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W

ELCOME

On behalf of the Annunciation in Little Rock, welcome to our parish! While the Annunciation inLittle Rock was established in 1920 and has been in its present location since 1983, OrthodoxChristianity has spanned the globe since 33 AD. This parish was originally founded by a smallgroup of Greek immigrants, but today the Annunciation aptly reflects America, and is comprisedof over 200 families representing 18 different nationalities all witnessing to the good news of Christ, striving to reflect His love, and living according to the principles and discipline of theOrthodox Church. Adhering to Orthodox Christian principles which are concurrently Scriptural,Traditional, Apostolic, and Eucharistic, this church family continually searches for dynamic waysto please, serve and follow the Lord our God.It is hoped that this booklet on Great Lent & Holy Week will help you gain some insight into theOrthodox Christian faith, particularly its teachings, practices, & disciplines during Great Lent &Holy Week. Though it must be noted that this particular booklet is only a synopsis of theOrthodox Church’s teaching regarding this most sacred season and by no means definitive. Thus,you may also want to visit our web sitewww.orthodoxchurch.com;www.greatlent.comas well as explore our bookstore for further resources of interest. If this or any information about OrthodoxChristianity raises further questions, or you have issues that are not aptly addressed in thisbooklet, by all means feel free to contact the parish office (501-221-5300).As always, please keep in mind that research and study are but one step in the spiritual journeytowards the Risen Lord in the Orthodox Christian Church. The process of learning more aboutthis precious faith and spiritually growing closer to our Lord and Savior during Great Lent &Holy Week will always be incomplete without practice, prayer, and participation in the worshipof the Church. Therefore,

please feel free to visit the Annunciation in Little Rock and praywith us on any given Sunday or for any Lenten & Holy Week Service.

You will discover awelcoming Church family, an ancient and dynamic Orthodox Christian Faith, andperhaps even a spiritual home where you and yours may want to plant roots and expandyour relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

May you and yours have a blessed Great Lent and Pascha!

Rev. Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris

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RCHPASTORAL

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EFLECTION ON

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OLY AND

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(His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios,the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in America)

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,As we embark upon the sacred period of Holy and Great Lent, we approach the salvificPassion of our Lord Jesus Christ, entering into a season filled with resplendentopportunities to prepare ourselves for the sacred and exhilarating celebration of HisResurrection. Our journey throughout these next few weeks is, thus, of extraordinarysignificance for our spiritual lives. During this time, our occasions for prayer and worshipare greatly increased, and our fasting efforts are deeply intensified. As we cultivate theseimportant Lenten disciplines, we become the recipients of a magnificent myriad of spiritual fruits.

3Foremost among these fruits is the restorative peace of God that fills our hearts when wefocus upon Him. The peace of God leads us to overcoming all the barriers that potentiallystand in our way of attaining a closer communion with Christ, the crucified and risenLord. In his letter to the Philippians, St. Paul describes the peace of God as a peace"which passes all understanding," and which "keeps our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus"(4:7). Such peace becomes available through daily prayer and communal worship, whichare intensified during the Lenten period. In turn, our relationships with others areenhanced, for only with a peaceful heart may we cultivate love, trust, and mutual respectamong our neighbors. Thus, the Lenten season is a time for enhancing our relationshipsnot only with Christ, but also with others from all walks of life; it is a time to grow in thepeace of God, an ever-present reality that binds all of us perfectly and willfully to Hisinexhaustible love.With the peace of God also comes great spiritual liberation: the Lenten season is a timewhereby we may gain deeper insight into our deeper selves; it is a period whereby wecultivate the strength to know ourselves truly, to acquire honesty with ourselves, and todevelop the courage to practice repentance as a means of constant transformation andpurification of our innermost selves.In addition, the Lenten season aims at nurturing within our hearts the important virtue of askesis --spiritual struggle in the pursuit of godliness. Here, our practice of fasting isespecially vital. The purpose of fasting extends far beyond a superficial abstinence fromcertain foods; it is a discipline that has as its principle aim our overcoming of all worldlypursuits or material desires that divert our attention away from our spiritual communionwith God. Its purpose is to strengthen our capacity to focus constantly and consciouslyupon God, to "seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33)before all else. By defining God as the chief priority in our lives, we restore to our mindsa proper view of reality in which He is the One who ultimately sustains us with our everyneed.

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