Welcome
The Church’s doors are open to everyone. Anyone may come and pray with us, celebrate with us, and participate in our parish family’s events and activities.
First-time visitors are welcome to come for any of the services listed on the church calendar and are invited to contact Fr. Christopher if they have any questions before or after services.
4th Friday After Pentecost
Abstain from meat, fish, dairy, eggs, wine, olive oil
Saints
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Saint David of Thessaloniki
Saint David of Thessalonica pursued asceticism at the monastery of the holy Martyrs Theodore and Mercurius. Inspired by the example of the holy stylites, he lived in an almond tree in constant prayer, keeping strict fast, and enduring heat and cold. He remained there for three years until an angel…
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Saint Dionysius, Archbishop of Suzdal
Dionysius, Archbishop of Suzdal, in the world David, was tonsured at the Kiev Caves monastery. He arrived at the Volga with an icon of the Mother of God that he had received as a blessing from Saints Anthony and Theodosius. Saint Dionysius dug out a cave not far from Nizhni-Novgorod and struggled…
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Translation of the relics of Saint Tikhon of Luchov, Kostroma
In the year 1569 the healing of many sick persons began at the tomb of Saint Tikhon of Lukhov, and his holy relics were found to be incorrupt. However, Igumen Constantine, who uncovered the relics, was struck blind. After repenting and then recovering his sight, he placed Saint Tikhon’s…
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Saint John, Bishop of the Goths in the Crimea
Saint John, Bishop of the Goths, lived during the eighth century. The future saint was born in answer to the fervent prayer of his parents. From an early age, he lived a life of asceticism. The saint made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and spent three years visiting all the holy places. Then he…
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Appearance of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God
According to ancient tradition, the wonderworking icon of Tikhvin is one of several painted by Saint Luke the Evangelist. The icon was taken from Jerusalem to Constantinople in the fifth century, where it was enshrined in the Church of Blachernae, which was built especially for this purpose. In…
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“Seven Lakes” Icon of the Mother of God
The Seven Lakes Icon is one of the icons which enjoy extraordinary veneration in the places where it is located. The day of celebration in her honor is a celebration not only for the Seven Lakes Hermitage and Kazan, but also for the entire Prikama Volga region. At the end of the XVI century, in…
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“Neamts” Icon of the Mother of God
The Neamts Icon of the Mother of God was given as a gift by the Byzantine emperor Andronicus Paleologos to the Moldavian ruler Alexander the Voevod in 1399, and then placed into the Moldavian Neamts Ascension monastery. One of the Moldavian princes gave a copy of the icon to a Russian landowner by…
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Icon of the Mother of God of Lydda or “the Roman”
The wonderworking Lydda Icon is mentioned in the service for the Kazan Icon (July 8 & October 22) in the third Ode of the Canon. According to Tradition, the Apostles Peter and John were preaching in Lydda (later called Diospolis) near Jerusalem. There they built a church dedicated to the Most Holy…
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Feast of All Saints of Georgia
Having examined the history of Georgia and the hagiographical treasures attesting to the faith of the Georgian nation, we become convinced that Heavenly Georgia— the legion of Georgian saints, extolling the Lord in the Heavenly Kingdom with a single voice—is infinitely glorious. It is…
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New Martyr David of Saint Anne's Skete
The Holy Monastic Martyr David was descended from the Kydonians of the town of Aivali (Αϊβαλί) in Asia Minor. The inhabitants of the town had a special relationship with Mount Athos, because there were two Athonite embassy churches in their city, one belonging to…
Readings
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ST. PAUL'S LETTER TO THE ROMANS 11:25-36
Brethren, lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins." As regards the gospel they are enemies of God, for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may receive mercy. For God has consigned all men to disobedience, that he may have mercy upon all. O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen. -
MATTHEW 12:1-8
At that time, Jesus went through the grain fields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath." He said to them, "Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law how on the sabbath the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, ' you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of man is lord of the sabbath.
The Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church (often called The Eastern Orthodox Church) is the earliest Christian Church, the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ and described in the pages of the New Testament. Her history can be traced in unbroken continuity all the way back to Christ and His Twelve Apostles. For twenty centuries, she has continued in her undiminished and unaltered faith and practice. Today her apostolic doctrine, worship and structure remain intact.
Read the "Discover Orthodox Christianity" section on the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese webpage, and the Nicene Creed, to learn more about Orthodoxy.
Address & Services
We are located at 96 Dunbar Rd S, Waterloo, ON N2L 2E5
What To Expect
Visitors will notice that the congregation actively participates in services by crossing themselves, standing, bowing, kneeling, reciting traditional prayers together, and singing. Don’t be intimidated – no one expects you to know what these acts and symbols mean or when you should do them. There are spiral-bound service books in the hallway (the narthex) leading into the main part of the church (the nave) that will guide you through the service.
Regular Services
Sunday
Orthros 9 a.m.
Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.
Saturday
Great Vespers 6 p.m.
Get In Touch
Send us a message or reach out to us directly.
Contact
Father Christopher Rigden-Briscall, Pastor
96 Dunbar Rd S, Waterloo, ON
Phone: 519-807-2986
"This, then, is the aim of the Liturgy: that we should return to the world with the doors of our perceptions cleansed. We should return to the world after the Liturgy, seeing Christ in every human person, especially in those who suffer. In the words of Father Alexander Schmemann, the Christian is the one who wherever he or she looks, everywhere sees Christ and rejoices in Him. We are to go out, then, from the Liturgy and see Christ everywhere."