A Parish of the St. Nicholas Ukrainian (Byzantine) Catholic Eparchy in Chicago
Holy Days and Events
Great Lent Begins - Some of our parishes begin Great Lent after the Forgiveness Vespers on Forgiveness or Cheesefare Sunday. Because we do not serve evening Vespers, we will follow the practice of serving the Forgiveness Service after our Sunday Divine Liturgy on February 14th. Some will choose the pious practice of beginning the Great Lent at that time. The first full day of Great Lent is Monday, February 15th.
Do not eat meat and dairy products on Monday February 15th, the first full day of the Great Lent and Good Friday, April 2nd. Pregnant and nursing women, the very young and elderly, hard laborers, the sick and infirm and those who cannot eat Lenten food are excluded from the fast. Do not eat meat on Fridays of Lent and strive to abstain from meat on Wednesdays as well. Bishops and pastors may grant dispensation from the above minimum laws of the Church in keeping with the spirit of the fast. We are encouraged to do more! Our bishop reminds us that… "Our fasting and abstinence is not intended to undermine anyone's health. Those who are sick or frail in any way need not abstain. Rather, this abstinence is to promote spiritual well-being. As such, it is not an end in itself, nor is it the only kind of mortification which we should engage in; abstinence is merely a minimum requirement, and its efficacy as a spiritual tool should be manifest in other good works and charitable actions which flow from it. Fasting needs to be complemented by prayer and almsgiving.
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts - Will be served each Thursday at 7:00 p.m. of The Great Lent beginning on Thursday, February 18th, except for March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation. On that day we will celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
All Souls Services, Sorokousty - Prior to and during The Great Lent will be served on the following Sundays - February 7th, February 28th March 7th and March 14th. If you have not given Fr. Ted the names of your loved ones who have died, please do so.
Sunday of Orthodoxy, February 21, - Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m. Prior to the Liturgy, we will have a procession with the Holy Icons in celebration of the orthodoxy of images proclaimed by the Seventh Ecumenical Council. If you wish, you may bring your own personal icon to carry in the procession.
Annunciation of the Mother of God , Thursday, March 25 - The Divine Liturgy of the Feast, 7:00 p.m. This is a major feast of the Church. We are all obligated to participate in the Divine Services on this date.
