Hierarchs: His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH,

Archbishop of New York & Metropolitan of all North America His Grace Bishop NICHOLAS,

Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Miami & the Southeast

Pastor: Very Rev. Fr. David Bleam

Please remember to send your offerings, pledges and other contributions to the church. The church expenses must still be paid.

Mailing address: 5501 N. W Street; Pensacola FL 32505. *Remember to earmark your checks (annual pledge, capital campaign, Pascha, outreach, memorial, etc.).

Thank you for your continued financial support.

2020 St. Andrew Parish Council

Chairperson: Barbara Parker Members: Vice-Chairperson: Tony Tampary Tanner Clanton Shadi Oweis Secretary: Sue Ann Young Michael Gay Rasko Pejic Treasurer: Pam Kelley Janean Litzinger Johnny Scapin Mark Sfanos

Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian

* O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.  (Prostration) * But give rather the spirit of  chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. (Prostration) * Yea, O Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. (Prostration) * Amen

Due to the Emergency Guidelines to help inhibit the spread of the Coronavirus Pandemic,

Fr. David is not able to hear Confessions at this time.

St. Andrew the Apostle Antiochian Orthodox Church 5501 N “W” St., Pensacola, FL 32505

www.standrewpns.org (850) 469-9711 Week of

April 5, 2020 Fifth Sunday of Great Lent

Commemoration of our Righteous Mother Mary of Egypt

All Services listed below will be live-streamed on: Facebook.com/St. Andrew Orthodox Church

(Pensacola Florida)

The Akathist Hymn was live-streamed from our Church on Friday, April 3rd

It is a valuable and prayerful experience to be connected through our live-streamed services and know that we are together.

If you are unable to view & pray at the time of the service, the “live-streamed” service stays on the church Facebook page and may be viewed at another time, if necessary.

Fifth Sunday of Lent: Sunday, April 5

Orthros - 9:00 am Divine Liturgy - 10:00 am

Prayers Requested for Month of March Please send additional requests to dtampary@me.com or 850-712-9008.

Also, please remember to let Dorothy know when your loved ones have recovered or are not in special/specific need to remain on our Prayer List.

Please pray for peace for the people of Syria. Syria is the home of our Patriarchate which is located on Straight Street in Damascus where St. Paul was taken to regain the sight he lost when encountering Jesus Christ (Acts 9) and has maintained continuous succession in the Apostolic Faith. Your prayers are requested for the health and return of Archbishops Paul and John of Aleppo, Syria, who were abducted on Monday, May 22, 2013.

Kleoniki Donna Alice Yves & Linda Louann Dn. Ted Mary Petrula Kay Leona Sharon Katie Dan S. Beverly Jerry Melanie Natasha (Paisia) & Denny Aspasia & family Christine Mary Kevin Eddie & Adrienne Jim Sue Mary Mark

Let us pray for those sick from the COVID-19 virus as well as those in harms way who are caring for the sick.

Let us pray for the safety and health of all levels of our civil authorities.

Thank you for your intercessions.

~~ FOOD FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE COIN BOXES ~~ ARCHDIOCESE LENTEN OUTREACH MINISTRY

The season of Great Lent is the time of preparation for the feast of the Resurrection of Christ. Our Lenten struggle symbolizes the very purpose of our Christian life: to identify with Christ’s sacrifice so that we may share in His glorious conquest of death. It is a time of renewed devotion: of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is a time of repentance, a real renewal of our minds, hearts and deeds in conformity with Christ’s teachings. Above all else, it is the time for us to re-commit ourselves to the great commandments of loving God and loving our neighbor. Food for Hungry People newsletter.

Place your pocket change, dollar bills & checks (payable to St. Andrew AOC) in your “Food for Hungry People” Going Box. Bring the coin box offering when we are able to gather together for worship and place it at the foot of the Cross in the Church Temple.

