COVID-19 CATECHESIS
SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN
An   ALMSGIVING    Opportunity
to help those impacted by Covid-19

Reflections and Daily Inspiration
WHAT is the Orthodox Church? The Orthodox Church is a body or community of people, who, 1—correctly believe in divine revelation; and 2—who obey a lawful hierarchy instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ himself, through the holy apostles. In order to belong to the Orthodox Church two principal conditions are required: First—to accurately accept, rightly understand and truthfully confess the divine teaching of faith; and secondly— to acknowledge the lawful hierarchy or priesthood, to receive from it the holy mysteries or sacraments, and generally to follow its precepts in matters concerning salvation.

- St. Sebastian Dabovich
TODAY'S RECOMMENDATION
Why I'm an Orthodox Christian
with Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

Be the Bee #142
FROM THE NEWS
Church of Greece Holy Synod confirms public health measures ahead of reopening of cathedrals on Sunday

Members of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece’s permanent Holy Synod convened on Tuesday, amid a peaceful protest outside the Petraki Monastery, in central Athens, by some 30 demonstrators, who demanded the immediate reopening of cathedrals throughout the country for the holding of services with the presence of worshipers.

The Church of Greece has finalized its proposals for public health precautions inside churches and chapels, which are due to open to worshipers during holy services and the Divine Liturgy on Sunday.
SAINT OF THE DAY

 MAY 17 / MAY 4
The Holy Martyr Pelagia of Tarsus (287)

Pelagia was born in the town of Tarsus of pagan but distinguished and wealthy parents. Hearing about Christ and the salvation of souls from Christians, she burned with love for the Savior and became utterly Christian in soul. At that time there was a terrible persecution of Christians. It happened that the Emperor Diocletian stopped in Tarsus. During his stay in Tarsus his son, the crown prince, fell deeply in love with Pelagia and wanted to take her as his wife. Pelagia replied through her mother, a wicked woman, that she had already been betrothed to her heavenly Bridegroom, Christ the Lord. Flee- ing the profane crown prince and her wicked mother, Pelagia sought and found Bishop Linus, a man distinguished for his holiness. He instructed Pelagia in the Christian Faith and baptized her. Then Pelagia gave away her luxurious garments and great wealth, returned home, and confessed to her mother that she was already baptized. Learning of this and having lost all hope that he would gain this holy virgin for his wife, the crown prince ran himself through with a sword and died. The wicked mother denounced her daughter before the emperor and turned her over to him for trial. The emperor was amazed at the beauty of this young virgin and, forgetting his son, became inflamed with impure passion toward her. But since Pelagia remained unwavering in her faith, the emperor sentenced her to be burned alive in a metal ox, glowing with a red-hot fire. When the executioner stripped her, St. Pelagia made the sign of the Cross and, with a prayer of thanksgiving to God on her lips, entered the glowing ox, where she melted like wax in the twinkling of an eye. Pelagia suffered honorably in the year 287. The remains of her bones were acquired by Bishop Linus and he buried them on a hill under a stone. In the time of Emperor Constantine Copronymos (741–775), on that exact spot a beautiful church was built in honor of the holy virgin and martyr Pelagia, who sacrificed herself for Christ in order to reign eternally with Him.