5th Wednesday of Lent Message

From Fr. Alex Radulescu - During times of distress, our Church has called for special services to be used. Besides the Salutations Service to the Theotokos, which was explained by Fr. Nick on the 4th Friday of Lent Message, there is another service of supplication that I would like to briefly explain today.

 
The Service of Paraklesis – is a supplicatory service for the living. It is usually addressed to the Virgin Mary, but there are many saints to whom we can also pray this service.
 
Just as the Memorial Service is specifically dedicated for the departed, asking God’s mercy on them, so is the service of the Paraklesis specifically dedicated for the living, and in particular for times of distress and tribulation. During this service, we ask for the intercession of the saints before the Lord.
 
The Service of Paraklesis to the Theotokos is one of the most beautiful and popular services of the Orthodox Church. During the year, our parish offers this service twice a month, except in Great Lent. During the Fast of the Dormition of the Theotokos it is sung every day. Oftentimes, Fr. Nick has prayed the Paraklesis for parishioners who were extremely sick, or during times of great tribulation.
 
This year, in particular, due to the dire effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Fr. Nick has decided to pray the Paraklesis weekly, even during Great Lent. We hope that you will be able to join us by praying this service, either on your own at home or together with us via the webcam, each Wednesday at 7:00 PM. Here is a link to our webcam: www.stnickaa.org/webcam.
 
Brothers and sister, during this time of great distress, let us all come together in prayer and ask for God’s mercy through the intercessions of our beloved Theotokos, the Virgin Mary. This is a time when we all need to stay strong in faith and keep a constant schedule of prayers.
 
If you would like to joins us in prayer remotely, here is the text of the Paraklesis Service: www.goarch.org/-/learn-to-chant-paraklesis?inheritRedirect=true

God bless!
Fr. Alex