Sunday, June 28, 2026
St Luke Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

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Icons and a reliquary were blessed on the Sunday of Orthodoxy

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk

On the occasion of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, Fr. Roman blessed the Icons and the reliquary. The reliquary will serve for the St. Luke’s Relics (a piece of bone). The Relics was gifted to our St. Luke’s parish by Fr. Ivan Shkumbatyuk and his family. Fr. Ivan is a pastor of St. Constantine Church in Minneapolis. Our community is grateful for this gift and always keeps all our benefactors in our prayers. After the Divine Liturgy, everyone had an opportunity to venerate the Relics and be blessed by Holy Oil sanctified on the Relics of St. Luke.

Information about St. Luke’s relic and veneration.

St. Luke (Feast day: October 18th) was one of the 70 Apostles (Luke 10). He is the author of the Gospel according to Luke. St. Luke was a physician and the first iconographer.
The relics of St. Luke have an interesting history. The miracle-working relics of the Apostle Luke were transported to Constantinople during the 4th-century, under the reign of Emperor Constantius (357 AD), the son of Constantine. In 1204, the Crusaders of the IV Crusade stole the relic from Constantinople and transported it to Padova in Italy and it is still located there in the Catholic church of Santa Justina at the center of the city.
In 1992, the then Metropolitan Ieronymos of Thebes and Levathia (currently the Archbishop of Greece) requested the return of a “significant fragment of the relics of St. Luke to be placed on the site where the holy tomb of the Evangelist is located and venerated today”. This prompted a scientific investigation of the relics in Padua, and by numerous lines of empirical evidence confirmed that these were the remains of an individual of Syrian descent who died between 130 and 400 A.D. The Bishop of Padua then delivered to Metropolitan Ieronymos the rib of St. Luke that was closest to his heart to be kept at his tomb in Thebes, Greece.
The tomb works miracles even today. On December 22, 1997, at 1:30 PM myrrh appeared on the tomb’s marble and since then the interior of the marble sarcophagus has been fragrant.

What Is a Relic?

A relic is a fragment of the body or physical possession of a canonized saint that can help us grow closer to God. Relics are divided into three classifications. A first-class relic is a body part of a saint, such as bone, blood, or flesh. Second-class relics are possessions that a saint owned, and third-class relics are objects that have been touched to a first or second-class relic or the saint has touched him or herself.
Veneration, or an act of honor or respect (not worship), of relics from martyrs dates back to beginnings of the Church.
In fact, churches were often built on the remains of Christian martyrs and current saints to provide more blessings.

Worship vs. veneration

We do not worship relics. Instead, we venerate them. We take great care to distinguish veneration (Greek: doulia) from worship (Greek: latreia). In English, the two words have definitions people often treat as synonymous. However, in Greek, the official liturgical language of the Early Church, the two words have entirely separate meanings. Where worship means completely giving over oneself to service to God, veneration means simply treating something with reverence, respect, and honor. We afford both worship and veneration to God, but the only One we worship is God.

Why do we venerate relics?

The Orthodox Christian practice of venerating relics reflects our beliefs of salvation. We understand salvation as theosis, or deification, becoming “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). This is the primary reason the Incarnation happened, and why Christ voluntarily endured crucifixion and death. He did this so we could become by Grace what God is by nature. Our bodies are not prisons for our souls but rather are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:15, 19; Eph. 2:19-22). Thus, God’s grace affects not only the spirit, but also the physical body. This is especially the case for Saints, who actively participate in God’s divine nature (“Saint” comes from the Greek hagiosis, which means, “the holy ones”).

We venerate the relics of saints for several reasons: First because we believe the body remains the temple of the Holy Spirit, even after death. Second, because veneration of a saint’s relics affirms the reality of his or her existence. Third, the act of veneration communicates that all Christians, even those who have departed this life, remain in communion with God and with one another. Lastly, we do this to honor these saints as examples for how we should live our own lives to please God and achieve theosis. We also venerate their relics in the hope that we may somehow participate in the Grace they received. In other words, to have a share in their holiness.

