April 10, 2022

Fifth Sunday of Great Lent

Commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt

The facts of the life of St. Mary of Egypt are vague and clouded by time and separation, but the spirit of her story is a clear call to repentance and devotion. According to tradition, Mary was from Alexandria, where she was an actress and courtesan, living a life of sin and infamy. When spiritual intervention forbade her entry to Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, she spent the night in penitent prayer. The following morning, she was able to enter, whereupon she venerated the cross and immediately removed herself to the life of a penitent and solitary in the Palestinian desert. She remained in isolation for forty-seven years, aided only by monks of the region and God’s grace. Only at her death was she found and given communion by the priest Zosimus. On this last Sunday of Lent, as we prepare for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and the Great Feast of the eighth and eternal day, we call to mind this holy woman, her fear of the all-powerful God, her recognition of her sin, her repentance, her humility, her faith, and her unwavering intent to seek righteousness and the courts of her King.

Hebrews 9:11-14: Brethren, Christ having appeared a High Priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; neither through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having found eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of bulls and goats and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Mark 10:32-45: At that time, Jesus took His twelve Disciples, and began to tell them what was to happen to Him, saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles. And they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit upon Him, and kill Him; and after three days He will rise.” And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Him, and said to Him, “Teacher, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire” And Jesus said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And they said to Him, “Grant us to sit, one at Thy right hand and one at Thy left, in Thy glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized. But to sit at My right hand or at My left is not Mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. And Jesus called them to Him and said to them, “You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be servant of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Troparion of the Resurrection: The stone being sealed by the Jews, and thy pure body being guarded by the soldiers, thou didst arise on the third day, O Saviour, granting life to the world. Wherefore, the heavenly powers acclaimed thee, O Giver of life, crying, Glory to thy Resurrection, O Christ! Glory to thy kingdom! Glory to thy gracious providence, O only Lover of mankind.

Troparion of St. Mary of Egypt: Through thee the divine likeness was securely preserved, O Mother Mary; for thou didst carry the cross and followed Christ. By example and precept thou didst teach us to ignore the body because it is perishable, and to attend to the concerns of the undying soul. Therefore, doth thy soul rejoice with the angels.

Troparion of the Chains of St. Peter: O Holy Apostle, Peter, thou dost preside over the Apostles by the precious chains which thou didst bear. We venerate them with faith and beseech thee that by thine intercessions we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion of the Theotokos: O undisputed intercessor of Christians, O mediatrix, who is unrejected by the Creator, turn not away from the voice of our petitions though we be sinners; come to us in time, who cry to thee in faith, for thou art good. Hasten to us with intercessions, O Theotokos, who didst ever intercede for those who honor thee.

CALENDAR

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: All services listed on the calendar will be available through streaming and webcast.

Please continue to follow the CDC Guidelines to limit contagion and the spread of the COVID virus.

Sunday, April 10 (Commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

Monday, April 11

Father Herman off

Tuesday, April 12

NO Services

Wednesday, April 13

6:30 p.m. — Pre-sanctified Liturgy with Soup Supper

Thursday, April 14

NO Services

Friday, April 15

6:30 p.m. — Small Compline with the Canon of St. Lazarus

Saturday, April 16 (Lazarus Saturday)

9:00 a.m. — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy

12:00 p.m. — Making arrangements with large palms and dyeing red eggs

3:45 p.m. — Choir Practice

6:00 p.m. — Great Vespers

Sunday, April 17 (Palm Sunday)

8:50 a.m. — Orthros (webcast)

9:00 a.m. — Christian Education

10:00 a.m. — Divine Liturgy (webcast)

12:00 p.m. — Fish Fry Meal

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Eucharist Bread …was offered by the Joneses for last Sunday’s Divine Liturgy and by the Morrises for the Divine Liturgy this morning.

Eucharist Bread Schedule:

Eucharist Bread Coffee Hour

April 10 Morris Lasseter/Pacurari/Miller

April 16 (Sat. a.m.) Meadows Henderson/Jones

(Lazarus Saturday)

April 17 (Palm Sunday) Davis D. Root/Baker

April 21 (Thurs. a.m.) D. Root Meadows

April 23 (Sat. a.m.) Karam Dansereau/Alaeetawi

April 23 (Sat. p.m.) Brock

Schedule for Epistle Readers – Page numbers refer to the Apostolos (book of the Epistles) located on the Chanters’ stand at the front of the nave. Please be sure to use this book when you read.

Reader Reading Page#

April 10 Ian Jones Heb. 9:11-14 290

April 16 (Sat. a.m.) Brenda Baker Heb. 12:28-13:8 291

April 17 Sam Habeeb Phil. 4:4-9 294

April 21 (Thurs. a.m.) Ian Jones I Cor. 11:23-32 295

April 23 (Sat. a.m.) Reader Basil Baker Rom. 6:3-11 300

April 23 (Sat. p.m.) Walt Wood Acts 1:1-8 25

Also, please remember that we still need your tithes and offerings which may be placed in the tithe box at the back of the nave or be mailed to: St. Peter Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 2084, Madison, MS 39130-2084.

Continue to pray for Metropolitan Paul (who is also the brother of our Patriarch) and the Syriac Archbishop John of Aleppo who were abducted while on a humanitarian mission in Syria.

Please remember Fr. Joseph and Kh. Joanna Bittle, and their daughter Abigail, in your prayers.

Please remember the following in your prayers: Aidan Milnor, the Milnor family; Lamia Dabit and her family; Mary Greene (Lee and Kh. Sharon’s sister); Jay and Joanna Davis; Fr. Leo and Kh. Be’Be’ Schelver and their family; Kathy Willingham; Marilyn (Kyriake) Snell; Jack and Jill Weatherly; Lottie Dabbs (Sh. Charlotte Algood’s mother), Sh. Charlotte and their family; Maria Costas (currently at St. Catherine’s Village); Reader Basil and Brenda Baker; Buddy Cooper.

If you are not feeling well, PLEASE do not attempt to come to the services. This also includes anyone who may have been exposed to you during this time. Also, please let Fr. Herman know if you are not feeling well and have COVID like symptoms.

Anthony Johnson, son of former members Cain (Joshua) and Taylor Johnson, will be baptized during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Great and Holy Saturday on the morning of April 23rd. Simon and Rola Karam will be his godparents. Please keep all of them in your prayers.

On April 10th we will celebrate a Forty Day Memorial for Galina Singletary’s mother, Valentina, who passed away recently in Russia.

Calendar Items:

* The Ladies will meet at the church at 10:00 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month to pray the Akathist to the Mother of God, Nurturer of Children on behalf of our children.

* The Ladies will meet for lunch on the last Tuesday of the month.

* We will have our last Pre-sanctified Liturgy on Wednesday evening, April 13th, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (There will be a Soup Supper afterwards, although one was not listed on the April Calendar.)

* The dates for Services of Palm Sunday and Holy Week are as follows:

Friday, April 15 — Small Compline with the Canon of St. Lazarus at 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 16 (Lazarus Saturday) — Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m.

Sunday, April 17 (Palm Sunday) — morning services at usual Sunday times

(Sunday evening) — Bridegroom Matins, at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, April 18 (Great and Holy Monday)