Services at St. Mary's during Great Lent
Throughout the Paschal Lenten Period leading up to Holy Pascha (Easter), we have an opportunity to attend special services throughout Great Lent.
Here's a brief explanation of these services in the hopes that you will join us (either in person or online!) and make more meaningful your Lenten journey:
Forgiveness Vespers
The Eve of the Great Fast, 6pm
March 17
Presanctified Liturgies
Wednesdays, 6:30 pm
March 20, 27
April 3, 10, 17, 24
Akathist Hymn
Fridays, 7pm
March 22, 29
April 5, 12, 19
Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Annunciation
Monday, 7:30 am
March 25
Forgiveness Vespers
Sunday evening on the Eve of the First Day of Great Lent - 6 pm
Forgiveness Vespers marks the beginning of Great Lent. Following the Great Prokeimenon, the church lights dim as the clergy adorn themselves in their dark vestments for Great Lent, the liturgical cloths on the analogia and altar table are also exchanged for dark colors, and the choir begins to sing in distinctive lenten tones. Following the dismissal, the community celebrates the moving and beautiful rite of mutual forgiveness.
After the dismissal at Vespers, the clergy and faithful ask for forgiveness of one another. The exchange may include one saying, "Forgive me, a sinner." The second person responds saying, "God forgives. Forgive me." Finally, the first person responds, "God forgives," and they hug each other. This continues until all in the church have asked for forgiveness of every other person. Meanwhile the choir sings quietly the irmoi of the Paschal Canon. This is truly a beautiful and humbling service which allows the community to begin its Lenten journey together.
For more information, check out OrthodoxWiki.
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy
Wednesday Evenings during Lent - 6:30pm
In harmony with the just mentioned joyful and hopeful penitential character of the Lenten services and hymns is the most imposing Lenten liturgy: the liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts—a unique expression of the pastoral wisdom of the Byzantine liturgical tradition, the pearl of Lenten devotion.
In the Byzantine times, the liturgy of the Presanctified was celebrated daily. In the spiritual struggle of Great Lent, the faithful needed more than ever the strengthening partaking of Holy Communion. Thus, by the celebration of the Presanctified the opportunity of receiving Holy Communion every day was given to the faithful.
The wisdom of the holy fathers formulated the service of the Presanctified Gifts as a participation in the Eucharist but without the Anaphora -- a cheerful and triumphant act of offering the gifts to God -- establishing a Eucharist without thanksgiving and jubilation, a Eucharist that is rather a cry for help than a joyful acclamation: “O God set free our senses from deadly passions, let our eyes abstain from evil sights, our hearing from idle talk ... purify our lips as they sing your praises, let our hands produce only works that are pleasing to You...” (1st Prayer of the faithful of the Liturgy of the Presanctified). And this cry finds response and comfort in the self-giving love and grace of God. Holy Communion is finally given after the penitential and purifying course of prayers and hymns of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos, Mother of God
Friday Evenings during Lent - 7 pm
The Akathist Hymn is a profound, devotional poem, which sings the praises of the Holy Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary. It is one of the most beloved services in the Orthodox Church. It was composed in the imperial city of Constantinople, "the city of the Virgin," by St. Romanos the Melodist, who reposed in the year 556. The Akathist Hymn has proven so popular in the liturgical life of the Church that many other hymns have been written following its format. These include Akathists to Our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Cross, and to many Saints.
The Akathist hymn consists of praises directed to the Mother of God, beginning with the salutation of the Archangel Gabriel: "Rejoice." As the hymn is chanted all of the events related to our Lord's Incarnation pass before us for our contemplation. The Archangel Gabriel marvels at the Divine self-emptying and the renewal of creation which will occur when Christ comes to dwell in the Virgin's womb. The unborn John the Baptist prophetically rejoices. The shepherds recognize Christ as a blameless Lamb, and rejoice that in the Virgin "the things of earth join chorus with the heavens." The pagan Magi following the light of the star, praise Her for revealing the light of the world.
The word "akathistos" means "not sitting," i.e., standing; normally all participants stand while it is being prayed. The hymn is comprised of 24 stanzas, arranged in an acrostic following the Greek alphabet. The stanzas alternate between long and short. Each short stanza is written in prose and ends with the singing of "Alleluia." Each longer stanza ends with the refrain: "Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded."
The first part of the hymn is about the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the Angel. It describes Mary’s surprise at the news, her visit to her mother and Joseph’s doubts as to her innocence. The second part is about the birth of Christ, the worship of the Shepherds and Magi, the flight to Egypt and the visit to Saint Simeon in the Temple. In the third part the hymn directs our attention to the renewal of the world by Christ’s coming, and the amazement of the Angels and the wise men at the sight of the Incarnation of God’s Son. The fourth and the last part is once more a lyric and rhetorical appraisal of Virgin Mary, whom the poet adorns with the most beautiful of adjectives asking her to accept his poetical offering and to intercede for the salvation of human race from the earthly sin.
Check our calendar to join us for our next liturgical service.