Where’s the Biblical evidence for relics?

In Eastern Tradition, we adhere to the Old Testament as the basis for many aspects of our liturgical worship, including the veneration of relics. We see the ancient Israelites venerating relics and paying them incredible respect, so as Eastern Christians we continue to do the same. The book of Exodus perhaps provides us with the best example: the Ark of the Covenant. For the Israelites, the Ark was the center of all formal worship and was kept in the Holy of Holies. All pious Jews held the Ark in great reverence and were not allowed to touch it without God’s express permission. Why? Because the Glory of the Lord rested upon it, and within it, Aaron placed relics from the Exodus out of Egypt: a jar of manna (Exodus 16:33); the Decalogue or Ten Commandments (cf. Exodus 25:16; Deut. 10:1-5); and Aaron’s rod (Numbers 17:10).

Elsewhere in the Scriptures, we see the bones of Elisha bring a dead man back to life (4 Kings 13:21), handkerchiefs and aprons touched by Saint Paul healing the sick (Acts 19:11-12), and Saint Peter’s shadow passing over the sick and healing them (Acts 5:14-15). And in the Gospels, many healings involve relics, including the healing of the woman with an issue of blood, who simply touched the hem of Christ’s garment and received healing (Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48. His garment effectively became an avenue of Grace (God’s energy/power) into her (Luke 8:46).

Thank you all for your spiritual and financial support.
Also, we started our new project for our children.
Here is more detailed information:
Help us build a space where our children can learn and build a strong faith foundation that will stay with them throughout their lives.

God bless you!

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Parish newsPhotogallery

Blessing of Hexapterygon, Ripidas (or Ripidion)

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk

Our St. Luke Church community received two hexapterygon, ripidion, or seraphic fans, which were blessed in our chapel before Sunday’s Divine Liturgy by Ver. Rev. Fr. Roman Bobesiuk, February 11, 2024. At the conclusion of the blessing, Fr. Roman thanked a benefactor for this gift.
St. Luke Church is blessed to have several pre-teens who serve at the altar weekly.

History, Meaning, Usage

The ripidions clearly have a practical function in their origin – to keep insects away from the Holy Gifts. Moreover, the two seraphim of the ripidions signify the union between the earthly divine Liturgy and the heavenly Liturgy celebrated by the Eternal Priest, Jesus Christ.
They bring honour to the Gospel when it is carried and read. They are also used to honour the Gifts when they are transferred from the Oblation Table to the Holy Table. The ripidion can be used at other times.  Certainly, they can be used at any entrance (little/great). They can also used at the the plashchanitsa (epitaphios, holy shroud), both at the tomb and during processions. They are also used at the bier over the relics of a bishop or priest.
Since the ripidions represent the angelic presence in the heavenly Kingdom, they are not used when the deacon is reading the Gospel. The deacon himself, with the orarion, represents the angelic presence.

Ripidion is generally made of metal, round, having the iconographic likeness of an angel with six wings, and is set on the end of a pole. Hexapteryga of carved, gilded, or painted wood are also found. They are usually made in pairs. In the West, the liturgical fan goes by the name flabellum, which is simply the Latin word for fan. In the Ukrainian Church, it is called the ripida, from the Greek word ripidion, again meaning fan.
When not in use, the ripida are usually kept in stands behind the Holy Table.

Thank you all for your spiritual and financial support.

Also, we started our new project for our children.
Here is more detailed information: Help us build a space where our children can learn and build a strong faith foundation that will stay with them throughout their lives.
God bless you!

