Greek Orthodox Church - Saint George Cathedral: Prayer, Fasting, Sacraments, Sacred Music, Icons, Angels, Feasts of Virgin Mary, Monastic Life, Study Links, Articles

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Triodion Begins Feb 5th

During the three week pre-Lenten season the church prepares us for repentance. She urges us to prepare ourselves through gradual diet modification and instructing us with themes of humility, judgment, repentance and forgiveness. The period is bounded by four Sundays.

1. February 5: Publican and the Pharisee (Luke 18:10-14)
This Sunday emphasizes humility as a key attitude for repentance. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia, which means a change of mind. To repent we must not boast of our spiritual feats, but humble ourselves like the Publican who longs for a change of mind. We are called to learn this secret of the inward poverty of the Publican rather than the self-righteousness of the Pharisee who is convinced of his perfectness and not open to change because of his pride. There is no prescribed fasting for this week.

2. February 12: Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32)
This Sunday teaches us about our need to return from exile. This parable shows us the mercy of the Father who with open arms receives his son, whose behavior he does not return, but is joyous of his return home. We are encouraged to examine ourselves in the period of Lent to purge ourselves of sin and “come home.”
The week that follows is called Meat Week (Kreatini) as it is the last week we are to eat meat. In the villages of Greece this was the traditional week to slaughter the family pig and the leftovers were smoked to be eaten after Pascha. The normal rule of fasting are applied to this week, fast on Wednesday and Friday.
Saturday of this week is the first Saturday of Souls where those who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection and eternal life are remembered at a special service “Saturday of the Souls.” Parishioners bring small dishes of kollyva to the church and submit a list of first names of deceased ones to the priest. We commend to God all those who have departed before us, who are now awaiting the Last Judgment. This is an expression of the Churches love. We remember them because we love them.

3. February 19: Judgment (Meat-fare) Sunday (Matt 25:31-46)
This Sunday emphasizes the Last Judgment. We are reminded of our individual responsibility for love. We are encouraged not to eat meat this week, but we can eat eggs, cheese and other dairy products.

4. February 26: Forgiveness (Cheese-Fare) Sunday (Matt 6:14-21)
This Sunday emphasizes forgiveness and how we must forgive others if God is to forgive us so we can break the chains of sinful tendency which we inherit from the Adam and Eve. This is the last day of preparation as the traditional Lenten fast begins on the following day where no meat, dairy or eggs are to be eaten according to the church tradition.

5.February 27: Great Lent Begins
Great Lent is the period that the Church has in her wisdom set aside for us to intensify our own spiritual growth through fasting, prayer and worship. If you follow the Church guidelines on fasting, make time to attend the services and intensify your own prayer life, you will be rewarded with a greater closeness to God.

Living the Orthodox Christian Faith

• Ten Points for Living the Orthodox Life -
    Quick Guide to Orthodox Way of Life - Outlines path
    Christ, the Apostles and the Church Fathers gave us
    to prepare for our Salvation and union with God.
    It's a path everyone can follow.

• Prayer - Come closer to God through Daily Prayer, the Jesus prayer and more. One of the     most comprehensive online sources on Orthodox Prayer.
• Fasting - Why fast and guidelines
• Sacraments and Special Services -
      † Baptism       †Chrismation     †Holy Communion,
      †Confession      †Unction           †Matrimony,
      †Ordination      † Funeral              and more.
  • Divine Liturgy - NEW! Comprehensive information on the Divine Liturgy and Holy
                                       Communion (Presanctified Liturgy).
• Special Services: †Paraclesis Service        †Proskomide   †Akathist Hymn
• Liturgical Texts - †Paraklitiki (Oktoichos) †Triodion         †Pentecostarion
                               †Menaion                      †Horologion     †Euchologion
                               †Lectionary
     The translations are, in the main, based on the Greek books published by the Apostoliki Diakonia in Athens, which are,
     for the most part, a reprint of the editions published by Vartholomaios of Koutloumousiou in the early nineteenth century,
     themselves derived almost unchanged from the long series of printed editions since the sixteenth century.
• Bible Study - Guidelines for study and references.
• Articles     •Sacred Music     •Icon Gallery     •Angels     •Saints     • Canons
• Teachings on the End Times
• Monastic Life - Paracletos Monastery, Mount Athos and more
• Icons: Cathedral Icons, Collections, Articles, Audio/visual, Festival Presentations
• Feasts of the Virgin Mary the Theotokos - Learn about the
    incredible life of the Virgin Mary the Theotokos thru the major
    feasts of the Church dedicated to Her.
• Feast of Pentecost - The celebration of the Holy Spirit.
    Why is this feast so important?
• Study Links - Comprehensive links for study of the Orthodox Faith, online magazines and     Journals, and sources for Books, icons and religious items.

• An Online Catechism - Orthodox Way of Life - A complete online manual on the dogma     and teachings of the Church that underlie the Orthodox way of life that prepare us to     receive God's grace for our Union with Him.

Foundations of Orthodox Faith - a 12 week class given twice a year at the Saint George Cathedral. Email or call 864-233-8531 for information.

History of Church Doctrine - Why We Differ - a 12 week series - Audio, Slides & Handouts

What's New

History of Christian Doctrine - Why we Differ
Audio and slides from 12 week series.

Biblical Pen Drawings
These beautiful pen drawings were done by the late Philip Papadis, a Cathedral Sunday School teacher in his early years and are wonderful.

Orthodox Spirituality - a commentary on the book of the same name by Fr. Dimitru Staniloae by. Dn Charles Joiner

HDF Video - Troupe Adelphia
View their award winning performance in Orlando.
We are very proud of our dancers and thank God for the gifts he gave them and the effort they put in to use them. If you received your Orthodox Observer, the group saying a prayer is our kids.

Updated pages on Confession and Fasting

Divine Liturgy - NEW!

Icon - Panagia Soumela

• The Incredible story

New Section - Feasts of the Theotokos

• Feasts of the Theotokos
Explore the life of the Virgin Mary.

New Section - Angels
• Angels
Discover the Orthodox teachings about Angels

New Section - Saints

• Saints
Learn why we pray to the saints. See excellent video on what the Orthodox Church believes about Saints.