5th Sunday of Pascha — May 10th, 2026


Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church  ·  Joliet, Illinois

5th Sunday of Pascha

May 10th, 2026
 ·  Tone 4
 ·  119th Year, Issue 19

Acts 11:19-26, 29-30 (Epistle)
 · 
John 4:5–42 (Gospel)


Today we gather to celebrate the Fifth Sunday of Pascha, when our Lord Jesus Christ reveals Himself as the source of living water. The reading from Acts reminds us that the disciples scattered after Stephen’s martyrdom, but their preaching led to a great number believing in the Lord. As we reflect on this, let us consider how we can become vessels for the Living Water, spreading His message and love to those around us.

The Gospel reading presents us with the story of the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, who was seeking spiritual satisfaction but instead found it in Christ. Her encounter with Jesus changed her life, just as He desires to change ours through His mercy and truth. We are invited to come to Him, just as she did, and experience the joy that comes from knowing our Savior.

We invite you to join us for worship today at 9:20 am for Third & Sixth Hours and Confession, followed by a beautiful Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am. If you have been considering making St. Nicholas your spiritual home, we welcome you to stay after the service for our Fellowship Hour, where we can get to know each other better. You can also join us live on Facebook (facebook.com/stnicholasjoliet) or YouTube (youtube.com/@st.nicholasjoliet).


✦ About this Sunday

As we continue our journey through Pascha, we arrive at a pivotal moment in the life of the Church. This Sunday’s readings recall the pivotal encounter between Christ and the Samaritan woman, an encounter that revealed to her – and to us – the depth of God’s love for all people, regardless of background or circumstance. Through this story, we are reminded that Christ’s salvific work extends far beyond the boundaries of Israel, and that He seeks to bring all nations into His fold.


☩ Holy Baptism & Chrismation
Nadzeya Spillane 5/9 · Nick Notson 5/10
May 9th and 10th


Today — May 10th, 2026



Samaritan Woman


Mother’s Day


Apostle Simeon the Zealot (1ST c.)


St. Simon, Bishop of
Vladimir and Suzdal’ (Kyiv Near Caves—1226)


Mrs. Cyprian, Philadelphus, Onesimus,
Alphius, Erasmus, and 14 others, in Sicily (3RD c.)


Martyr Hesychius of Antioch (4TH c.)


Bl.
Isidora the Fool, of Tabenna in Egypt (4TH c.)


Bl. Taisia of Egypt (5TH c.)


Services


9:20 am
Third & Sixth Hours · Confession


9:30 am
Sacrament of Chrismation – Nick Notson


10:00 am
Divine Liturgy


11:40 am
Fellowship Hour


Week Ahead

Sat
May 16

Sun
May 17

5:00 pm
Vespers
St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, Joliet IL, 1000 Barber Ln, Joliet, IL 60435, USA

10:00
St. Nicholas Cemetery Grounds Cleanup
350 Princenton Ave. Lockport IL

9:40 am
Third & Sixth Hours · Confession

10:00 am
Divine Liturgy

11:40 am
Fellowship Hour


☩ Coming up in Orthodoxy

  • Mon, May 11
    Holy Equals-to-the-Apostles Cyril (869) and Methodius (885), First Teachers of the Slavs

  • Wed, May 13
    Leavetaking of Midfeast

  • Fri, May 15
    Ven. Pachomius the Great, Founder of Cœnobitic Monasticism

  • Sun, May 17
    Blind Man


Announcements

Help Needed- Cemetery Cleanup
We Need Everyone’s Help Old cemetery clean-up, Saturday May 16th at 10:00am. Please bring:
rakes; shovels; lawn work tools of all kind; gloves; lawn bags; water/refreshments for yourself; wear yard
work clothes; plan on getting dirty. St. Nicholas Old Cemetery At 350 Princeton Ave., Lockport, IL

Fellowship Hour
If wondering when to sign up, there is no wrong time. Great reasons to host include
birthdays, wedding anniversaries or memorial anniversaries. Hosting fellowship hour can be a great way
to multiply your happiness or divide your sorrow. Sign up at: https://tinyurl.com/2026-Fellowship-Hour — https://tinyurl.com/2026-Fellowship-Hour


Parish Celebrations

✦  Many Years!  ✦

Birthdays & Namedays: Happy Birthday to Olga Cerrato on May 3rd, Julietta Medrano on May 8th, Elizabeth Medrano on May 11th, Vladimir Galkin on May 12th, Juniper Foster and Bartley Perry on May 14th
Newly Illumined: Nadzeya Spillane 5/9 · Nick Notson 5/10


