Sunday, March 6, 2022. Find out the dates, history and traditions of Trees Are The Key Awareness Week. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis) of America was born in 1967 in Bakirky, Istanbul. ( Oil and wine, up until the last couple of centuries, were stored in skins of animals. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. To the beloved clergy, religious, and faithful of the Russian True Orthodox Church, Archdiocese of North America & the Diasporamercy, peace, and love be yours in ever-greater measure. So, we fast from meat, fish, dairy products, oil, and wine. 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. Over the years, we have built quite a collection of teaching resources on Great Lent. 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. Designed to guide its readers through the journey, it will both inspire and reinvigorate your faith through meditation, prayer, and a deeper understanding of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Outside of Lent, it is Tradition to fast every Wednesday (in honor of the betrayal of Christ) and Friday (in honor of His Crucifixion). Fasting is an aid to help us in this. Stavros in two ways: Purchase the book"The Road Back to Christ: Reflections on Lent, Holy Week and the Resurrection"by Fr. Blessed fasting is done in secret, without ostentation or accusation of others (Mt 6.16; Rom 14). In addition to the ascetic fasting of the lenten season, the Orthodox alone among Christians also practice what is known as eucharistic or liturgical fasting. YouTube | The weeks of the Great Lent are: First Sunday (Sunday of Orthodoxy) Second Sunday (St. Gregory Palamas) Third Sunday (Adoration of Cross) Fourth Sunday (St. John of Climax) Fifth Sunday (St. Mary of Egypt) Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday Fasting Each person must do his best in the light of the given ideal. 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. The week before Great Lent, we are only required to fast from meat, not dairy products. Octopus and shell-fish are allowed, as is vegetable oil. A meeting ofthe HIERARCHS of the RTOC-MM Synod ofBishops takes place. Metropolitan of All America and Canada, 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. 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. 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. On weekends, olive oil and wine are permitted. When we think of Easter, what comes to mind are Easter eggs and those fun games played before getting an Easter egg. 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. They understand fasting as an end in itself, as a good deed required by God and carrying in itself its merit and its reward. Over the next forty days we break the chains of sin and evil by controlling the things which control usand so become free people. This preparation is for both our body and soul. Find out the dates, history and traditions of National Awkward Moments Day. Also, do not pass judgment on others who are not fasting to the degree you are. 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. Great Lent corresponds to Lent as found in Western Christianity, though the length of the periods are calculated in different ways. The information contained on the website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is for informational purposes only. Each of us has a "passion" for anger, lust, power, greed, ego, etc. In the Orthodox Church, Great Lent begins on a Monday called Clean Monday, rather than Ash Wednesday, as it does in other churches. From the second through the sixth weeks of Lent, the general rules for fasting are practiced. 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 full armor of self-control the angels' dignity, the confidence before God. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. The following is an overview of the events. On these days the fast is relaxed to permit fish with backbones, in addition to alcoholic beverages and oil. Official Documents | Terms of Use | Copyright Sources. Even during Great Lent, Saturday (the Sabbath Day) and Sunday (the Lords Day) remain eucharistic days, and the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. 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. Your support helps us further the vital ministry work. (Gospel of Cheesefare Sunday). When people think of the word "Lent," the word "fasting" is one of the first things that comes to mind. The week after the Publican and the Pharisee is fast free, as is the week after Pascha and Pentecost (and Christmas). Eating meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Orthodox Christians throughout Lent, with fish being eaten only on two major feast days: on March 25th ( Annunciation of the Virgin Mary) and on Palm Sunday . For many this is impracticable. On Wednesday, the fast is kept until after the Presanctified Liturgy. For some, it might be a particularly long and arduous one, for others, not so much. Because fasting is so misunderstood, it is many times done incorrectly. The consumption of shellfish and mollusks, however, is permitted in Greek Orthodox Churches. This day commemorates the Last Supper shared by Jesus and his disciples. to undo the cords of the yoke, Official Documents | Terms of Use | Copyright Sources. In preparation for this great feast of the Mother of God, we observe a two-week period Read more. Christ shed His blood for us, so we do not consume any "blood" or "animal" products. The day commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus. Great Lent is a time to prepare ourselves in order to celebrate Pascha. Twitter | Easter Archpastoral Letter April 24/April 11, 2022, , Archpastoral Letter for the Beginning of Great Lent 2022. In general, the fasting rules during Great Lent and Holy Week are as follows: WEEKDAYS (Monday Friday) are observed as Strict Fast Days. YouTube | Give some thought to your fasting plan for Lent today! GREAT LENT AND HOLY WEEK 2022 (March 7 - April 23) The Lenten fasting discipline commences after Forgiveness Vespers on March 6 and concludes with the breaking of the fast at Pascha on April 24. Phone: (212) 570-3500Contact, Download VCFJoin our Mailing ListsDonate. In order that the faithful would not be entirely deprived of Holy Communion on the lenten days, however, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated on Wednesday and Friday evenings. Every year, the Church gives us this period of pause, remembrance, and renewal to remind us of the need for self- awareness, for repentance, and for forgiveness. 