TSN0825

2 THE SHEPHERD • AUGUST 2025 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Summertime is in full swing, and many of us are enjoying well-earned vacations away from home—including myself. I’m cur- rently on the island of Andros, where my mother is from, staying in the home my great-great-grandfather built in 1879. While that may seem old by San Diego standards, this island is steeped in history, stretching from ancient times through the Byzantine era, with layers of Venetian and Ottoman in- fluence along the way. I’m always filled with awe when visiting the island’s four monasteries, each dating back to the 10th century and still active today. These sacred places have stood as beacons of faith since before the Great Schism of 1054 AD, before the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, and long before the rise of de- nominational churches in the United States during the Great Awakenings of the 19th century. Stepping into these monastic sanctuar- ies, I’m struck by how familiar everything feels—from the iconography to its placement within the church—mirroring the tradition we experience at our beloved Saint Spyr- idon. Attending services here, I recognize the prayers, the hymns, and the structure of the Divine Liturgy, all shared across conti- nents and centuries. That continuity deeply grounds me in our faith and heritage. When I show photos of our services in San Diego to my relatives on Andros, they’re moved by how faithfully we preserve our tra- ditions. They’re especially impressed when I describe our focus on youth ministries and our efforts to build a strong spiritual foun- dation for future generations—something that is often assumed in Greece due to the integration of Orthodoxy into the public ed- ucation system. And though the early morning bells of Agios Filippos, the main church in the village, can be a bit startling for a summer vacationer, I still cherish their call to prayer. They remind me of the living heartbeat of our Church, ever present—whether in Greece or San Di- ego. In Christ’s Love and Service, Anthony Kyriakidis Parish Council President FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT SAVORING THE SUMMER On Saturday, June 21, our group had a de- lightful lunch and conversation time to plan our study for the next Liturgical year. We are very excited about our decision to move Women of the Word to a once-a-month for- mat, which we hope will allow more women to schedule a set convenient time to gather for fellowship and study. Our meeting will be on the Second Saturday of each month in the Hall Lounge room of the Parish Hall at 10:30 beginning on Saturday, September 13. Coffee and light refreshments will start us off from10:30 to 10:45, followed by our study of Dr. Eve Tibbs’ newest book Seeing the Gospel: An Interpretive Guide to Orthodox Icons. We will wrap up our discussion about noon allowing us a little more time to visit be- fore heading out into our afternoon activities. All women of the parish, and their women family and friends are cordially invited to join us. Should you have any questions, will be in the Hall on Sundays in August for registra- tion or you may email Kay Harkins at kay- harkins@mac.com . We hope you are mark- ing your calendars for the Second Saturday in September and beyond! While WOW may be on summer break, we are continuing to enjoy our 2025 Daily Lives, Miracles, and Wisdom of the Saints & Fasting Calendar , and we hope that many others are finding the same inspiration and encourage- ment from the Scriptures and the saints. The book is still available in the parish bookstore, so it’s not too late to add this convenient and helpful book to begin the day or prepare for the next in your daily devotional times. A blessed end of summer to all! WOMEN WORD OF THE BOOKSTORE Our Most Holy Theotokos’ Dormition is August 15th! Want to learn a bit more about Mary, the Birthgiver of God? From tradition it is known that Mary was the daughter of the aged Joachim and Anna, and that Joa- chim descended from the royal line of Da- vid, and Anna from the priestly line. Not- withstanding such a noble origin, they were poor. However, it was not that this saddened this righteous couple, but rather the fact that they did not have children and could not hope that their descendants would see the Messiah. They were disdained by the He- brews for their barrenness, but they contin- ued with grieving souls to offer up prayers to God- Joachim on a mountain, and Anna in her garden. One day an angel appeared to them and said they would bring forth a daughter. Overjoyed, they promised to con- secrate their child to God. Their child, Mary, manifested the best qualities of soul. When she was three years old, her parents, fulfilling their promise, solemnly led little Mary to the Temple of Jerusalem. She was led into the very Holy of Holies, by the High Priest who met her, taking with her the grace of God. Want to get to know the Mother of God bet- ter? Come see our bookstore selection on Our Most Holy Theotokos. Some books to look for are: Mary: As The Early Christians Knew Her, The Orthodox Veneration of Mary, or The Life of The Virgin Mary, The Theotokos. There are also children’s books about her life too. Also, we stockThe Akathist hymn to Our Most Holy Lady, the Mother of God which has remained throughout the centuries as the highest poetic expression of her veneration. A big thank you to Michael & Marilyn Ye- atts for their generous donation to the book- store in memory of Michael Angeles . May his dear memory be eternal! Enjoy the rest of summer! Stephanie Mourafetis, Mary Mastorakos, Pat Tsopanoglou, Francesca Captain, and Hitomi Shue