Yesterday was the feast day of my parish, St Seraphim of Sarov, and a glorious day it was. I'm showing the fresco from the front of the church. I myself was overjoyed, my cup running over, just being at church where our bishop was present as well as a temple full of us regular parishioners and many guests. There was an ordination, and beautiful children, and much praise of God, followed by a cheery and relaxed festal meal so that we could continue glowing together for a while.
Today we remember St Elijah the prophet, and I just want to pass on
this blog entry at
Christ is in Our Midst!, with its wonderfully expressive painting of Elijah's chariot.
Yesterday was the feast day of my parish, St Seraphim of Sarov, and a glorious day it was. I'm showing the fresco from the front of the church. I myself was overjoyed, my cup running over, just being at church where our bishop was present as well as a temple full of us regular parishioners and many guests. There was an ordination, and beautiful children, and much praise of God, followed by a cheery and relaxed festal meal so that we could continue glowing together for a while.
Today we remember St Elijah the prophet, and I just want to pass on this blog entry at Christ is in Our Midst!, with its wonderfully expressive painting of Elijah's chariot.
12 comments:
Two wonderful saints - may they interecede for us all.
How lovely! What a blessed time you have been given!
Beautiful! Sounds like a very special time.
Blessings!
Deborah
Joyous Feast day of your parish. I love mid-week services and especially Feast Day services. And, how wonderful to have the Bishop visit!
Ah, it sounds as if sweet and holy fellowship occurred. I'd like to hear more about feast days and what they mean.
What lovely frescos! I love that painting of Elijah's chariot you linked to as well.
I love the painting of Elijah in the link you posted. It gets something of his essence, I think.
Like Pom Pom, I'd like to hear more about the feasts. Are there special foods, or are they more about celebrating and communion?
frances
S'Prodznikom! I pray your feast was glorious! I love St. Seraphim. The Cathedral in Dallas is dedicated to St. Seraphim and that is where I cam into the church.
Blessed feast!
M.Michelle
Our feast days are first of all days of rejoicing in the grace of Christ together with whatever saint we are remembering on that date. Keeping in mind that He is "the God of the living," in Orthodoxy we always see ourselves celebrating Communion in the company of those who have gone before, and also asking for their prayers no less than we would ask our fellow believers who still walk on the earth.
In the case of the saint for whom our local temple is named, we count even more on his or her prayers for us, and give special honor. On their days we always have an actual festal meal, but for many of the midweek feast days, even if we can manage to hold a communion service, it often isn't feasible to prepare a meal as well.
This short post explains a fundamental feeling that I am learning to have, for our fathers and mothers in the faith: http://fatherstephen.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/knocking-on-heavens-door/
Please, any of you reading this who have been Orthodox longer than I, you are herewith invited to share important aspects of this subject that I have no doubt left out.
St Seraphim, holy and well-pleasing to God, intercede for us!
What a joyous time!
Happy Feast Day!
jody
I do like the fresco. I haven't seen many images of St Seraphim I really like but that is definitely an exception - I like it very much.
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