Forgiveness Sunday

[Matrona]

To start the journey of the Great Lent, Orthodox Christians have a special service called Forgiveness Vespers where we individually ask the forgiveness of everyone else. To commemorate it I would like to ask the forgiveness of everyone else here for any way I may have transgressed against you in my admittedly short time here. I pray the holy Lenten season will be edifying for all of us here.

 

[No*s]

I think I owe the same action to others Matrona, and extending it into the forum is a good idea .

I, also, should ask for forgiveness from anyone I have offended.

 

[Scott1]

May I ask one of you to start a new thread about Orthodox lent? I read something about the Russion Orthodox Lent.... something about a Butter Ceremony... I think..... It would be nice to know more about what EO Lent is all about.

Peace in Christ,
Scott

 

[No*s]

May I ask one of you to start a new thread about Orthodox lent? I read something about the Russion Orthodox Lent.... something about a Butter Ceremony... I think..... It would be nice to know more about what EO Lent is all about.

Peace in Christ,
Scott

This is going to be one of those places for the others to answer better than I. I am quite the neophyte . Like I've said before, I know I can get a lot of stuff right in the head, but I'm not nearly as knowledgable once we pass history and whatnot. The list of various traditions will aid me as well .

Some of our new Orthodox members (well, most) have been Orthodox for years, so I'm sure they're aware of quite a bit I couldn't fathom.

 

[Basil]

I ask each of you for forgiveness from me, a sinner.


God forgives each of you, and I forgive you.


About Great Lent, I would just begin a discussion of this topic by clarifying that our practices are meant to be precscriptions for spiritual gain and not legalistically held. In other words, we fast as a means to an end, which is spiritual gain, not so we can be proud of how sucessfully we have fasted.

In brief, we fast for 40 days plus Holy Week leading up to Pascha. During this period of time we abstain from all meat and dairy products, as well as olive oil and alcoholic beverages on weekdays (the fast is lightened on weekends, allowing these to be consumed).

I have never heard of a "butter ceremony," but perhaps that is something done on Cheesefare Sunday, which is the final day dairy products are consumed before Great Lent. Our parish had a pancake brunch after Liturgy with lot's of cheese products and butter.

This is very brief, sorry. If you have any other follow-up questions please ask.

Basil

 

[Linus7]

May I ask one of you to start a new thread about Orthodox lent? I read something about the Russion Orthodox Lent.... something about a Butter Ceremony... I think..... It would be nice to know more about what EO Lent is all about.

Peace in Christ,
Scott

Russians in Moscow used to have a rough way of inaugurating Lent on "Pancake (Blini) Sunday."

The men would get together on the banks of the Moscow River, drink huge amounts of vodka, eat blini (thin Russian crepe-like pancakes), and engage in friendly fistfights.

The fistfighting was actually thought of as sport and not as real conflict. Winners and losers generally remained friends afterwards.

Not a particularly Christian custom, I will admit, but certainly interesting. :bonk:

 

[No*s]

Now that's an interesting tidbit Linus...I hadn't heard of that. I don't think I'll ever be participating in it, though .

 

[Joannicius]

To start the journey of the Great Lent, Orthodox Christians have a special service called Forgiveness Vespers where we individually ask the forgiveness of everyone else. To commemorate it I would like to ask the forgiveness of everyone else here for any way I may have transgressed against you in my admittedly short time here. I pray the holy Lenten season will be edifying for all of us here.

I also, as appropriate, ask forgiveness to those I've sinned against and forgive any that have sinned against me.

Forgiveness Vespers gets better every year.

All worship, praise, honor and Glory to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; one God, undivided and [font=&quot]incomprehensible[/font].