January 31, 2021

Delivered from Affliction
Sunday Sermon

- Fr. Paul Costopoulos -


Failure, worry and illness are but a few of the afflictions we experience in our contemporary lives and all of them have a profound influence in engendering within us a spiritual distress. Father Paul begins his sermon today by quoting Psalm 34:19, which says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.” The how and why we are delivered are the topics of this sermon given today on the Sunday of Zacchaues. The Gospel lesson comes to us from Luke 19:1-10 and communicates to us that which we must do to overcome life’s troubles. Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector of short stature whose desire to see Jesus led him to climb into a sycamore tree hoping to catch a glimpse of Jesus as walked along the road. A desire to see Jesus and strengthen our relationship with Him through Christian disciplines is the first step in deliverance from afflictions. And like Zacchaeus we must repent of our sins and have a change of mind and heart, about those things that keep us from a relationship with God. Saint Silouan the Athonite tells us if we want to know God then we must have faith, observe His commandments and repent of our sins.



Father Paul Costopoulos was born in and grew up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He is one of 6 siblings. A graduate of Gettysburg College (1967) and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox

307 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233 | Fr. Gregory Edwards, Dean | 205.716.3080

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej





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Father Paul Costopoulos was born in and grew up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He is one of 6 siblings. A graduate of Gettysburg College (1967) and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological School (1970), Father Paul has served as a priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America for over 41 years. He has served as Dean of our Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Birmingham, AL since September, 1996. He also served Greek Orthodox parishes in Huntsville, AL (1975-1978), Jacksonville, FL (1978-1991), and Denver, CO (1991-1996). In addition to his work as a Parish Priest, Father Paul has served and continues to serve our Church in various capacities both at the Archdiocesan and Metropolis levels. He worked 2 years at the Archdiocese in New York as Director of the Campus Commission, served for a number of years on the Archdiocesan Council and Metropolis Councils of Denver and Atlanta, for 13 years served as a member and former President of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, and in 1987 led a mission team of 25 to Kenya to build a church. Since 1999, he has served as Vicar of the Central Conference of our Metropolis. Father Paul is married to the former Penny Clemson, also from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. They have 2 daughters (Nina and Niki) and 6 grandchildren, all of whom live in Birmingham, AL. Father loves to read, travel, workout, spend time with the family, and watch his grandkids play soccer.