Weekly Message January 31, 2025

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This week, we celebrate the beautiful feast of the Presentation of the Lord—or, as we call it in Greek, Ypapanti.

Forty days after His birth, Christ was brought to the Temple by the Theotokos and Joseph, fulfilling the Jewish custom of presenting a child to God. There, the righteous Simeon received Him in his arms and proclaimed that he had seen the salvation of the world.

This moment in Christ’s life is the foundation of a beloved tradition in our Church—the 40-day blessing of newborn children. Just as Christ was brought to the Temple, we bring our children into the church, presenting them before God and the community, welcoming them into a life of faith. It is a reminder that from our very first days, we are called to be in God’s presence.

This feast is especially meaningful to me because one of my favorite hymns of the Church comes from this service. It is a hymn filled with profound beauty and theological depth, one that expresses the joy and hope we can find in prayer. But you’ll have to come to church to hear the full story!

This Sunday, I’ll share more about the feast, its significance, and even teach the hymn so we can sing it together.

I hope to see you all this Sunday as we celebrate Ypapanti and reflect on what it means to truly receive Christ into our lives.

In Christ's love,