St. George the Great Martyr Orthodox Church
A parish of the Orthodox Church in America
Liturgical practices at our parish

In our parish we serve the following services regularly:

  • Saturday evening at 6:00:
    • Ninth Hour and Great Vespers
  • Sunday morning: 
    • 9:00-10:00 Sunday Matins
    • 10:00-12:00 Divine Liturgy
  • Wednesday evening at 6:00:
    • Ninth Hour and Daily Vespers

If one of the following immovable Great Feasts of the Lord or of the Birthgiver of God falls on a weekday, we serve the Vesperal Liturgy on its eve, at 6:00pm:

  • September 8, the Nativity of the Birthgiver of God
  • September 14, the Elevation of the Holy Cross
  • November 21, the Presentation of the Birthgiver of God
  • December 25, the Nativity of Christ
  • January 6, Theophany, the Baptism of Christ
  • February 2, the Presentation of Christ
  • March 25, the Annunciation
  • The Ascension of the Lord, which always falls on a Thursday, 40 days after Pascha
  • August 6, the Transfiguration
  • August 15, the Falling asleep of the Birthgiver of God

For the lesser feasts of the saints we serve the Vespers only, on their eves. The only exceptions are: 

  • June 29, the feast of the holy apostles Peter and Paul;
  • April 23, the feast of St. George, which is our patronal feast.

On these feasts, if they fall on weekdays, we have a vesperal Divine Liturgy, just like for the Great Feasts. Also, we have the offering of kollyva for our saint at the end of the Liturgy on April 23. 

We also offer kollyva for other saints upon requests from our members, if a service is already scheduled on their days. This can be done especially for thanksgiving for help received from that saint, or for a saint for whom one has special reverence, such as one's patronal saint. If you wish to offer kollyva to a saint, just let Father Silviu know of your intention in advance and bring the kollyva to the service.

Because the only relics we have in the parish are the ones of St. Ephrem of Katounakia, during the week in which falls February 27, the feast of the saint, his relics will be displayed for veneration.

The following two mysteries are served whenever the parish requests them and also always on:

  • The Little Paraklisis: on the first Wednesday of August 1-14, at 6:00pm, instead of daily Vespers. If Transfiguration (Aug 6) falls on that Wednesday or Thursday, the Paraklisis will be served on the second Wednesday. 
  • The Holy Unction: on Holy Wednesday and also on the last Wednesday in Advent, instead of Vespers, at 6:00.

Our special Lenten schedule (on top of the regular times listed here first) is:

  • Presanctified Liturgy on every Wednesday at 6:00 (preceded by the Ninth Hour with Typika), except for the fifth Wednesday, when we serve the Great Canon of St. Andrew with Matins.
  • Sunday of Orthodoxy: Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great with procession around church with icons and the Synodikon of 843.
  • Fifth Wednesday at 6:00pm: the Great Canon of St. Andrew with Matins.
  • Fifth Friday at 6:00pm: the Akathist Hymn with Matins.

The special schedule for Holy Week, Pascha, and Bright Week is:

  • Lazarus Saturday: Divine Liturgy of St. John the Golden-mouth at 10:00am, preceded by Matins at 9:00am. Also, this is the last day for confessions until after St. Thomas Sunday (with the exception of emergencies, of course).  No confessions during Holy Week and Bright Week!
  • Palm Sunday: Matins at 9:00am, the Divine Liturgy of St. John the Golden-mouth at 10:00am, with blessing of palm leaves immediately before the Divine Liturgy; small procession at little entrance with kids and palm leaves; girls in white dresses and boys in white button shirts.
  • Holy Monday, at 6:00pm: Bridegroom Matins 
  • Holy Tuesday, at 6:00pm: Bridegroom Matins
  • Holy Wednesday, at 6:00pm: Holy Unction
  • Holy Thursday, at 3:00 pm: Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
  • Holy Thursday, at 6:00pm: Matins of Holy Friday with the passion gospels 
  • Holy Friday, at 3:00pm: Vespers of Holy Friday with the bringing out of the Shroud and with procession with girls who put petals and flowers in front of epitaphion and on it
  • Holy Friday, at 6:00pm: Matins of Holy Saturday with Lamentations, with procession around the church with epitaphion
  • Holy Saturday, at 9:00am: Baptisms and Chrismations (if any)
  • Holy Saturday, at 10:00am: Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
  • Holy Saturday, at 11:30pm: Midnight with Canon, Resurrection Matins, the Divine Liturgy of St. John the Golden-mouth, and the blessing of the Paschal bread, meats, eggs, and dairy products, short fellowship afterwards 
  • Pascha Sunday, at 3:00pm: Agape Vespers followed by Pascha celebration, with full fellowship and with egg hunt for the kids
  • Bright Wednesday, at 6:00pm: Vespers.

Mailing Address
St. George the Great Martyr Orthodox Church
PO Box 667
Pharr, TX 78577
Location
704 W Sam Houston
Pharr, TX 78577
Email and Phone