Religion / Book Reviews / Lent

“Meditations for Great Lent”

18 February 2013

Meditations for Great Lent, a New Book from Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou

The Lenten Triodion exhorts us, “Let us observe a fast acceptable and pleasing to the Lord.” Using hymns from the Triodion and the Scripture readings appointed for the season, Meditations for Great Lent shows us how to make our fast acceptable: to fast not only from food but from sin; to fast with love and humility, as a means to an end and not an end in itself. Keep this gem of a book with you to inspire you for the Fast and to dip into for encouragement as you pursue your Lenten journey.

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Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou is a priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. He was born in London in 1977 and holds degrees in pastoral and social theology, classics, and Byzantine music. He is the author ofJourney to the Kingdom: An Insider’s Look at the Liturgy and Beliefs of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Paraclete Press) and numerous articles on Christian Orthodox faith and theology.

This interesting book includes themes like: A very useful Guide to the Season of the Triodion, Humility (on the Sunday of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee), Repentance (on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son), Ascetic Love (on the Sunday of the Last Judgment), Fast from Sin (for Meatfare Week), Judgment, Forgiveness, Return to Paradise, Passions and Virtues, Joy, Cross, Resurrection, Canon of St. Andrew, and the Journey to Pascha. It includes also Recommended Reading.

We read from Introduction: “Written for the devout Christian, the Triodion is full of warnings against pride and hypocrisy – the ultimate spiritual sins to which religious folk are so susceptible. Its hymns teach us the true nature and purpose of fasting and of Lent itself.

This short book gives us a glimpse into the spiritual depth and meaning of Lent. The  chapters are divided into Lenten themes, each beginning with a hymn of Triodion and followed by a brief commentary on each theme. Some of the themes are related to particular days or weeks of Lent and pre-Lenten season (as indicated by the chapter subtitles), while others apply to the season as a whole.”

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