ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH EAAHNIKH Opeoaozor KOINOTHE TOY EYATTEAIZMOY “Tue First Grrex ORTHODOX CHURCH IN CONNECTICUT” DinecrArcuroctsas vin February 6', 2015 Dear Parishioners of the Annunciation Church, We enter the forty-day period of Great Lent with great anticipation as it prepares us to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. For 320 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, Lent begins on Clean Monday or Kathara Theftera and ends on the day before the Saturday of Lazarus. In the early Church, the days of Great Lent were the final weeks of preparation for the catechumens who were going to be baptized in the Christian faith on Pascha. It was during this period that catechumens would pray, fast, do charitable works and study the Holy Scriptures as part of their spiritual exercises for becoming Christians on Pascha. Today, all Orthodox Christians begin to renew their faith in Christ during Great Lent by practicing the same discipline as the catechumens did. During Great Lent, our Church focuses on prayer, fasting, almsgiving and the study of Holy Scriptures to orient us down the path of forgiveness, repentance, moderation, patience, humility and love so that we may more fully accept into our hearts God’s promise of eternal life through Christ’s resurrection. As we look around the world today, we realize that it is in need of Christ and His message of salvation. Lent is the time when we intensify our efforts to approach God by detaching ourselves from worldly passions and distractions, and show our love for Him by serving our brothers and sisters in whom He dwells. May our journey through Great Lent be filled with faith, hope and love so that our hearts become more fully filled with the infinite joy of the Resurrection of our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ on the day of Pascha. In Christ’s love, Sti Fae Fr. Evan Evangelidis Parish Priest 1230 NEWFIELD AVENUE, STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT 06905-1495 - TEL: (203) 322-2093 - FAX: (203) 968-6632 -WWW.ANNUNCIATIONOFSTAMFORD.ORG * E-MAIL: OFFICE@ANNUNCIATIONOFSTAMFORD.ORG