Church Services: Daily, Sunday, feast days and fasts

Sundayar-140729983
9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy in English
10:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy in Ukrainian

Weekday Mornings
9:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy is served both in English and Ukrainian.

Confessions
The Sacrament of Penance is heard one-half hour prior to the Divine Liturgy.

Mysteries
For the Mysteries (the Sacraments) of Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Eucharist (all three done at once), the Holy Anointing of the Sick, and Crowning (Marriage), please speak with Father Iura.

Visiting our Elders
Kindly notify the rectory office about parishioners who are confined to home, hospital, or convalescent home, so that Father Iura may visit them with the sacraments. Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick brings healing to the infirmities of both body and soul, as God sees fit, through the anointing of holy oil and prayer.

In the Byzantine Tradition, we have Twelve Great Feasts:

The Nativity of the Theotokos, 8 September
The Exaltation of the Cross, 14 September
The Presentation of the Theotokos in the Temple, 21 November
The Nativity of Christ/Christmas, 25 December
The Baptism of Jesus — Theophany, 6 January
The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, 2 February
The Annunciation to Mary, 25 March
The Sunday before Pascha (Easter) — the Entry into Jerusalem
Forty Days after Pascha (Easter) — the Ascension of Christ
Fifty Days after Pascha (Easter) — Pentecost
The Transfiguration of the Lord, 6 August
The Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Theotokos, 15 August

Note that Pascha stands alone, as it is the “Feast of Feasts”.

The key feast are prepared for by a time of fasting and prayer.

Philip’s Fast (Pylypivka)
This fasting period is a time of more intense prayer and works of charity; this time of fasting is a pre-Christmas preparation. The Parish holds various liturgical services in preparation for the Nativity of Our Lord. The Philip’s Fast begins on November 15, the day after the feast of St. Philip and ends at Evening Prayer (Vespers) on December 24.

Apostles’ Fast (Petriwka)
This is the preparation for the feast of the holy apostles Peter and Paul celebrated on June 29. The Apostles’ Fast begins on the Monday following the Sunday of All Saints (check the date because yearly because it is known in relation to Pentecost) and ending on June 28.

Dormition Fast (Spasivka)
This period of preparation for the great feast of the Falling Asleep of Mary begins on August 1 and lasts until the eve of August 14, inclusively. The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on August 15.

Great and Holy Fast (Lent)
The Great and Holy Fast is a 40 day preparation for the glorious feast of Pascha (Easter) beginning on Clean Monday and ending on the day before Lazarus Saturday. It is the most ancient fast. We fast from sin and foods “Because we did not fast we were banished from paradise. So then let us fast so as to return back to paradise” (St. Basil, On Fasting I).

The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is served each Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. There are times when Father Iura will also serve this Liturgy on Wednesday.

Sorokousty (All Souls Days)
During Lent and the Easter season the Church prays for our beloved dead. We pray for our dead on a series of days. Father Iura yearly announces the dates for the Sorokousty (All Souls Days) on which special prayers are offered in remembrance of those who have died. In comparison, the Latin Catholic Church designates November as the Month of All Souls with a special Mass on November 2.

Let us remember all our loved ones who have gone to their heavenly reward. Eternal Memory!

The word Ukrainian word “Sorokousty” means “forty mouths” (sorok = forty; ust = mouth). Originally, this was a prayer service offered by forty mouths or by forty priests. Historically, families would honor their deceased by holding services for them in the cathedrals on the 3rd, 9th and 40th day after their death —with 40 priests celebrating the services. Today, Sorokousty is the service that honors the deceased and is offered during Lent and after Easter.

Celebration of Holy Days

Celebration of Holy Days in Ukrainian Catholic Church in the USA

HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION

  1. All Sundays of the year
  2. Theophany of Our Lord, Jesus Christ – January 6th
  3. Annunciation of the Mother of God – March 25th
  4. Ascension of Our Lord, Jesus Christ – June 2nd
  5. The Apostles, SS. Peter & Paul – June 29th
  6. Dormition of the Mother of God – August 15th
  7. Nativity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ – December 25th

On these days, one of the Divine Liturgies is to be celebrated for the faithful of the parish (Pro Populo or For the People).

OTHER FEAST DAYS

  1. Circumcision of Our Lord, Jesus Christ – January 1st
  2. Pratulin Martyrs – January 23rd
  3. Three Holy Hierarchs – January 30th
  4. Encounter of Our Lord, Jesus Christ
  5. Bright Monday
  6. Bright Tuesday
  7. St. George the Great Martyr
  8. Pentecost Monday
  9. Nativity of St. John the Baptist
  10. Bl. Nykolai Charnetsky and companions – June 27th
  11. St. Volodymyr the Great – July 15th
  12. St. Elias the Prophet – July 20th
  13. Transfiguration of Our Lord, Jesus Christ – August 6th
  14. Beheading of St. John the Baptist – August 29th
  15. Nativity of the Mother of God – September 8th
  16. Exaltation of the Holy Cross – September 14th
  17. Falling Asleep of St. John the Theologian – September 26th
  18. Protection of the Mother of God – October 1st
  19. St. Demetrius the Great Martyr – October 26th
  20. St. Michael the Archangel – November 8th
  21. St. Josaphat the Hieromartyr – November 12th
  22. Entrance into the Temple of the Mother of God – November 21st
  23. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker – December 6th
  24. Conception of St. Anne (Immaculate Conception) – December 9th
  25. Synaxis of the Mother of God – December 26th
  26. St. Stephen the Protomartyr – December 27th

The faithful are not obligated to attend Divine Services for these days. The clergy are not obligated to offer a Divine Liturgy for the faithful but may have a particular intention and ought to preach a brief homily on these days. These days are not to be transferred to Sunday. On all feast days and holy days, anointing/myrovannya should be celebrated with the faithful.

LITURGY OBLIGATIONS

In the USA we pray for the following Hierarchs at the Divine Liturgy:

  1. Metropolitan Constantine Bohachevsky – January 6th
  2. Bishop Soter Ortynsky, O.S.B.M. – March 24th
  3. Bishop Jaroslav Gabro – March 28th
  4. Bishop John Stock – June 29th
  5. Bishop Walter Paska – August 16th
  6. Bishop Michael Kuchmiak, C.S.s.R. – August 26th
  7. His Beatitude, Josyf Cardinal Slipyj – September 7th
  8. Metropolitan Ambrose Senyshyn, O.S.B.M. – September 11th
  9. His Beatitude, Myroslav Ivan Cardinal Lubachivsky – December 14th
  10. Metropolitan Joseph Schmondiuk – December 25th

GREAT FAST

The weekdays of the Great Fast are aliturgical whereas no Divine Liturgy should be celebrated except for the Feast of the Annunciation. On Wednesday and Friday of the Great Fast, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is to be celebrated. Typika may be used the other days. For funerals, the text used by the New Jersey Protopresbyterate may be utilized.

The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is to be celebrated for Sunday Liturgies during this time.

During Holy Week, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts are to be celebrated Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. There is no Divine Liturgy celebrated on Good Friday and Holy Saturday. On Holy Saturday evening, Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is to be celebrated.

FASTS

The following are Days of Fast and Abstinence (abstaining from meat, eggs, and dairy products) in the Ukrainian Catholic Church:

  1. Monday of the First Day of the Great Fast
  2. Good Friday

The following are Days of Fast (abstaining from meat):

  1. Eve of Theophany
  2. Holy Saturday
  3. Beheading of St. John the Baptist – August 29th/September 11th
  4. Exaltation of the Holy Cross – September 14th/September 27th
  5. Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, – December 23rd (due to the celebration of Royal Hours on December 24th morning)/January 6th
  6. Every Friday during the year.

This is obligatory for all Ukrainian Catholics between the ages of 14 and 59