Divine Liturgy for the Feast of
St. Demetrios the Myrrh-Streamer
Warrior Saints – St. Demetrios w/St. George (L) and St. Minas (R) at St. Paul in Naples
When:
Tomorrow/Thursday (Oct. 25) @ 6:30PM
Where:
We will gather at our sister parish – St. Peter Orthodox Church
24850 Old 41 Rd #6, Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Why:
To honor this glorious martyr gifted to the world, who courageously confessed Christ. If you ever happen to be in Thessaloniki, Greece, visit the Church of St. Demetrios, where his relics have been streaming myrrh since the 7th Century.
Relics of St. Demetrios is Thessaloniki, Greece. The slips of paper contain names the faithful place at his reliquary asking for his intercessions on their behalf.
When we commemorate the lives of the saints, we establish a special connection with that person, who continues to live in the next life. We receive the benefit of their intercessions and even awaken our souls to our higher calling – to also become holy. When we pay honor and tribute to the saints, we are glorifying God who, through His great mercy, plants these flowers in our world to encourage us, console us, strengthen us, and show us that a true, and full, Christian life is possible.
Icon of St. Demetrios w/myrrh collected on cotton from his relics (St. Peter Church)
Did you know?
The “Feast Day” commemorating the life of an individual always occurs organically and through the will of the people rather than some legislation by an ecclesiastical authority?
The veneration of a certain holy person, for example St. Demetrios (or even St. Paul), begins through the organic interest of the faithful – if the faithful “stopped caring” the practice of commemorating such “love gifts” from God would naturally cease.
In the Orthodox Church, Bishops do not sit around and decide who is a saint or not – it depends solely on the will of the faithful.
Read more about St. Demetrios here.
+No Bible Study Tomorrow/Thursday (Oct. 25).
God willing, we resume the following Thursday (Nov. 1)+
