ΙΕΡΑ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΗ

ΑΜΕΡΙΚΗΣ

Holy and Great Lent 2006

The Reverend Clergy

Esteemed Members of the Parish Councils, Philoptochos Societies,

Faculty & Students of the Catechetical and Greek Afternoon Schools,

Directors and Participants of all Youth Organizations, and all devout

Orthodox Christians of the Greek Orthodox Communities of our

Holy Metropolis of New Jersey

Beloved in the Lord,                

          “The arena of virtues is open. Let all who are willing to compete enter…”

(From the Lauds of Cheesefare Sunday)

          Our Holy Orthodox Church always, but especially during this most holy time of the year, challenges us to enter the spiritual arena of virtues with the fear of God and with a mindset ready for spiritual warfare. As worthy Orthodox Christians, we are compelled to recharge and rededicate ourselves, fighting the good spiritual battle with zeal and determination, as well as with focused and fervent prayer. Simultaneously, the Church also arms us with the necessary powerful spiritual weapons that we may use to battle and withstand the devil’s wiles, and to triumph over and subvert our passions, “having Faith as an invincible rampart, prayer as our breastplate, and charity as our helmet, an instead of a sword, fasting.” (From the Lauds of Cheesefare Sunday)

          The liturgical life of our Holy Orthodox Church is especially rich and inspirational during Holy and Great Lent, being filled with its solemn Divine Services and hymns, thus, affording us the important and rare opportunity to enrich our spiritual life. Our increased Church attendance, our careful and genuine fasting, but most of all, our avoidance of the passions, will enable us to inherit the abundant gifts and divine grace of the Holy Triune God.      

          The Church calls us to repentance, as we hear at the Orthros on Sundays during Lent the prayer of each Faithful person, “O Giver of Life open the doors of repentance to me…” Through true repentance and fervent and genuine prayer, we are able to purify and cleanse ourselves so that we may be ready to venerate our suffering, buried and Risen Lord.

          It is my fervent prayer that this most holy time of the year, filled with rich liturgical services, becomes a new spiritual and divine blessing, and that our Loving Lord sustains us to the end of our Lenten Journey, so that we may be worthy to “witness the venerable Passion of Christ our God,” as well as venerate His Holy and Glorious Resurrection.

          Wishing upon all of you our Lord’s abundant blessings and spiritual growth during Holy and Great Lent, I remain

                                With Paternal Love and Blessings,

                                 †E V A N G E L O S                                                                            Metropolitan of New Jersey

To be read from the pulpit on Sunday, March 5^th 2006      

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