Glory to Jesus Christ!
Come out on Sunday, 16 March 2025, at 3pm, to hear a concert to support peace in Ukraine, featuring our own Dr. Andrew Nowakowski.
St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 1200 E. Churchville Rd., Bel Air, Maryland 21014
Admission is FREE. Details below.
Glory to Jesus Christ!
This coming Sunday, 09 March 2025, is the 1st Sunday of Great Lent and the Sunday of Orthodoxy. All are invited to bring an icon from home or to use one available in the church for the Rite of Orthodoxy following the Divine Liturgy.
What is the Sunday of Orthodoxy and the Rite of Orthodoxy?
You might have heard this day also referred to as the “Triumph of Orthodoxy”. Any Sunday of… or Triumph of… language should never be understood in a prideful, triumphant manner. The day also does not understand the word Orthodoxy in a modern sense of denomination or jurisdiction or group over and against another group. That would anachronistically limit the term. Orthodoxy here is understood in a much fuller sense, the “faith that has established the universe”.
The day commemorates the restoration of icons in 843 under the Empress Theodora and reflects the great significance which icons possess for the Orthodox Church. They are not optional devotional extras, but an integral part of Orthodox faith and devotion. The “triumph of Orthodoxy” over the iconoclasts involved important issues (and still important issues!) such as the character of Christ’s human nature, the Christian attitude towards matter, and the true meaning of Christian redemption. Icons are a necessary consequence of the Incarnation of the Word (John 1.14), Jesus Christ.1
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a brief service is conducted in commemoration of the affirmations of the Seventh Ecumenical Council in 787 and the restoration of the use of icons in 843. Orthodox faithful carry icons in procession, while the clergy offer petitions for the people, civil authorities, and those who have reposed in the faith. Following is a recitation of excerpts from the Affirmation of Faith of the Seventh Ecumenical Council and the singing of the Great Prokeimenon.2
The readings for this Sunday are:
Upcoming services during Great Lent:
Access our full Lent, Passion Week, and Pascha calendar here.
“Come, O ye people, and today let us accept the grace of the Fast as a gift from God and as a time for repentance, in which we may find mercy with the Savior”
— Matins of Monday in the First Week of Lent
1st WEEK OF LENT
Monday, 03 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
Tuesday, 04 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
Wednesday, 05 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Saturday, 08 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Vespers for the First Sunday in Lent
Sunday, 09 March, at 9 AM ᛭ Sunday of Orthodoxy ᛭ Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great with procession with icons and the Rite of Orthodoxy
2nd WEEK OF LENT
Wednesday, 12 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Saturday, 15 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Vespers for the Second Sunday in Lent
Sunday, 16 March, at 9 AM ᛭ Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas ᛭ Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
3rd WEEK OF LENT
Wednesday, 19 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Saturday, 22 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Vespers for the Third Sunday in Lent
Sunday, 23 March, at 9 AM ᛭ Sunday of the Holy Cross ᛭ Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
4th WEEK OF LENT
Monday, 24 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Feast of the Annunciation ᛭ Vespers for the Feast of the Annunciation
The Feast of the Annunciation is Tuesday, 25 March.
Wednesday, 26 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Saturday, 29 March, at 6 PM ᛭ Vespers for the Fourth Sunday in Lent
Sunday, 30 March, at 9 AM ᛭ Sunday of St. John of the Ladder ᛭ Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
5th WEEK OF LENT
Wednesday, 02 April, at 6 PM ᛭ Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Thursday, 03 April, at 6 PM ᛭ Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
Saturday, 05 April, at 6 PM ᛭ Vespers for the Fifth Sunday in Lent
Sunday, 06 April, at 9 AM ᛭ Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt ᛭ Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
6th WEEK OF LENT
Wednesday, 09 April, at 6 PM ᛭ Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Lent ends on the evening of Friday of the 6th week. Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday are somewhat days of transition between Lent and Holy Week, Palm Sunday also being one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church. Holy Week begins on the evening of Palm Sunday.
Saturday, 12 April, at 6 PM ᛭ Vespers for the Feast of the Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
Sunday, 13 April, at 9 AM ᛭ Feast of the Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) ᛭ Festal Divine Liturgy with the Blessing of Palms
HOLY WEEK
Wednesday, 16 April, at 6 PM ᛭ Great and Holy Wednesday ᛭ Office of Holy Unction
Thursday, 17 April, at 6 PM ᛭ Great and Holy Thursday ᛭ Matins of Great and Holy Friday (Twelve Passion Gospels)
Friday, 18 April, at 2 PM ᛭ Great and Holy Friday ᛭ Vespers of the Cross
Friday, 18 April, at 7 PM ᛭ Great and Holy Friday ᛭ Matins of Great and Holy Saturday (Jerusalem Matins) with Procession
Saturday, 19 April, at 10 AM ᛭ Great and Holy Saturday ᛭ Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
Saturday, 19 April, at 11:30 PM ᛭ Great and Holy Saturday ᛭ Midnight Office
The Midnight Office is the last service in the Lenten Triodion. While the Midnight Office is part of the Paschal vigil, at its conclusion we fully enter in the joy of Pascha.
GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA (EASTER)
Sunday, 20 April, at 12 AM ᛭ Great and Holy Pascha ᛭ Paschal Matins, Paschal Hours, Paschal Divine Liturgy, Blessing of Baskets, and Agape Feast*
*All are invited to bring a basket to be blessed at the conclusion of the Paschal liturgy before we break the Great Fast together. Traditional basket examples can be found here and here, but are by no means necessary. More importantly, come!
Glory to Jesus Christ!
This coming Sunday, 02 March 2025, is Forgiveness Sunday, the last day before we enter the season of Lent. This day is also known as Cheesefare Sunday, as it is the last day we consume dairy items before we break the Fast together after the Paschal liturgy. (Please see Fr. Gregory with any questions regarding the Great Fast).
After the Liturgy on Sunday, we will serve a portion of Forgiveness Vespers, culminating with the Rite of Forgiveness.
The Rite of Forgiveness is a beautiful opportunity for each of us, recognizing our own sinfulness and need for repentance, to ask and receive forgiveness from each other. It is truly our gateway to Lent. As we ask and receive forgiveness from each other, the choir will begin to sing Paschal hymns in anticipation of the Resurrection of our Lord, which we will celebrate on the Feast of all Feasts, Pascha (Easter).
Please join us next week for the first of our Lenten services, beginning with the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete:
A full calendar of services for Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha will be posted soon.
The readings for Forgiveness Sunday (also the Sunday remembering the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden) are:
Glory to Jesus Christ!
Congratulations to the Hillman family, who were baptized and received into the Orthodox Church on Sunday, 16 February 2025, before the Divine Liturgy! It was a joyous morning! Please continue to keep the Hillman’s in your prayers, as well as all of our church family.
Please note that there will be a parish council meeting on Tuesday, 18 February 2025, at 7pm, at the church.
On Wednesday, 19 February 2025, at 7pm, Fr. Gregory will continue our Inquirer’s Class for those interested in learning more about the Orthodox faith and/or our parish. Have a question? Please join us! A cancellation due to a possible inclement weather forecast will be posted on our website.
On Saturday, 22 February 2025, following Vespers, the St. Basil’s Brotherhood will meet at Mission BBQ in Bel Air to enjoy some fellowship and food as we wind down Meatfare week. Vespers begins at 6pm and the Brotherhood meeting should begin at approximately 7:15pm.
Please join us. All are welcome!
Sunday, 23 February 2025, is the Sunday of the Last Judgement, the third of the pre-Lenten Sundays. This Sunday is also the conclusion of Meatfare week and the last day to consume meat for those following the Fast.
The readings for the Divine Liturgy are:
1 Corinthians 8.8–9.2 (Epistle)
Matthew 25.31–46 (Gospel)
When You, O God, shall come to earth with glory, / all things shall tremble / and the river of fire shall flow before Your judgment seat; / the books shall be opened and the hidden things disclosed! / Then deliver me from the unquenchable fire, / and make me worthy to stand at Your right hand, Most Righteous Judge!
— Kontakion for the Sunday of the Last Judgement
Glory to Jesus Christ!
House blessings continue through the beginning of Great Lent. Please see Fr. Gregory to schedule a time if you would like to have your house blessed.
In preparation to enter into the Great Fast, please note that this week is fast free! The weekly Wednesday/Friday fast will resume next week, Meatfare week, and then no meat will be consumed in Cheesefare week, followed by the beginning of Lent. This gradual entrance into the Fast is very practical and beneficial, as opposed to a sudden deep-dive into the Fast!
While Orthodoxy has a defined tradition of fasting, it should be noted that there are exceptions to the rule (e.g., small children, the sick, the very old, pregnant and nursing mothers, travelers, etc.) and that practical pastoral wisdom might be called for (e.g., it might not be beneficial for someone who has never fasted to take on a strict fast) when fasting. Everyone’s situation in life is different.
If anyone has questions regarding the Orthodox practice of fasting, please see Fr. Gregory.
“True fasting is being a stranger to vice, controlling the tongue, abstaining from anger, distancing oneself from lust, evil speech, lying, perjury. The absence of these vices makes fasting true, and so shunning these vices makes fasting good.
— On Fasting and Feasts, St. Basil the Great
Saturday Vespers, 15 February 2025, will begin at the normally scheduled time of 6pm. Please join us!
This coming Sunday, 16 February 2025, at 8:30am, the Hillman family will be baptized and received into the Orthodox Church. Please join us on this joyous occasion! And please continue to keep the Hillman’s in your daily prayers.
The Divine Liturgy will begin at approximately 9:30am.
Following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, we will pray a Panikhida (memorial service) for +David Mukai, on the 2 year anniversary of his passing. Memory eternal!
Sunday, 16 February 2025, is also the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, one of the pre-Lenten Sundays. The readings for the Divine Liturgy are:
1 Corinthians 6.12-20 (Epistle)
Luke 15.11-32 (Gospel)
I have recklessly forgotten Your glory, O Father; / and among sinners I have scattered the riches which You had given me. / Therefore, I cry to You like the Prodigal: / “I have sinned before You, O compassionate Father; / receive me a penitent and make me as one of Your hired servants.
— Kontakion for the Sunday of the Progigal Son
