Saint George Greek Orthodox Church

Gratitude, Humility, and Obedience: Homily for the 12th Sunday of Luke in the Orthodox Church Luke 17: 12-19 It is so easy for human beings to find a way to keep score, to focus on where we stand in relation to other individuals and groups. We probably do that in order to feel better about ourselves along the lines of Well, at least I am not as bad as they are....Continue reading

Apolytikion of Sun. after Epiphany First Tone At Your Baptism in the Jordan, O Lord, * worship of the Trinity was revealed, * for the Father's voice bore witness to You, * calling You His 'beloved Son,' * and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of these words. * O Christ God, Who appeared and enlightened the world, glory to You! Kontakion of Sun. after Epiphany... Fourth Tone You have appeared today to the inhabited earth, * and Your light, O Lord has been marked upon us * who with knowledge sing Your praise. * You have come, You are made manifest, * the Light that no man can approach. See more

News coverage from Tarpon Springs, Fl annual Epiphany Celebration. https://fb.watch/2Wdg3c8HBM/

January 4, 2020 His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros will travel to Tarpon Springs this week for the 115th Annual Epiphany celebration. In light of the current ...pandemic, Archdiocesan officials have been in constant contact with both church and local officials in Tarpon Springs to work cooperatively for a successful, yet subdued, Epiphany celebration. The visit of the Archbishop will be limited to only the Divine Liturgy and traditional Throwing of the Cross on Wednesday, January 6 and all present will follow current COVID health and safety protocols. In addition, the leadership of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tarpon Springs has been in constant cooperation with the local emergency management team (Police, Fire, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office) to establish a safe and reasonable count for parishioners, clergy, divers, diver’s families, and media for viewing the event from around Spring Bayou. Working together with the Tarpon Springs Fire Rescue, Tarpon Springs Police Department, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office a plan has been finalized to safely accommodate parishioners, clergy, divers, diver’s families, and media while considering all Covid-19 protocols. A total of 860 pre-ticketed parishioners will be allowed to congregate around Spring Bayou in social distanced areas. In addition, there will be a designated area for the 110 family members of the divers. Lastly, there will be space allocated for approximately 30 media representatives from the various news organizations, who will cover the event, ensuring that the general public will have a direct view of everything that is occurring. Commenting on the Epiphany celebrations, the dean of Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Rev. Athanasios Haros encouraged the faithful to prayerfully participate from home: This year, we are asking everyone to not come to the Bayou, but to join us from home. The celebration of Epiphany and the blessing of the waters is needed more now than ever before, and though we cannot be physically together, we will join together in prayer. I want to thank the city for their hard work and dedication to help this special day happen, even in the midst of a pandemic. Again, I urge all our parishioners, friends, and visitors to join us online this year as a show of respect for the wonderful people who have worked so hard to ensure that this event could happen, and in order to protect both yourselves and those you love.

January 6th The Feast of the Epiphany About the beginning of our Lord's thirtieth year, John the Forerunner, who was some six months older than Our Saviour according to the flesh, and had lived in the wilderness since his childhood, received a command from God and came into the parts of the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins. Then our Saviour also came from Galilee to the Jordan, and sought and received baptism though He was the Master and... John was but a servant. Whereupon, there came to pass those marvellous deeds, great and beyond nature: the Heavens were opened, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove upon Him that was being baptized and the voice was heard from the Heavens hearing witness that this was the beloved Son of God, now baptized as a man (Matt. 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:1-22). From these events the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the great mystery of the Trinity were demonstrated. It is also from this that the present feast is called "Theophany," that is, the divine manifestation, God's appearance among men. On this venerable day the sacred mystery of Christian baptism was inaugurated; henceforth also began the saving preaching of the Kingdom of the Heavens. Apolytikion of Holy Epiphany First Tone Lord, when You were baptized in the Jordan, the veneration of the Trinity was revealed. For the voice of the Father gave witness to You, calling You Beloved, and the Spirit, in the guise of a dove, confirmed the certainty of His words. Glory to You, Christ our God, who appeared and enlightened the world. Kontakion of Holy Epiphany Fourth Tone You appeared to the world today, and Your light, O Lord, has left its mark upon us. With fuller understanding we sing to You: "You came, You were made manifest, the unapproachable light."

Prayers for Orange County residents affected by fires. https://sanfran.goarch.org//fires-ravaging-through-souther

Sunday, October 25th video of today’s Gospel Reading by Deacon Euthym Kontaxis and Sermon by Father Theodore Pantels.

The 6th Sunday of Luke The Gospel According to Luke 8:26-39 At that time, as Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, there met him a man from the city who had demons; for a long time he had worn no clothes and he lived not in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you, do not torment me." For he had commanded t...he unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him; he was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters, but he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside; and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them leave. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. When the herdsmen saw what happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how he who had been possessed with demons was healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them; for they were seized with great fear; so he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but he sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. See more

October 18th Gospel and Sermon by Deacon Euthym Kontaxis.

Luke the Evangelist The Gospel According to Luke 10:16-21 The Lord said to his disciples, "He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and not...hing shall hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will." See more

Only in the Orthodox church, such beauty, and tradition. The Dance of Isaiah, as seen in every Orthodox wedding but so much more!

St George has lost a very wonderful member, father, husband, and friend to all. Sadly, Spiro Canakis has fallen asleep in the Lord. May his memory be eternal. +++

With heartfelt sadness, we express our love to Mary Fondas, former St George member of many years. May her Memory be Eternal. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/mary-fondas-obituary

Today’s (10-11-2020) Gospel & Sermon by Father Theodore Pantels. Those with ears, let them hear.

Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council Reading On the Sunday that falls on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we chant the Service to the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which gathered in Nicaea in 787 under the holy Patriarch Tarasius and during the reign of the Empress Irene and her son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, to refute the Iconoclast heresy, which had received imperial support beginning with the Edict issued in 726 by Emperor Leo the ...Isaurian. Many of the holy Fathers who condemned Iconoclasm at this holy Council later died as Confessors and Martyrs for the holy Icons during the second assult of Iconoclasm in the ninth century, especially during the reigns of Leo the Armenian and Theophilus. Apolytikion of Sun. of the 7th Ecumenical Council Plagal of the Fourth Tone You are greatly glorified, O Christ our God, who established our Fathers as luminaries upon the earth, and through them led us all to the true Faith. O Most compassionate, glory to You.

2nd Sunday of Luke "THE GOLDEN RULE" Gospel Reading - Luke 6:31-36 The Lord said, "As you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."