Sunday, January 11, 2009

Theophany with bishop John

H.E. Bishop John Pazak, along with Fr. Comeau, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the little church as every other Sunday. There was a slight difference this time: following the liturgy, Bishop John blessed the water to be used throughout the year. In the very first pew, the children eagerly waited and watched as Bishop John started with the prayers, the tropar and the kondak. He then blessed the water with the trikirion, followed by breathing into it, and finally by using his hand: making the sign of the cross with each action. All these were done three times: Bishop John, Fr. Ron and Bishop John once again. Once the water was blessed, Bishop John took a cup of newly blessed water and had a drink. He then asked Fr. Ron to do the same and once he was done, the parishioners were encouraged to do the same one by one. Parishioners brought their own containers and once everyone had a drink, they filled their own containers to take home with them and use whenever needed.
Photos from the celebration:

Text and photos: Mary Siroky - Snell

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Theophany in Windsor

January 6th was marked with freezing white winter, which affected the attendance of parishioners of St. Michael in Windsor, as majority of the parishioner are elderly and bad visibility and roads are problems when it comes to going to church, but as always, some courageous did it and came to remember their own baptism and to relive again also the Baptism of Our Lord. This feast is always associated with the Great blessing of Jordan water, and we were all very pleased to see our youngest parishioners, the children being so involved in the ceremony, who observed and prayed with great curiosity this rite of blessing of water and eagerly awaited the moment, when the priest sprinkled them and the whole congregation in the church. After the anointing and singing of „Many years" people went home taking with them a deep experience of the faith and experienced a greater understanding of spiritual rebirth in holy mysteries of baptism and chrismation, and carried home also new Jordan water. The Priest encouraged everyone to be more zealous and to indeep their faith. The people went forth joyfully into the cold to their homes which the priest will visit soon to bless in the days to come.
Photos from the feast in Windsor:

Fr. Martin Vavrak

Photos: Pani Anka Vavrak