TSN0225

1 THE SHEPHERD • FEBRUARY 2025 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO www.theshepherdnews.com The Shepherd Newsletter The official newsletter publication for the parish of Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church of San Diego I S S U E 3 4 5 • F E B R UA R Y 2 0 2 5 IN THIS ISSUE FROM THE DESK OF FR. ANDREW ...... p. 1 PRESIDENT OF THE PARISH COUNCIL, WOMEN OF THE WORD .......................... p. 2 NEWS FROM THE LOFT, DIVINE SERVICES, DEATHS, MEMORIALS, BOOKSTORE ............................................. p. 3 YOUTH MINISTRIES ................................. p. 4 GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL ................ p. 6 DANCE & CHORAL .................................. p. 7 PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS .......................... p. 8 STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE ................. p. 10 LENTEN SPEAKER SERIES ...................... p. 11 EPIPHANY CROSS DIVE & LUNCHEON ............................................ p. 12 PARISH CALENDAR ................................. p. 14 YOUNG AT HEART SENIORS ................. p. 15 CONTACT INFORMATION....................... p. 16 FROM THE DESK OF FATHER ANDREW My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Sunday, February 9, 2025 will once again mark the beginning of Triodion . In the Orthodox Church Triodion is both a peri- od of time and a liturgical text of the Ortho- dox Church. It is a period of time, in that Tri- odion begins four Sundays prior to Great and Holy Lent and continues until Great and Holy Saturday evening. Since Pascha is a moveable feast , this year Triodion begins on Sunday the 9th, which is known as the Sunday of the Pub- lican and the Pharisee, and continues until Great and Holy Saturday evening, which falls on Saturday, April 19, 2025. The Triodion as a liturgical text of the Church is a book of Lenten hymnology, biblical read- ings and prayers. Its basic structure of hymns, readings, and prayers is for the services of Vespers, Orthros, and the Divine Liturgy. It also contains hymns for both Great and Small Compline, and for the Hours of prayer. The Triodion as a text is a book of biblical hym- nology, readings and prayers, which not only relates to us the truths of the New Testament, but of the Old Testament as well. It is, in a sense, a return to our biblical roots , which, for the most part, is put to (vocal) music. The hymns within the text of the Triodion not only concentrate on the Sunday Gospel les- sons, like the Publican and the Pharisee and the Prodigal Son and so on. They also focus upon the historical books of the Old Testa- ment like Genesis and Exodus. The Triodion also makes good use of the Prophetical books of Isaiah and Ezekiel, and the Wisdom books of Proverbs and Job. The Triodion, as a period of time, takes place from the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, until Great and Holy Saturday eve- ning. The period of Triodion can further be divided into three other periods (odes) of time: 1) From the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee until the beginning of Great and Holy Lent proper (Monday, March 13, 2025). This is a three-week time of preparation , and it is interesting to note, that the Orthodox Christian is even preparing to enter Great and Holy Lent. 2) From Clean Monday (March 13, 2025) until the Saturday of Lazarus (Saturday, April 12th) marks the second period, which (should) include(s) an intense period of fast- ing, prayer, good works and attending the many and varied services of the Church. 3) From the evening of Palm Sunday until Pas- cha (Sunday, April 13-April 20, 2025) marks the third period of time, known as Great and Holy Week. My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Triodion is both a beautiful text and a period of time used to assist Orthodox Christians in their spiritual growth. As Triodion begins it eases the faithful into a period of preparation, which starts out rather simple and as the faithful advance in their journey, the path becomes more difficult, only to end with the joy of the Resurrection. Triodion helps the Orthodox faithful under- stand biblical truths as they prepare to meet the Risen Lord (on the morning of Pascha). Therefore, as Orthodox Christians we must make an earnest attempt to be present at the many and varied Lenten services throughout the period of Triodion or that period of time will remain empty. More importantly, wemust make an earnest attempt to make the words of the Triodion our own or the Triodion will re- main a beautiful liturgical text unable to bear fruit. The text and period of Triodion is about change, about transforming our lives in order to grow in our relationship with the Living God. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to illumine and guide you during Triodion, and always. +A Congratulations To our 2025 Leon Balaban Award recipients Jim & Angel Gilpin