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Appeals

Great Fast Pastoral Letter 2024

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk

GREAT FAST PASTORAL LETTER OF THE UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF THE U.S.A. TO OUR CLERGY, HIEROMONKS AND BROTHERS, RELIGIOUS SISTERS, SEMINARIANS AND BELOVED FAITHFUL

“Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins
and not judge my brothers and sisters
for you are blessed for ever and ever. Amen.”
Lenten prayer of Saint Ephrem of Syria

As we enter this Lenten season, we all experience darkness around us. We all have been living in the shadows of two years of war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East and other places throughout the world. We all struggle with extended time of darkness that has impacted each of us, our families, our communities, our church, our nation and the world.
At the same time, we are invited to embark on the Lenten pilgrimage. The doors of repentance are opening! The Great Lent is beginning! Every year Great Lent is repeated, and each time it brings us great benefit if we as individual, our families and church community entrust ourselves to start this journey. It is a preparation for the life to come and, more immediately, a preparation for the Bright Resurrection. Repentance for us as individuals is the conscious transformation of our hearts, ours minds, and the very essence of our lives. This is at the heart of the Great Lent. This experience gives us a deeper understanding of God’s love in living through the darkness of the death of Christ that reveals to us the saving death for our salvation – the life-giving death. But, Christ’s death is the not the final event!
Only when we acknowledge our need to repent, when we enter the “wilderness of the desert of our hearts” and focus inward that we take the first step on the road to repentance. Then we start to understand why we are terrified, afraid, and uncertain.
During the Lenten days, we are offered the opportunity to seek release from those things we have allowed, often unconsciously, to hold us captive, yet which in and of themselves have no real power over us. Now, during the forty days, we are challenged to do away with our passions, our preoccupations, our pride, our jealousy and anger. Now, we are assured that the doors of repentance are opened to those who knock. Repentance stands at the very heart of our spiritual lives. Repentance is our ongoing, continuing and daily pursuit.
We enter this Lenten journey as individuals, but we are not alone, at the same time we enter this pilgrimage with our families and our church community. Together, we stand at the doors of repentance. Together, we knock and implore the Giver of Life to lead us from the desert of our lives into the joy of being with God.
On this journey will be able to see in the new light people around us. We will be able to listen more attentively to those in need, those less fortunate than us in our community. We will be able to walk together through trials and tribulations, assist and help each other. We will be able to live our Christian vocation to preach the “Good News” of Christ in our lives. We and our communities will become welcoming and hospitable both for its faithful and for strangers. We will manifest this spirit of service toward those who are closest to us, to our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, to fellow parishioners, and even to total strangers, whom we meet for the first time. Let us also remember that in our midst there are many, who have left the Church for a variety of reasons, or they don’t attend simply because no one has ever said to them: “Come and see!” (John 1:46). Let us invite them to start this Lenten journey together.
Great Lent is a perfect time to strive to live for our church community in unity. It is a time for our community to be resplendent with evangelical joy and godly life. Our spiritual life will be a sign of God’s presence in the world, through our prayer and our service to others. This Lenten journey allows us to touch all aspects of our inner life, our church community and in a broader sense encompasses the fullness of Christian life. Let us be not afraid and with joy enter this Lenten pilgrimage which will lead us from darkness to the joy and brightness of Christ’s Resurrection.
May God bless our Lenten pilgrimage toward the glorious Feast of the Resurrection!

+Borys Gudziak
Archbishop of Philadelphia for Ukrainians
Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States
+Paul Chomnycky, OSBM
Eparch of Stamford
+Вenedict Aleksiychuk
Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago
+Bohdan J. Danylo (author)
Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma
Great Lent 2024

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Parish news

Help us build a space where our children can learn and build a strong faith foundation that will stay with them throughout their lives.

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I’m so glad that we started our Lenten journey toward Resurrection. Through this journey we have to fill our hearts with peace and love and become closer each day to our Heavenly dwelling. Prayers, Fasting and Almsgiving are three powerful tools that help us to reach our final destination.

I would like to ask you to do a favor for our St. Luke’s Church.

Turn around and you will see our children who fill our church with joy, and smiles. Not only do they fill the church with joy, but with great hope for our future. Spiritual education of children is a very important part of our mission. Jesus told His Apostles not to forbid the children to come to Him. Last week we started our catechism class for children. Soon we will also start a homeschool co-op. We need to acquire a lot of different items to make our children’s classes more productive and comfortable: tables, chairs, shelves, books, rugs to cover the hard concrete floor, games, classroom materials, etcetera. The education of children is vitally important. As St. John Bosco said, “If we want to have a good society, we must concentrate all our forces on the Christian education of the young. Experience has taught me that if we wish to sustain civil society then we should take good care of the young.”

I appeal to you to help us to purchase the needed items for education of our children at St. Luke’s. In helping us to build our classroom, you practice almsgiving. We always pray for our benefactor, and our parish children in turn will pray for you as well. We all have the great desire to live in God’s beautiful Wyoming country, so let’s take care of its future through spiritual education of our children.

You can also make your donation through Zelle (307) 899-0164

Thank you for your continued support!

Every day we pray for our Benefactors!

God bless you abundantly!

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Parish news

Approaching Great Lent.

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
We are approaching the blessed time of Great Lent. This time is a good opportunity to take a pause and remind ourselves of who we are and what the purpose of our life is. For that, we have to take a look at our lives.
Everyone’s life is formed by different circumstances. We have to value every moment of every circumstance with gratitude, even the unhappy situations. Every page of our life’s book has a deep meaning for us. It’s an experience that teaches us to live in a better way. What is the secret of a happy life? Remember that our Earthly lives are only a temporary status. We have to try to live every day like the last day, with joy and gratitude and remember that we all are called to the Heavenly Kingdom by our Heavenly Father. We are created and chosen for Heaven and we have all that we need to reach our final destination:
Map – Holy Bible.
Ticket – Holy Baptism.
Phone – Prayers.
Backpack – Holy Mysteries (Sacraments).
Food – Holy Eucharist.
Shelter – Church.
Weapon – Fasting, Almsgiving.
Company – our family, friends, neighbors, and even enemies.
Let us turn the page of our old life and begin to write the next chapter of our new life.
And remember that God prepared for us, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9
In Christ,
Fr. Roman
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Byzantine Rite

Ceremony of Reconciliation

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk

A mutual forgiveness is usually offered at Vespers on the evening of the Sunday of Forgiveness (i.e. Cheesefare Sunday). If the pastor so wishes, this ceremony may be celebrated during any liturgical service. If the ceremony is taken at Vespers or at a Moleben, then it would occur before the dismissal “Wisdom!”

(If it is taken during the Divine Liturgy, the Ceremony of Reconciliation would follow immediately after “Let us love one another…”, before the recitation of the Creed.)

If the Ceremony of Reconciliation is taken on another day (i.e. not on Cheesfare Sunday), then a Gospel reading on the theme of forgiveness should be read at the Vespers, Moleben, etc… (suggestions: Lk. 6:27-36 Or, Mt. 5:22-24,43-48)

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: Lord God, the creator of all and the designer of the human race, You created us in Your image and in the likeness of Your Trinitarian life. As You exist as three persons, but live one Divine life we too were created to live a life as one people, in peace and harmony. However, we drifted away from this calling and gave into selfishness and discord, in the example of Cain’s sin of fratricide We started arguments, divisions and wars among ourselves. Still, You did not leave us, but sent your only begotten Son so that we might once again be united to You. He taught us that we must forgive seventy-times-seven times, and He gave His life that might all be one. Heavenly Father, send Your Holy Spirit upon us, the Spirit of peace and harmony, that we, gathered here in Your Name would show good-will and mercy, and forgive one another as You forgave us through Your Son Jesus Christ.

As You glorified Saints Borys and Hlib for their refusal to take up arms against their brother, also remove from our hearts any anger and desire for vengeance. Open our hearts, Lord, and fill them with the spirit of forgiveness, peace and love.

For You are the God of peace and true love, and we give glory to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now, always and forever and ever.

People: Amen.

 (The Priest stands on the solea, or before the tetrapod and turns to the people. If there are Altar Servers, they stand with the people, who are facing the Priest(s). The Priest makes a profound bow before the people, and remaining on his knees, says:)

Priest: Bless me Brothers and Sisters and forgive me a sinner, for I have sinned this day and all the days of my life, by word, act, thought and with all my senses.

People: (still standing, respond) May God forgive you and have mercy on you, our spiritual Father. We forgive you.

Priest: Forgive me, Brothers and Sisters, if I have offended you by my words or conduct.

People: May God forgive you and have mercy on you, Spiritual Father. We forgive you.

Priest: Forgive me Brothers and Sisters if I have not fulfilled all my obligations toward you, through forgetfulness or carelessness.

People: May God forgive you and have mercy on you, spiritual Father. We forgive you.

Priest: Forgive me, Brothers and Sisters, and all my fellow members of the clergy for everything, if we have sinned against you in any way.

People: May God forgive you and have mercy on you. We forgive you.

(The Priest stands and the people make a profound bow before him, and remaining on their knees say:)

People: Bless me, Dear Father, and forgive me a sinner, for I have sinned. this day and all the days of my life, by word, act, thought and with all my senses.

Priest: May God, by His grace, forgive you your sins and have mercy on you. I forgive you.

People: Bless me, Father, and forgive me a sinner, if I have not fulfilled my obligations to you, because of forgetfulness or lack of caring.

Priest: May God, by His grace, forgive you your sins and have mercy on you. I forgive you.

People: Bless me, Father, and forgive me a sinner, if I have spread disunity, made your work burdensome or was a hinderance to the outpouring of Divine Grace in our Parish family.

Priest: May God, by His grace, forgive you your sins and have mercy on you. I forgive you.

(All rise)

Priest: How good and pleasing it is when brothers and sisters live in harmony. So now it is still necessary that you would all forgive one another. Let all those on the right-hand side turn and face those o the left. and those on the left face those on the right. Look well, Brothers and Sisters. Is there not someone here with whom you should personally make peace with? Let us now, all together, forgive one another.

People: Pray for me Brothers and Sisters, and forgive me a sinner, for I have sinned against you by word, act and thought. Let there be no anger among us.

(then everyone responds)

People: May God forgive you and have mercy on you, Brothers and Sisters. I forgive you.

Priest: Let us offer each other the kiss of peace (with the three kisses on the shoulder and asked for forgiveness from each person and forgave each person).

(The priest stood at the front of the worship space, facing the congregation. Members of the congregation formed one long line up the center aisle facing him.

As the woman at the head of the line stepped toward the priest he said,

“Forgive me, a sinner,” and bowed.

Then the woman facing the priest said,

God forgives, and I forgive.” (Or words quite like that.)

Then she spoke to the priest, also saying

Forgive me, a sinner.”

And the priest answered her in the same way:

God forgives, and I forgive.”

Then she stepped her left and stood beside the priest, turning to face the same direction as him.

The second person in line approached the priest.

They each asked forgiveness.

They each granted forgiveness.

Then that second person in line moved one step to the left to stand in front of the one who had been first in line. They each, in turn, asked forgiveness.

They each granted forgiveness.

Then this second person step to his left, turned around to stand at the end of the line that started with the priest.

This annual ceremony (usually celebrated on the eve of the Great Fast) does not substitute for the Holy Sacrament of Penance but may serve as it prepares to celebrate the Resurrection of Our All-forgiving Lord, Jesus Christ.

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Byzantine Rite

All Souls

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk

All Souls Saturdays – An Eastern Christian Tradition

“With the souls of the just brought to perfection, give rest O Savior, to the souls of your servants;
keeping them for the blessed life with you, for you love us all.”

Eastern churches (both Byzantine Catholic and Orthodox) set aside five Saturdays per year, called Souls Saturdays, to commemorate and pray for departed souls – our deceased loved ones. The reservation of these five days as part of the liturgical calendar of Eastern Churches differs from the liturgical traditions of the Roman Catholic church, which remembers the deceased on All Souls Day and All Saints Day in November.

