Sunday of the Samaritan Woman - True Worshipers (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (Jn. 4:24)

God and all the truth about God is not a revelation of man, but a revelation of God Himself to those who are worthy of revelation. We see this clearly in Holy Scripture and in the lives of the saints, who are "an epistle of Christ." God who has revealed Himself to man, gives him knowledge, and this knowledge of God entails the salvation of man. The Lord told the Jews, "For unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). That is, the presence of Christ as "I am" is the true life for man, while the ignorance of God constitutes the death of man. In the Samaritan woman the Lord revealed Himself and this resulted in her salvation.

Saint Photini and the Spirit of the Triodion

 

By Fr. Panteleimon Krouskos

Today Saint Photini the Samaritan Woman celebrates, whose memory "ties" harmoniously with the spirit and atmosphere of the Triodion. Regarding her meeting with Christ at the well of Jacob and her biography, there is a plethora of spiritual texts. There is a huge amount of theology hidden in this encounter. It is as inexhaustible as "the water that gushes forth eternal life".

The Cathedral Church of Saint Photini in Smyrna, Which Was Destroyed in 1922

 

The Metropolitan or Cathedral Church of Saint Photini in Smyrna (Izmir) of Asia Minor was completely destroyed in 1922. However, its impressive bell tower survives to this day in many cities in Greece, as the Smyrna refugees wanted to bring with them the most glorious part of their homeland.

Smyrna was one of the most cosmopolitan centers of the Mediterranean. Races and religions from all over the world coexisted harmoniously in its neighborhoods. The Greek Orthodox community was one of the most numerous and important. That is why there were a total of sixteen Orthodox churches in the entire city of 350,000 inhabitants. The largest was of course the Cathedral of Saint Photini with its famous bell tower.

The Church of Saint Joseph the Betrothed and Saint Photini in Evosmos of Thessaloniki

Evosmos, a suburb of Thessaloniki, has a church in the process of being completed dedicated to both Saint Joseph the Betrothed and Saint Photini the Samaritan. In the chapel being used for services is an iconostasis with Joseph the Betrothed situated next to the icon of the Theotokos, and Photini the Samaritan is situated next to Joseph the Betrothed. Here are some of the latest photos.

Meeting with the Samaritan Woman

By Prof. George Mantzaridis

Any encounter with Christ astonishes people. If you’re not astonished, you should ask yourself whether you actually encountered Christ, if you really felt His presence. This astonishment isn’t inexplicable, nor absurd, but rather it’s understandable and rational. It’s something that occurs when the natural meets the supernatural, the relative meets the absolute and the transitory meets the eternal.

When people who are overcome with the fear of death meet the Lord of Life, when the creature gazes upon its Creator, the relationship is incommensurate, unexpected surprises occur. And these surprises become all the more moving when the Lord humbles Himself before His creation, in order to serve it. Indeed, the surprises here aren’t restricted to the general nature of things, but also extend to their particular details.

‘I Am He Who is Speaking to You’

By Hierodeacon Raphael Misiaoulis

Christ is Risen!

It is the fifth Sunday after Easter and the Church presents us with the dialogue between the Lord and a Samaritan woman. This was a dialogue of real substance and a validity that will last throughout the ages, with a great deal to say to each of us.

Christ goes to Samaria, to the town of Sychar, to the place where the patriarch Jacob had made a well[2]: ‘And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for one hundred pieces of money the plot of land on which he had pitched his tent. There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel [God the God of Israel]’[3]. He later gave this piece of land to his son, Joseph. So when Jesus went and stopped at the place where the well was, tired, and in the full heat of noon- ‘for it was the sixth hour’[4]- He waited for someone to come by and draw some water for Him to drink. He was the All-Powerful Lord. Couldn’t He have arranged to drink by Himself, without needing any assistance from others? At this point, He teaches us that we must have patience, must work together with others, help them and be helped by them: ‘bear one another’s burdens’[5]. We need to wait for the right moment for something to happen in our life and not expect everything here and now.

Discovery of the Relics of Saint Photini in Constantinople

Saint Photini Outside the Doors of Blachernae (Feast Day - August 20)

Verses

Now you see light in the innermost sanctuary of the Lord,
Departed Martyr graced with His love.

According to the Synaxarion of Constantinople, on August 20th is the "Commemoration of the Holy Martyr Photini, Outside the Doors of Blachernae." And besides the iambic verses above, no other information is given. However, in an 11th or 12th century life of Saint Photini, where her post-humous miracles are recorded, there is recounted the story of how the relics of Saint Photini were discovered and worked many miracles in Constantinople, specifically outside of the Church of Blachernae, and a shrine was erected there in her honor, and on this day it celebrated its feast. Thus, by the 10th century, her veneration was centered in Constantinople where they celebrated both her martyrdom (March 20th) and the discovery of her relics (August 20th).

The Holy Monastery of Jacob's Well in Samaria

Jacob's Well, also commonly known as Jacob's Fountain and Well of Sychar (Arabic: بئر يعقوب, (Bir Ya'qub or Bir Ya'kub); Greek: Φρέαρ του Ιακώβ) is a deep well hewn of solid rock that has been associated in religious tradition with Jacob for roughly two millennia. It is situated a short distance from the archaeological site of Tell Balata, which is thought to be the site of biblical Shechem. The well currently lies within the complex of the Greek Orthodox monastery of the same name, in the city of Nablus in the West Bank.

