So nowadays the Great Lent begins on Clean Monday, that year in 02 March and ends on Holy Saturday, at 18 April…….
Called Lent because it is in the memory of sarantaimeris fasting Christ desert and introduced in the 4th century.
The original duration was six weeks, while later and added a seventh and eventually lasting 48 days.
Throughout Lent, Wednesdays and Fridays, Sequence of the Presanctified is celebrated in our church. In this, the faithful can receive Holy Communion, but which has proagiasthei last Sunday. That is why we called this sequence Presanctified.
Some days of Lent have special meaning and their own semantics.
On Saturday the first week of fasting It is dedicated to the miracle of Kollyvades the martyr Theodore Tyron. Miracle helped Christians Istanbul, to observe fasting, who tried to fraudulent means to infect the Emperor of Byzantium, Julian the Apostate.
The A 'Sunday of Lent, is the Sunday of Orthodoxy. We celebrate the restoration of the holy and venerable images of the Empress Theodora of Byzantium the 843m.Ch.
The B 'Sunday of Lent, It is dedicated to the memory of St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessaloniki (14century). St. Gregory has been a leading teacher of the orthodox doctrines and opponent of heresies.
The Third Sunday of Lent, It is the Sunday of the Holy Cross. This day is dedicated to the Holy and Life-giving Cross, the symbol of our faith. Day the believers take strength to continue on their way, fasting, that will lead to the Resurrection of the Lord.
The Fourth Sunday of Lent, It is a day that honored the memory of St. John, author Scale. The scale is a book of speeches of St. John. The aim of these lectures are the steps of the spiritual ascent of Monks, through their personal fitness.
The Wednesday of the fifth week of Lent Wednesday is the Great Canon. Writer and composer of the Great Canon is our Holy Father Andreas, Archbishop of Crete. within the 250 chants constituent, He has gathered stories from Adam up to the Ascension of the Lord. Invites each one of us, To exemplify these, to imitate the good and avoid the bad they did our ancestors.
On Friday of the same week It is akathist. Day dedicated to the Virgin Mary who always stands assistant Christians in times of peace or war. Celebrate miracles that made the Virgin protecting Constantinople from people who wanted to conquer. After such a victory for the people of Istanbul, standing up (standing) thanked the Mother of God singing. Remembering this event, Thank you and we in our turn Notre singing standing.
The Fifth Sunday of Lent, It is dedicated to the memory of Saint Mary of Egypt. The Blessed, by age 12 years followed a very dissolute life. At the age 30 years, He came into contact with Christianity, repented and bowed. The rest of her life, 47 years, hermit in the desert. On this day all invited to imitate the example and come closer to Christ, repenting of their sins.
On Saturday before Holy Week is Saturday of Lazarus. Day dedicated to the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus.
Last Sunday of Lent, It is the Palm Sunday. It is a day dedicated to the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem from Bethany. Then the people welcomed Jesus with cheers and "Vaia Palm", from which it took its name this day.