FUNDRAISER FOR ALTAR SERVER ROBES As our Altar Boy contingent has grown over the past several months, there is a need for more robes for each of the liturgical seasons. Donations will be accepted during the fundraiser, as well as at any other time anyone desires to contribute. More sizes and colors are needed. **Cash or checks are accepted and may be mailed to the church address. Notate that the

donation is for Altar Server Robes. **Credit cards may be used in the bookstore when we are back together. **PayPal is available: 1. Go to standrewpns.org 2. Click on Sisterhood 3. Scroll down to the Donate button 4. Make your donation on PayPal, ~ noting that it is for Altar Server Robes

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FOR APRIL

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FOR APRIL Greg & Sue Ann Young 4/13 Yves & Linda Capel 4/23 Mike & Chrisandra Brazwell 4/28

If a birthday or anniversary has been mistakenly omitted or listed incorrectly, or if you are new to the parish, please place corrections and additions in the Sisters of St. Photini mail drawer in Treasurer’s office or give to Dorothy.

4/1 Chrisandra Brazwell 4/17 Alena Scapin 4/3 Matt Prince 4/17 Sandra Sfanos 4/3 Alice Taylor 4/21 Madilyn Merritt 4/5 Mary Blanos 4/23 Betsy Werre 4/6 Sh. Syd Werthmuller 4/24 Sophia Kiser 4/7 Kathy Champlin 4/29 Simon Thames 4/9 Penny Tringas

On the Fifth Sunday of Lent the Orthodox Church commemorates our Righteous Mother Mary of Egypt Our holy mother Mary was born in Egypt. She had left her parents at the age of twelve to go to Alexandria, where she spent the next seventeen years in debauchery and the greatest profligacy. Living on charity and linen-weaving, she nevertheless offered her body to any man, not being forced to it by dire necessity as were so many poor women, but as though she were consumed by the fire of a desire that nothing was able to appease. One day, seeing a crowd of Lybians and Egyptians moving towards the port, she followed them and set sail with them for Jerusalem, offering her body to pay her fare. When they arrived in the Holy City, she followed the crowd that was thronging towards the Church of the Resurrection, it being the day of the Exaltation of the Cross. But, when she reached the threshold of the church, an invisible force prevented her entering in spite of repeated efforts on her part, although

the other pilgrims were able to go in without hindrance. Left alone in a corner of the narthex, she began to realize that it was the impurity of her life that was preventing her approaching the holy Wood. She burst into tears and smote her breast and, seeing an icon of the Mother of God, made this prayer to her: "O Sovereign Lady, who didst bear God in the flesh, I know that I should not dare to look upon thine icon, thou who are pure in soul and body, because, debauched as I am, I must fill thee with disgust. But, as the God born of thee became man in order to call sinners to repentance, come to my aid! Allow me to go into the church and prostrate before His Cross. And, as soon as I have seen the Cross, I promise that I will renounce the world and all pleasures, and follow the path of salvation that thou willest to show me." She felt herself suddenly freed from the power that had held her and was able to enter the church. There she fervently venerated the Holy Cross and then, returning to the icon of the Mother of God, declared herself ready to follow the path that the Virgin would show her. A voice replied to her from on high: "If you cross the Jordan, you will find rest." Leaving the church, she bought three loaves with the alms a pilgrim had given her, discovered which road led to the Jordan and arrived one evening at the Church of Saint John the Baptist. After having washed in the river, she received Communion in the Holy Mysteries, ate half of one of the loaves and went to sleep on the riverbank. The next morning, she crossed the river and lived from that time on in the desert, remaining there for forty-seven years without ever encountering either another human being or any animal.

