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Orthodox Christianity

Do You Want Peace, Consolation, Healing and Renewal?

The [Orthodox] Divine services are a blessed fount from which the heavenly Grace abundantly pours forth its gifts upon all those who serve the Lord in fullness of heart – gifts of mercy, peace, consolation, purification, sanctification, enlightenment, healing, renewal, and – what is most precious – the gift of worship, in Divine Liturgy and Holy Communion.

St. John of Kronstadt, "Thoughts on the Divine Liturgy"

The first Christians believed that Jesus Christ knows the suffering of humankind, and chose to become one of us, to live and die with and for us, to save us. So do we.

The first Christians believed that when two or three gather together in His Name, Jesus Christ is present in the midst of them. So do we.

The first Christians believed that when they offered bread and wine for blessing by God, they shared together the true Body and true Blood of Jesus Christ. So do we.

... because we are the first Christians!

The Orthodox Church is the Body of Christ, the ancient Church established by Jesus Christ once, now, and for all ages, unchanged in Faith since the times of the Apostles. No one has ever needed to try to "reform" the Orthodox Church, because it never strayed from the true path of Christ. Nor do the Orthodox need to try to "rediscover" the Apostolic Church, because the Orthodox Church is today what it always has been for more than 2,000 continuous years: the Apostolic Church.

Every Sunday we gather together to stand in the presence of the living God, lifting our hearts to join with the heavenly angels and all the saints, singing in psalms and hymns, in prayer and worship before God. We invite you to join us!

More Information About Orthodox Christianity

Many wonderful articles on our Orthodox Christian Faith and practice that were originally published in our parish Newsletter now are available on our "Newsletters and Articles" page.

Please also see the wonderful section on Orthodoxy on the main site of the Orthodox Church in America.

Seasonal Section:
Great Lent

liturgical ornament

In thine idleness, my soul, why art thou become a slave of sin? And in thy sickness why dost thou not run to the physician? Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the true day of salvation. Rise up and wash thy face with tears of repentance, and make thy lamp burn brightly with the oil of good deeds, so that Christ our God may grant thee cleansing and great mercy.

(Lenten Triodion Supplement, Matins, Tuesday of the 2nd Week of Lent)

Lenten Resources from Father Christopher

Father Christopher's 2024 letter to the parish with recommendations for Lent and Lenten Resources.

The Lenten Triodion

The Lenten Triodion (with its supplement) contains the precious liturgical treasures of the Orthodox Church for Great Lent. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmeman wrote,

... the expectation and foretaste of the Paschal joy permeates the entire Lent, and is the real motivation of lenten effort.

Desiring to commune with the Divine Pascha...

Let us pursue victory over the Devil through fasting...

We will partake of the Divine Pascha of Christ!

TRIODION—the unknown and neglected book! If only we knew that it is there we can recover, make ours once more, the spirit not only of Lent alone but of Orthodoxy itself—of its "Paschal" vision of life, death and eternity. (Great Lent, p. 44)

The Lenten Triodion is a treasure available in English in a majestic translation by Metropolitan (then Archimandrite) Kallistos Ware and Mother Mary, and can be ordered from Amazon or other major online booksellers, as well as St. Tikhon's Seminary Press.

Treasures for Lent in the Services of the Church

The holy Church offers Orthodox Christians a period of preparation for the Great Lent, which itself is a period of fasting and prayer in preparation for the celebration of the Feast of Feasts, that of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ: five Sundays that help us enter the frame of mind we need for the "joy-creating sorrow" of the Great Lent:

During Lent, we are given precious teachings in the holy services of the Church. Here are a few excerpts from the Sunday services:

The Church offers us the opportunity to follow Christ in the Great and Holy days of Holy Week, His Passion, His burial, as we prepare for His glorious Resurrection.

Articles for Lent

Here are some articles from parish newsletters that are especially relevant to Lent: