The ancient typicon of the Orthodox Church is what guides our lives. From day to day, we plan our activities around the feasts and fasts of the Church. We have now entered into the strictest and spiritually richest times of the year, the period of Great Lent.
The first week of Great Lent is a special time in the monastery, when we return to our roots in the “deserts” of the middle east and of Russia to fully enter into the spirit of the Great Fast.
On Forgiveness Sunday, on the eve of the Fast, a solemn Great Vespers service was held, presided over by His Grace Bishop Luke, abbot of our monastery, during which we note the change from the the Sunday feast to the solemn atmosphere of Lent, symbolized by the change in vestments from gold to black and the change in the chants to Lenten ones.
In the evening, all gathered in church for the Compline service, including neighbors and pilgrims, in which Vladyka explained in a sermon the true meaning of the Fast and how we prepare for it by asking forgiveness one of another.
From Monday through Friday, every day, Great Lenten services were served in their entirety, with the Prayer of St. Ephraim, the full kathismas, and the readings from the Holy Fathers, read by Vladyka for our enlightenment. Including Great Compline, this amounts to about 10 hours daily of services.
During this week, there are no obediences, unless something cannot be put off and also no classes for seminarians. All are gathered in church to prepare by prayer and fasting for partake of the mysteries of Confession and commune of the Holy Mysteries on the first Saturday, the feast of St. Theodore the Tyro.
Every evening, the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete was read by Vladyka. It must be pointed out that during this week, there are two kleroses chanting. Also, there is only one meal served in the refectory after Vespers each day, consisting of “dry” food.
On Wednesday and Friday the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served by His Grace, Vladyka Luke with the monastery clergy.
Friday evening, during Compline, the Rule for Communion is read during the service, and all advantage themselves of the mystery of Confession, after having had a whole week of prayer and contemplation of one’s spiritual state. Saturday morning, after the morning services, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was served by Vladyka with monastery clergy.
This whole first week culminated in the Feast of the Solemnity of Orthodoxy on Sunday. Being that the monastery church is the cathedral of a bishop of the Church, besides the usual moleben the rite of Orthodoxy was served at the end of the Liturgy of St. Basil. In attendance were many pilgrims, who had come to witness this very important exposition of the truths of Orthodoxy. The readings at liturgy and at the moleben reinforced the important of this rite to reinforce the truths of the true Church of Christ to guard our faithful and ourselves from all errors in teaching so common in our world of today.
We give thanks to God for the ability of be able to carry on these ancient and God-pleasing services and to be witnesses of Holy Orthodoxy before our neighbors, to better prepare ourselves for eternity.
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