During the first seventeen years, her clothes soon having fallen into rags, burning with heat by day and shivering with cold by night, she fed on herbs and wild roots. But more than the physical trials, she had to face violent assaults from the passions and the memory of her sins and, throwing herself on the ground, she implored the Mother of God to come to her aid. Protected by God, who desires nothing but that the sinner should turn to Him and live, she uprooted all the passions from her heart by means of this extraordinary ascesis, and was able to turn the fire of carnal desire into a flame of divine love that made it possible for her to endure the implacable desert with joy, as though she were not in the flesh. it to give him its blessing and some saving words. When he came within ear-shot, Mary, calling by name him whom she had never seen, revealed to him that she was a woman and asked him to throw her his cloak that she might cover her nakedness. At the urging of the monk, who was transported at having at last met a God-bearing being who had attained the perfection of monastic life, the Saint recounted to him with tears the story of her life and conversion. Then, having finished her account, she begged him to come the following year to the bank of the Jordan with Holy Communion. When the day arrived, Zosimas saw Mary appearing on the further bank of the river. She made the sign of the Cross and crossed the Jordan, walking on the water. Having received Holy Communion weeping, she said: "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation" (Luke 2:29). She then took leave of Zosimas, asking him to meet her the following year in the place where they had first met. When the year was past, Zosimas, going to the agreed spot, found the Saint's body stretched on the ground, her arms crossed and her face turned towards the East. His tearful emotion prevented him from noticing at once an inscription traced on the ground by the Saint, which read: "Abba Zosimas, bury here the body of the humble Mary; give what is of dust to dust, after having prayed for me. I died on the first day of April, the very night of the Passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, after having partaken in the Holy Eucharist." Consoled in his grief by having learned the Saint's name, Zosimas was amazed to discover that she had, in several hours, covered a distance of more than twenty days' march.

After having vainly tried to break up the earth with a stick, he suddenly saw a lion approaching Mary's body and licking her feet. On the orders of the Elder, the beast dug a hole with its claws, in which Zosimas devoutly placed the Saint's body. On his return to the monastery, he recounted the marvels that God had wrought for those who turn away from sin and move towards Him with all their hearts. From the hardened sinner that she had been, Mary has, for a great many souls crushed under the burden of sin, become a source of hope and a model of conversion. This is why the Holy Fathers have placed the celebration of her memory at the end of the Great Fast as an encouragement for all who have neglected their salvation, proclaiming that repentance can bring them back to God even at the eleventh hour.

Orthodox Commemoration of the Feast of Saint Mary of Egypt The feast day of Saint Mary of Egypt is April 1, the day of her repose, however the Orthodox Church also commemorates the Saint on the Fifth Sunday of Lent. As a Sunday of Great Lent, the commemoration is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, which is preceded by a Matins (Orthros) service. A Great Vespers is conducted on Saturday evening. Scripture readings for the Fifth Sunday of Lent are the following: At the Orthros (Matins): The prescribed weekly Gospel reading. At the Divine Liturgy: Hebrews 9:11-14; Mark 10:32-45.

Saint Mary of Egypt is also commemorated on the Thursday before the Fifth Sunday of Lent, when her life is read during the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete. A canon in her honor is read at the end of each Ode. In parish churches the service and the canon is most often conducted on Wednesday evening.

Hymns of the Feast Apolytikion: Plagal of the Fourth Tone In you the image was preserved with exactness, O Mother; for taking up your cross, you did follow Christ, and by your deeds you did teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passes away, but to attend to the soul since it is immortal. Wherefore, O righteous Mary, your spirit rejoices with the Angels. Kontakion: Fourth Tone Having escaped the gloom of sin, O blest Mary, and shining brightly with the light of repentance, thou didst present thy heart to Christ, O glorious one, bringing HimHis Holy and all-immaculate Mother as a greatly merciful and most bold intercessor. Hence, thou hast found the pardon of thy sins and with the Angels rejoicest for evermore.

Source: goarch.org

Pascha Lilies in memory or in honor of loved ones

To purchase Pascha lilies to be used to decorate the church for Pascha, please complete the form below.

Mail the form and your donation to the Church St. Andrew Orthodox Church

5501 N. W Street Pensacola FL 32505

Pascha lilies are $15.00 each.

** Deadline is Holy Wednesday, April 15th, to be included in the bulletin insert.

Please earmark checks appropriately for Lilies with the number purchased.

Make checks payable to St. Andrew AOC.

Lily in memory of:

______________________________________________________

Lily in honor of:

______________________________________________________

Name of person/family donating:

______________________________________________________