Sacred Patriarchal & Stavropegial Monastery of St. Irene Chrysovalantou

UPCOMING

Clean Monday

Καθαρή Δευτέρα

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Clean Monday is the First Day of the Great and Holy Lent. On Clean Monday, we are invited to CLEANSE ourselves of evil through fasting and obedience to God.

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The Second Saturday of Souls

Το Δεύτερο Ψυχοσάββατο

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

Reflections

There comes a special time during the year when we have a unique opportunity to honor those who have fallen asleep in The Lord. The solemn services of the Saturdays of Souls commemorate the lives of those who have departed. read more >>

Services

7:30am - 9:30am Divine Liturgy

10am - Athonite Memorial Service

Reflections

	The journey of the Great & Holy Lent read more >>
	The True Nature of Fasting read more >>
	Preparing for Lent: The Meatfare & Cheesefare read more >>
	The Saturdays of Souls read more >>

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Featured on 60 Minutes

Bartholomeos Feels "Crucified" - The Ecumenical Patriarch talks about the hardships in Turkey on 60 minutes. more >>

September 2009 Voice of Orthodoxy Featured Articles

Message of His All Holiness on the day of the protection of the environment.

Ninety tombs desecrated in historical Christian Orthodox cemetery.

Thank You Letters for the Miraculous Interventions of St. Irene Chrysovalantou.

Toast by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos during the formal luncheon in honor of His Beatitude Patriarch Kirill of Moscow.

Ecumenical Patriarch discusses minority rights with Turkish PM.

Coverage of the Maritime Festival at Greenport.

Coverage of the Great Annual Feast of St. Irene Chrysovalantou.

read Voice of Orthodoxy >>

NY Daily News - Faith in the City (Visiting our Communities of Faith) - The Daily News visits St. Irene Chrysovalantou.

view article >>

Windows to Prayer and Byzantine Chant

Your window to acoustical prayer and Byzantine Chant.

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Deputy Abbot's Corner

Essays, Opinions and Dialogue from His Grace Bishop VIkentios of Apamia

Website Hymnology

You are listening to hymnology of the Triodion by Theodoros Vasilicos

The Sunday of Forgiveness

(Cheesefare Sunday)

Κυριακή της Τυρινής

February 14, 2010

ENTER SUNDAY READER >>

Cheesefare Sunday is the last Sunday before the Great and Holy Lent.

We should take the time to consider:

The benefits of fasting

As we begin the Great Fast, the Church reminds us of Adam's expulsion from Paradise. God commanded Adam to fast (Gen. 2:16), but he did not obey. Because of their disobedience, Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden and lost the life of blessedness, knowledge of God, and communion with Him, for which they were created. Both they and their descendents became heirs of death and corruption.

The importance of forgiveness

The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men and their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

The Cheesefare

We are invited to cleanse ourselves of evil through fasting and obedience to God. Our fasting should not be a negative thing, a mere abstention from certain foods. It is an opportunity to free ourselves from the sinful desires and urges of our fallen nature, and to nourish our souls with prayer, repentance, to participate in church services, and partake of the life-giving Mysteries of Christ.

At Forgiveness Vespers we sing: "Let us begin the time of fasting in light, preparing ourselves for spiritual efforts. Let us purify our soul, let us purify our body. As we abstain from food, let us abstain from all passion and enjoy the virtues of the spirit…."

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos visits St. Irene Chrysovalantou

The Ecumenical Patriarch made it a point to visit the Patriarchal Monastery (and the miraculous icon of St. Irene Chrysovalantou) during his marathon apostolic visit to the United States.

Children of St. Irene Chrysovalantou Day Care Center greet Ecumenical Patriarch

The Ecumenical Patriarch was greeted with much enthusiasm by the children of the day care center at St. Irene Chrysovalantou. His All Holiness visited the Sacred Monastery of our Holy Mother the Liberator, along with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and other Hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.