Πολλοί Ορθόδοξοι νεοφώτιστοι της Γουατεμάλας συμμετείχαν για πρώτη φορά στη Μεγάλη Εβδομάδα. Orthodox Holy Week and Easter in the Orthodox Church of Guatemala !

Με μεγάλη συγκίνηση διαβάζουμε την είδηση ότι πολλοί νεοφώτιστοι στην Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία της Γουατεμάλας, συμμετείχαν για πρώτη φορά στις ακολουθίες της Μεγάλης Εβδομάδας και του Ορθόδοξου Πάσχα ! Ας δοξάσουμε τον Θεό και ας παρακαλέσουμε τον Κύριο μας Ιησού Χριστό να ευλογήσει τις Ορθόδοξες Ιεραποστολές και να οδηγήσει και άλλους κατοίκους της Κεντρικής και Λατινικής Αμερικής στην ΟρθόδοξηΧρ

Christ is Risen! (English) Cristo ha Resucitado! (Spanish) Avin comam ix pitzvixivinh! (Chuj)

Orthodox Christians in Guatemala, Easter 2014

Fr. David composed this post during Bright Week. Today, Monday, May 5, is the first time to have access to internet fast enough to post it: 

As you read this, you are probably recovering from the “day with no end”; there is nothing like Holy Week and Pascha in the Orthodox Church. We can try to describe it, but in the end, a person just has to experience it. Knowing that, can you imagine helping a parish of 1200 newly illumined Orthodox Christians, not one of whom had ever participated in an Orthodox Holy Week and Pascha, prepare for it in less than a month’s time? That was our challenge this year. We worked in three different languages among Mayans in the Guatemalan highlands near the border of Mexico. This was our first time to teach these services to a group where not one person—not one priest, not one altar server, not one member of the newly organized choir, not one member of the parish—had ever seen the services. 

Mayan Orthodoxy, 2014

Pres. Rozanne organized the choir which grew from 10 to 35 very faithful members in a few days’ time. From the beginning, we assigned them the task, as with any parish ministry, to teach others. We told them that as choir members they would also be Catechists: they would be teaching others so that eventually the entire parish would know not only the music, but also the meaning behind each service. They accepted the challenge, taking it very seriously. Those 35, under Rozanne’s guidance, did an unbelievable job of teaching our Orthodox Faith through the hymns of Holy Week and Pascha.

Fr. David spent time with the choir but focused most of his attention mentoring our beloved Padre Evangelos who was immersed in a crash course in some of the most complex services of the year for a priest serving alone. We spent time with the lay leaders of the parish, and continued working with the group of “pre-seminarians” (ages 17-25) living with us, who are learning how to serve in the altar, develop their skills as future Readers, and participate in a choir.

We will never forget this Holy Week and Pascha. Ever. We thank God for the honor of witnessing what He is doing here in Guatemala. If you are praying for us and/or supporting us financially, you helped make this historic event possible. Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel of Christ, because…

Indeed He is Risen! En verdad, ha resucitado! Yel, ix pitzvixivinh!

http://www.mayanorthodoxy.com/support/

https://www.facebook.com/RuckerOCMCMissionSpecialists?ref=stream&hc_location=timeline

On the Sunday of the myrrh-bearing women, I think of all the mothers and daughters in Guatemala. This family is from the Orthodox Church in Todos Santos. The two daughters look with profound admiration at their beautiful, strong mother–a disciple of the Lord.

Orthodox Christian family in Guatemala, 2014

https://www.facebook.com/jessebrandow

Ορθόδοξο Πάσχα – Μεγάλη Εβδομάδα  και στο Ορφανοτροφείο της Γουατεμάλας ( Πατριαρχείο Αντιοχείας – Γουατεμάλα ) !

Hogar Rafael Ayau, Guatemala, 2014

http://hogarafaelayau.org/cms/pages/posts/pashca-100.php

https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/FriendsoftheHogarRafaelAy/OnlineDonation.html