Church Services

March 24-25, 2007 -   The Choir of St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, visited SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church on the weekend of March 24-25, 2007. The photoreport of the seminarians' weekend visit is comprised of two parts. The first part covers Vespers and the Spaghetti Dinner which was served prior to the service of Great Vespers With Litiya on Saturday evening, March 24. The second part of the photoreport covers the Divine Liturgy which was served on Sunday morning, March 25 - the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the Most-Holy Theotokos. We continue below with Part II. which covers the service of Divine Liturgy on the morning of March 25.

Divine Liturgy on the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the Most-Holy Theotokos

March 25, 2007 - March 25 was a dual commemoration in the Orthodox Church calendar - the Feast Day of the Annunciation as well as the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent - the commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt occurs on this day. For those with an historical interest, should someone ask you the last time that the Feast Day of the Annunciation coincided with the Fifth Sunday in Great Lent (the commemoration of St. Mary of Egypt), the correct answer is - never! For this to occur, PASCHA must occur, as it does this year, on April 8. The last time that PASCHA was observed on April 8 (New Style, Gregorian Calendar) was in 1934. However, since the predecessor to the Orthodox Church in America observed the fixed Feasts accoring to the Old Style Julian Calendar, the Feast of the Annunciation was observed that year on April 7 (New Style) [March 25 according to the Julian calendar]. For those looking ahead, the Feast of the Annunciation will not occur on the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent again until the year 2018.

The photos above and below show Rev. David Garretson, Rector of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church serving the Office of Proskomedia beneath the icon mural of the Annunciation in our Church's Sanctuary.

In the photo above, Priestmonk Sergius, Fr. David, and Deacon Gregory discuss the order of the Divine Liturgy which is about to begin. Below left, Fr. David concludes the Office of Proskomedia as Fr. Sergius (below right) makes a last minute check on the music which will be sung this day.

Above left - the Hours are read and above right and below the Seminary Choir begins to sing the responses to the Divine Liturgy. At both the service the evening before and at this morning's service, the choir sang with reverence, harmony, and precision.

Below right, the service was well-attended by both our own parishioners and by those visiting our parish.

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You may click on the photo above right to view an enlargement.

Above left, V. Rev. Michael Dahulich, Dean of St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary, concelebrated the service with Fr. David Garretson. They were assisted by Deacon Gregory, a student at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. Below right, Deacon Gregory holds the Book of Gospels aloft during the portion of the Divine Liturgy known as the Little Entrance. The Royal Doors of our Iconostasis contain iconography depicting the Feast of the Annunciation as can be seen in the same photo.

Above - a deacon from the Seminary receives the blessing from Fr. David as the deacon is about to read the two Epistles for the day in the center of our Church. Below - Deacon Gregory censes the Sanctuary during the reading of the Epistles.

Above left - Deacon Gregory reads the two Gospel passages appointed for the day. Above right - Fr. Michael offered the homily for the day. His topic was the Feast of the Annunciation.

Above left - the Holy Things have been prepared on the Table of Oblation in anticipation of the Great Entrance. Above right - Fr. David prays as the choir begins to sing the Hymn of the Cherubim. Immediately below are six scenes from within the Sanctuary as the Great Entrance proceeds.

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You may click on the photo above left to view an enlargement.

Above right and below - Fr. David and Deacon Gregory are shown during the Consecration of the Holy Gifts.

Above and below - the clerics make preparation prior to their receiving of Holy Communion.

Above and below left - Fr. David prepares the Holy Gifts in anticipation of the Liturgy of the Presanctified which will be served on the Wednesday following the present Divine Liturgy. Below right - Fr. Michael receives Holy Communion.

The Seminary deacon is communed by Fr. Michael (above left) and he then proceeds with Fr. David through the Royal Doors for the communion of the faithful. Below are scenes of the future of our parish receiving Holy Communion.

Above - the deacon from St. Tikhon's Seminary consumes the remainder of one of the two Chalices at the Table of Oblation. Below left - Deacon Gregory intones the "Many Years" for our visiting choir and their Dean.

Above right and below left - Fr. Michael and Fr. David greet parishioners and seminarians, respectively, with the Holy Cross. Below right - it was planned all along that there would be a group photo of the clergy, seminarians, and altar servers who participated in the Divine Liturgy. So far, so good. But there was one slight hitch! One of the altar servers (at left in photo below right) discovered that there was a mismatch between his size and the size of his altar server robe. This amused those who waited patiently to take the group photo.

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You may click on the photo above right to view an enlargement.

Above - Fr. Michael tried to help the situation, thinking that he could get "ten pounds of sugar into a five pound bag" as the saying goes, but it was not to be. The solution was offered by an elder altar server. It was to robe the youger server in a robe sized XXL (photo below left) which would serve the young man not only for today's photo but for years of altar server service to come. The problem having been solved, the group photo now proceeded uneventfully (photo below right). Don't laugh! No doubt many in the episcopate started their service to God as altar servers, with a glitch or two along the way.

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You may click on the group photo above right to view an enlargement.

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You may click on the group photo above to view an enlargement.

Above - a final group photo of the seminarians as they leave our Church and head home to South Canaan.   Many Years!   Mnogaya Lyeta!   to those who sang so beautifully for us on this Feast Day weekend.   Many Years!   Mnogaya Lyeta!   to our guests from South Canaan who worshipped God with us.   Many Years!   Mnogaya Lyeta!   to the future priests and leaders of the Orthodox Church in the United States.

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