Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Dormition Fast begins today. Most likely for us this is the most difficult and most unloved fasting period of the whole year. At the end of August we want to enjoy the pleasant weather and rest before September, when life once again returns to its usual hectic pace. And here is the Church offering us an opportunity for spiritual struggle.

It is unfortunate that we have such a relationship with this fasting period, because in the end it is quite short and deep in meaning. Much time has already passed since the days of Great Lent and Pascha. We’ve had all summer to enjoy the good weather and relax physically. Perhaps this relaxation has even made our souls somewhat drowsy. Is it not time for us to renew spiritual warfare against our passions, remember God and dedicate these two weeks to Him and His All-Pure Mother?

Let’s remember that the Dormition Fast is a little model of Great Lent. This fast ends with the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God – the Pascha of Virgin Mary – when we celebrate not only her death, but also her resurrection (remember that her body disappeared from the cave). On the first day of the fast we celebrate the feast of the Cross, which reminds us of the week of the cross during Great Lent, as well as Christ’s passion and crucifixion. In the middle of this fast we celebrate the great feast of the Lord’s Transfiguration, which remembers events that took place not long before the passions and resurrection of our Saviour, i. e. at the end of winter or in early spring. This feast is celebrated in August for several different reasons, one of which is to make the link between Christ’s resurrection and the Dormition of His Mother more apparent.

This year the communal-liturgical side of Great Lent was unexpectedly cut short for us. We met the feast of Christ’s resurrection in our home churches and not with our larger parish family. Let’s use the current fasting period to complete that which was left undone in the spring. Let’s repent of our sins, commune of Christ’s Holy Mysteries, redouble our prayers and fasting, give alms generously and, in such a way, worthily meet the Dormition of the All-Pure Virgin Mary!

priest Alexis