 461. See also Saint Anatolius, July 3.
Saint Philothei was born in Athens in 1522 to an illustrious family. Against her will, she was married to a man who proved to be most cruel. When he died three years later, the Saint took up the monastic life and established a convent, in which she became a true mother to her disciples. Many women enslaved and abused by the Moslem Turks also ran to her for refuge. Because of this, the Turkish rulers became enraged and came to her convent, dragged her by force out of the church, and beat her cruelly. After a few days, she reposed, giving thanks to God for all things. This came to pass in the year 1589. She was renowned for her almsgiving, and with Saints Hierotheus and Dionysius the Areopagite is considered a patron of the city of Athens.
Concerning Saint Archippus, see November 22.
This Saint, who was from Ravenna in Italy, lived during the reign of Leo the Wise and his son Constantine Porphyrogenitus (end of the ninth and beginning of the tenth centuries). He struggled especially against the paganism and sorcery still prevalent in those regions.
Saint Timothy took up the monastic life from his youth, became a vessel of the Holy Spirit, and reposed in deep old age.
Saint Eustathius, the great defender of piety and illustrious opponent of Arianism, was from Side in Pamphylia. He became Bishop of Beroea (the present-day Aleppo), and in 325 was present at the First Ecumenical Council. From thence he was transferred to the throne of Antioch. But Saint Constantine the Great, led astray by the slanders directed against the Saint by the Arians, banished him to Trajanopolis in Thrace, where he reposed in 337, according to some. Others say he lived until 360.
The holy relics of these Saints were found in the quarter of Constantinople called Eugenius when Thomas was Patriarch of that city (607-610).
This apostolic and prophetic man, and model of faith and truth, was a disciple of John the Evangelist, successor of Bucolus (Feb. 6), and teacher of Irenaeus (Aug. 23). He was an old man and full of days when the fifth persecution was raised against the Christians under Marcus Aurelius. When his pursuers, sent by the ruler, found Polycarp, he commanded that they be given something to eat and drink, then asked them to give him an hour to pray; he stood and prayed, full of grace, for two hours, so that his captors repented that they had come against so venerable a man. He was brought by the Proconsul of Smyrna into the stadium and was commanded, "Swear by the fortune of Caesar; repent, and say, 'Away with the atheists.'" By atheists, the Proconsul meant the Christians. But Polycarp, gazing at the heathen in the stadium, waved his hand towards them and said, "Away with the atheists." When the Proconsul urged him to blaspheme against Christ, he said: "I have been serving Christ for eighty-six years, and He has wronged me in nothing; how can I blaspheme my King Who has saved me?" But the tyrant became enraged at these words and commanded that he be cast into the fire, and thus he gloriously expired about the year 163. As Eusebius says, "Polycarp everywhere taught what he had also learned from the Apostles, which also the Church has handed down; and this alone is true" (Eccl. Hist., Book IV, ch. 14,15).
The first finding came to pass during the middle years of the fourth century, through a revelation of the holy Forerunner to two monks, who came to Jerusalem to worship our Saviour's Tomb. One of them took the venerable head in a clay jar to Emesa in Syria. After his death it went from the hands of one person to another, until it came into the possession of a certain priest-monk named Eustathius, an Arian. Because he ascribed to his own false belief the miracles wrought through the relic of the holy Baptist, he was driven from the cave in which he dwelt, and by dispensation forsook the holy head, which was again made known through a revelation of Saint John, and was found in a water jar, about the year 430, in the days of the Emperor Theodosius the Younger, when Uranius was Bishop of Emesa.
This Saint was the son of one of the foremost princes in Constantinople, and was originally a consul and first among the Emperor's private counselors. Then, in 784, he was elected Patriarch of Constantinople by the Sovereigns Irene and her son Constantine Porphyrogenitus. He convoked the Seventh Ecumenical Council that upheld the holy icons, and became the boast of the Church and a light to the clergy. He reposed in 806.
The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law. Although, according to the word of our Lord, they "did all their works to be seen of men" (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid. 23: 13, 14, 15, etc.), because of the apparent holiness of their lives they were thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, Publicans, collectors of the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre's sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. It was therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to teach His disciples the harm of pride and the profit of humble-mindedness.
Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights.
All foods are allowed the week that follows this Sunday.
Ponderosa Retreat Center
15235 S. Furrow Rd
Larkspur, CO. 80118
What would our lives look like if we embraced our bodily limitations and understood that they could be offerings to the Lord? Dr. Aaron Haney and Brian Whirledge continue their conversation with Pres. Melanie on such a life - that of their friend Kevin McCarty.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco welcomed the children and visitors to the 47th Metropolis of San Francisco Folk Dance Festival (FDF) being held in Anaheim, CA.
I am so very happy to be with you, here at the Folk Dance and Choral Festival – now in your forty-seventh year! The longevity of the Festival, the tremendous participation, and the incredible support of your families and friends testify that it is an essential and vital part of the life of this God-protected Metropolis.
With the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, the Archdiocesan District Department of Education held its Annual Spelling Bee at Archdiocese Headquarters. Archdiocesan District Chancellor Fr. Elias Villis and Fr. Evagoras Constantinides from Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral in Brooklyn welcomed the students and offered a prayer. Associate Director of the Department of Education coordinated the event and Assistant Principal of St. Demetrios School in Astoria Helen Karagiorgos and Krysta Cicio, English Teacher, The Cathedral School, New York were Pronouncers. Also in attendance was District Youth Director Constantine Pantelias and teachers.
Dr. Anastasios Koularmanis, the Director of Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, was recently honored by the Federation of Hellenic Educators for his outstanding contributions to Greek education. Dr. Koularmanis's illustrious career within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has been marked by unparalleled dedication and innovation.
Get the golden shovels ready! St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, Naples, Florida, is delighted to announce groundbreaking for a new Youth and Community Education Building, a Bell Tower, and an outdoor covered Pavilion.
The faithful from Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Tacoma, WA witnessed the ordination of Spyridon Rice to the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, on Saturday, February 3, 2024.
Fr. Petros Gomez's first Liturgy as a priest at the Chapel of Saint Paul of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
On Sunday, February 4, 2024 Philoptochos spread agape, heart health awareness, and support by wearing red. Philoptochos chapters from across the country in Anaheim, California to Atlanta, Georgia participated.
The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA) commends the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues for its initiative to urge President Joe Biden to formally welcome President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides to the White House for a formal state visit, announced Supreme President Savas C. Tsivicos.
LOMBARD, IL, February 12, 2024 – The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago today announced the expansion of its Higher Calling initiative to focus on developing and nurturing leadership skills critical to the priesthood.
Hey K-6th Graders - We’re bringing back our Regional Lenten Mini Retreats and want YOU to be a part of them!
The Office of Ionian Village, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, is pleased to announce applications for need-based scholarships for those wishing to attend Ionian Village 2024.
The Association of Byzantine Chanters and Friends of Florida “Ioannis Koukouzelis” presented their 18th Annual Concert of Byzantine Hymns and Greek Songs under the direction of Choral Director George E. Pappas. After chanting in the newly built church, the choir and audience moved into Matheos Hall for dinner and sung Greek songs.
The Metropolis of Atlanta is pleased and proud to present the 2nd Annual Festival of Faith Retreat, the theme of which is "Spiritual Growth Through Life in Our Parish".
Michael Psaros, member of the Executive Committee of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Chairman of the Friends of St. Nicholas and also Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, presented Lauren Green, Fox National News Chief Religion Correspondent, with an icon of St. Nicholas during a recent signing for her book “Light for Today – 365 Daily Devotions from the Lighthouse.”
This week, find insights about the upcoming Gospel reading, where we learn about Jesus encountering the Canaanite woman whose daughter is possessed by an evil spirit. But why would Jesus compare the woman to a dog? And what does the word “me” refer to in the Jesus Prayer?
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is pleased to announce that the Archbishop Elpidophoros Camping Scholarship Fund has netted $400,000 through the inaugural Nameday Gala for His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America that was held in November 2023 in New York City.
He was fifteen years old. A slight rail of a teenager, a wisp of experience, Sam found himself drawn to the Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Richmond, Virginia.
In continuation of the ongoing commitment to strengthen the proficiency of educators teaching the Greek language, the Education Office of the Holy Archdiocese of America is set to host the 5th Webinar focusing on Innovative Teaching Techniques and Educational Materials.
Dr. Aaron Haney and Brian Whirledge share reflections on their relationship with Kevin McCarty of blessed memory. Kevin spent most of his life battling cancer which resulted in losing one eye in infancy and the other in his final years. Despite his limited physical vision, Kevin was a gifted artist.
Edison, NJ – The Hellenic Dancers of NJ (HDNJ) performed for a sold-out audience at its 50th Anniversary Gala Saturday night, February 3, 2024.
The Orthodox Christian Studies Center in collaboration with the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) will be accepting applications for the Summer 2024 application cycle for the OCSC Summer Internship Program.
This week, find insights about the upcoming Gospel reading, where we learn about the servants who received talents from God. What is the meaning of talents? And what does God require of us to be good stewards? Also, what is the result of our faithfulness?
St. Michael’s Home has announced that it will be offering group tours of its new facility in Uniondale, Long Island.
In a remarkable display of generosity, George Likourezos, a partner at the renowned intellectual property boutique firm Carter Deluca, has been instrumental in providing pro bono legal services to safeguard the intellectual property rights of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The Archdiocese expresses its heartfelt appreciation for the dedication and expertise of Mr. Likourezos and the entire Carter Deluca team in leading the Archdiocese through the intricate realms of trademark and copyright law.
As we gear up for the 2024 Greek Festival, we extend a warm invitation to all parents to sign up your children to represent an iconic piece of our heritage: music and dance.
The commemoration of February 9th holds significant cultural importance as it marks the day of remembrance for our esteemed national poet, Dionysios Solomos. More than just a tribute to his literary contributions, this date now symbolizes the World Day of the Greek Language, established through a collaborative decision by ministers back in April 2017.
The Northern New Jersey Young Adult League (NNJYAL) is hosting a Beefsteak Fundraiser on March 9. The NNJYAL kindly requests your support through sharing this event with your GOYA and Young Adult community. This event is open to all and families are encouraged to come!
The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York held their Vasilopita on Thursday, February 1, 2023 at the Stathakion Cultural Center in Astoria.
Fifteen Clergy and Clergy Wives Peer Group Facilitators from across the country came together last week for a 3-day retreat at St. Stephen’s Retreat Center in Titusville, Florida.
On Saturday, January 27, 2024 His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America officiated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of Sts. Constantine and Helen of Ilioupolis, Thessaloniki.
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, the Inter-Goya Youth Group from the Nassau-Suffolk Counties of Long Island, New York traveled to Scranton, PA for their annual GOYA Ski Trip this weekend. Over 175 youth (ages 13-18) attended with clergy and chaperones.
Applications and instructions for six (6) scholarships administered by the Office of the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America are available for awards to be made for the 2024-2025 academic year. The George & Naouma (Gioule) Gioles Scholarship and the Katina John Malta Scholarship are for undergraduate studies, and the Paleologos Scholarship is awarded for graduate work of a non-theological nature. Additionally, the S. Gregory Taylor Scholarship is available to those pursuing a secondary degree, and the Christos and Georgia Trakatellis Scholarship is available for those pursuing graduate level work. Students matriculating at Hellenic College-Holy Cross School of Theology are eligible to apply for the James J. Tembelis Scholarship.
On Friday, February 2, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed Elizabeth Prodromou, PhD, Archons Cary J. Limberakis, DMD, and George E. Demacopoulos, PhD, and Sara Tsugranis to the Archdiocese for a discussion on expanding the role of young girls and women in the Church.
