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 This is our home on the Internet. Here you will find the latest news and information about the church. Please take a moment to visit the online Calendar for upcoming events and our News page for featured articles. Visitors are invited to sign up for our online mailing list for special news and announcements. We hope you enjoy your visit and encourage you to check back often for updates!
Holy Protection of the Virgin Mary
 Since the earliest days of the Church Christians have honored the most holy Virgin Mary as the patroness and protectress of all Christians. Her protection and intercessory power are specially commemorated in the icon of the Holy Protection. This icon is especially popular with Ukrainian and Greek Orthodox Christians, who celebrate this Marian feast day on October 1st and 14th respectively. The feast was instituted to commemorate the appearance of the Mother of God to Saint Andrew the Fool in Christ in Constantinople in the tenth century. On the night of October 1, 911, Saint Andrew and his disciple Epiphanius were standing in the rear of the Blachernae Church of the Mother of God during an all-night vigil. The Blachernae Palace church was where several of the Virgin Marys relics were kept, including her robe and veil, transferred there from Palestine during the fifth century.
At four a.m. the Most Holy Virgin appeared above the people, holding her veil outstretched as a protective covering for the faithful. She shone with ineffable radiance and was surrounded by a company of apostles, saints, martyrs and virgins. Saint Andrew said to his disciple, Do you see, brother, the Queen and Lady of all praying for the whole world? Epiphanius replied, I see, Father, and am struck with amazement!
At that time the people in the city were threatened by a barbarian invasion. But after the Virgins appearance, the danger was averted and the city was spared.
Prayer for St. Mary's Parish.
 Lord Jesus Christ, You are the head of the church, You are the head of our congregation. Grant us through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we may look upon each other with love and understanding, offer comfort and help to one another.Care for the sick, enlighten the disbelievers, support the weak, awaken the drowsy, thaw the cold and halfhearted, lead the seekers. Help us provide one another with our needs, thereby lightening their load.
We pray to you that our parish may grow and those who are seeking God may find a home in our church.
We pray to you for the many in our community who have forgotten You or do not know You, that they may find their way to come back to their Mother church. Call them to return to our parish community, that they may hear the word of Your Gospel, be embraced by Your grace and inherit the inexpressible blessedness of Your Heavenly Kingdom.
Together with You and all of Your saints, forever and ever. Amen.
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News & Events
Easter breakfast on Sunday April 15, 2012
Schedule for Easter Liturgy
The Letter of Bishop John concerning abortion, contraception and sterilization coverage ( see more...)
Pope Benedict XVI greets new head of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (read more...)
"Holiness United God's People": In Kiev, and Beyond, A New "Patriarch"... A New Epoch (read more...)
Announcement about Cardinal Lubomyr Huzar's retirement (read more)
Articles
St. John Chrysostom "On Fasting" (read more...)
A Church That Was Supposed to Disappear. Interview With Cardinal Husar of Kiev, Ukraine. (read more...)
Theology in Line and Color: The Purpose of the Iconographic Style.
"Iconography expresses with spiritualized forms abstracted from natural phenomena, a world which is beyond phenomena, a spiritual world." (read more...).
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