In Eastern churches, it is customary to pray for the dead throughout the year during Divine Liturgies. We pray for the dead during Liturgy when the words are spoken in petition imme­diately after the Consecration of the Eucharist: “Remember, O Lord, all those who have departed in the hope of resurrection …” All Saturdays are likewise ded­icated to prayer for the de­ceased. But on All Souls Saturdays, the Divine Liturgy has an additional emphasis in remembering the deceased faithful. The Gospel readings on these All Souls Saturdays and Sundays following correspond with our need for having a greater understanding of mercy, repentance, forgiveness of sin and last judgment.

Immediately following each All Souls Saturday Liturgy, a short closing service called a “Panachida” is held. During the service, the names of deceased faithful are presented before God as they are recited aloud by the priest. The Panachida is a short, beautiful prayer service using a specific liturgical chant reserved for memorializing departed souls.

As Catholics, we are united with the Risen Christ.
We are members of the Body of Christ, the Church,
and we share in our relationship as a family of believers, all members of the church, both living and deceased.
In death, our deceased loved ones are still members of our church family, the community of saints,
and we continue to pray for them as well as asking for their prayers for us.

A Pre-Lenten period precedes the first All Souls Saturday. There is a set pattern of gospel readings in this preparatory time for Lent, and the sequence is always the same. The Sunday of Zaccheus (Lk. 19.1-10) is the first sign that Lent is not far away. It is followed by the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee (theme of humility), and the Sunday of the Prodigal Son (theme of repentance and forgiveness). The following Saturday is the First All Souls Saturday. It is easy to see how the lessons in these preparatory gospels serve as an introduction to what comes next in the liturgical calendar. The juxtaposition of the All Souls Saturdays clustered at this time before and during Lent is the way the church points us to strive for what is lasting and eternal rather than what attracts us in earthly treasure. On the Sunday immediately after this first All Souls, we hear in the gospel reading about the Final Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). In this Jesus describes how all will be judged, especially on our relationships with others in service and seeing Christ in those around us. In the First All Souls remembrance, we have an opportunity to pray for the deceased asking God to be merciful to them also.

The Second, Third, and Fourth All Souls Saturdays are all during Lent, known in Eastern Churches as the Great Fast. We are reminded of our own mortality and our need for repentance. We also are encouraged during Lent to perform charitable acts. Since praying for the dead is one of the spiritual acts of mercy, it is honorable to set aside additional time for praying for those who have preceded us.

The Fifth All Souls Saturday is the Saturday before Pentecost. At Pentecost we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit. We pray for the deceased in seeking the same graces of the Holy Spirit for them, that all are saved as Jesus promises.

“Blessed are they whom You have chosen and received, O Lord; they are remembered from generation to generation.”

Verse from Liturgy for Faithful Departed.

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Byzantine Rite

The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk

Each year the Canon of St. Andrew is read during the first week in Lent and prayed in a fuller way in the 5th week of Lent.   We also know this service as the Poklony (Prostrations) Service since in its entirety there are some 350 profound bows to the ground.  The service symbolizes the spirit of penance during Lent in our Eastern Church.

There is no other sacred hymn which compares with this monumental work, which St Andrew wrote for his personal meditations.  The canon is a dialog between St. Andrew and his soul. The ongoing theme is an urgent exhortation to change one’s life. St Andrew always mentions his own sinfulness placed in juxtaposition to God’s mercy, and uses literally hundreds of references to good and bad examples from the OT and NT to “convince himself” to repent.

In this hymn, all the events in Scripture involving humankind are made personal.  The scenes of the Bible pass in front of us and we relive them deeply.  The story of creation, the fall and redemption become the story of my creation, my fall and my redemption.  The Canon brings us into Scripture and uses powerful imagery to help us realize the depth of our sin.  We realize how far we are from Christ and we are moved to repentance.

During the canon, we sing Tropars that honour St. Mary of Egypt and St. Andrew of Crete.  St. Mary of Egypt led a very sinful life before repenting on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  Afterwards, she went into the desert where she spent the rest of her life in prayer and sorrow for her sins.  She is an example to us and inspires us to conversion, sorrow and atonement for sin.  St. Andrew of Crete was the archbishop of a city on the island of Crete.  He was a gifted preacher, writer and poet who composed many church hymns and canons, including the Great Canon.

General Themes of the Great Canon

How we should think about ourselves: Where shall I begin to lament the deeds of my wretched life? What first-fruit shall I offer, O Christ, for my present lamentation? But in Thy compassion grant me release from my falls.

Desire to change dialogue with the soul: Come, wretched soul, with your flesh, confess to the Creator of all. In the future refrain from you former brutishness, and offer to God tears of; repentance.

Recognizing Reality: The end is drawing near, my soul, is drawing near! But you neither care nor prepare. The time is growing short. Rise! The Judge is at the very doors. Like a dream, like a flower, the time of this life passes. Why do we bustle about in vain?

How to pray – Laments and supplications to God:Thou art the Good Shepherd; seek me, Thy lamb, and neglect no me who have gone astray.

OT and NT examples of righteousness and unrighteousness, for the purpose of emulation or avoidance:I have reviewed all the people of the Old Testament as examples for you, my soul. Imitate the God-loving deeds of the righteous and shun the sins of the wicked.

The most important thing to know about the Great Canon: The Great Canon was written by a holy man to teach himself the right way to live. We cannot benefit from it unless we make it a priority to stand in prayer, in the church, and listen to it, with a great desire and expectation for God’s grace to teach us and heal us.

My soul, my soul, Arise!
Why are you sleeping?
The end is drawing near,
And you are confounded,
Awake then and be watchful
Who is everywhere and fills all things.
We have sinned, transgressed, done wrong before You.
We have not watched or done as You have commanded us,
but do not give us up utterly, O God of our fathers.
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.

Kontakion and Ode from the Great Canon

Adapted with appreciation from: https://sspp.ca/

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Byzantine RiteParish news

A Brief Code of Conduct for the Christian in Church

by Rev. Roman Bobesiuk

(under the auspices of the Commission for the Laity of the Chicago Eparchy of St. Nicholas)

The church is the place where God meets with his people, Christ with his Bride – the Church; it is the image of the union in Christ of “heaven” and “earth”. Recognizing this reality, a Christian, as he or she approaches the church, must already internally prepare for this meeting with proper composed behavior. This inner state is also manifested through external signs, symbols that are inherent in human nature, which is a combination of the spiritual and bodily: our bodily postures and gestures express and nurture our spiritual mind-set.
I. Entering the church
At entering the church, the faithful make the sign of the cross three times. Men remove their head covering. Then, when the service has not yet begun, we calmly approach the tetrapod to venerate by bows and a kiss the church’s patronage icon (or icon of the respective feast) and the holy cross, crossing ourselves twice before and once after kissing. We then depart to our place in order to greet the Lord in private prayer and to give Him first our due respect and honor.
Afterwards, we may greet our fellow worshippers near us with a slight bow of our head or (unless it prevents others from praying) quietly addressing them with our traditional Christian greetings.
II. During the Divine Service
The Divine Liturgy is the foundation and summit of Christian life. It must be remembered that participating in the Liturgy every Sunday and on Feast days is our Christian duty. The voluntary and deliberate omission of this sacrament without good reason on our part is a violation of the Third Commandment of God – a grave offense.
Also, without good reason, we cannot be late for the Divine Liturgy. For proper preparation, we come to church in advance to go to confession, if need be, to make our private requests for prayers, to light votive candles, and so on. During the celebration of the Liturgy, we should not walk around in church, in order not to distract the faithful. If there is a need to light a candle during the service, we try to do so in a manner, so as not to disturb others at prayer.