Gospel Commentary for the Fifth Sunday of Pascha (St. Theophylact of Ochrid)

Fifth Sunday of Pascha

The Samaritan Woman

John 4:5-42

From The Explanation of The Gospel of St. John

By Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria

1-4. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John, (though Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples,) He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. And it was necessary that He go through Samaria.

Hymns on the Samaritan Woman (St. Ephraim the Syrian)

By St. Ephraim the Syrian

Blessed are you, O woman,
drawer of ordinary water,
who turned out to be a drawer of living water.
You found the treasure,
the Source from whom a flood of mercies flows.

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Resource Page

On this day, the fifth Sunday of Pascha, we commemorate the conversation of the Lord with the Samaritan woman.

Verses

When you came to obtain perishable water, O woman, you

Drew forth living water, whereby you washed away the stains of your soul.

 

Pentecostarion Resource Page 

 

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman 

 

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman: Epistle and Gospel Reading 

 

Synaxarion for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman 

 

Synaxarion of Saint Photini the Samaritan Woman and Those Martyred With Her 

 

Saint Photini the Samaritan Resource Page 

 

THE FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER PASCHA - SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN 

 

Hymns on the Samaritan Woman (St. Ephraim the Syrian)  

 

Christ Went to Jacob's Well to Teach Us to Honor and Dwell in the Memory of His Saints (St. Cyril of Alexandria) 

 

A Spiritual Interpretation of Jacob's Well by St. Maximus the Confessor  

 

Gospel Commentary for the Fourth Sunday of Pascha (St. Theophylact of Ochrid) 

 

Homily on the Gospel About the Samaritan Woman (St. Gregory Palamas) 

 

Homily for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. Ignatius Brianchaninov) 

 

Reflection for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. Theophan the Recluse)

 

Homily One for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. John of Kronstadt)

 

Homily Two for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. John of Kronstadt)

 

Homily Three for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. John of Kronstadt) 

 

Homily on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (Righteous Alexei Mechev)

 

Homily on the Paralytic, the Samaritan Woman and the Man Born Blind (St. John Maximovitch)

 

First Homily for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. Luke of Simferopol)

Second Homily for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

Third Homily for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

Homily One on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. Justin Popovich) 

 

Homily on the Fifth Sunday After Pascha: The Samaritan Woman (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov) 

Homily for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (St. Cleopa of Sihastria)

 

Sermon for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (Metr. Anthony of Sourozh)

 

At Jacob's Well Christ Encountered the Whole Fallen World (Monk Moses the Athonite) 

 

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman - True Worshipers (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

 

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman: The Pitcher (Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Mani)

 

Nominal Christians: A Homily on the Epistle Reading for the Fifth Sunday After Pascha 

 

Saint Porphyrios Traveled Back In Time 

 

The Two Paths of our Lives

What Does It Mean To Worship God In Spirit and Truth? 

 

Meeting with the Samaritan Woman 

 

‘I Am He Who is Speaking to You’ 

 

The Woman At the Well (video) 

 

Clean Water in Boston and the Samaritan Woman 

 

The Holy Monastery of Jacob's Well in Samaria

Holy New Martyr George of Ephesus

Holy New Martyr George of Ephesus (+ 1801)

Synaxis of All our Holy Fathers, Archbishops and 

Patriarchs of Constantinople

Synaxis of All our Holy Fathers, Archbishops and Patriarchs of Constantinople

Synaxis of All Saints of Demetriados

Synaxis of All Saints of Demetriados

Saint Photini the Samaritan Resource Page

St. Photini the Great Martyr (Feast Days - February 26 & Sunday of the Samaritan Woman)

 

About 

 

Synaxarion of Saint Photini the Samaritan Woman and Those Martyred With Her 

 

Saint Photini, the Chosen Evangelist

 

Saint Photini and the Spirit of the Triodion

 

Holy Martyr Theokletos the Sorcerer

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

Synaxarion for the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Resource Page


About the Conversation at Jacob's Well

Gospel Commentary for the Fourth Sunday of Pascha (St. Theophylact of Ochrid)

What Does It Mean To Worship God In Spirit and Truth?

Hymns on the Samaritan Woman (St. Ephraim the Syrian)

A Spiritual Interpretation of Jacob's Well by St. Maximus the Confessor

The Woman At the Well (video)

 

Shrines and Relics 

 

Discovery of the Relics of Saint Photini in Constantinople 

 

The Holy Monastery of Jacob's Well in Samaria

 

The Cathedral Church of Saint Photini in Smyrna, Which Was Destroyed in 1922 

 

The Strange Church of St. Photini in Mantinea 

 

50 Portions of Food A Day Distributed by St. Photini Church in Ilissos 

 

The Church of Saint Joseph the Betrothed and Saint Photini in Evosmos of Thessaloniki 

 

 

Family of Saint Photini 

 

The Holy Water of Saint Photida and the Faith of the Turkish Aga