Thereby did Moses become conversant with the Creator, and heard the invisible voice. With these words we fast with cheerful hearts, because it is in our self-denial that we find freedom in the Resurrection. We thought it would be helpful to have them all listed on this page, together with some of our favorite external resources. It has as its goal the purification of our lives, the liberation of our souls and bodies from sin, the strengthening of our human powers of love for God and man, the enlightening of our entire being for communion with the Blessed Trinity. During the week days of Great Lent the regular eucharistic Divine Liturgy is not celebrated in Orthodox churches since the Divine Liturgy is always a paschal celebration of communion with the Risen Lord. Also, do not pass judgment on others who are not fasting to the degree you are. Knowing the great effort to which they are called, Christians should make every effort to fast as well as they can, in secret, so that God would see and bless them openly with a holy life. Twitter | If we can discipline ourselves to go without certain kinds of food, we can hopefully discipline ourselves so that we can go without certain kinds of behavior that are spiritually destructive. If a believer is accustomed to attending only the Sunday Liturgy during Great Lent, then the opportunity for a . Originally a harvest and fertility festival, Holi also commemorates a legend from Hindu Mythology. Great Lent & Holy Week - 1st Monday of Great Lent through Great and Holy Saturday Apostles' (Peter & Paul) Fast - June 11 through June 28 Dormition (Theotokos) Fast - Aug. 1 through Aug. 14 Fast-Free Weeks Afterfeast of the Nativity of Christ to Theophany Eve - Dec. 25 through Jan. 4 The Holy Archdiocese does not exercise any administrative oversight or assignment authority over clergy that are not part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The Church eases us into the fasting discipline during these weeks of preparation as follows: February 13 is the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee and the week that follows (February 13 - 20) is fast-free. Site Map | David. +TIKHON Hear me speedily! The week before Great Lent, we are only required to fast from meat, not dairy products. Find out the dates, history and traditions of National Awkward Moments Day. The next forty days, which includes nearly six weeks and five Sundays, is called Great Lent. After his glorification in 1368, a second commemoration of Saint Gregory Palamas (November 14) was appointed for the Second Sunday of Great Lent as a second "Triumph of Orthodoxy." In this turbulent moment, the Fast is a call to freedom as children of God through our spiritual discipline. Each person must do his best in the light of the given ideal. The time has come - the start of our spiritual contests, the victory over demons, There is a forty day fast that precedes the Feast of the Nativity (November 15-December 24), a fourteen day fast that precedes the Feast of the Dormition (August 1-14), and the Holy Apostles Fast (which begins the day after All Saints Day and lasts through June 28). If one does not have the strength to do this, it is good to abstain from food until after venerating the epitaphios (winding sheet) during Vespers on this day. Contact | by Fr. Find out the dates, history and traditions of Trees Are The Key Awareness Week. When we think of Easter, what comes to mind are Easter eggs and those fun games played before getting an Easter egg. Telegram | Stavros Akrotirianakis is the Proistamenos (Presiding Priest) atSt. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, FL. Contact | The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to "Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Therefore, these rules are intended for all Orthodox Christians, not just monks and nuns. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter and commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Today, as we begin the time of the Fast, let us all rise up and choose to make the journey home. Sunday, March 6, 2022. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, with its headquarters located in the City of New York, is an Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, The mission of the Archdiocese is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Orthodox Christian faith, to energize, cultivate, and guide the life of the Church in the United States of America according to the Orthodox Christian faith and tradition. Feasts & Saints /, The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Great Lent 2022. Even during Great Lent, Saturday (the Sabbath Day) and Sunday (the Lords Day) remain eucharistic days, and the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. We invite you to prayerfully consider sharing the resources given to you by God with a donation to the Archdiocese. What is the meaning of this rite? However, for other faiths such as Roman Catholicism, Lent ends at sundown on Thursday, April 6, which is the day known as Holy Thursday. Site Map | Copyright 19962023. In preparation for this great feast of the Mother of God, we observe a two-week period Read more. Nor should we, as Christ warns, look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men (Mt 6:16). No restriction is placed on the amount of food during the meal, though moderation is always encouraged in all areas of ones life at all times. This is the true fast: the casting off of evil, the bridling of the tongue, the cutting off of anger, the cessation of lusts, evil talking, lies and cursing. What is Western-Rite Orthodoxy? As part of the Triodion, Lent is dedicated to spiritual uplift and liberation of passions. Categorized as orthodox Tagged lazarus, . During this week, the Fifth Week of Great Lent, we celebrate additional church services that are a little longer. In general, the fasting rules during Great Lent and Holy Week are as follows: WEEKDAYS (Monday Friday) are observed as Strict Fast Days. Let us fast with a fast pleasing to the Lord. 8 East 79th Street New York, NY 10075 Aris Metrakos to Protopresbyter, The Patriarch of Jerusalem for the railway fatality in Tempi. All rights reserved. The next forty days, which includes nearly six weeks and five Sundays, is called Great Lent. Great Lent/Pascha resources. In the Orthodox Church, Great Lent begins on a Monday called Clean Monday, rather than Ash Wednesday, as it does in other churches. On Wednesday, the fast is kept until after the Presanctified Liturgy. These transgressions, however, do not have to define us. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. All rights reserved. The Holy Archdiocese does not exercise any administrative oversight or assignment authority over clergy that are not part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Fasting is a tool that is used to assist in spiritual growth. Celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead after his death by crucifixion. "The holy season of abstinence shines upon us all with the light of . In some faith's traditions, Lent ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. Western Rite. Also called Quadragesima or Tessaracoste, Great Lent is a 40-day season of spiritual preparation that comes before the Feast of Holy Pascha or the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, which falls on April 24. Twitter | You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. To the Clergy, Monastics, and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America. The lenten services themselves continually remind us of this. Fasting is an aid to help us in this. The Orthodox Christian holiday explained Cady Stanton USA TODAY 0:00 0:45 Orthodox Christians in Europe, Africa and the Middle East celebrated Orthodox Easter on Sunday. Sunday, February 13, 2022 11:30 AM. It is a pious practice to observe Great and Holy Friday as an absolute fast. So as we take up the spiritual disciplines given to us by our Lord, I pray that it is with a spirit of renewed commitment and not with a spirit of gloominess. However, Western Christendom doesn't count Sundays because Jesus is recorded as having resurrected on a Sunday, whereas Eastern Orthodox churches do count Sundays. They both use a period of 40 days between the beginning and end of Lent, because of the 40 days that Jesus is said to have spent fasting the desert. As the Scriptures tell us, Every athlete exercises self-control in all things (1 Cor 9:25). As we begin our preparation for Great Lent each year, a unique occurrence is found in the Matins Service for the Sundays of the Prodigal Son, Meatfare, and Cheesefare. Then after Vespersafter hearing the announcement of Lent in the Great Prokeimenon: Turn not away Thy face from Thy child, for I am afflicted! The fasting is done so that the body and spirit are "cleansed" to prepare for accepting the Resurrection. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, with its headquarters located in the City of New York, is an Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, The mission of the Archdiocese is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ, to teach and spread the Orthodox Christian faith, to energize, cultivate, and guide the life of the Church in the United States of America according to the Orthodox Christian faith and tradition. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) of America was born in 1967 in Bakirky, Istanbul. The first three weeks, including four Sundays, are called the Triodion, or pre-Lenten period. 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved. Great Lent begins on Monday, March 7, 2022. But for those living. The Holy Synod / And because we make this discoveryand because this discovery is that of the Kingdom of God itself: the Kingdom of Peace and Love, of reconciliation with God and, in Him, with all that existswe hear the hymns of that Feast, which once a year opens to us the doors of Paradise. We know why we shall fast and pray, what we shall seek during the long Lenten pilgrimage. Good Friday occurs on the Friday before Easter. In Greece and Cyprus, Lent is known as Saracosti, which comes from the word forty, which is the forty day period until Palm Sunday and then one more week until Easter Day making a total of 49 days of "fasting". The Orthodox Observer places the Church in the context of the current world we live in through a diverse and informative experience offering participants meaningful exchange with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, her ministries, and affiliates. Sunday of the Last Judgement (Meatfare Sunday) , Sunday of Forgiveness (Cheesefare Sunday) , Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross , Palm Sunday: The Entrance of Christ into Jerusalem , Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council , 8 East 79th Street New York, NY 10075 Try fasting from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays of Lent (and then throughout the year), then next year try fasting Wednesdays and Fridays plus all of the first week of Lent and all of Holy Week. The experience provides the faithful significant content to listen to, watch, and read; in order to lead, grow, and inspire. YouTube | Orthodoxy / It is true that open enmity, personal hatred, real animosity may be absent from our life, though if we experience them, it may be easier for us to repent, for these feelings openly contradict Divine commandments. Four Sundays ofpreparation precede Great Lent. Orthodox Lent is observed from Clean Monday to the evening of Holy Saturday and leads up to Easter Sunday, which runs from March 18 to May 7 this year. the full armor of self-control the angels' dignity, the confidence before God. Official Documents | Terms of Use | Copyright Sources. We are assured in the Letter to the Galatians that For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1). A contemporary father of the Church, Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou, explains beautifully: In the beginning state, before the Fall. At the same time, to reiterate the need for a conscience free of passions, the Church decided that the Great Canon should be read in its entirety in the fifth week of Great Lent. The day commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of flames to the Apostles, as recorded in the New Testament in Acts, 2. Prayer 2. Seraphim Dedes). The ascetic fast of Great Lent continues from Meatfare Sunday to Easter Sunday, and is broken only after the Paschal Divine Liturgy. Ten days later (fifty days after the Resurrection), the church celebrates the Feast of Pentecost. