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THE AKATHIST HYMN TO THE MOTHER OF GOD
http://orthochristian.com/45826.html

THE SATURDAY OF THE AKATHIST HYMN. LAUDATION OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS
http://orthochristian.com/120528.html

Understanding Holy Week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs6UeOzaKe8

What Is Holy Week?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYTzVFJk-IQ

What is Holy Week? Catholic (Romerreports.com)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJMrC5r053E

The Easter Story in One Minute
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TdRx5BEW3Q

THE LIFE OF JESUS from the Gospel of John - full movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hexhw3wWmE

The Week that Changed the World with Paul L. Maier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoHAPj9O5c0

What is the meaning of Lent | What is Lent & Lent fasting | GotQuestions.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRddIFp03M4

What is Ash Wednesday? | Lent Fasting | GotQuestions.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn80Di-ptnI

What is Maundy Thursday / Holy Thursday? | What Does Maundy Mean? | GotQuestions.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRQ0qn7KQ8w

What is Good Friday or Holy Friday?| What Does Good Friday Mean? | GotQuestions.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ey5nQfR4mpk

What is Easter Sunday? | The Easter Story / Easter History | GotQuestions.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDVu42B-bWY

Holy Thursday HD (Catholic.org)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1R9Z9gkOck

What is Lent?

Lent is the annual period of Christian observance that precedes Easter. The dates of Lent are defined by the date of Easter, which is a moveable feast, meaning that it falls on a different date each year. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and its observance (although not its liturgical period, as Sundays are not fast days and are therefore not counted) lasts for 40 days, mirroring the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness before starting his ministry. It can also be seen to mirror the 40 hours that Jesus spent in the tomb prior to his resurrection.

Lent is a penitential period, involving the dual disciplines of abstinence and fasting. During Lent many Christians commit to fasting or giving up certain foods, habits or luxuries - for example meat, cakes and sweets, alcohol, smoking for its duration (the money saved is often then donated to charity). This is done both as a form of penitence and as a spiritual tool to tame the body and 'sharpen the spirit' for prayer, reflection and contemplation in preparation for the celebration of Easter.

Lent lasts for 40 days and the first day is always Ash Wednesday (the day after Shrove Tuesday). Nevertheless, there is often confusion as to when Lent ends! This is partly due to the fact that there are in fact always 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, and partly due to confusion between the period of the Lenten fast and the liturgical 'season' or period of Lent.

The Lenten Fast (which is the period that most people consider to be 'Lent') starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday (not to be confused with Easter Saturday, the Saturday after Easter). This is a period of 46 days. However, the six Sundays within the period are not fast days (Sundays are always feast days in the Christian calendar) and therefore not counted in the 40 days of Lent.

The liturgical period of Lent also begins on Ash Wednesday, however it ends on the evening of Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday). In addition, Palm Sunday (or alternatively the day before Palm Sunday) is sometimes considered to be the last day of Lent. This is incorrect and based on a misunderstanding about the liturgical periods of Lent and Holy Week. They are not exclusive of each other, and Lent in fact continues into Holy Week (see above), meaning that the liturgical season of Lent ends on Holy Thursday.

Purple is the color most associated with Lent - during this period purple church vestments (altar cloths and the priests' liturgical garments) are used. The purple is symbolic in two ways: it is the traditional color of mourning (recalling Jesus' death) and also symbolic of royalty (celebrating Christ's coming as King).

In Eastern Orthodox Christianity Lent is called 'Great Lent' and is the most important fasting period of the year, in preparation for the most important celebration of the year, Pascha (Orthodox Easter Sunday). As in Western Christianity, the period of Lent differs in its dates from year to year, with the dates defined by the date of Pascha, which is a moveable feast. Great Lent begins on Clean Monday (the beginning of the 7th week before Pascha) and runs for 40 days (including Sundays) until Lazarus Saturday (the day before Palm Sunday). Fasting continues until the morning of Pascha.
Credits calendarpedia: http://www.calendarpedia.com/when-is/lent.html

Over the ages, the Orthodox Church has maintained a flow of love and faith among the apostolic community that was founded by Christ and sustained by the Holy Spirit. Through her teachings of the historic Christian Faith, she has kept it free of error and distortion. In her entire body of teachings, you will not find anything that is opposed to the Divine Truth or that which hinders with real union with God.

