St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral

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Services are streaming live.
See the week's schedule below for links

Forgiveness Sunday

Sometimes people have told me that they find the phrase commonly used at the service, ‘Forgive me … God will forgive’, to be problematic and even evasive. Surely, they object, when someone asks for forgiveness, it is not enough for us to assure them that they are forgiven by God, for they already know that; what is required is that we should forgive them. This, however, is to overlook an essential point. Forgiveness is first and foremost a divine act: ‘Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ (Mark 2:7). If, then, I am to forgive someone else, and the other person is to forgive me, in the last resort this is possible only in so far as we are both of us in God. More specifically, we are able to forgive each other solely because we are both of us already forgiven by God. Our forgiveness is rooted in His, and is impossible without it: ‘Apart from Me you can do nothing’ (John 15:5).

Since, therefore, forgiveness is not primarily our human action but a divine action in which we humans participate, it is vitally important that in the process of mutual forgiveness we should allow space for God to operate. At the beginning of the Eucharistic service in the Orthodox Church, the Divine Liturgy, the deacon says to the priest, ‘It is time for the Lord to act’ (see Psalm 119:126), thereby affirming that the true celebrant at the Holy Mysteries is not the priest but Christ Himself. The phrase applies equally to our mutual forgiveness: here, too, it needs to be said, ‘It is time for the Lord to act.’ Our attempts at reconciliation often fail, precisely because we rely too much upon ourselves, and do not leave proper scope for the action of the Lord. With St. Paul we need to say, ‘not I, but Christ in me’ (Gal. 2:20). Such, then, is the spirit in which we reply at the Vespers of Forgiveness, ‘God will forgive.’

~ Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware)

Service Cancellation Policy

  • No one should travel to church for services if the road conditions are dangerous.
  • No services will be cancelled. Most services will be live streamed (links available below).
  • Those who cannot get to services should instead stay home, watch the live stream of the service if possible, and be happy in the knowledge that a priest and a chanter are singing the services and praying for them.
  • Cancellation of services and activities will be posted on our website: www.stmarysoca.org.

Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  (Galatians 6:2)
 

Schedule of ServicesServices listed below will be live streamed at https://www.youtube.com/c/StMarysOCAMinneapolis

Monday, March 18
7:00 PM Great Canon
https://youtube.com/live/0bqnen0dRnU?feature=share

Tuesday March 19
7:00 PM Great Canon
https://youtube.com/live/oaJDNncSSpM?feature=share

Wednesday, March 20
9:00 AM Presanctified Liturgy
https://youtube.com/live/Vx_3eOdhQN0?feature=share
7:00 PM Great Canon
https://youtube.com/live/aTAtpLW0ujI?feature=share

Thursday,
March 21
7:00 PM Great Canon
https://youtube.com/live/JaKMiMHvMbE?feature=share

Friday
, March 22
9:00 AM Presanctified Liturgy
https://youtube.com/live/2WHwhHGwx4A?feature=share
6:00 PM 9th Hour & Presanctified Liturgy
https://youtube.com/live/0iH2n_ZWDFE?feature=share

Saturday
, March 23
9:00 AM Molieben: St. Theodore (w/ blessing of kolliva)
5:00 PM Great Vespers
https://youtube.com/live/pBBhHhIsm2Q?feature=share

Sunday, March 24 - 42st Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday of Orthodoxy + Forefeast of the Annunciation
7:45 AM Matins @ Cathedral
9:00 AM Divine Liturgy @ Cathedral
https://youtube.com/live/vIdvNOyPJKQ?feature=share
5:00 PM Festal Vespers & Litiya @ Cathedral
https://youtube.com/live/K2DFE7djbeY?feature=share



If you missed any of the live streaming services you can go to the playlist to replay them by clicking here  https://www.youtube.com/c/StMarysOCAMinneapolis

 



NOTE: Elevators available at both the Cathedral and the Parish Center.

This Week's Events
Monday, March 18
7:30 AM Perohi: Set-up & food prep
9:00 AM Perohi Making

Tuesday
, March 19
7:30 AM Perohi: Set-up & dough making
9:00 AM Perohi Making

Wednesday
, March 20
8:30 PM Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, March 21

Friday
, March 22
7:30 PM Saints Friday Night Lenten Dinner

Saturday, March 23
2:30 PM OCPM Lenten Retreat

Sunday, March 24
11:00 AM Church School @ Parish Center
11:00 AM Coffee Hour @ Dining Room
11:45 AM Youth Choir @ Gym Stage
3:00 PM Twin Cities YAL: Priest Q&A @ Parish Center
6:30 PM Fellowship Meal @ Parish Center















 


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