Two Holy Great Martyrs on May 5 & Sunday of the Samaritan Woman 2018 in the Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Metropolitans of Mwanza (Tanzania) Jeronymos and Fthiotida (in Greece) Nickolaos at the feast of Saint Great Martyr Ephraim the Wonderworker in Lamia (May 5, 2018). Photo (& more) here & here. About the visit of Metropolitan of Mwanza to Lamia, photos and video here.

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Saints Irene (Peace) & Ephraim the Great Martyrs (May 5) & Saint Irene Orthodox Mission Center in Kenya 

Sunday of the Samaritan woman (5th Sunday of Pascha): "Close to God is he who in his daily life becomes the light of Christ who enlightens his neighbours..."

...When Nero, the emperor of Rome, began to persecute Christians, Photini and her son Joseph were in Carthage, in Africa, where she was preaching the Christian gospel. After Jesus appeared to Photini in a dream, she sailed to Rome. Her son and many Christians from Africa accompanied her. Photini's arrival and activity aroused curiosity in the capital city. Everyone talked about her, "Who is this woman?" they asked. "She came here with a crowd of followers and she preaches Christ with great boldness." (from St. Photini, The Samaritan Woman)

"Christians can talk about xenophobia, preach and teach about it, and remind people that xenophobia is a sin that needs to be confessed. For Orthodox Christians a good opportunity to do this will be on the 5th Sunday of Pascha, which is the Sunday of the Samaritan woman."
Deacon Steve Hayes, from here. More in our post Christians and the immigration issue (& Orthodox Church of St Nicholas of Japan in Johannesburg)

The Sundays after Easter in the Orthodox Christian Heritage!
 
"Let the mouth become basil and a rose": St. Sophia the Righteous, the "Ascetic of the Panagia"

Photo from here