Canon Leonard Doolan
We begin another journey through Lent. Our gospel reading reminds us again, as it does every year, why we set aside these forty days – kali sarakosti – which culminates for us in the Great and Holy Week and the mystery of the cross.
Today we celebrate καθαρή-δευτέρα (Clean Monday). It is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus where it is celebrated with outdoor excursions, the consumption of shellfish and other fasting food, a special kind of bread eaten only on that day, named ‘Lagana” (Greek λαγνα) and the widespread custom of flying kites. Eating meat, eggs and dairy products is traditionally forbidden to Orthodox Christians throughout Lent, with fish being eaten only on major feast days, but shellfish is permitted in European denominations. This has created the tradition of eating elaborate dishes based on seafood (shellfish, molluscs, fish roe etc). Traditionally, it is considered to mark the beginning of the spring season.
All around Greece the local bakers have been up all night to prepare the thousands of loaves which will be consumed today. Many bakers enhance the traditional Lagana with Olives, Onion or Garlic to accompany the delicious food that will be eaten today.READ MORE
Deacon Christine Saccali
I don’t know if you have heard of the Malvern Hills in central England? The area is famous for its water as well as its beauty but Malvern is where I come from and where my father’s family originated. My dad used to say that the next highest land as you circled the globe on that latitude was the Urals located in the Soviet Union then.
There will be plenty of opportunity for worship and prayer during this Season of Lent at St Paul’s. Please find below details of the main events.
Ash Wednesday – 14th February: Holy Liturgy at 10.00am
Tuesdays in Lent: Hour of Silent Prayer in St. Paul’s. Dates: Feb 20th, March 6th, March 13th, March 20th, March 27th
Wednesdays in Lent: Holy Liturgy at 10.00am followed at 10.30am by a short Lent Study Group ‘All Things are Possible’ This course is prepared by USPG and focuses on the 5 International Development Goals. Dates: Feb 21st ; March 7th; March 21st; March 28th.
Thursdays in Lent: A 1 hour Bible Study at the Chaplain’s Apartment 7.00pm -8.00pm Feb 22nd; March 8th; March 15th; March 22nd.
There are “Community Connect Coffee Mornings” held every 2nd and 3rd Wednesday of each month.
This was the view of Fr Malcolm as he sat before the podium in the central debating hall of the Palais des Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland. READ MORE
Before Christmas Fr Malcolm was invited by Apostoli (the welfare organization of the Orthodox Church) to visit the refugee camp on the edge of Rafina. READ MORE
On the Wednesday before Christmas, Fr. Malcolm received at St Paul’s a collection of woolly hats, scarves, and gloves brought together by the parents of ‘Hopscotch International Kindergarten’ in Vari. READ MORE
Customarily the Christmas Carol Sing Along and the Christmas Carol Service are well attended if not over-scribed. READ MORE
Justin Paige Allen was presented to the Congregation of the Anglican Church in Athens last Sunday by his proud parents Marcos and Amy Allen, as we said ‘Prayers of Thanksgiving for the Gift of a Child’.