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. I humbly ask your forgiveness. The word "lent" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'lencten' which literally means "spring". But wherever we fall in that spectrum, we must always remember that were not alone. As we stand at this moment, the threshold of Great Lent, with all turmoil and violence unfolding in the world, the Lenten fast comes like a spring breeze to refresh our souls. More important, however, than fasting from food, is fasting from the behaviors that are spiritually destructive. A good starting place to work towards the strict observance is to keep the first day of Great Lent, Clean Monday, as an absolute fast and to limit meals on the other days. On other feast days, such as the First and Second Finding of the Head of Saint John the Baptist (February 24), the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (March 9), the Forefeast of the Annunciation (March 24), and the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel (March 26), wine and oil are permitted. This is by design, and helps us intensify our Lenten efforts of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The Orthodox Faith / And as we approach each other with words of reconciliation, the choir intones the Paschal hymns, filling the church with the anticipation of Paschal joy. About the Faith / and your father who sees in secret will reward you:' Matthew 6: 16-18 The Road Back to Christ: Reflections on Lent, Holy Week and the Resurrection is a series of short daily reflections on the scripture readings of Holy Week and the accounts of the Resurrection and post-Resurrection appearances of Christ. The road home, however, begins with us. During Great Lent, even though the eucharistic fast is broken on Saturdays and Sundays, the ascetical fast continues through the weekends since this fasting is an extended effort made from Meatfare Sunday right to Easter itself. Official Documents | Terms of Use | Copyright Sources. Instagram | These questions are in order because for too many people Lent means primarily, and almost exclusively, a change of diet, the compliance with ecclesiastical regulations concerning fasting. 2023Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Sunday of Orthodoxy is the first Sunday of Great Lent. Many Faithful do fast completely on Monday and then eat only uncooked food (bread, fruit, nuts) on Tuesday evening. Home / With faith and vigilance let us enter on the Fast, and receive remission of our sins., relying upon the Mother of God to strengthen us throughout its course, Thou art the cause of all good things, O Lady. YouTube | The day commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus. Holy Week follows, along with the Great and Holy Week. Wednesday. Fasting 3. On the morning of that Sunday, at the Divine Liturgy, we hear the words of Christ: If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Mark 6:14-15). The Church spares no effort in warning us against a hypocritical and pharisaic fasting, against the reduction of religion to mere external obligations. The Ecclesiastical Calendars are an annual resource published by About Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha. We do not get through life without wrestling with each of these, sometimes on a daily basis. Jesus said, 'and when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, All rights reserved. Christ fasted and taught men to fast. 'Lencten' has a root in the Germanic word for long, which assigned itself to Spring as the days become longer. In fact, if you are fasting and you are invited to someone's home for dinner and they serve meat, eat the meat, don't make a big deal out of your fasting. As Christ tells us, our fasting is seen by our "Father who is in secret," and He will reward us for our efforts. Let us welcome the Fast with humble hearts., See how the beauty of repentance forms the soul anew at the approach of Lent! Twitter | Great Lent is our much needed time of refreshment of the heart and cleansing of the soul, so that we may more clearly perceive the light of Christ on Great and Holy Pascha. In practice, very few people are able to do this. The Orthodox rules for lenten fasting are the monastic rules. May the road upon which we embark today be our first steps that lead us to that heavenly Zion, for which we long. The experience provides the faithful significant content to listen to, watch, and read; in order to lead, grow, and inspire. they have received their reward. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. We need to fast from things that get us in trouble - perhaps the television, alcohol, inappropriate materials on the computer and in movies, foul language, etc. Home / Also called Quadragesima or Tessaracoste, Great Lent is a 40-day season of spiritual preparation that comes before the Feast of Holy Pascha or the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, which falls on April 24. Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America. When we each ask God to open to me the gates of repentance this Lent, remember that we do not fast to earn Gods love or to impress others around us. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In practice, it consists of: 1. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? YouTube | We ask our good God and His Most-Holy Mother to grant us strength so that this Lent may become a spiritual feast for our souls, which otherwise are atrophied by pleasures. All rights reserved. Official Statements & Speeches / We are united with one another on this road and we always have a strong hand to grasp for those times when we think we might fall. Over the years, we have built quite a collection of teaching resources on Great Lent. Lives of the Saints /. These rules exist not as a Pharisaic burden too hard to bear (Lk 11.46), but as an ideal to be striven for; not as an end in themselves, but as a means to spiritual perfection crowned in love.