Other services usually occur on Thursday evenings, when Father Jerry is present with us. Check our Calendar for this month's service schedule.
Other Services
The Paraklesis is an intercessory service conducted by a priest, asking our Saviour, the Mother of God, or one of the saints for assistance with a specific matter (e.g. illness, family difficulties, employment, travel, etc.). This service can be offered in behalf of the living (Orthodox and non-Orthodox). This type of supplicatory service is known as a Molieben in the Russian Orthodox Church. At Holy Cross, we offer the Service of the Small Paraklesis to the Mother of God monthly.
An Akathist (Greek, akathistos) is a hymn dedicated to a saint, holy event, or one of the persons of the Holy Trinity. The word akathist itself means "not sitting", but don't worry! You will not have to stand during the entire service. Akathists are composed as a prayer service, asking help for specific issues or an offering of thanksgiving.
The Greek word for “Compline” is “Apodeipnon” which literally means “after dinner.” There are many prescribed intervals of prayer during the day, and one of them is prayer before sleeping. There is a “service” of the “small compline” which can be read by anyone. It does not require a priest and it does not need to be read in a church. There are many pious Christians who pray the “Small compline” throughout the year.
The “Great Compline” is a service reserved for the period of Great Lent. It is traditionally prayed in the evening. In most parishes, if it is done, it is celebrated on Monday, Tuesday and/or Thursday evenings. . On Wednesday evenings is the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy and on Fridays is the Salutations to the Virgin Mary.
The Great Compline lasts about an hour. The curtain of the Royal Doors is generally closed during this service, until the very end, obscuring the altar from view. There is very little movement in this service by the priest, and there are no Gospel readings (except for the first week of Lent). The service consists of about dozen Psalm readings, several prayers and several hymns. The most well-known hymn of the service is called “Lord of the Powers” and includes these words:
Lord of the Powers, be with us. For in times of distress, we have no other help but You.
Lord of the Powers, have mercy on us.
This hymn is popular at our summer camps and at youth retreats because it is easy to learn and sing. However, the hymn has its origin from the Compline service.
I like this service, in fact it is my favorite service of Lent. Because it captures the spirit of Lent the best—it is simple yet profound, it is challenging yet comforting, sobering yet encouraging. In this service, I realize that I am a sinner, but that through God’s grace and my repentance, I can be forgiven. It makes me realize that my sins are as many as the grains of the sand on the seashore, and yet God’s mercy is more infinite than the widest sea. +Fr. Stavros, from myocn
The “Great Compline” is a service reserved for the period of Great Lent. It is traditionally prayed in the evening. In most parishes, if it is done, it is celebrated on Monday, Tuesday and/or Thursday evenings. . On Wednesday evenings is the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy and on Fridays is the Salutations to the Virgin Mary.
The Great Compline lasts about an hour. The curtain of the Royal Doors is generally closed during this service, until the very end, obscuring the altar from view. There is very little movement in this service by the priest, and there are no Gospel readings (except for the first week of Lent). The service consists of about dozen Psalm readings, several prayers and several hymns. The most well-known hymn of the service is called “Lord of the Powers” and includes these words:
Lord of the Powers, be with us. For in times of distress, we have no other help but You.
Lord of the Powers, have mercy on us.
This hymn is popular at our summer camps and at youth retreats because it is easy to learn and sing. However, the hymn has its origin from the Compline service.
I like this service, in fact it is my favorite service of Lent. Because it captures the spirit of Lent the best—it is simple yet profound, it is challenging yet comforting, sobering yet encouraging. In this service, I realize that I am a sinner, but that through God’s grace and my repentance, I can be forgiven. It makes me realize that my sins are as many as the grains of the sand on the seashore, and yet God’s mercy is more infinite than the widest sea. +Fr. Stavros, from myocn
Memorial Prayers is a prayer service offered by a priest for the repose of the soul of an Orthodox Christian who has departed this life. Customarily Memorial Prayers is served on the third, ninth, and fortieth day after the repose of the Orthodox Christian, and every year on the anniversary of the repose. The Memorial Prayers is essentially the same as the Panikhida service offered in Orthodox Churches of the Russian tradition, and are known also as the parastas, pannychis, or in abbreviated form as the “Trisagion for the Dead.” Only departed Orthodox Christians are commemorated at Memorial Prayers.
It is also not uncommon for family and friends of the departed to make Koliva for Memorial Prayers. Koliva is essentially boiled kernels of wheat mixed with dried fruit and nuts. It can also be sweetened with sugar and spices – covered with powdered sugar to resemble a tomb or grave. The wheat in the Koliva is symbolic of death and resurrection, according to the words of the Gospel:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)
Wheat which is planted in the earth and rises in new life is symbolic of those beloved departed who have died in the hope of resurrection, in accordance with the words of Saint Paul:
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body….(I Corinthians 15:42-44)
This symbolism has its highest expression in the Saints, whose blessed state in heaven have been manifested to the world. For this reason, Koliva is blessed not only at memorials for the departed, but also at times in commemoration of saints.
It is also not uncommon for family and friends of the departed to make Koliva for Memorial Prayers. Koliva is essentially boiled kernels of wheat mixed with dried fruit and nuts. It can also be sweetened with sugar and spices – covered with powdered sugar to resemble a tomb or grave. The wheat in the Koliva is symbolic of death and resurrection, according to the words of the Gospel:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)
Wheat which is planted in the earth and rises in new life is symbolic of those beloved departed who have died in the hope of resurrection, in accordance with the words of Saint Paul:
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body….(I Corinthians 15:42-44)
This symbolism has its highest expression in the Saints, whose blessed state in heaven have been manifested to the world. For this reason, Koliva is blessed not only at memorials for the departed, but also at times in commemoration of saints.
