Saturday, February 21
4:00 PM All Deceased of Lotrick Family – Katherine Lotrick
Sunday, February 22 FIRST SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
4:00 PM Deanery Stations of the Cross – SS Peter & Paul, Wilkes-Barre, PA
Friday, February 27 Lenten Services
6:00 PM Stations of the Cross & Sorokousty
Saturday, February 28
4:00 PM Gloria Suscavage – Mary & Wayne Thomas
Sunday, March 1 SECOND SUNDAY OF THE GREAT FAST
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
4:00 PM Deanery Stations of the Cross – SS Peter & Paul, Plymouth, PA
LENTEN SERVICES: Father Popyk asks that you PLEASE try to attend the services during Lent: Station of the Cross and Sorokusty on Friday evenings 6:00 PM. Lent is a time for prayer, penance and sacrifice.
DIVINE LITURGY SCHEDULE: Saturdays 4:00 PM; Sundays 8:30 AM
SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY
The first Sunday of Lent is called “Sunday of Orthodoxy,” it was instituted by the Eastern Church as a reminder of her victory over the Iconoclasts.
About 726 the Byzantine emperor Leo the Isaurian started a heresy known as “Iconoclasm” or image breaking. He published an edict whereby he forbade rendering honor to the icons (images) of our Lord, and the Blessed Mother of God and the Saints. He also began a ruthless persecution of their defenders. Countless precious icons were destroyed and many statues were demolished.
In 787 the Holy Fathers of the Church assembled at the second Council at Nicaea and defined, that the veneration of the holy icons (pictures) is by no means idolatry and that a relative honor should be paid them for the sake of their prototype.
On this Sunday the Church exhorts the faithful to purify the image of their souls by a true sorrow and penance. Thus on the first Sunday of Lent the Eastern Church commemorates the victory of the true Orthodox faith over the heresy of the Iconoclasts.
`On this day in some churches, the Sunday of Orthodoxy is observed with a procession with holy icons.
Lenten Penances and Prostrations:
Closely connected with our Lenten services are inclinations. These inclinations are made either by bowing from the waist or to the ground and they are performed at all Lenten services. The Prayer of St. Ephrem with accompanying prostrations merits special consideration. This prayer can be regarded the official Lenten penitential prayer of our Church, expressing as it does the whole content and purpose of the Great Fast as follows.
“O Lord and Master of my life, drive from me the spirit of discouragement, negligence, ambition and idle talk. (Prostration). “Grant me, your servant, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and charity. (Prostration). “Yes, my Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins, and not judge my brother, for you are blessed forever, and ever. Amen.” (Prostration).
SANCTUARY LIGHT: No Request
FELLOWSHIP: NEXT Sunday, March 1, the Deanery Stations of the Cross will be held in our parish and we will be serving the fellowship after the stations. If you will be contributing to the dessert table, please either sign the paper in the vestibule or tell Ann Beshada or any member of the Women’s Society. This is necessary so that we can be sure to have enough desserts to serve.
DEANERY STATIONS OF THE CROSS 2015 at 4:00 PM each Sunday
Feb. 22 Wilkes-Barre, Ss. Peter & Paul
Mar. 1 Plymouth, Ss. Peter & Paul
Mar. 8 Glen Lyon, St. Nicholas
Mar. 15 Nanticoke, Transfiguration
Mar. 22 Edwardsville, St. Vladimir
SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church 