Pascha Archives - Saint Sophia

The Second Monday of Pascha. Disbelief and Divine Compassion

04/20/2026

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! ~Protopresbyter Vasileios Kalliakmanis, Professor of the Theological School, A.U.Th. Divine compassion, as a consequence of the mystery of divine self-emptying, isn’t restricted to the Cross and burial. It continues after the Resurrection as well. The risen Lord had no wish to impose the glad tidings on people by force. Nor did he require them to embrace the news unconditionally. As the glorified Lord, he agreed to be the object of

The Great and Holy Friday

04/10/2026

Introduction On Great and Holy Friday, the Orthodox Church commemorates the death of Christ on the Cross. This is the culmination of the observance of His Passion by which our Lord suffered and died for our sins. This commemoration begins on Thursday evening with the Matins of Holy Friday and concludes with a Vespers on Friday afternoon that observes the unnailing of Christ from the Cross and the placement of His body in the tomb.

Lazarus Saturday

04/04/2026

Saturday of the Holy and Righteous Friend of Christ, Lazarus Introduction On the Saturday before Holy Week, the Orthodox Church commemorates a major feast of the year, the miracle of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when he raised Lazarus from the dead after he had lain in the grave four days. Here, at the end of Great Lent and the forty days of fasting and penitence, the Church combines this celebration with that of

The Fourth Monday of Great Lent. As Lent Moves On—The Greatest Fast Awaits

03/16/2026

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, April 9, 2019 As Great Lent has passed its mid-point, attention begins to move towards Holy Week itself and its very intense focus. It has been an unusual time for me, having traveled on two successive weekends to lead retreats. Travel is always disruptive, and absence from your own community creates a break in the normal continuity of the Fast. I have great sympathies for those whose jobs involve frequent travel.

The Third Wednesday of Great Lent. Today is the Day of Salvation

03/11/2026

~Sermon preached by Kyra Limberakis at St. Mary Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA on Sunday, March 20, 2016 The present moment gives us two options: to love or not to love, to walk with Christ or to stray from Him. While this may seem harsh, the present moment is the most important moment we are given in life. Yet, we spend the majority of our lives planning for the future or dwelling on the past.

The Third Tuesday of Great Lent. Lent: The Other Dimension of Life

03/10/2026

Fr. Andreas Agathokleous Amid the turbulence of our life, the deafening noise surrounding us, the long and pointless conversations on the telephone or in person, the stress and uncertainty regarding the state of the world today and tomorrow, the Church offers us the period of time of Great Lent. What meaning can this period, beginning with Monday in the first week and lasting until Great Saturday, have for all of us who live the modern

Sunday of The Parable of the Publican and Pharisee

02/01/2026

The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee is the first Sunday of a three-week period prior to the commencement of Great Lent. It marks the beginning of a time of preparation for the spiritual journey of Lent, a time for Orthodox Christians to draw closer to God through worship, prayer, fasting, and acts of charity. It is also on this day that the Triodion is introduced, a liturgical book that contains the services from

The Fourteenth Day of Christmas Advent. Have a Dickens of a Christmas

11/28/2025

~By Father Stephen Freeman, December 12, 2022 In the late 1600’s in colonial Boston, the celebration of Christmas was against the law. Indeed, anyone evidencing the “spirit of Christmas” could be fined five shillings. In the early 1800’s, Christmas was better known as a season for rioting in the streets and civil unrest.1 However, in the mid-1800’s some interesting things changed the cultural response to the feast and, in 1870, Christmas was declared a federal holiday

For God So Loved the World

09/24/2025

~Sermon Preached by Fr. Antony Hughes on Sunday, September 11, 2005 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Glory to Jesus Christ! When we want to express love to a special person we often tack on the little word “so”. I love you soooo much and, of course, the more you want to express it the longer you stretch the word. St. John uses

On the Icon of the Nativity of the Theotokos

09/08/2025

Sermon preached by Melissa Nassiff on Sunday, March 4, 2018 at St. Mary Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Good morning! Once again March is Antiochian Women’s month, and throughout the Archdiocese, women are serving their parishes in some of the more visible ways: taking the collection, taking part in the Great Procession, ushering, assisting with communion, and giving a homily. Last year,

Archive

The Second Monday of Pascha. Disbelief and Divine Compassion

The Great and Holy Friday

Lazarus Saturday

The Fourth Monday of Great Lent. As Lent Moves On—The Greatest Fast Awaits

The Third Wednesday of Great Lent. Today is the Day of Salvation

The Third Tuesday of Great Lent. Lent: The Other Dimension of Life

Sunday of The Parable of the Publican and Pharisee

The Fourteenth Day of Christmas Advent. Have a Dickens of a Christmas

For God So Loved the World

On the Icon of the Nativity of the Theotokos

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