No Vigil on Saturday, December 26

We will not be able to have Vigil at the chapel tonight after all, owing to the weather.

We will be there tomorrow, God willing, for Sunday services at 10:30 a.m.

No Akathist tonight, December 25

Owing to the blizzard that has visited the Kansas City area, we will not have the Akathist with Compline tonight. We are assuming at this time that we will be able to have Vigil tomorrow night, as usual.

No services at Holy Protection for the next two weekends

Because our members will be away from the Kansas City area this weekend, November 20-22, and the next (Thanksgiving holiday) weekend, November 27-29, Holy Protection will not be having services these two weekends.

We will resume our regular service schedule the first weekend in December.

We wish you all a happy Thanksgiving Day holiday!

Feast Day of Holy Protection (Pokrov) on Oct. 14

Our mission celebrates its Fest Day this coming week.

The mission will have Vigil for the Feast of the Holy Protection on Tuesday night, October 13, at 6:30 p.m.

Divine Liturgy will start at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, so Hours will be around 8:40 a.m.

Father Paisius Altschul of St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church will be serving for both Vigil and Liturgy. We thank Father Paisius for being with us so that we can have Liturgy on our feast day.

We will meet at our usual location, within the chapel at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 9100 Mission Road (corner of Mission and 91st), in Prairie Village, Kansas. Please enter through the main double doors in the main parking lot.

Please call the mission at 913-383-8000 for more information.

No services this weekend, September 12-13

Holy Protection will not be having services this weekend, September 12 and 13.

We'll resume regular services next week.

No service on Friday, August 7

Holy Protection will not be pray the service of the Akathist this Friday, August 7.

We will have the usual services on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

No Akathist this Friday, July 17

Holy Protection will not be pray the service of the Akathist this Friday, July 17.

We will have the usual services on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

No services this weekend (May 22-24)

Holy Protection will not be having services this weekend, May 22, 23, and 24, so that members of the mission can attend the wedding of Elizabeth Stade, Father Christopher and Matushka Mary's youngest daughter, this Sunday at St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church, in the St. Louis area.

We'll resume regular services next week.

Great and Holy Saturday morning

Here are some more personal recollections, this time from the small or "first" Resurrection service. It was a full but not crowded church with light streaming in. Near the end of the reading of the many prophecies is the Song of the Three Holy Youths in the Burning Fiery Furnace. The responses were sung by a children's choir (ages 3 to 12) in front of the Plaschanitsa in alternation with the adult choir. The children were so earnest - very cute and very tender. Later, Father Christopher came swiftly out of the Royal Doors (Beautiful Gates) throwing rose petals. Immediately girls removed all the dark purple and black coverings in the whole church and replaced them with shining white. I took off my black scarf because I had hidden a white one beneath it. Later, people received the Holy Mysteries in front of the Tomb rather than as usual from the ambon near the iconostas. At the end the joyous peal of the Russian bells came in through the windows. In trapeza, although we were still fasting, a few families had their Pascha baskets blessed in anticipation of the midnight service yet to come. ---- A Worley, 22 April 09

Plaschanitsa

Here are some personal impressions from Great and Holy Friday evening at St. John Chrysostom's in St. Louis. Picture a darkened church, with the entire congregation in dark clothing, holding candles while standing around the plaschanitsa (epitaphion). Everyone is singing the Lamentations together. When we go outside for the procession, suddenly I am transported to Jordanville. It was there last year at our dear Vladyka Metropolitan Laurus' funeral procession that I first heard the bells sounding broken - the funeral peal. That same peal, five days ago now, accompanied us around the church, as we slowly chanted the "Svyati Boge" until we reentered the church, passing under the bier. Following our Savior, we too enter life only through death. ----- A Worley, April 2009

Travel to St. Louis for Pascha

Our mission will not be having services for Pascha this week, on April 17, 18 and 19, so that members of the mission can attend the Friday evening Plaschanitsa procession, Saturday morning small Resurrection with change of vestments, and the midnight Sunday Paschal procession, Matins and Divine Liturgy at St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church and/or St. Basil's ROC, both in the St. Louis area.

We pray that everyone has safe travel and a bright Feast of the Lord's Resurrection, and we hope to see you at Holy Protection after Pascha!

"This chosen Day is the first of the Sabbaths
The Queen and Lady
The Feast of feasts and Festival of festivals
Wherein we bless Christ unto the ages."
(Irmos, ode VIII of the Canon of Pascha)