Forgiveness Sunday and Great Lent 2025 - Blessed Saint Xenia of Petersburg Russian Orthodox Church

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.

Forgiveness Vespers – March 2nd at 11:45 AM

The Forgiveness Vespers, a brief yet vital service, is scheduled to take place on the eve of Great Lent at St. Xenia, immediately after the Divine Liturgy. Attending this service is highly recommended, as it provides an opportunity to hear the Lord’s teachings about fasting and the Rite of Forgiveness. This preparation helps us enter the season of fasting with a forgiving heart so that we may receive God’s forgiveness. As stated in the Bible, “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14)

About Great Lent

Great Lent is 40 days of spiritual preparation before the most important Christian event of the year, the Holy Pascha. The main focus of this season is repentance, which is our return to God, our loving Father.

During this annual season of repentance, we embark on a spiritual journey alongside our Savior to meet the risen Lord Jesus, who reunites us with God the Father. The Father is always ready to greet us with open arms, and we must ask ourselves if we are willing to turn to Him.

To prepare ourselves to receive Him, the Church teaches us to use two essential means of repentance: prayer and fasting. Engaging in these practices helps us draw closer to God and prepare for the celebration of the Holy Pascha.

Fasting

Fasting reminds us of the Scriptural teaching that “Man does not live by bread alone.” While the needs of the body are important, they pale in comparison to the needs of the soul. Ultimately, what we need most is God, who provides for our physical and spiritual well-being. Fasting encourages us to rely entirely on God.

First Week of Great Lent

From Monday, March 3rd, to Thursday, March 6th, Fr. Oleg will serve two services every day:

9:00 am: Matins
6:30 pm: Great Compline – This is a penitential service that includes prayer, psalms, creeds, and prayers of repentance, featuring the Great Canon of St. Andrew. As the longest Canon in all our services, it is traditionally read in Church during the first four nights of Great Lent when it is serialized. This revered Canon, much of which is chanted in the first person, serves as a lengthy prayer that expresses the deep longings of a guilty and penitent heart.

Please consider attending at least one of the Great Compline services and consider confessing.

The first Sunday of Great Lent is the Triumph of Orthodoxy with Divine Liturgy and Moleben – 9th March 10:00 am.

The name of this Sunday reflects the great significance which icons possess for the Orthodox Church. They are not optional devotional extras but integral to our Orthodox faith and devotion.

We thank https://azbyka.ru and other sources for the provided information.