On Tuesday, February 1, we will celebrate the Eve of the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, also called the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Candlemas. Mass will be at 7PM, preceded by Vespers at 6:30 and followed by a potluck supper. At the beginning of this Liturgy, prayers of blessing are made over the candles which we will use during this year, and at the end, throats will be blessed in honor of St. Blaise Day.
Each year, St. Gregory’s makes financial contributions for outreach outside the parish. Continuing what we have done for a number of years, the parish council has voted to make these donations: to Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Ellwood City, PA (where our own Sr. Michele resides), Holy Assumption Monastery in Calistoga, CA (where our own Mother Macrina lives), Shady Grove Pregnancy Center in Gaithersburg, MD, Manna Food Center in Silver Spring (where we also donate our food collection), and the Eastern Dioceses (the Diocese of New York and Washington and the Diocese of Charleston, Oakland and the Mid-Atlantic, of which we are a part) Ministry Council. In addition, our parish has, from its beginning, participated in the Support a Mission Priest program of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, sending aid to help mission work in many poorer countries around the world. Thank you for your generous contributions which enable our small parish to be generous also.
Read the full February newsletter here.