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3 THE SHEPHERD • JULY 2025 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO DIVINE SERVICES SUNDAY, JULY 6: 4th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Romans 6:18-23 ✟ Gospel : Matthew 8:5-13 SUNDAY, JULY 13: Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 4th Ecumenical Council Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : Titus 3:8-15 ✟ Gospel : Matthew 5:14-19 SUNDAY, JULY 20: 6th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : James 5:10-20 ✟ Gospel : Matthew 9:1-8 SUNDAY, JULY 27: 7th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9:00 AM ✟ Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM Epistle : II Timothy 2:1-10 ✟ Gospel : Matthew 9:27-35 FRIDAY, AUGUST 1: Paraklesis to the Theotokos 6:30 PM MEMORIALS JUN 22: Grace Vedouras 17 years Bill Vedouras 14 years Diogenes Galanos 2 years JUL 27: Christine Valasakos 2 years Denise Apostol 4 years BAPTISMS APR 26: James Donald Allegri Godmother: Evangelia Gryparis APR 29: Angel Nabeel Akobuan Godmother: Jasmine Hanna MAY 31: Kallista Ruth Koutros Godmother: Mary Koutros Congratulations to Spiro & Kristi- na Lamce on the birth of their son Anastas Lamce born May 8, 2025, 8 lbs. 6 oz. and 22.5 inches long. Proud grandparents are Ilir & Brizida Dan- ga and Genci & Anila Lamce. Congratulations to Alexandros Rei- zian & Helen Moreno on the birth of their daughter Mixaela Despina Reizian born May 5, 2025, 6 lbs. and 6 oz. and 19.5 inches long. Proud grandparents are Mihalis & Despina Reizian and José Manuel & Emelia Moreno. BIRTHS 40-DAY BLESSINGS JUN 10: Mixaela Despina Daughter of Alexandros Reizian & Helen Moreno JUN 22: Stephen Constantine Son of Zachary & Dionysia Fornaciari Anastas – Son of Spiro & Kristina Lamce DEATHS JUN 2: Michael Angeles 61 years old Dear Friends of the Choir, Wishing everyone a joyful and restful summer! May these warm days bring peace, renewal, and time well spent with loved ones. A huge thank you to all who gave their time and talents to make last month’s St. Spyridon Greek Festival such a success. Whether you helped with food, music, setup, or welcom- ing guests, your contributions made a lasting impact. Many hands truly make for lighter work! This month, we are honored to share a deeply meaningful poem and re- flection written by one of our new- ly chrismated members, Kassiani Kaylin Marino . Inspired by the eve- ning services during Holy Week at St. Spyridon, the architecture of our church, and the interplay of light and iconography, the reflection draws us into the spiritual depth of Holy Satur- day Night. “I felt this poem come to me at first through the evening services I’ve at- tended at Saint Spyridon’s during Holy Week – when the light from the setting sun pours into the Church. I admired how it illuminates the icons, and how the shadows from the chandeliers meld into the scenes of the Gospels. The physical becomes one with the spiri- tual, and as our eyes linger there, the spiritual looks within us as well. The architecture of the Church also inspired me – both the dome and the Iconosta- sis suggest movement, one upwards, ascending, and the other parallel and forward, towards us. In a particular light, you can see a crown of stars around the head of the Theotokos. While I did not come up with the title of the ‘Queen of Heaven,’ she surely is. On Holy Saturday night, almost ev- ery light is out, voices are hushed, and we exist in between the Crucifixion and death, and yet not without hope in the Resurrection and in life. This is the darkest hour, and yet there is still a pale light beyond that is kindled in great hope – and when the Priest comes forth with this light, we joyfully receive it, both in homage of His Glorious Res- urrection, and the surety that there is life beyond death, and light and good- ness untouchable beyond all darkness.” NEWS LOFT FROM THE This quote captures the very heart of that hope: “There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the for- saken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty forever beyond its reach.” — J.R.R. Tolkien And now, the poem: “Holy Saturday Night” – A poem for Saint Spyridon’s by Kassiani Kaylin Marino Light beams into the Church, illuminating the icons in gold, Casting outlines of gilded lamps upon the Gospel scenes of old. Our eyes linger there, transfixed, as we meet the gaze of the Saints Who witness as we pray to Christ God, unconstrained by wood or paint. The dome soars above and the Word of God appears despite our fault And is felt like a rush of wind, the same that burst open the vault Of the heavens and set loose all its floodwaters upon the earth. May the waters tear the walls in our hearts that divide us from birth. The Queen of Heaven reigns with a crown of stars kindled by the Light. In prayer, she raises the precious and Life-Giving Cross tonight. As she raised and bore up the Savior of our souls, the Messiah Who has freed us from the pit of death foretold by Zechariah. Beyond the covered altar, a glimmer of light can just be seen. Edges of painted cloud transform into the crests of waves upon a sea Shaken by the same Holy Spirit that hovered over the deep. At this darkest hour, the Priest comes forth, the shadows flee and leap, And depart as a great multitude makes way to receive the Light. Wishing all of you light, beauty, and the unshakable joy of Christ’s Resurrection this summer and always. Singing His Praises, Katherine Loukatos Meck Choir Master