Click on picture below Fr. Demetrios Serfes | |
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O Lord Jesus Christ, Son Of GOD, Have Mercy, Upon Me, A Sinner! | |
"The Jesus Prayer" Also known as "The Prayer of the Heart" | |
 Agony Of Christ (Holy Transfiguration Monastery) |
Holy Great Lent by Father Demetrios Serfes, Priest
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Holy Great Lent begins on March 2nd. The celebration of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated this year in the Eastern Orthodox Church on April 19th.
The Eastern Orthodox Lent always begins on Monday, which is designated as "Clean Monday" or literally translated, the "Monday of cleansing or purification". The day when Orthodox faithful begin a spiritual and moral purification through fasting, prayer, meditations, repentance, and attending Holy Great Lenten services and partaking of the Holy Mysteries -Sacraments of Confession and Communion.
First of all I humbly ask all loving Christians to "Forgive Me" if any way I have offended anyone, or hurt anyone. Before we all enter Holy Great Lent it's proper for us all to ask each other to "Forgive One Another" and the answer we piously reply: "God Forgives!" So now when we approach one another we say: "Forgive Me" and we respond "God Forgives".
Nothing for us is so profoundly important then to pray during the period of Holy Great Lent, and it's this prayer we should humbly reflect on upon very often, and so I call upon you to please join with me this humble prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. When you note this symbol: "+" please make the sign of the Cross, and at the end of each verse we make a full prostration:
O Lord and Master of my life take from me the spirit of sloth faint-heartness, lust of power and idle talk. (Prostration)
But give rather the spirit of Chastity, Humility, Patience, And Love to Thy servant. (Prostration)
Yea, O Lord and King grant me to see my own errors and not judge my brother;
for Thou art Blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen. (Prostration)
May you and yours behold a Holy and Great Lent with many great spiritual rewards... I stand with you in God-loving prayer and make a full prostration before our Lord God that He will indeed Bless you and cause His face to Shine upon you always!
In The Love Of Christ Our True God,
+ Father Demetrios Serfes, Priest
Holy Great Lent, March 1998
father@serfes.org