Stewardship


$2,330.24
Stewardship Corner
Sunday, May 3rd 2026
Thank you for your generous stewardship


Please Remember in Your Prayers


We lift up the following in prayer, that God may grant them healing and grace:

Dn. David HannemanKathy HannemanSevasti BergstromMatushka Lilia LymarTom KompareNadia BilanykToma AndreevStevan LunichTatiana MazurVladimir ShiltsevAlla LavrynenkoFr. Borys ZabrodskijLily NelsonMike BakerJose FelixAlice PistilliRoman FilipovElena PavlovNicholas JermihovGianni Zanelli


Today’s Saints


Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
The Holy Martyr Photina (Svetlana) the Samaritan Woman, her sons Victor (named Photinus) and Joses; and her sisters Anatola, Phota, Photis, Paraskevḗ, Kyriake; Nero’s daughter Domnina; and the Martyr Sebastian: The holy Martyr Photina was the Samaritan Woman, with whom the Savior conversed…


Apostle Simon the Zealot

Apostle Simon the Zealot
Saint Simon was from Cana in Galilee, and was known to the Lord and His Mother. Tradition says that he was the bridegroom at the wedding where the Savior performed His first miracle. After witnessing the miracle of the water which had been turned into wine, he became a zealous follower of Christ.…

Saint Simon, Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal of the Kiev Near Caves
Saint Simon, Bishop of Vladimir and Suzdal was an author of the Kiev Caves Paterikon, and he became a monk at the Monastery of the Caves, sometime in the second half of the twelfth century. In the year 1206 he was appointed igumen of the Vladimir Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos, and in…

Martyrs Philadelphus, Cyprian, Alphius, Onesimus, Erasmus, and 14 others, in Sicily
The Holy Martyrs Philadelphus, Alphaeus, Cyprian, Onesimus, Erasmus and 14 others with them, lived during the third century and came from Italy. Alphaeus, Philadelphus and Cyprian were sons of a governor in Italy, named Vitalius. They were enlightened by faith in Christ and baptized by Saint…

Martyr Hesychius of Antioch
The Holy Martyr Hesychius of Antioch lived in Antioch during the reign of Maximian Galerius (305-311), and he occupied a high official position. Maximian issued an edict by which all Christians were to be deprived of military rank and expelled from military service. Those who would not renounce…

Blessed Isidora the Fool of Tabenna in Egypt
Saint Isidora, Fool-for-Christ, struggled in the Tabenna monastery in Egypt during the sixth century. Taking upon herself the feat of folly, she acted like one insane, and did not eat food with the other sisters of the monastery. Many of them regarded her with contempt, but Isidora bore all this…


Blessed Thais of Egypt

Blessed Thais of Egypt
Saint Thais lived in Egypt in the fifth century. Left an orphan after the death of her wealthy parents, she led a pious life, distributing her wealth to the poor, and she gave shelter to pilgrims on her estate. She decided that she would never marry, but would devote her life to serving Christ.…


“Kiev-Bratsk” Icon of the Mother of God

“Kiev-Bratsk” Icon of the Mother of God
The wonderworking Kiev-Bratsk (i.e. "Brotherhood") Icon of the Mother of God was revealed in 1654, and was originally kept in the church of Saints Boris and Gleb in the city of Vyshgorod (Kiev), and was placed in a shrine to the left of the Royal Doors on the iconostasis. On May 10, 1662, during…


Venerable Comgall of Bangor

Venerable Comgall of Bangor
Saint Comgall (Comhghall), “the Father of Monks,” was born in Ireland at Dalaradia, Co. Ulster sometime between 510 and 520. Unlike many of the early Irish saints, Saint Comgall was not of noble birth. He served as a soldier, then studied with Saint Finnian of Moville (September 10). He…

"I know that Messiah is coming who is called Christ; if this is you, tell me where I may see him."

— Sunday of the Samaritan Woman

💡
Did you know?
epiklesis
— During the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist, the priest invokes God’s Holy Spirit through the Epiklesis, calling down the presence of Christ in the bread and wine. This invocation is a solemn request for the Lord to transform the elements into His very Body and Blood. Through this sacred moment, we acknowledge our faith that Christ is truly present with us in the Eucharist.


Bulletin Sponsor: May – Smith Family for the health of Police/Fire/Military