THE GREAT LENT - A Week by Week Meaning

THE INSTITUTE OF LENT

There are institutes and symbols adopted by nations, churches or groups of men which represent certain ideals accumulated in the past. These institutes, that is precepts recognized as authoritative, and symbols represent the thoughts and feelings of those who created or adopted them and put in them all the experience of the past, often through struggle and sacrifice. A few feet of ribbon for instance, red, blue and white in color, have little value as is. But if one puts them in a certain pattern of stripes and stars, they become the flag of the United States and represent the ideals and unity of the people of America. The flag reminds us of the people's struggle for liberty. It represents the national unity which attained for them their rights as a people. The same could be said for the institutes of a nation, army or any group of people. These institutes are created by the people and are used by them in certain ways for certain aims. Some of these institutes are the means for achieving certain values and ideals. In the life of the Church of Christ there are many institutes created and maintained to meet the needs of the people - the Ecclesia. Among these is the Great Lent which falls within the year-cycle of the life of the Church before Pascha-Easter. Lent is the period of time for self-examination by the believer; of putting on the spiritual armor of the Militant Church; of applying the riches of prayers and almsgiving; of adopting deeply the meaning of repentance; of atonement and reconciliation with God Almighty.

The Meeting of the Lord and the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia

The feast day of the Meeting of the Lord and the Statehood Day of the Republic of Serbia also this 2015 was solemnly celebrated in the historical place of Orasac, from where more than two centuries ago the uprising of the Serbian people and the creation of the Serbian statehood began.

The celebration of this great feast day of the Church of Christ started with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy celebrated by His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadia, with the concelebration of the local clergy.

Courses of the Sts. Sebastian and Mardarije Institute continue in Phoenix

His Grace Bishop Maxim of Western America and St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Phoenix, Arizona are host to this year's St. Sebastian and St. Mardarije Ecclesial Orthodox Institute which is being held in cooperation with the Clergy Brotherhood of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It officially began on Monday with registration which was followed by Vespers. Afterward, an introduction and greeting was given by His Grace Bishop Longin of New Gracanica and Midwestern America. Tuesday was the first day filled with sessions. After Vespers His Grace Bishop Atanasije (Jevtic) of Hercegovina delivered the Keynote Address: "The Eschata in Our Daily Life".

Special Inter-Orthodox Commission starts its second session

The Special Inter-Orthodox Commission for preparation of a Pan-Orthodox Council started its second session at the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Orthodox Center in Chambesy near Geneva on 16 February 2015.

The Serbian Orthodox Church  is represented by His Eminence Metropolitan Dr. Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and His Grace Bishop Dr. Irinej of Backa. Archpriest Gajo Gajic is also the part of the delegation.The commission established by the Primates of Local Orthodox Churches at their meeting on March 6-9, 2014, in Istanbul, will continue the work to edit draft documents of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church. The commission started this work at its first session which took place on September 30 – October 3, 2014.

President of the Government of Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic attended the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in Zagreb

The feast day of the Meeting of the Lord 2015 was solemnly celebrated with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy at the Cathedral church at Preradovic Square in Zagreb.

Metropolitan Dr. Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana officiated the Eucharistic gathering with the concelebration of Their Graces Bishops Fotije of Dalmatia, Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac and Jovan of Slavonia. This year’s celebration of the Meeting of the Lord and the national Statehood Day of Serbia was marked by the visit of the Prime Minister of Republic of Serbia Mr. Aleksandar Vucic.

The Feast day of Saint Triphon in Karlovac

On the feast day of Great Martyr Trifun, on 14 February 2015, His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb-Ljubljana officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy with the concelebration of Their Graces Bishops Fotije of Dalmatia, Sergije of Middle Europe and Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac at the Cathedral church in Karlovac.

The clergy of the Metropolitanate of Zagreb-Ljubljana also concelebrated. Father Milos Vesin and Metropolitan Porfirije held sermons on this Saint.