December 13, 2005
The Pious Priests and Deacons
of the Holy Metropolis
of Denver
Beloved in the Lord,
As we prepare to enter the new calendar year 2006, and you prepare your local liturgical schedule, I am enclosing two items for your use.
First is the Kanonion for 2006 issued by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, as well as an English translation of the same. The Kanonion is the authoritative document prescribing the order for Epistle and Gospel readings on Sundays throughout the year, and it also indicates the tone and eothinon of the week. As such it governs the Sunday services celebrated throughout all parishes in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver.
Second is a schedule of days on which the Divine Liturgy is to be celebrated in the parishes of this Metropolis. This schedule will promote uniformity throughout the Metropolis, and all pastors are expected to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on these days. It is understood that some of these Liturgies might not be scheduled in the smallest parishes which do not have a full-time priest.
As always, the specific schedule of services for your parish should take into account the nature of your parishioners and should respect their pious practices. For instance, there may be other feasts that have special meaning to certain members of the flock entrusted to your care.
Please remember that the complete liturgical cycle for the celebration of both weekday feast days and Sundays includes Vespers, Orthros, and the Divine Liturgy.
Do not place too much importance in numbers and how many people attend Vespers, Matins, and the week day feasts: you and whoever is with you are praying for all the members of the parish. If these services are celebrated piously and correctly, and if they are offered regularly and consistently, the people will slowly begin attending and participation will increase. As a minimum, if your parish does not celebrate Vespers on Saturday evenings, as well as on the eve of major feasts, I ask you to begin doing so.
The order for celebrating these feasts, as well as for all services of the Church, is governed by the Typikon of the Great Church of Constantinople, and its details are specified in the ïHmerolovgion tou` Oijkoumenikou` Patriarceivou, which at the direction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate will be ordered for you by the Metropolis Office. You will receive your copy and a bill for the cost of the volume and shipping, as soon as they are received at the Metropolis Office.
I pray that this new ecclesiastical year will bring God's abundant blessings to you and the faithful.
With Paternal Blessings,
+Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver
Enclosure:
Schedule of Sundays and Feast Days on Which the Divine Liturgy is to be Celebrated
In Parishes Throughout the Metropolis of Denver During the Year 2005Notes:
* = Please refer to Protocol 05-25, dated October 25, 2005, regarding the specific order of Theophany services
** = Presanctified Divine Liturgy
January 1 The Feasts of Circumcision of Our Lord, and of Saint Basil the Great
January 5 Eve of the Theophany*
January 6 Feast of the Theophany*
January 7 Saint John the Baptist
January 8 Sunday After Theophany
January 15 Twelfth Sunday of Luke, of the Ten Lepers
January 17 Saint Anthony the Great
January 18 Saints Athanasios and Cyril of Alexandria
January 22 Fourteenth Sunday of Luke, of the Blind Man
January 25 Saint Gregory the Theologian
January 29 Fifteenth Sunday of Luke, of Zacchaeus
January 30 The Three Hierarchs
February 2 Feast of the Meeting of Our Lord in the Temple
February 5 Seventeenth Sunday of Saint Matthew, of the Canaanite Woman
February 6 Feast of Saint Photios
February 10 Saint Haralambos
February 12 Sixteenth Sunday of Saint Luke, of the Publican and the Pharisee
February 19 Seventeenth Sunday of Saint Luke, of the Prodigal Son
February 25 First Saturday of Souls
February 26 Meatfare Sunday, of the Last Judgment
March 4 Second Saturday of Souls
March 5 Cheesefare Sunday, of Forgiveness
Notes: 1. Great Fast Begins on Clean Monday, March 6
2. Great Compline on Monday Evenings of the Great Fast
3. Small Compline and Akathist on the First Five Friday Evenings of the Great Fast
4. The Presanctified Liturgy may also be Scheduled on the Fridays of the Great Fast
March 8 First Wednesday of the Great Fast**
March 9 The Holy Forty Martyrs**
March 11 Third Saturday of Souls
