Holy Trinity Orthodox Church

I don't know about Orthodox pastors, but in the past year or so I've done a lot of interviews for students in college who are taking comparative religion or world religion courses. Usually they're told to write about something they've never been to or been part of. I have to admit, I really enjoy doing these interviews, and now find this part of the "job description" of being priest.

Today we remember the repose of St. Theodosius of Chernigov. St. Theodosius fell asleep in the Lord in the year 1696. You can read about his life at www.oca.org.

An interesting note of trivia is that St. Theodosius Cathedral in Cleveland, OH (named after St. Theodosius of Chernigov) is the church that was used in the filming of the movie "The Deer Hunter." The priest at the time of the filming was Fr. Stephen Kopestonsky, and he was the priest in the movie for the wedding and funeral scenes.

If you ever find yourself in Cleveland, be sure to stop in at St. Theodosius. The building has been renovated in the past 10 years and is magnificent!

Glory to God! Another warrior for Christ was born into our community in the wee hours last night! It's always interesting to see the reaction in hospitals when an Orthodox priest visits the maternity ward on the day a woman gives birth. I think they always think we're there because someone's life is in danger--but, alas, we're there for the most practical reason in the world: to pray for the healing of one who has given birth and to ask God that she and her family would be forgiven all their sins as they embark on the journey of nurturing and caring for an infant who will someday continue to spread the Good News of the Gospel.

Here is one of the prayers read for the woman after she gives birth:

O Master, Lord our God, Who was born from our Most-holy Sovereign Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary: who lay in a manger as an infant and was carried as a little child: Have mercy on this, Your servant, who has given birth today to this child. Forgive all her transgressions, both voluntary and involuntary, and protect her from all torments of the Devil. Preserve the infant who has been born of her from all woes, cruelty and storms of adversity, and from evil spirits, whether of the day or of the night. Preserve this woman under Your mighty hand and grant her a speedy recovery. Cleanse her of every stain and heal her sufferings. Grant health and strength of soul and body, and surround her with bright and radiant angles. Preserve her from every assault of the invisible spirits: Yea, Lord, from sickness and infirmity, from jealousy and envy. Have mercy on her and on the infant, out of Your great mercy, and cleanse her from bodily uncleanness and the various afflictions of her womb. By Your quick mercy lead her to recover in her humbled body. Grant that the infant who has been born of her may worship in the earthly temple which You have prepared for the glorification of Your holy Name. For to You is due all glory, honor and worship: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Meeting (or Presentation) of the Lord in the Temple, marking the 40th day after the Nativity. This Feast is always special to me as I was ordained a Deacon on February 2, 1994 at St. Tikhon's Monastery.

On Sunday the wheels began turning for our approach to Great Lent as we listened to Zacchaeus climb the tree. This also allows to label every Sunday from now until 2 weeks after Pentecost. What the heck--let's do it:

• February 8: The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. The week after this a Fast-free week.
• February 15: The Sunday of the Prodigal Son.
• February 22: Meatfare Sunday/The Sunday of the Last Judgment. We take meat out of our diets until April 19.
• March 1: The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise/The Sunday of Forgiveness. We take dairy products out of our diets until April 19 and begin the Great Fast with the celebration of Forgiveness Vespers.
• March 8: The Sunday of Orthodoxy. Vespers will be served at our church at 5pm.
• March 15: St. Gregory Palamas. Vespers will be served at St. George Serbian Church at 5pm
• March 22: The Veneration of the Cross. Vespers will be served at Annunciation Greek Church at 5pm
• March 29: St. John Climacus (author of "The Divine Ladder of Ascent". Vespers will be served at St. Basil's Antiochian Church
• April 5: St. Mary of Egypt. Vespers will be served at St. Mary of Egypt Church.
• April 12: Palm Sunday
• April 12-18 Holy Week
• April 19: Holy Pascha
• April 26: St. Thomas Sunday
• May 3: Sunday of the Myrhhbearing Women
• May 10: Sunday of the Paralytic (Mother's Day)
• May 17: Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
• May 24: Sunday of the Blind Man
• May 28: Ascension
• May 31: Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
• June 7: Pentecost and our Annual Parish Picnic
• June 14: All Saints
• June 15-28: Apostles Fast
• June 21: All Saints of North America (Father's Day)

So, you see, it's not that long until Summer!

I am so thankful for the opportunity to bless the homes of our parishioners. When we think of "Holy" space, we tend to think of the church or temple. But where do we pray the most? Where do we raise our children? Where do we eat our daily meals? Where do we begin and end the day? At home! This is where we make "real" the things we hear in church.

For those of you reading this that our new to the Orthodox Church, we bless water on the Feast of Theophany (Epiphany) as we remember the baptism of our Lord in the Jordan River. These blessed waters are then taken by the faithful to their homes. The priest visits the homes of the faithful and blesses them, again, reminding us that the home is sacred and holy.