2/18/23

Council of Orthodox Christian Churches to sponsor Sunday Lenten Vespers

DETROIT, MI [COCC] --  The Council of Orthodox Christian Churches of Metropolitan Detroit (COCC) will resume its annual series of Vespers services on the five Sundays of Orthodox Christian Great Lent in 2023.  The first one will be held on March 5, Sunday of Orthodoxy, at 6 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 11455 Metropolitan Pkwy., Sterling Heights (just West of Dodge Park).

His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit will be the guest homilist and celebrate the Vespers together with Fr. Laurence Lazar, president of the St. John Chrysostom Clergy Brotherhood of Metropolitan Detroit, and other Orthodox clergy from throughout the metro area.  The Detroit Inter-Orthodox Lenten Vespers Choir, directed by Victoria Kopistiansky, will sing the responses.

As has become a local tradition, children and college students from area parishes are encouraged to bring an icon and be part of the Procession of Icons that highlights the Sunday of Orthodoxy service.

The remaining four services in the series will be held on:

• March 12  - Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Detroit (20500 Anglin St., at 8 Mile just East of Dequindre) / Fr. Paul Albert, Homilist;
• March 19 - Sunday of the Holy Cross at Descent of the Holy Ghost Romanian Orthodox Church in Warren (31500 Ryan Rd., just North of 13 Mile) / Fr. Michael Butler, Homilist;
• March 26 - Sunday of St. John of the Ladder at St. Thomas Albanian Orthodox Church in Farmington Hills (29150 10 Mile Rd., East of Middlebelt) / Fr. Paul Patitsas, Homilist;
• April 2 - Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt at St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Basilica in Livonia (18100 Merriman Rd., between 6 Mile & 7 Mile) / Fr. Joseph Abud, Homilist.

A free-will offering collection will be taken at each service, the proceeds of which will go to help fund the ministries of the COCC.  Refreshments and fellowship follow each service.

Members of the public are invited to attend the services.  For further information, visit the COCC website at www.coccdetroit.org.

All are welcome!