For Immediate Release:
Contact:
Rev.
Athanasios C Haros, Pastor
Transfiguration
of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church of Florence
Office:
843-662-5471 Cell: 843-496-4533
TransfigurationFlo@mail.goarch.org
www.GoFlorence.org
Orthodox christians worldwide begin lenten journey to
resurrection
(Florence,
SC – March 15, 2013) While most Christians are approaching the celebration of
Easter, Orthodox Christians throughout the world are just beginning Great Lent,
a period of prayer, fasting, and spiritual preparation for Easter – called
Pascha in the Orthodox Christian Church. Pascha is the Greek word for Passover.
Great
Lent is the period of seven weeks leading up to the celebration of the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. According to Father Athanasios C
Haros, Pastor of the Transfiguration of Our Savior Greek Orthodox Church in
Florence, “Great Lent is an intense spiritual season when the Church encourages
us to reflect inward to draw our hearts closer to Jesus Christ through prayer,
fasting, and almsgiving. It is our way of offering our bodies as “a living
sacrifice, holy acceptable to God.” (Romans 12.1)
To
assist members in their spiritual journey, the Church will offer special Lenten
worship services seven days per week as well as times for Bible study and
service to others. Great Lent will begin Sunday evening, March 17, at 7pm, with
an ancient Service of Forgiveness as members are invited to seek and to offer
forgiveness to and from each other. “We enter Great Lent with a clean
conscience remembering the words of our Lord, ‘But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’” (Matthew
6.15) said Father Haros.
Orthodox Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus
Christ following an ancient formula using the Julian (Lunar) calendar, whereas
Western Christians (Roman Catholics, Protestants etc) calculate Easter using
the same formula but on the Gregorian (Solar) calendar. In 2013 there is more
than one month difference between both calendar calculations. Orthodox
Christians will celebrate Pascha May 5, 2013.
"A Week of Freedom" is
planned to honor freedom in all forms as a gift from God. Freedom comes in many
forms: freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom from sin, freedom
from suffering and oppression. Each event during "A Week of Freedom"
will focus upon one or more aspects of freedom.###