Let us go through some of the beliefs and practices of the Orthodox Church that affirm the profound meaning of our faith and the glory and honor of Christ:

  1. Sanctity of marriage
    The Orthodox Church believes that a marriage can only be considered authentic when it is between a man and a woman. It is opposed to same-sex marriage on both theological and moral grounds, and stresses on God’s will that marriage must be a lifelong commitment, heterosexual and monogamous. Anyone who is tempted to act in opposition to the Church’s teachings on marriage and sexuality need to be offered pastoral guidance.
  2. Birth control
    While the beliefs on birth control vary among many in the Orthodox Church, but most believe that married couples can be allowed to control conception through natural family planning or by means of contraception, as long as it is done in a way that is no way contradicts the Christian way of life. This means that birth control should not be used simply as a means to avoid financial or social burden. The form of contraception should not be harmful to either of the spouse. It should also not involve the termination of a fertilized egg. The use of birth control should be a mutual decision between the husband and the wife.
  3. Cremation
    Cremation is considered a deliberate destruction and desecration of the human body, which is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The Orthodox Church instead insists that the body should be buried so that it can go through natural decomposition. If a person chooses to be cremated, the Church does not grant any funeral. In such situations, memorial services with kolyva (boiled wheat) are also not allowed.
  4. Human life
    God gave us the gift of life when he created the world. The Church’s teachings about human life are based on Holy Tradition, and it uses the Holy Scripture as a primary resource. The human life was created in the "image and likeness of God", which is why it deserves deep respect and dignity. Genocide, racism, any kind of sexual exploitation and abuse, domestic violence, theft, environmental destruction and other such unethical behavior violate the dignity of human life.

Read our other blogs to learn more about the teachings and beliefs of the Orthodox Church. Visit our online store to shop for Greek Orthodox Church supplies.

For most people in society, the orthodox way of life is outdated and tedious. However, it is not monastic like many people think, even though monasticism was part of the early church. Today, the Orthodox lifestyle is more of living a life that is less stressful and more meaningful. We are not required to live the most honored life or follow the monastic way of living. To an extent, we have the same goals. Like the monks, we also seek holiness and union with God, we should follow the principle of spiritual growth no matter which path we chose, we also need to have faith in God and accept the life given to us by Christ Himself through His Church. In this blog, we have listed a few points you should do as an Orthodox Christian.

Pray
Prayer is the foundation of the Orthodox way of life. It is also a conversation between you and the Almighty. When you pray, you unite your soul with God and receive the gift of His grace to aid you in overcoming your passions and living life based on love. To pray, you can choose a regular time and a private place, and you can do it every day in the morning and at night. Don’t try to modify it as Praying to God is not an exercise but communion with the creator. Remember, Prayer is the key to entering a life based on virtues.

Read Scripture
Living a spiritual life is a bit challenging. It is like traveling through rough waters and steep slope of mountains. However, reading the Scripture or Orthodox Christian books, especially books that talk about the lives of Christ and other Saints, can inspire you with the courage to continue along the path. You will see how those before you have traveled the same route, and with persistence and faith in the Almighty, they have reached greater heights and conquered every difficult situation.

Worship
Worship in the Church is an essential part if you want to live a life in Christ. The Church is the body of Christ on earth, and when we sing and pray together, we worship and praise the Holy Name along with the Angels and Saints in Heaven. In the Orthodox Church, we also have a few Sacraments which include the Holy Communion, Holy Confession, Holy Unction, Marriage, Ordination and Baptism and Chrismation.

As an Orthodox Christian, you need to know the many ways on how to find union with God. We have Orthodox Christian books for you to read and understand more about the Orthodox way of life.

 

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