2018 Holy Week/Paschal Message From Fr. Peter

It is hard to believe that the Lenten Season has come to a close and that we have now embarked on the final leg of our journey to Pascha, that of Passion (Holy) Week! 

It has been quite a journey! With all of  the joys and struggles, that one  normallyencounters during the Fast, we  also dealt with two nor’easters in a row which forced us to reschedule our Presanctified Liturgy and cancel our adult education.

None the less, I have been pleased by the peaceful spirit which has permeated our parish life during Great Lent.  I have  seen  in the calm demeanor of so many of you the fruits of  the three pillars of  Lent at work in your lives, that of  Prayer, Fasting and Good Works. The services have been very spiritually uplifting and our Lenten fellowship following Presanctified Liturgy and our discussion on the Psalms was very enjoyable.  And new this year, our book discussion group which met on several occasions during Coffee Hour was a welcome addition.  I hope we can continue this outside of Lent

I am also gratified that we were able to provide spiritual support to the members of the University of Connecticut  Orthodox Christian Fellowship in celebrating the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete during the first week of Lent and the Presanctified Liturgy for the Feast of the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste.

I encourage all  of us to take full advantage of the  life-giving and inspiring Holy Week  Services of the Church.  I urge you to have the strength to attend and take part in as many, if not all, of the Holy Week Services that is humanly possible. They are of the most beautiful and meaningful of the Liturgical Year.   They provide us with many opportunities for  spiritual healing and finding inner peace in the knowledge that God is with and within us as we journey to paradise in this earthly life. 

I urge all of  you to worthily prepare to receive Holy Communion on Pascha by making a careful and thorough Confession. You will find  peace and grace by doing so.

I wish all of you a blessed remainder of the Great Fast and a glorious light-filled Pascha. 

Fr. Peter