This Sunday, March 1, 2026, our parish will take part in one of the year's most beautiful traditions. We invite everyone to bring their favorite icons from home to be part of our communal celebration at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy.
What to Expect:
At the end of the service, we will follow the clergy and subdeacons in a joyous procession around the church, carrying our icons as a witness to our faith.
A Special Invitation for Children:
We especially encourage our youngest parishioners to participate! Whether it’s an icon of their patron saint or a family heirloom, seeing our children lead the way with their icons is a powerful reminder that the "Triumph of Orthodoxy" belongs to every generation.
The first Sunday of Lent is known as the Sunday of Orthodoxy, commemorating the restoration of holy icons to the life of the Church after a period of confusion and struggle. For many years, icons were attacked and rejected by those who misunderstood their purpose. But the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, preserved the truth and proclaimed it clearly: holy icons are not idols. They are sacred images that bear witness to the reality of Christ’s coming in the flesh.
The Church honors icons because the Son of God truly took on human flesh. He was born, seen, touched, and known. He did not remain distant from us. He entered our world. Because Christ truly became man, He can be depicted. The holy icons remind us that our salvation is not something vague or imaginary; it is a tangible reality. It is real. God came near to us.
That is one reason icons hold such significance in Orthodox life. When we stand before an icon of Christ, His Mother, or the saints, we are reminded that God is not far away. He is present. He is at work. He has sanctified human life, and He calls each of us into communion with Him.
The Gospel reading for this Sunday tells of Philip inviting Nathanael to come to Christ with the words, “Come and see.” That invitation still speaks to us. The Orthodox faith is something to study or explain. It is something to enter. It is something to experience with the heart. The icons are part of that invitation. They draw our eyes and our hearts toward the Lord.
There is also something fitting about the Sunday of Orthodoxy coming at the very beginning of Lent. Before we go further into fasting, prayer, repentance, and self-examination, the Church reminds us to be grounded in the true faith. Lent is not just about discipline. It is about returning to Christ with our whole heart. Right worship, right belief, and right living all belong together.
This day is often called a triumph, and rightly so. But it is not a worldly triumph. It is the quiet victory of truth, faithfulness, and the enduring life of the Church. It is a joyful reminder that Christ has made the Father known to us, that He has entered our world, and that through Him all things are being made new.
As we continue our Lenten journey, may the Holy Icons help us keep our eyes on Christ. May they remind us that He is with us in our homes, in our prayers, in our struggles, and in His Church. And may this Sunday encourage us to begin Lent with renewed faith, humility, and hope.
Glory to God for All Things!