The Lenten Spring Has Come!
Sunday, March 14, 2021
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 Resurrection. 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 entire Orthodox Church.
The primary goal of the lenten season, as His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory has reminded us in his Lenten Archpastoral Letter, is to lead us to Christ. In Holy Scripture we read that prayer, fasting, and service to other people were a part of Jesus’ ministry. Through His example, we are presented with a manner of living that focuses on communion with God and on the Gospel message of truth and life.
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.
- 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 Eminence, Metropolitan 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!