Featured Articles
Meatfare Sunday (Sunday of the Last Judgement)
The trumpets shall blow, and the graves shall be empty, and all mankind shall rise trembling. They who have done good shall rejoice with joy, expecting their reward; and those who have done evil shall tremble greatly, moaning and shaking, as they are sent to suffering, separated from the elect. Wherefore, O Lord of glory, be compassionate toward us, and make us worthy to be of those who love thee; for thou art good.
-from Vespers, Tone 6
For those observing the Lenten Fast, Meatfare Sunday is the last day on which meat and poultry are eaten before Pascha. Click here to read more about the Lenten Fast.
Read more about Meatfare Sunday, in an excerpt from Great Lent by Alexander Schmemann.
Listen to Fr. Thomas Hopko's reflections on the Sunday of the Last Judgement on Ancient Faith Radio.
FOCUS Launches Tackle Poverty Campaign with Polamalu Family
Prior to Super Bowl Sunday, and in anticipation of Great Lent, FOCUS North America has announced that they have joined hands with Troy and Theodora Polamalu to tackle poverty in America. "By joining with us," they urge, "you will help those in need-the poor, the sick and the suffering. Join us also in prayer this Lent for those who have no one to turn to and no one to pray for them." Troy Polamalu holds two Super Bowl rings as a Pittsburgh Steeler, and his wife Theodora is a board member for FOCUS. They are also parents of a young son, Paisios.
In an interview on OCN, the Polamalus discuss the importance of FOCUS' ministry, why they are choosing to become involved in fighting poverty in America, and how the Orthodox Christian approach to charitable outreach differs from other philanthropic groups.
AFR and Jason Barker Produce WORSHIP & YOU
WORSHIP & YOU, the new multimedia study for Orthodox Christian adults and teens from Jason Barker and Ancient Faith Radio, aims to help Christians deepen their worship of God, and take the transforming power of that experience into their daily lives.
Focusing on the main services of the Orthodox Church and personal prayer, Worship & You looks at the meaning of what takes place during liturgical worship, and how this applies outside of the church in the everyday world.
Bishop BASIL Visits Syria and Antioch
His Grace Bishop BASIL of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America recently returned from a journey to Syria. His Grace's travels included visits to many holy sites in in Aleppo and Antioch (in Turkey), as well as visits with Patriarch IGNATIUS IV, Metropolitan SABA of the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran, monastics, college students and others. Sayedna has kindly provided us with numerous photos from his trip: click here to visit the gallery!
February 2010 Issue of The Word Magazine Now Available Online
The February 2010 issue contains the following articles:
Why Fast?, pg. 4
by Chris Humphrey
The Power of the Name, pg. 6
by Fr. George Morelli
The Emergence of Local Orthodox Christian Societies in America, pg. 26
by His Grace Bishop THOMAS and Sub-deacon Simeon Dana Kees
...and more!
New: Little Compline with Akathist to the Theotokos
NEW ITEM for 2010 Great Lent
The Little Compline with the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos
Download Order Form (PDF)
New Edition for 2010
Spiral Bound
82 Pages
Musical Notation included
Order of Services delineated for the First Four Weeks as well as for the Fifth Week of Great Lent
An Introduction to the Service
A Paschal Calendar up to 2046
Edited and compiled by the Department of Sacred Music of the Archdiocese
GET YOUR COPY TODAY!
PRICE: $10.00 per copy (plus Shipping & Handling)
Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple + February 2
Adorn thy chamber, O Zion, and receive Christ the King. Welcome Mary the heavenly gate; for she hath appeared as a cherubic throne; she carrieth the King of glory. Verily, the Virgin is a cloud of light carrying in her body the Son Who is before the morning star, Whom Simeon carrying in his arms proclaimed to the nations as the Lord of life and death, and the Savior of our souls.
--Vespers of the Feast, Tone 7
Rejoice, O Virgin Theotokos, full of grace, for from thee arose the Sun of justice, Christ our God, lighting those who are in darkness. Rejoice and be glad, O righteous old man, carrying in thine arms the Deliverer of our souls, Who granteth us Resurrection.
--Apolytikion of the Feast, Tone 1
U.S. Faithful Reach out to Haitian Orthodox Communities
Both the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Mexico, have parishes in Haiti, and all have been impacted in varying degrees, by the devastating earthquake of January 12. V.Rev. Victor Potapov, the Executive Director for the Fund for Assistance of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, reports that the Assistance Fund has collected over $50,000 and disbursed $16,000 of aid to the suffering people of Haiti through trusted clergymen on the ground there. "This is an ongoing fundraising effort," he explains. "We are working towards opening a clinic on the grounds of one of our five parishes in Haiti. Please pray for Fr. Gregoire, Fr. Jean, their long-suffering parishioners and for the members of our delegation, who are doing a magnificent job in Haiti, negotiated with the United Nations, the Red Cross, IOCC and other organizations to get aid to our people."
Deacon Matthew Williams of ROCOR, recently returned from a trip to Haiti, where he summarized in an online report the desperate condition of parishioners there.
