The Nativity Fast November 15–December 24
Prepare O Bethlehem, for Eden has been opened to all! Adorn yourself O Ephratha, for the tree of life blossoms forth from the Virgin in the cave! Her womb is a spiritual paradise planted with the Divine Fruit: For if we eat of it, we shall live forever and not die like Adam. Christ comes to restore the image which He made in the beginning.
Troparion for the Forefeast of Nativity
"A voice cries, 'in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'" (Isaiah 40:3)
The Season of Advent in the Orthodox Church runs from November 15 through December 24 and is a period of fasting and reflective preparation for the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
During the Nativity Fast the Church encourages us to intensify our spiritual lives in order to ready our souls and bodies for the Feast. We do this through fasting, prayer, alms-giving, confession and increased attention given to "preparing for His coming", to make sure we've done what we can to make a "fit dwelling place for Him" in our hearts and lives.
Bishop THOMAS reminds us that during the Fast it is appropriate to:
"increase your prayer life, read more scripture and spiritual books, especially lives of the saints. A little less television, no anger, no gossiping, no laziness and let's try to avoid the Christmas parties. If we prepare in this way, God will bless us and we will find the Feast of the Nativity of our Lord to be far more spiritually rewarding than ever before. May God help us to struggle courageously."
Make this Thanksgiving especially meaningful by gathering with us!
The Akathist of Thanksgiving: Glory to God for All Things November 25, 6:30 PM
They are the same words used for the title of the Akathist and come from St. John Chrysostom as he was dying in exile. It is a song of praise from amidst terrible sufferings. On this, our national day of Thanksgiving, we offer this reminder of all the blessings God has bestowed on our nation. This would be a great opportunity to introduce your family and friends to Orthodox prayer and worship!
Mark your calendars now and Join Us!
The Orthodox Church is the One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are a Christ-centered church. In fact, we share an unbroken history with the Faith of the first Christians, and we can trace our history back to the Apostles themselves.
This parish is part of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. We are pan-Orthodox. This means our membership includes many who were born into the Faith, as well as many converts. In our parish, all services are fully in English.
Anyone and everyone is more than welcome to join us for services! If you have questions about our church and what we believe, feel free to reach out to Father Joshua, our parish priest!
Joining the Orthodox Church. Click image to download.
A Field Guide to the Orthodox Church is written for the person standing in the back of an Orthodox church wondering what just happened. Click on image to download.
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Usual Service Times
Matins - Sun 8:15am
Divine Liturgy - Sun 9:30am
Vespers/Akathist - Wed 6:30pm
Great Vespers - Sat 5:00pm
Live Streaming
While there is no substitute for gathering together in the mystery of the Divine Liturgy and partaking in Holy Communion, and participating in the other divine services of the Church, if you are unable to attend in person, you are invited to join us via live stream.
Located in Linthicum, MD, Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church is a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America. We began as a mission parish in early 1993 with six families who converted to Holy Orthodoxy. Today, our community numbers over 200 members, about half of whom are converts from several Protestant denominations.