Orthodox Gladness

O Theotokos, hope of those that dwell on earth, cease not to entreat the loving Lord on our behalf, for He alone knows our weaknesses. May H...

Maslenitsa (Russian: Мaсленица, Ukrainian: Масниця, Belarusian: Масьленіца; also known as Butter Week, Crepe week, or Cheesefair Week) week ...

Maslenitsa (Russian: Мaсленица, Ukrainian: Масниця, Belarusian: Масьленіца; also known as Butter Week, Crepe week, or Cheesefair Week) week ...

  The Lenten Triodion is the service book of the Orthodox Church that provides the texts for the divine services for the pre-Lenten weeks of...

Lenten days are approaching. Let us pray that we all, each of us, will come to our senses. So that all our people, all who have gone to a di...

Maslenitsa (Russian: Мaсленица, Ukrainian: Масниця, Belarusian: Масьленіца; also known as Butter Week, Crepe week, or Cheesefair Week) week ...

  This parable of God’s forgiveness calls us to “come to ourselves” as did the prodigal son, to see ourselves as being “in a far country” fa...

  The last of the preparatory Sundays has two themes: it commemorates Adam's expulsion from Paradise, and it is also the Sunday of Forgi...

  On this Sunday, we are powerfully reminded of a complementary truth: no one is patient and so merciful as God, but even He does not forgiv...

The Saturday of the Dead (Memorial Saturday of Meatfare, Soul Saturday) On the day before the Sunday of the Last Judgement, there is a unive...

  This parable of God’s forgiveness calls us to “come to ourselves” as did the prodigal son, to see ourselves as being “in a far country” fa...

The arena of God-given abstinence lies open before us: let us gladly enter there, for we are in need of mercy. In His compassion God thirsts...

At Forgiveness Sunday vespers (March 14) you will hear Paschal hymns. The reason for singing Paschal hymns is because many of the monks of P...

TUESDAY EVENING, WE READ THE GREAT PRAYER OF St. .Ephraim the Syrian. This prayer is also read on Thursday evening, and in the morning on We...

Today is the joyful forefeast of the time of abstinence, the bright threshold of the Fast. Therefore, brethren, together let us run the race...

  - the eve and beginning of Lent. The charter gently prepares us for Lent, so March 7 is the last day meat is allowed. A whole week has bee...

Open Thy fatherly embrace now and accept me also as the Prodigal son, o most merciful Lord, that I may glorify Thee with thanksgiving. (Sund...

Didactic Icons: The icon of the Publican and the Pharisee is what is called a didactic, or “teaching”, icon. The main difference between th...

Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee is the Beginning of the Lenten Triodion (Feb. 21) On this and the following two Sundays, the theme i...

The Lenten Triodion is the service book of the Orthodox Church that provides the texts for the divine services for the pre-Lenten weeks of p...