...for Holy Week, Pascha & Upcoming Events
 |
| Foto by Alexios Gennaris |
Esteemed Presidents,
Beloved Faithful,
Grace and peace be with you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose glorious Resurrection we will soon celebrate.
I would like to share some directives and guidance with the communities of our Holy Archdiocese as we plan and prepare for the remainder of Holy and Great Lent, Pascha, and the months to follow.
A Warm Thanks
I would first of all like to thank the great number of clergy who were able to attend this year’s Vespers of Forgiveness at the Cathedral of the Divine Wisdom. Your presence was a great blessing and a beautiful opportunity for us to enter Holy and Great Lent in a spirit of communion and brotherhood. Such gatherings are rare, but they are most meaningful.
National Holidays of Greece and Cyprus
As you know, both Greece and Cyprus will soon celebrate their national holidays, on 25 March and 1 April, respectively. Parishes with members from Cyprus and/or Greece should, as is customary, offer a Doxology at the end of the Divine Liturgy on the respective Sundays preceding these dates.
Following the Doxology, it is both fitting and proper that the shared national anthem of Greece and Cyprus be sung first, followed by “God Save the King”.
Consecration of New Church at Monastery of St John the Baptist
The Holy Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist in Essex will be celebrating the Consecration of their newly constructed Church on Sunday 22 June. This will be a great blessing for all of us who cherish the beloved monastic community in Essex. Clergy who desire to attend Saturday evening Vespers in prayerful support of this joyous occasion are welcome to do so. However, our clergy will not be permitted to attend the Divine Liturgy and Service of Consecration itself, considering that we cannot close our parishes on a Sunday morning. This directive also applies to parishes with multiple priests. I thank you for your understanding and kindly ask that you do not submit requests for exceptions to the Archdiocese.
Dormition Fast
As clergy and their families are making plans for summer holidays, I take this opportunity to share a reminder that clergy will not be permitted to schedule leaves of absence for the duration of the Dormition Fast and Feast (1-15 August), or the corresponding period for parishes following the Old Calendar.
Financial Support for the Archdiocese
We endeavour to exercise discernment and sensitivity to the needs of our communities by not adding to your existing financial obligations with frequent requests for support of our Archdiocese. We do believe that it is feasible for all parishes to take up a collection once a year in support of the many ministries organised and run by our Archdiocese. We therefore suggest that this collection take place on Holy Friday or Holy Saturday. When you send the funds to our Archdiocese, please include your parish number and clearly state that this is your Paschal Gift to the Archdiocese, so that our accountant can properly record your community’s contribution.
Thank you for your consideration and attention to these points.
As we pass the half-way mark of this Lenten season, looking forward to Holy Week and the Great Feast of Pascha, I pray that God will bless us all and forgive our sins and shortcomings. May His mercy, peace, and joy dispel the darkness that so often threatens to engulf our world, and may we prove to be true witnesses to God’s unfathomable love by allowing the glory of the Resurrection to shine through our hearts and to brighten our faces for all to see.
With paternal love and blessings,
+ Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain
No comments:
Post a Comment