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zacchaeus sunday

Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple

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Glory to Jesus Christ!

This coming Sunday, 02 February 2025, is the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ in the Temple. Following the Liturgy will be the prayers for the blessing of candles. If you have any candles that you would like to have blessed for home use, please bring them. (Read here about the connection between this Great Feast, light, candles, and groundhogs!)

This Sunday is also the Sunday of Zacchaeus, the first signpost that Lent is on the way and the Sunday preceding the start of the Lenten Triodion.

Please join us as we celebrate this Great Feast of the Church (and Zacchaeus Sunday).

Hail, Virgin Theotokos, full of grace; / for from you has shone forth the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, / giving light those in darkness. / Be glad, O righteous Elder; / for you received in your arms the Redeemer of our souls, / Who bestows upon us resurrection.
— Troparion for the Feast of the Meeting of our Lord

Feast of the Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple
Icon by Philip Davydov

Zacchaeus Sunday

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Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!

Tomorrow, 29 January 2023, is Zacchaeus Sunday. This means that Great Lent is on the horizon. It’s not here yet, but we’re passing the first signpost! See here for more on Zacchaeus Sunday.

The readings for this Sunday are 1 Timothy 4:9-15 (Epistle) and Luke 19:1-10 (Gospel).

Also commemorated on this day is St. Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch. While not his primary feast day (20 December), today commemorates the translation of his relics from Rome -the place of his martyrdom and where his relics later came to reside- to Antioch, where he was bishop of the growing church.

Elena Cherkasova, Christ and Zacchaeus , c. 2000, ink and paper

Sunday of Zacchaeus

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This year on February 14, we celebrate what has come to be known as “Zacchaeus Sunday” in the Orthodox Church. This day is a liturgical signifier that Lent is on the way!

The paschal season of the Church is preceded by the season of Great Lent, which is also preceded by its own liturgical preparation. The first sign of the approach of Great Lent comes five Sundays before its beginning. On this Sunday the Gospel reading is about Zacchaeus the tax-collector. It tells how Christ brought salvation to the sinful man, and how his life was changed simply because he “sought to see who Jesus was” (Luke 19:3). The desire and effort to see Jesus begins the entire movement through Lent towards Pascha. It is the first movement of salvation.

Sunday of Zacchaeus | https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2021/02/14/1-sunday-of-zacchaeus

The readings for this Sunday are:

  • Mark 16:9-20 (3rd Matins Gospel)
  • 1 Timothy 4:9-15 (Epistle)
  • Luke 19:1-10 (Gospel)