An Orthodox Christian, or anyone who wants to pray, should say the Prayer of St Ephrem twice every weekday during Great Lent. It is best to pray it the same way at home as we do in church, with 4 prostrations and 12 bows. We demonstrate this prayer. The video is old and a bit grainy, but we get our point across. We make better videos now, but this video is our most popular ever with over 11,000 views on an older youtube Channel. YouTube: https://youtu.be/yDZUq5lJOcY Playlist with all our videos on the Prayer of St Ephrem: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEh2brXYUf7lIypRsKpaTPdplqqCjXD5I ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDZUq5lJOcY

Recorded live at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in McKinney, Texas. Visit us online at www.orthodox.net Commemorated today: ᛭ New Hieromartyr Maximus Sandovich priest (1914) ᛭ Equal to the Apostles Cosmas of Aitolia (1779) Readings: 1 Corinthians 16:13–24 Matthew 21:33–42 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8NVMPrnk7g

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/tYnuH_E0LSI AUDIO: http://www.orthodox.net/sermons/theophany-3_2024+the-washing-of-regeneration.mp3 During the liturgy on the feast of Theophany, we are celebrating the historical fact that our Lord was baptized, but more than that, we are celebrating that we can be washed because He was baptized. First, we look at a few beautiful hymns from the matins canon, which describe the meaning and the beauty of Theophany exquisitely, and then tie it all up with the epistle from Titus which, by telling us the meaning of our baptism (the washing of regeneration) also tells us exactly how we should live. O Church of Christ, will of old wast barren and grievously childless, be glad today; for by water and the spirit children have been born unto Thee, who cry out with faith: there is none as holy as our God! (Theophany Matins Canon 1, Ode 3) The master draweth to Himself the divinely fashioned nature of man, which had been overcome by the tyranny of greed; and he restoreth mortal men, granting them a new birth, and accomplishing thereby a mighty work; for He is come to cleanse our nature. (Theophany Matins Canon 2, Ode 3) The creator, beholding him whom he had formed of dust bound by inescapable bonds in the darkness of sin, raised him up and laid him on his shoulders; and now, in the midst of abundant waters, he washeth him clean from the ancient shame of Adam’s sinful inclination. . (Theophany Matins Canon 2, Ode 5) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYnuH_E0LSI

On Lazarus Sat, we would have baptized our 5 catechumens. The pandemic quarantine made this impossible. There is sadness on this day, but there will be joy. That sadness and the joy to follow are related spiritually to the Lord's question concerning Lazarus: "Where have ye laid him?" YouTube:https://youtu.be/JzGE-6-4nZ8 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzGE-6-4nZ8