April 2024
For the whole month of April we will be immersed in The Great Fast , and The Great Fast, is the most important fasting season in the church year. It is stricter than all the others to help us Orthodox Christians prepare for the greatest feast of the church year, Pascha or as it is mostly known as The Resurrection of Christ. The Great Fast prepares us to not only commemorate the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus, but to relive it, and to participate in His journey to the Cross. We have to understand that as Orthodox Christians we are to live our life with Christ at the center, that we are to fulfill His Holy will in all that we do. We have been given examples of the need to attain a higher level of holiness, we heard of Zacchaeus who climbed the tree to see Christ, the four friends who carried the paralytic up on the roof so he could be healed by Christ, all to be in Christ’s presence, and on the 4th Sunday we will commemorate St John of the Ladder, who in his book Ladder of Divine Ascent describes the steps we need to take to ascend to holiness, to climb the spiritual ladder, to climb the spiritual tree all to be closer to Christ. We live in the days of unbelief and a time that evil is considered good and good is considered evil. It can be a very confusing time, but the Great Fast is here to help us not be confused, to guide us into holiness, to help us climb to new spiritual heights of holiness . As we fast from foods and things of this world we should take the time to pray, to forgive, to repent and confess, and to give alms, so that we can seek that which is beneficial to our soul. We should read Holy Scripture and the church Fathers, but most importantly we should learn to apply the spiritual goodness into our lives and live it. Everything centers around this Feast of Feasts,the Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ. When we begin Holy Week we are journeying with our Lord to the Cross, we should be dedicating and committing our life to Him, to be His good and faithful servant. The prayers, fasting and almsgiving that we should do during the fast should intensify our faith so that we become those true servants of Christ. Not giving in to sin is also the main rule for the servant of Christ, as we battle with the evil spirits of this world. But Christ, as our King and Leader in this battle, has given us everything that we need to do battle, and He is always there when we call upon Him. So let us use the fast to give us the strength and wisdom that we need to withstand the fiery darts of the evil one, and come to Holy Week with a pure heart and glorify our God who overcame death with His glorious resurrection. May the peace of the Lord be with us all.
Fr. Mikel
Holy Week and Pascha 2024 - Schedule of Services
April 27 Lazarus Saturday
Hours, 8:40 am, Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am.
Great Vespers & Blessing of Branches, 5:00 pm
April 28 Sunday of the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem – Palm Sunday
Hours, 8:40 am, Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am
Bridegroom Matins, 6:00 pm.
April 29 Great and Holy Monday
Hours, 8:40 am, Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am
Bridegroom Matins, 6:00 pm.
April 30 Great and Holy Tuesday
Hours, 8:40 am, Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am
Bridegroom Matins, 6:00 pm.
May 1 Great and Holy Wednesday
Hours, 8:40 am, Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, 9:00 am.
Bridegroom Matins, 6:00 pm.
May 2 Great and Holy Thursday
Hours, 8:40 am, Vesperal Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am.
Matins of the Passion of Christ, 6:00 pm.
May 3 Great and Holy Friday
Royal Hours, 8: am.
Vespers and Burial Service, 4:00 pm.
Lamentations at the Tomb of Christ, 6:00 pm.
May 4 Great and Holy Saturday
Hours, 8:40 am.
Vesperal Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am.
May 5 Great and Holy Pascha – The Resurrection of Christ – The Feast of Feasts
Nocturnes, 11:30 pm
Paschal Matins and Divine Liturgy of Pascha, 12:00 am
followed by Blessing of Baskets
Paschal Vespers, 1:00 pm followed by Festal Potluck Luncheon and Egg Hunt for the Children
Regular Services
Saturday: Vespers, 5:00 pm
Sunday: Divine Liturgy, 9:00 am
Address
1614 E. Monte Vista Rd.
Phoenix, Az 85006
Phone / Email
Fr. Mikel: 907-444-8545
Church: 602-253-9515
Directions To Saints Peter & Paul
Schedule of Upcoming Services
Weds April 24th 540pm 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
Fri April 26th 840am 9th Hour/Presanctified Liturgy
6pm Matins
This Week...
April 20, 2024
Bible Study/Class will be on Mon and Tues evenings at 6, the last 2 classes in April will be 22nd & 23rd. And then back to Weds on May 15th.
If you would like to donate to the Pascha Card please see Stephanie Homiak,all proceeds go to St John’s Monastery Building Fund, the deadline is tomorrow the 21st to pledge an amount, money will be due next week.
When parking please be courteous and do not block anyone in. If the church lot is full you may park on the street or across the street at Bamboo Bakery.
On April 27th, Lazarus Saturday, Divine Liturgy will be at 9am, afterwards people will be needed to tie the palms and pussy willows together for blessing Saturday night at Vespers for Palm Sunday.
Fry’s has a reward program in which you can make St Peter and Paul the recipient of the rewards. You can access the program through the app, go to rewards then enroll and choose St P&P.
On May 5th, Pascha Vespers will be at 1pm and there will be a potluck afterwards, everyone is invited to attend. If you wish to bring a dish, please see Pat Starkey to coordinate what you will bring.
There will be a cleaning Saturday on May 11th beginning at 8am. Please mark this on your calendars and plan on attending, with all the services of Holy Week and Pascha the church gets dirty and is in need of a deep cleaning.
Please remember to tithe, this is very important. The tithe goes into the operating budget to keep the church running, and in this way we are able to bring Christ to the community.
Many think that the saints are far from us. But they are far from those who distance themselves from them, and very close to those who keep the commandments of Christ and have the grace of the Holy Spirit. In the heavens, all things are moved by the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit is on earth too. He lives in our Church. He lives in the Mysteries. He is in the Holy Scriptures. He is in the souls of the faithful. The Holy Spirit unites all things, and therefore the saints are close to us. And when we pray to them, then the Holy Spirit hears our prayers, and our souls feel that they are praying for us. St. Silouan the Athonite,