• How to dress?
Our attire should be decent and festive in order to pay due respect to our Lord, and at the same time it should be simple so as not to distract other believers.

• How to pray?
The Divine Liturgy is the summit of the liturgical life of the Church and in Greek means “common cause”. In the Liturgy, the Church on earth is united with the heavenly Church in glorifying its Lord. Therefore, the faithful must, above all, “with one heart and one voice,” actively participate in all the prayers and chants that take place in church, responding, together with others, to the celebrants’ prayer invocations. These prayers and chants are a true “school of prayer” that encourages, shapes, and supports our personal prayer which accompanies them.
We set aside time for our individual, private prayers before and after the Liturgy, as well as before and after Communion.

• When should we cross ourselves?
We make the sign of the Holy Cross on ourselves at designated times, for example, at the mention in prayers of the Holy Trinity (“Glory be to the Father…”), and when the celebrant blesses us with his hand (“Peace be to all”), or with the Gospel, the chalice, the cross, an icon, or any other holy object.

• Stand, sit or kneel?
According to the tradition of our Eastern rite, our usual posture in church is standing: this posture expresses our spiritual attention and readiness to do God’s will. We may sit during the litanies, the reading of the Epistle and Psalms, preaching, and announcements. We pay special attention to the time of the Eucharistic Prayer (especially from the words, “Let us lift up our hearts” to the singing of “It is truly right to bless you … “), also to the time of Communion (from: “The holy Things to the holy” to “Stand aright! Having received…”).
In our Eastern rite, kneeling (as well as prostrations) is an expression of a penitential stance of the penitent before the Lord, so it is usually limited to the special services of Lent.

• How do we approach Holy Communion?
Communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord completes and crowns our participation in the Divine Liturgy. It is very important to remember that only those believers can approach Holy Communion who are not in a state of grave sin (a conscious and serious violation of any of the Ten Commandments of the Lord).
It is also important to know that a thoughtless and improper receiving of Holy Eucharist is another grave sin, a sacrilege. For this, the Lord has established the mystery of Holy Confession and the Church recommends to the faithful frequent confession (preferably once a month). If we are in a state of sanctifying grace, we can receive Communion even daily (but not more than once a day).
Standing in line to Holy Communion, and after receiving it, we do not approach the tetrapod or other places in the church and do not kiss icons.
It should be noted that in our rite it is not customary to beat our breast during certain prayers. Namely, before Holy Communion, in the prayer “I believe, O Lord, and confess…”, at the words: “Remember me …” and “God, be merciful …”, we do not beat out breast like the Old Testament publican, but we cross ourselves as a sign that in repentance we accept the cross by which Christ accomplished our salvation.
As we approach to receive Holy Communion, we make the sign of the cross and a slight bow before the Holy Cup with the Holy Gifts beforehand and carefully, so as not to risk bumping the Holy Cup; then we fold our arms across our breasts, pronounce our baptismal name, and open our mouths wide without sticking out our tongue or touching the spoon with our lips.
Having received Holy Communion, we take a step to the side, make the sign of the cross again, bow lightly and depart to our place, and there we stand, silently praying, thanking Christ for the grace of his entering our heart. This is an opportunity for private prayers if time permits, as other believers continue to receive Holy Communion.
If, during the communion of the faithful, the priest passes us on his way to another part of the church with the Eucharistic Cup, then we should cross ourselves and bow our head before the Holy Gifts.
Remember that Communion is the most important moment of the Holy Liturgy, so in the time of receiving the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is important for all believers (whether or not they participate in it) to maintain a proper attitude and peace. To this end, all believers must, in deep reverence for the Lord and respect for their neighbors, standing, without conversing, in deep reflection, and with due reverence, wait for the completion of this great Mystery.
At the conclusion of the Divine Service and our private prayer, we again approach the tetrapod and kiss the icon and the cross, with the threefold sign of the cross, as mentioned, and leave the church in peace.

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