Blessed are You, Lord, highly exalted and glorified and good.  In Your divine providence You set the length of the year, and have anchored us in these days of inner peace.  To  Your servants give the good fruit of righteousness in all their works.  Give them might and power for the destruction of sin and for the renewal of soul and mind, that during the forty days of the Fast, we might overcome the crafty contrivances of the intruder, for You are our God.  Through prayer and fasting You have made men equal to angels and the fasting Moses You entrusted with the tablets of the Law, written by Your divine hand. Now, O Lord, return us to the safe harbor of the honorable passion of Your Christ, that with the wood of the Cross as our weapon, we may be victors over sin and worthy of Your joyful third-day Resurection. Through the prayers and supplications of the all-holy  and pure Birthgiver of God and ever-virgin Mary and of all Your saints, now and ever and forever. 
(Ambon Prayer for Forgiveness Sunday)

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- With the setting of the sun and the celebration of Forgiveness Vespers this evening,  the season of The Great Fast has been ushered in throughout our God-Saved Diocese and the Orthodox Church throughout the world.

During this Holy Season, as His Grace, Bishop Gregory has pointed out in his Lenten  Archpastoral Letter "We are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we at the same time reconcile with one another. In this holiest period of the ecclesiastical year, we should honestly examine our relationships with our families, our parish families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the Church in general."

To assist the faithful in making the most of this holy season,  additional resources have been added to our Diocesan Website. 

• Each day, an excerpt from the Lenten Triodion for that specific day and the daily scripture readings will be posted on the home page of  www.acrod.org
   
•  A Special Lenten Resource Page has been made available and will be updated on a continuous basis during the Fast. 
  
  
• The Online Chapel will be open to light a candle and listen to  liturgical hymns of the Lenten season.
  
  
• Those who are unable to attend Lenten services at their parish due to infirmity,  poor weather conditions, or work obligations, may watch the 7:00 pm Friday Presanctified Liturgy from Christ the Saviour Cathedral on their personal computers, or mobile devices. 

His Grace Bishop Gregory, the entire Chancery and Information Technology Apostolate  staff members extend their heartfelt greetings and prayerful best wishes for a spiritually uplifting and blessed Lenten Journey to Pascha!