During Great Lent, Orthodox parishes make special efforts to conduct the Mystery of Holy Unction, also known as the Anointing of the Sick. This sacrament provides both physical and spiritual healing through holy oil that has been blessed by the Holy Spirit. At the end of the service, each person's body is anointed with this oil, and the grace of God is invoked to heal both their soul and body. Please make every effort to attend this important service as part of your Lenten and Holy Week preparations.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Great Lent begins on March 3rd, this coming Monday, and as a growing parish, our Council, led by Fr. Oleg, hopes to bring us all closer together by following the traditional practices of our Orthodox Faith.

St Xenia Parish has a long-standing tradition of hosting the annual Blini Fundraising Luncheon. On behalf of the Warden, the Head Sisterhood, and the Head Brotherhood, we would like to express our gratitude to everyone who helped make the Blini Fundraising Luncheon at the start of Maslenitsa week a success for our community and those who attended.

On Sunday, February 23, St. Xenia Parish in Kanata will host its popular annual Blini Fundraising Luncheon. There are still some tickets available, so don’t miss out! To secure a spot for yourself, your family, and friends, please contact Michael at starosta-warden@stxenia.ca. Participating in this pre-Maslenitsa (Butter Week) tradition is a wonderful way to enter Great Lent. The event will feature a full blini menu, along with live music and entertainment. We hope to see you this Sunday after Divine Liturgy!

St. Xenia Parish Council, Sisterhood and Brotherhood are organizing a Parish Blini Fundraising Luncheon. A traditional Russian meal, featuring blini and red caviar, will be served. The proceeds from this luncheon will support the parish and those in need. We encourage all St. Xenia parishioners to attend and invite their friends. Tickets are priced at $50 for adults and $25 for children under 10. Please purchase your tickets in advance, well before February 23.

Theophany is the Feast, which reveals the Most Holy Trinity to the world through the Baptism of the Lord. God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son, the Son was baptized by Saint John the Forerunner, and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son in the form of a dove. At St. Xenia’s, the blessing of the waters will take place at the end of the Divine Liturgy. As is tradition, Father Oleg will be available to bless the homes of our faithful over the next few weeks. There will be a sign-up list for those who wish to have their homes blessed at the candle kiosk.

Our parish celebrated the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with the following services and activities. This year's Children's Yolka Celebration was held on Sunday, 12 January, immediately following Divine Liturgy. The event was a festive occasion for adults and children, and our parish brotherhood provided lunches for everyone. As in previous years, Grandfather Frost joined us after the concert to share his greetings and distribute gifts to the children, organized by our parish sisterhood. Thank you for your support organizing this event and participation!