March 12 First Sunday of Lent, of Orthodoxy
March 15 Second Wednesday of the Great Fast**
March 19 Second Sunday of Lent, of Saint Gregory Palamas
March 25 The Annunciation of the Theotokos
March 22 Third Wednesday of the Great Fast**
March 26 Third Sunday of Lent, of the Veneration of the Holy Cross
March 29 Fourth Wednesday of the Great Fast**
April 2 Fourth Sunday of Lent, of Saint John Klimakos
April 5 Fifth Wednesday of the Great Fast**
April 9 Fifth Sunday of Lent, of Saint Mary of Egypt
April 12 Sixth Wednesday of the Great Fast**
April 15 Lazarus Saturday
April 16 Palm Sunday
April 17 Holy Monday**
April 18 Holy Tuesday**
April 19 Holy Wednesday**
April 20 Holy Thursday, of the Last Supper
April 21 Holy Saturday, of the Resurrection from Hades
April 23 HOLY PASCHA
April 24 Saint George (moved to this date from April 23)
April 28 Feast of the Life-Giving Fountain
April 30 Second Sunday, of Saint Thomas (Feast of Saint John the Theologian)
May 7 Third Sunday, of the Myrrh-Bearing Women
May 8 Saint John the Theologian
May 14 Fourth Sunday, of the Paralytic
May 17 Feast of Mid-Pentecost
May 21 Fifth Sunday, of the Samaritan Woman (Feast of Saints Constantine and Helen)
May 28 Sixth Sunday, of the Blind Man
May 31 Feast of the Apodosis of Pascha
June 1 Feast of the Ascension
June 4 Seventh Sunday, of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council
June 10 Saturday of All Souls
June 11 Eighth Sunday, of Pentecost
June 12 Monday of the Holy Spirit
June 24 Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
June 18 First Sunday of Matthew, of All Saints
Note: a. Apostles Fast Begins (June 19 through 28)
June 25 Second Sunday of Matthew
June 29 Saints Peter and Paul
June 30 Feast of the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles
July 2 Third Sunday of Matthew
July 9 Fourth Sunday of Matthew
July 16 Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Fourth Ecumenical Council
July 17 Feast of Saint Marina the Great Martyr
July 20 Saint Elias the Prophet
July 23 Sixth Sunday of Matthew
July 26 Saint Paraskeve
July 27 Saint Panteleimon the Great Martyr
July 30 Seventh Sunday of Matthew
Notes: a. Dormition Fast Begins (August 1 through 14)
b. Paraklisis Daily, August 1 through 13, except on the evening of August 5
August 6 Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord
August 9 Ninth Sunday of Matthew
August 15 Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
August 20 Tenth Sunday of Matthew
August 27 Eleventh Sunday of Matthew
August 29 Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
September 1 Feast of the Indiction
September 3 Twelfth Sunday of Matthew
September 8 Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos
September 10 Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
September 14 Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
September 17 Sunday After the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
September 24 First Sunday of Luke
September 26 Feast of the Repose of Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian
October 1 Second Sunday of Luke
October 8 Third Sunday of Luke
October 15 Fourth Sunday of Luke
October 18 Saint Luke the Apostle
October 22 Sixth Sunday of Luke
October 23 Saint James the Brother of the Lord
October 26 Saint Demetrios the Great Martyr
October 29 Seventh Sunday of Luke
November 1 Saints Cosmas and Damian
November 5 Fifth Sunday of Luke
November 8 Archangels Michael and Gabriel
November 9 Saint Nektarios
November 12 Eighth Sunday of Luke
November 13 Saint John Chrysostom
November 14 Saint Philip the Apostle
November 19 Ninth Sunday of Luke
November 21 Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos in the Temple
November 25 Saint Katherine the Great Martyr
November 26 Thirteenth Sunday of Luke
November 30 Saint Andrew the Apostle
December 3 Sixteenth Sunday of Luke
December 4 Feast of Saint Barbara the Great Martyr
December 6 Saint Nicholas
December 9 Feast of the Conception by Saint Anna of the Theotokos
December 10 Tenth Sunday of Luke
December 17 Eleventh Sunday of Luke, of the Forefathers of Christ
December 12 Saint Spyridon
December 15 Saint Eleutherios
December 23 Paramony of the Nativity of Our Lord*
December 24 Sunday Before the Nativity of Our Lord
December 25 Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord
December 26 Synaxis of the Theotokos
December 27 Saint Stephen, Protodeacon and Protomartyr
December 31 Sunday Before Theophany