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. SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL MIAMI, FLORIDA Sunday, March 26th, 2023 Rev. Fr. Spiro D. Bobotas Telephone 305- 854-2922 * Fax: 305-858-1854 Website: stsophiamiami.org 2401 S.W. 3rd Avenue, 33129 Mailing Address: 244 SW 24th Road Miami, Fl. 33129 Sunday 0f Saint John of the Ladder
Resurrectional Apolytikion - Tone Pl 3 Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, By means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished death. * To the robber You opened Paradise. * The lamentation of the myrrhbearing women You transformed, * and You gave Your Apostles the order to proclaim to all * that You had risen, O Christ our God, * and granted the world Your great mercy. Apolytikion for Saint John Climicus –Plagel 4 Ταίς τών δακρύων σου ροαίς, τής ερήμου τό άγονον εγεώργησας . 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. Apolytikion for St. Sophia Tone 3 Χαίρει ἔχουσα ἡ Ἐκκλησία Having you and your three daughters, as a sacred boast the Church rejoices, and with gladness she praises you, You are to me my pride and joy, as are the most precious relics of your children; Oh Glorious Martyrs: Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love, intercede to Christ our God to save our souls. Kontakion Τὴ ὑπερμάχω στρατηγῶ τὰ νικητήρια, 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!" Liturgical Guide
Gospel Reading: 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 Epistle Reading: 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 Scripture Readings
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." Gospel continued Charmolypê or “bright sadness,” Bright Sadness, this beautiful expression is one that can fill our senses during Great Lent. One of the ways that we show this is with the beautiful Flowers that adorn the Icons during this season . Your contribution to purchase these flowers assists us with beautifying the church and expressing this feeling of Bright Sadness. Please assist the Philoptochos by offering a gift towards this year’s Flowers.
Bright sadness is the true message and gift of Lent. Little by little we begin to understand, or rather to feel, that the sadness of Lent is indeed “bright,” that a mysterious transformation is about to take place in us. It is as if we were reaching a place to which the noises and the fuss of life, of the street, of all that which usually fills our days and even nights, have no access – a place where they have no power. All that which seemed so tremendously important to us as to fill our mind, that state of anxiety which has virtually become our second nature, disappear somewhere and we begin to feel free, light and happy. It is not the noisy and superficial happiness which comes and goes twenty times a day and is so fragile and fugitive; it is a deep happiness which comes not from a single and particular reason but from our soul having, in the words of Dostoyevsky, touched “another world.” And that which it has touched is made up of light and peace and joy, of an inexpressible trust. ALEXANDER SCHMEMANN The celebration of Greek Independence Day on March 25th draws inspiration from one of the holiest days for Greek Orthodox Christians, the Annunciation of the Theotokos. This is the day that the Archangel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear a child. Bishop Germanos of Patras seized the opportunity by raising the banner of revolution, in an act of defiance against the Turks and marked the beginning of the War of Independence. Cries of Zito H Ellas and Eleftheria H Thanatos can still be heard today. These freedom fighters, or klephts as they were called, of Greece sacrificed much for their country The War of Independence began in 1821 rising up against 400 years of occupation and oppression by the Ottoman Turks. The origin of the Turkish occupancy began in 1453 with the fall of Constantinople (currently referred to as Istanbul). All true and faithful Hellenes living in their occupied homeland reacted to the Turkish oppression and resisted the attempts to deprive the Greeks of their heritage, their freedom and their religion. During the dark years of the Ottoman occupation, thousands were killed and tortured for attending church or teaching their children culture, history and language. It was the Greek Orthodox Church that helped to retain their very identity by the institution of Crypha Scholia (Hidden Schools).
WE NEED YOUR HELP ON SATURDAY OF LAZARUS Join us after the Divine Liturgy (April 8th) for a Lenten breakfast and where the whole community can contribute in making the Palm Crosses for Palm Sunday and help wrap the Easter Eggs. No previous experience is necessary, just your willingness to help Confession It is often thought that confession is not important nor is it needed for our children. This however is not the way we as Orthodox see it. Confession is important for young and old alike. It offers us the opportunity to humble ourselves before God and to leave our sins at Christ’s feet. No matter how trite we might think something may be , whether we are young or old it is important for us to confess our sins before God. On Saturday April 8th we will hold confession for our children during the folding of the palms, please allow your children to partake of this beautiful Sacrament. Summing up the above messages On April 8th 1. Divine Liturgy for Saturday of Lazarus starting at 9 AM 2. Lenten Breakfast following the Liturgy 3. Meetings for Altar Boys and Myrrofori 4. Palm Folding and Confession Kouvouklion If you would like to help decorate the Kouvouklion, please join us on Oratorical Festival Saturday, April 1st Saint Nicholas Church—Fort Pierce, fl Today we will hear from our Oratorical Festival Participant Parker Wensley If you are interested in joining us the Oratorial Festival next week will begin at 11 AM
EASTER EGG HUNT We will be having our annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday of Thomas, April 23rd. We kindly ask that if possible you donate individually wrapped nonchocolate candy or small novelty toys that will fit inside plastic Easter Eggs for our children
UPCOMING EVENTS Wednesday, March 29th Pre-sanctified 7:00 PM Friday, March 31st Akathist Hymn 7:00 PM Saturday, April 1st Goya Oratorical Festival @ Fort Pierce Sunday, April 2th Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt Matins 9:00 AM Liturgy 10:00 AM