Lenten Services

First Sunday of Lent - Sunday of Orthodoxy

This commemorates the Triumphal Return of the Holy Icons to the Church

Procession of the Holy Icons

Third Sunday of Lent - Adoration of the Holy Cross

The Church, in Her wisdom places the Cross in the middle of Lent to give us strength, to show us why we struggle and fast, and to bring us to mind our higher calling.

Procession of the Holy Cross

Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts

Every Wednesday Night during Great and Holy Lent the Church celebrates the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts. This Liturgy takes place to make up for the fact that during the period of Great Lent no weekday Liturgies can take place. The only exception is the Annunciation on March 25. The service is more somber, the Church decorated in dark purple.

Moving of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts on Sunday or Saturday

Reading of the 3 Stanzas

Moving the Pre-Sanctified Gifts to the Prothesis

The Entrance of the Gladsome Light

The Great Entrance

Salutations to the Theotokos

For the first five Friday Nights of Great and Holy Lent the Church celebrates the service of the Salutations to the Theotokos. The Salutations are pieces of a poem to the Mother of God. Each Stanza of this poem moves in sequential order to the Greek Alphabet. On the fifth and final Friday the poem is recited in its entirety throughout the course of the service.

Censing at the 9th Ode

Salutations Entrance

Reader Entrance