Great and Holy Lent

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A jewelled cross.Great Lent is the lengthy period in the Church's annual liturgical cycle, when all Orthodox Christians are called to heightened attentiveness to the Christian life, through increased attendance at the divine services, an increase of almsgiving, severe fasting and other ascetical labours.

Each week in the Great Fast, including four weeks prior to it, has a specific theme and focus. The resources provided here in the Monachos.net Great Lent Area are aimed to relate to each of the weeks of preparation for Holy Pascha.

For daily use: A daily patristic reading plan for every day of Great Lent, with linked daily texts from the Fathers.

Lenten Calendar & Materials, 2010

This section contains detailed materials for each week of the Great Fast, 2010, as well as the pre-Lenten period. Click on the slider for the current week to find day-by-day resources, services, reflections, and other materials.

Pre-Lenten Weeks
Sundays before the Triodion, 2010

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4 / 17 January 
Tone VII

Sunday of Zacchaeus

  • On Zacchaeus - A homily by Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh.
Pre-Lent, 2010

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11 / 24 January
Tone VIII

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee

  • 'Not like other men' - A reflection on the Gospel reading of the Publican & Pharisee and its application to the spiritual journey leading into Lent, particularly with regard to judgement.
  • NOTE: In the week following the Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee, there is no fasting on any day, in remembrance of the Publican who was saved through his humility.

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18 / 31 January 
Tone I

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

  • Triodion hymns for the Prodigal Son - The hymns and texts from the Triodion for the services of this Sunday.
  • 'All to no purpose have I left my true home' - A reflection on the hymongraphy and meaning of the Sunday of the Prodigal Son as an entrance into Great Lent.
  • The spirit of exile and the sin of man - A new reflection for this Lent, written in the past year, on the state of exile described in the account of the Prodigal Son, rather than a fall, as the Church's principal vision of man's sinful condition.
  • NOTE: Normal fasting (i.e. on Wednesday and Friday) resumes this week; wine is permitted on both days.

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24 January / 6 February

Commemoration of the Departed

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25 January / 7 February
Tone II

Sunday of the Last Judgement (Meat Fare)

  • Triodion hymns for the Last Judgement - The hymns and texts from the Triodion for the services of this Sunday.
  • On the Christian fear of God: the Last Judgement - Reflection upon the references to fear, judgement, wrath and expectation in the hymns and services of the Last Judgement, and the place of these in the Lenten preparation.
  • NOTE: From the Sunday of the Last Judgement, no meat is eaten until Pascha. However, in the week following this Sunday, all other foods are allowed on every day of the week (i.e. normal fasting rules for Wednesdays and Fridays are relaxed).
* 31 January / 13 February (Sat)
  • Commemoration of Ascetics

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1 / 14 February 
Tone III

Forgiveness Sunday (Cheese Fare), which is properly the Sunday of the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise

  • Forgiveness Sunday: At the threshold of the Fast - Reflections on the Sunday of Forgiveness, starting from the day's main commemoration—the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise—and investigating the interrelatedness of the theme of exile with the need for mutual forgiveness before beginning the Fast.
  • The Rite of Mutual Forgiveness - The hymns and texts service of Evening Vespers on Sunday, including the forgiveness rite.
  • NOTES: This is the final weekend on which we sing 'By the rivers of Babylon...' until next year; and it marks the final celebration of the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom until the Sunday of Palms. It is also the final day on which we eat milk, cheese, eggs, and other dairy products until Holy Pascha.

First Week
First Week of Great Lent, 2010 - Tone III

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2 / 15 February (Mon)

Beginning of Great Lent (Clean Week) and the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord

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3 / 16 February (Tue)

Tuesday in Clean Week

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4 / 17 February (Wed)

Wednesday in Clean Week

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5 / 18 February (Thu)

Thursday in Clean Week

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6 / 19 February (Fri)

* 7 / 20 February (Sat) Saturday of the Great-Martyr Theodore

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8 / 21 February (Sun)
Tone IV

Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy

Second Week
Second Week - Tone IV

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11 /24 February (Wed)

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13 / 26 February (Fri)

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14 / 27 February (Sat)

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15 / 28 February (Sun)
Tone V

Sunday of St Gregory Palamas

Third Week
Third Week - Tone V

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18 February / 3 March (Wed)

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20 February / 5 March (Fri)

* 21 February / 6 March (Sat)

