“ “Prepare, O Bethlehem, for Eden has been opened for all. Ephratha show thy beauty, because the Tree of Life is coming—is coming to give us Life.””
Nativity Fast
The 15th of November is the beginning of the 40 day fast leading up to Feast of the Nativity of Christ, December 25. The Nativity Fast is a period of preparation for the great feast. Truly counter-cultural, this is a time to prepare our hearts to receive the newborn Christ. It is directly at odds with the way the lead up to Christmas is treated in the secular world where everyone is tired of celebrating with Christmas trees and decorations, shopping, music and parties well before Christmas is actually here! Instead the Church calls us to abstain from meat, dairy, wine & oil. In addition we increase our own daily prayer rule along with attending Paraklesis Services (Supplication to the Theotokos), Wednesday, December 3, 10 & 17. We are also called to remember the poor thought increased almsgiving preparing for the coming of our Lord by taking the focus off our own desires and helping those in need and dedicating ourselves anew to God.
May you have a fruitful and blessed fast!
Come join us for services for St Nicholas! Great Vespers — Friday, December 5, 6:30pm Divine Liturgy, Saturday, December 6, 9:30am
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
St. Nicholas of Myra (ca. 270–343 AD), known in the Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most beloved saints in all of Christendom, especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
He was known for quietly helping the needy, feeding the hungry during famines, and ransoming captives. One time a poor man had three daughters with no dowry, meaning they would be sold into slavery or prostitution. St. Nicholas secretly tossed three bags of gold (one for each daughter) through the window over three nights, saving them from ruin. This is the origin of the tradition of gift-giving at Christmas.
During the persecution of Emperor Diocletian (303–311), Nicholas was arrested, tortured, and imprisoned for his faith. He was released under Emperor Constantine after the Edict of Milan (313), he attended the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea in 325. Countless miracles are attributed to him both during his life and after his repose:
Feast of the Nativity of Christ Christmas Eve Royal Hours — 8:15am Vesperal Divine Liturgy of the Paramon — 9:30am Matins & Divine Liturgy for Nativity — 10:00pm
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Feast of Theophany Monday, January 4 Royal Hours — January 4, 8:15am Vesperal Divine Liturgy of the Paramon w/ Great Sanctification of the Waters — 9:30am Matins & Divine Liturgy for Nativity — 10:00pm
Tuesday, January 5 Matins & Divine Liturgy — 8:15 & 9:30am Outdoor Blessing of Waters (Patapsco River) — 11:30am
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!
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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.