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. Thereby did Moses become conversant with the Creator, and heard the invisible voice. 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" Thus, truly forgiveness is both the beginning of, and the proper condition for, the Lenten season. that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; This is why we can eat grapes and olives, we cannot have wine or olive oil. The lenten services also make the undeniable point that we should not pride ourselves with external fasting since the devil also never eats! 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. All rights reserved. We can eat shellfish because they do not contain blood. The Sunday after Pentecost is the Feast of All Saints. It serves as a reminder that even in our darkest times there is always a way home. Great Lent 2022. Meat, animal products (cheese, milk, butter, eggs, lard), fish (meaning fish with backbones), olive oil, and wine (all alcoholic drinks) are not consumed during the weekdays of Great Lent. +HARALAMPOSArchbishop of Dallas and Texas, +NICHOLASBishop of EdenbornVicar for the Archdiocese of North America & the Diaspora, True Orthodox Church of the Diaspora: Archdiocese of North America 2001-2023. The dominant theme of this Sunday since 843 has been that of the victory of the icons. The Lenten Fast rules that we observe today were established within the monasteries of the Orthodox Church during the sixth through eleventh centuries. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Psalm 137 is added to the service, which begins, By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. It is a song of exile and return. Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America. The ecclesiastical book that contains the Services of our Church which are performed during the period beginning with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee and ends on Great and Holy Saturday, that is the Services of the movable feasts that precede Easter, is called the Triodion. All rights reserved. David Winn. This is by design, and helps us intensify our Lenten efforts of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. 8 East 79th Street New York, NY 10075 The stopping of these is the fast true and acceptable (Monday Vespers of the First Week). Great Lent ends on a Friday. Site Map | With the bestowal of our blessings and prayers for all of you, we remain, Metropolitan and First Hierarch of the Russian True Orthodox Church-MM. 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. As a Lenten hymn says: In vain do you rejoice in not eating, O soul!For you abstain from food,But from passions you are not purified.If you persevere in sin, you will perform a useless fast!. The well-known teaching that Saturdays and Sundays are never days of fasting in the Orthodox Church, an issue emphasized centuries ago when controversy arose with the Latin Church, refers only to this eucharistic-liturgical fast. Two of the three Hesychast saints commemorated by the Romanian Patriarchate in 2022 will be honored during Great Lent: St Symeon the New Theologian on March 12 and St Gregory Palamas on March 20 (2nd Sunday of Lent). Fasting on the weekdays of the first week of Great Lent is especially severe. Lent is all about that journey, and the brave souls who choose to embark upon it. Biodiesel reduces emissions by more than 50 percent compared to petroleum. Again, Lent is not a season of deprivation, nor should we "give up" something only to get it back once Lent is over. as You love humanity. Lent serves to heal this fall of Adam, which we repeat many times every day. This ends this cycle of "movable feasts" (called this because their date moves every year), which surround the feast of Pascha. Facebook | 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. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter and commemorates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Phone: (212) 570-3500Contact, Download VCFJoin our Mailing ListsDonate. A contemporary father of the Church, Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou, explains beautifully: In the beginning state, before the Fall. and to break every yoke? (Is 58:6). Fr. These are indifference, selfishness, lack of interest in other people, of any real concern for themin short, that wall which we usually erect around ourselves, thinking that by being polite and friendly we fulfill Gods commandments. 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. Level six -- Level four and eliminate dairy products on Wednesday and Fridays and during Holy Week. Official Statements & Speeches / In some faith's traditions, Lent ends on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. Great Lent begins on Monday, March 7, 2022. for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. The information contained on the website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is for informational purposes only. Great Lent marks the start of the Easter cycle in the Orthodox Christian Church. We also announce the publication of our monastery November-December bulletin (its English version will be available soon on our website: https://sfdumitru.org/en/icon-from-within/, Feast Day at St. Dimitrie the New Monastery, Visit of the Hawaiian Icon of the Mother of God, Prayers sent to God on the wings of birds, Doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men (Ephesians 6.7). Fasting 3. 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. Telegram | RTOC-MM: Archdiocese of North America and the Diaspora From the Blog March 7/February 22, 2022 To the beloved clergy, religious, and faithful of the Russian True Orthodox Church, Archdiocese of North America & the Diaspora-mercy, peace, and love be yours in ever-greater measure. The Orthodox Faith / While we can go a day without a lustful thought or an angry thought, we can't go more than a few hours without a hungry thought. Fish, oil, and wine are allowed on the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25) and Palm Sunday (one week before Easter). My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of our God-Protected Diocese: As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on March 14 th, I want to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through this reflective period and arrive at the Great Feast of Feasts, Pascha to receive the Resurrected Christ.