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3 THE SHEPHERD • MAY 2026 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO DIVINE SERVICES Christos Anesti! We hope you had a wonderful Lenten journey filled with Christ’s love and a blessed Pascha celebration. Isn’t it amazing how some things never change? “A strange illness has appeared in our days-- the pas- sion for distractions. Never before was there such a desire for distractions; people have forgotten how to lead a serious life for the good of others; they have no spiritual life and are bored. They exchange the profound content of a spiritual life for distractions! What madness! It is here that pastors must deploy their strength: they must re-introduce into life its lost meaning and give back to the people the knowledge of the true purpose of life.” This quote was written by: St. John of Kronstadt (1829-1909) well over a century ago. How do we give up meaningless distractions and follow St. John’s advice? The bookstore has many spiritual meaningful books to search for, with meaningful distractions to help us search for true purpose in life. For in- stance, this quote can be found in our 2026 Orthodox Calendar: Daily Lives, Miracles, and Wisdom of the Saints & Fasting Calendar. This calendar can help us with our daily Orthodox life and keep us on track. There are still a few copies left to purchase. St. John of Kronstadt served as a priest in St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Kronstadt. He wholly committed himself to charity, especially for those who were remote from the church. He established a factory to provide employment for the poor, and continued to give away his money to the needy, traveling exten- sively. Want to learn more about his meaningful life which can help us, the bookstore stocks a num- ber of his books: My Life in Christ: The Spiritual Journals of St. John of Kronstadt, Path of Salvation, Knowledge of God and Self, and Faith and the Orthodox Church. Come take a look! We would like to give a huge THANK YOU to our dear friend Pat Tsopanoglou , who will be retiring from her volunteer position at the Bookstore. Thank you Pat for your decades of volunteering, your efforts and good cheer will always be remembered. Happy Spring! Stephanie Mourafetis, Mary Mastorakos, Francesca Captain, Hitomi Shue, and Kaylin Marino BOOKSTORE SUNDAY, MAY 3: Sunday of the Paralytic Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Acts 9:32-42 ✟ Gospel : John 5:1-15 SUNDAY, MAY 10: Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Acts 11:19-30 ✟ Gospel : John 4:5-42 SUNDAY, MAY 17: Sunday of the Blind Man Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Acts 16:16-34 ✟ Gospel : John 9:1-38 THURSDAY, MAY 21: The Holy Ascension of the Lord Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Acts 26:1,12-20 ✟ Gospel : Luke 24:36-53 SUNDAY, MAY 24: Fathers of the 1st Council Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 ✟ Gospel : John 17:1-13 SUNDAY, MAY 31: Holy Pentecost Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Acts 2:1-11 ✟ Gospel : John 7:37-52; 8:12 MEMORIALS ΜΑΥ 3: Georgios Grigorakis 40 days ΜΑΥ 10: Fotini Busarelos 2 years ΜΑΥ 17: Eleftheria (Ritsa) Horeftis – 6 months Vasilios (Bill) Horeftis 16 yrs Athanasios (Tommy) Horeftis – 40 years Dear Friends of the Choir, Christ is Risen! Χριστός Ανέστη! As the parish enters the beautiful month of May, the joy of the Resurrec- tion continues to fill hearts following a blessed and meaningful Pascha. It is a time of reflection, gratitude, and re- newed faith. I want to take a moment to personally thank our incredible choir members. The time, commitment, and heart that went into preparing for Great and Holy Week and Pascha did not go unnoticed. You gave so much of your- selves, and it showed in every service. I am so proud of you and so grateful to serve alongside you. A sincere thank you is also extended to the parish family for their presence and participation during Holy Week. Hearing the congregation join togeth- er—especially during the Lamenta- tions—serves as a powerful reminder of the beauty of worship when offered as one voice. In May, the church also celebrates Mother’s Day, and the choir lovingly recognizes all of the incredible moth- ers in the parish. Their strength, faith, and unwavering love are a blessing to their families and to the entire church community. May God grant them many years filled with health, joy, and His abundant blessings. As the Paschal season continues, the choir remains committed to sharing the joy of the Resurrection through music and prayer. Thank you, as always, for your con- tinued love and support of both the youth and adult choir. “Christ is Risen from the dead, tram- pling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.” Katherine Loukatos Meck Choir Master NEWS LOFT FROM THE BAPTISMS ΜΑΥ 1: Noah Countrouris Godmother: Kaylin (Kassiani) Marino Yuki (Martha) Countouris Sponsor: Kay (Helen) Harkins ΜΑΥ 16: Benjamin (John) Sakoulas Godparents: Antony & Paraskevi Sakoulas