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22 February / 7 March (Sun)
Tone VI

Sunday of the Adoration of the Precious Cross

Fourth Week
Fourth Week - Tone VI

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25 February / 10 March (Wed)

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27 February / 12 March (Fri)

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28 February / 13 March (Sat)

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1 / 14 March (Sun)
Tone VII

Sunday of St John Klimakos (John of the Ladder)

Fifth Week
Fifth Week - Tone VII

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4 / 17 March (Wed)

* 5 / 18 March (Thu)

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6 / 19 March (Fri)

* 7 / 20 March (Sat)
  • Saturday of the Akathist Hymn (service generally done on Friday evening, as above)

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8 / 21 March (Sun)
Tone VIII

Sunday of St Mary of Egypt

  • The Life of St Mary of Egypt - St Sophronius' Life of St Mary, the great desert ascetic and example of true repentance, to whose memory the Sunday of the fifth week of Lent is dedicated; also includes additional information on the saint.
Sixth Week
Sixth Week - Tone VIII

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9 / 22 March (Mon) Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste
11 / 24 March (Wed)

 

13 / 26 March (Fri)

 

14 / 27 March (Sat)

Lazarus Saturday

  • Kontakion on the raising of St Lazarus - The great Hymn of St Romanos the Melodist on the raising of Lazarus—one of the most moving reflections upon Christ's gift of new life to His friend and to all the faithful, by tending to the 'tears of Mary and Martha'.

 

15 / 28 March (Sun)
Tone I / Festal Tones

The Entrance of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)

  • Matins (PM) of the Bridegroom
Passion Week
Passion Week - Tone I / Festal Tones

On the Services of Passion Week
Special Reading for Passion Week: On the Passover by Melito of Sardis

 

16 / 29 March (Mon)

Great & Holy Monday

 

17 / 30 March (Tue)

Great & Holy Tuesday

 

18 / 31 March (Wed)

Great & Holy Wednesday

 

19 March / 1 April (Thu)

Great & Holy Thursday, with Washing of Feet

  • Vesperal Liturgy of St Basil the Great
  • Matins (PM) with Twelve Passion Gospels

 

20 March / 2 April (Fri)

Great & Holy Friday (strict fast)

  • 12 Passion Gospels & Royal Hours (read night before)
  • Royal Hours
  • Vespers & Epitaphios Service
  • Matins & Burial Service

 

21 March / 3 April (Sat)

Great and Holy Saturday (wine allowed, but no oil)

  • Lamentations and Acts of the Apostles
  • Midnight Office
  • Paschal Matins
  • Paschal Midnight Liturgy

22 March / 4 April 2010

The Glorious Resurrection of Christ, the Pascha of the Lord

Top Five Related Texts

A patristic reading plan for Great Lent
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The Paschal Troparion
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A Gospel motivation for the monastic life
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The theology of the Church is expressed in her Liturgy. Not only the Divine Liturgy itself, which is the heart of Orthodox liturgical worship, but the...
The nativity of the Paschal Christ
A reflection on the relationship between Christ's Nativity and his Pascha, through an examination of the icons of the feasts as well as patristic and...

More Related Materials

General Materials

The Lenten Prayer of St Ephraim the Syrian (also available in Slavonic)

The central and oft-repeated Lenten prayer of the Orthodox Church, repeated throughout the season of the Great Fast. See also a thorough discussion on the differences between the Greek and Slavonic forms of St Ephrem's prayer.

Outline of the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

An outline and description of this service, with information on its various parts, actions, and prayers.

Psalm 50: 'Have Mercy on me, O Lord...'

The great psalm of repentance, in English, Church Slavonic, Russian and Greek. Said before entering the temple, before communion and confession, and in all times of repentance and need.

An Introduction to Great Lent by Fr Alexander Schmemann

This brief text, excerpted from Fr Schmemann's popular work, Great Lent, poetically sets the stage for the journey into Pascha. The text makes clear the intent and purpose of the Lenten discipline, and is helpful reading at the beginning of the Fast.

Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Mother of God

This hymn, said in Church on certain days during the Fast (see calendar, previous tab), is also of heightened general use, and should be said by the faithful in private/home prayer.

Ascetic: Reflections on the Way of Self-Sacrifice

A reflection upon and dialogue concerning personal ascesis, including prayer, fasting, tears and solitude.

Monachos Lenten messages from previous years: