The Liturgical Texts for the month of December, blessed by His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, are now ready for clergy and laity to download from the Online Liturgical Guide.
This month, Orthodox Christians find themselves in the midst of the forty-day Fast in preparation of the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. Fr. Alexander Schmemann of blessed memory called this time of year the "Winter Pascha" because, as Fr. Thomas Hopko puts it, "He was worshipped by wise men that the whole of creation might adore Him in His triumph over death."
Just as the Orthodox Church has special Sundays leading to and following the celebration of the Feast of Feasts, it also has special Sundays that surround Christmas. On December 14, we commemorate the Forefathers of our Lord, especially those prophets who told of His coming (advent) in the flesh. On the Sunday before the Nativity, December 21, we recall the genealogy of Christ to show that He is fully human in order to restore humanity to its fullness while being fully God. On the Sunday after the Nativity, December 28, we commemorate three of the Lord God's family members in particular: King David the Prophet, Joseph the Betrothed and his son from before his betrothal to the Virgin Theotokos, James the "Brother of God."
Of course, Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the greatest of the twelve great feasts, the Nativity (Christmas), on December 25. The Service Texts include the Royal (Great) Hours and Vespers with Divine Liturgy to be celebrated on Christmas Eve, and Festal Orthros and variables for the Festal Divine Liturgy on Christmas Day.
The Online Liturgical Guide, produced by the Committee on Liturgics, provides the official, uniform word-for-word texts to be used for the divine services in all parishes across the Archdiocese. Should you have any questions, please contact Subdeacon Peter Samore at service_texts@antiochianladiocese.org.