Due to the Covid 19 pandemic please note the following changes in our liturgical cycle:
1. The Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts is currently not being served.
2. Should the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts resume please consult suggestions for fasting.
3. Confessions will be heard only by appointment.
The Cathedral is in the process of preparing to resume “in person” Sunday Divine Liturgy. Once the logistics have been worked out a notice will be sent to the members of the parish. Due to state mandated protocols restricting the number of “in person” participants a rotation system will be implemented that will require congregants to be masked while maintaining social distancing during the Liturgy.
SERVICES
For Lenten services schedule, please see the Services Schedule page.
CONFESSIONS
Everyone is encouraged to come to confession during Great Lent. Confessions will be heard before and after the WEEKDAY services. When announced, confessions will also be heard on Tuesdays between 5 and 7 pm. Confessions are not heard during Holy Week.
FASTING SUGGESTIONS for those preparing to attend the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts:
In spite of the fixed rules for fasting when preparing to receive Holy Communion, we need to remember that these rules are to be applied with common sense. General health, metabolism and physical exertion are factors that are to be included in the fasting regime. Given that the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated at the end of the work day, the following suggestions are offered:
1. Fasting begins at Midnight, liquids may be taken until 3 pm
2. A light Lenten breakfast with liquids until 3 pm
3. A light Lenten breakfast and lunch with liquids until 3 pm
SUGGESTED READINGS
"Great Lent" by Fr. Alexander Schmemann is available at Amazon.com and at the HTOC book kiosk. You can read excerpts from this book here.
A Meditation on the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
A Liturgical Explanation of Holy Week by Fr. Alexander Schmemann
Father Robert has recommended certain short stories by Anton Chekhov as useful during Great Lent as we approach Pascha. They are available in several edition of selected stories, and have also been placed in public domain with a Creative Commons deed on the web site http://www.eldritchpress.org and have been reproduced here for your convenience. You may want to print out the material for easier reading.
The Murder is recommended to be read at the start of Great Lent.
The Bishop and The Letter are the second and third Lenten readings.
The Student, Easter Eve, and In Passion Week are recommended to be read prior to the eve of Pascha.
Daughters of the Vicar by D. H. Lawrence