Typika Service – St. Mary of Egypt

Saint Zosimas (April 4) was a monk at a certain Palestinian monastery on the outskirts of Caesarea. Having dwelt at the monastery since his childhood, he lived there in asceticism until he reached the age of fifty-three. Then he was disturbed by the thought that he had attained perfection, and needed no one to instruct Read more...

Great and Holy Tuesday – Bridegroom Matins

...For there were “normal” men who shouted “Crucify Him” who spat at Him and nailed Him to the Cross. And they hated and killed Him precisely because He was troubling their normal life. It was indeed a perfectly “normal” world which preferred darkness and death to light and life.... By the death of Jesus the Read more...

Divine Liturgy-Sunday of the Prodigal Son

St. Aidan Orthodox Church Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

The Sunday after the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. This parable of God’s forgiveness calls us to “come to ourselves” as did the prodigal son, to see ourselves as being “in a far country” far from the Father’s house, and to make the journey of return Read more...

Divine Liturgy-Sunday of Cheesefare: Expulsion of Adam from Paradise

St. Aidan Orthodox Church Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

As we begin the Great Fast, the Church reminds us of Adam’s expulsion from Paradise. God commanded Adam to fast (Gen. 2:16), but he did not obey. Because of their disobedience, Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden and lost the life of blessedness, knowledge of God, and communion with Him, for which they Read more...

Forgiveness Vespers

St. Aidan Orthodox Church Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

Halfway through these vespers we begin our journey of Great Lent...all colours will be changed to purple...

Divine Liturgy-1st Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of Orthodoxy

St. Aidan Orthodox Church Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

The first Sunday of Great Lent is called the Sunday of Orthodoxy because it commemorates the restoration of the Holy Icons and the triumph of the Orthodox Faith against the terrible heresy of the Iconoclasts, i.e. those heretics who refused to honour the Holy Icons. For more than a hundred years the Church was disturbed Read more...

Great Vespers Tone 2

St. Aidan Orthodox Church Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada