See bottom of page for first-time visitor instructions
Our Typical Daily Liturgical Schedule:You are welcome to join us in our chapel for any of these services. Occasionally there is a change in our schedule, so you are welcome to email or call ahead of time to make sure that our schedule will be as usual at the time you plan to visit.
The Great Fast
Sundays
6:30 a.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
6:45 a.m. Matins
10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy of St. Basil
5:15 p.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
5:30 p.m. Vespers
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
6:15 a.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
6:30 a.m. Matins
12:00 p.m. 1st, 3rd, 6th, or 9th Hour / Intentions
(not on house meeting days—which are usually Monday)
Thursdays: Akathist to the Passion of Christ
First week Mon.: 2:45 Jesus Prayer, 3:00 Presanctified Liturgy
4:45 p.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
5:00 p.m. Vespers
First week: 8:15 p.m. ¼ of Great Canon
8:45 p.m. Mondays: Small Compline
Tuesdays/Thursdays: ½ hour of personal prayer
Wednesday – Day of Silence (until Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts)
6:15 a.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
6:30 a.m. Matins (ends at 8:00 a.m.)
12:00 p.m. 1st, 3rd, 6th, or 9th Hour / Intentions
2:45 p.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
3:00 p.m. Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts
8:00 p.m. Great Compline
First week: 8:15 p.m. ¼ of Great Canon
Friday – Day of Silence
2:45 p.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
3:00 p.m. Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts
8:00 p.m. Great Compline
Fifth week: 8:45 p.m. ½ hour of personal prayer
Saturday
6:15 a.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
6:30 a.m. Matins
12:00 p.m. Panachida (on All Souls Saturdays), unless there is DL
or 1st, 3rd, 6th, or 9th Hour / Intentions
4:45 p.m. The Jesus Prayer in Silence
5:00 p.m. Great Vespers
Divine Liturgy Schedule:
2025
Friday, April 4
2:45 p.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
3:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Sunday, April 6
10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, April 9
2:45 p.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
3:00 p.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Friday, April 11
2:45 p.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
3:00 p.m.-:4:40 p.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Sunday, April 13: Palm Sunday
10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Monday, April 14: Great & Holy Monday
2:45 p.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Tuesday, April 15: Great & Holy Tuesday
2:45 p.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Wednesday, April 16: Great & Holy Wednesday
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Bridegroom Matins
2:45 p.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
3:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts & Anointing
Thursday, April 17: Great & Holy Thursday
12:00 p.m. 9th Hour
[6:00 p.m. We will attend Vespers & Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Parma]
Friday, April 18: Great & Holy Friday
7:15 a.m. Jesus Prayer in Silence
7:30 a.m. Matins with the 12 Gospels
11:30 a.m. 1st & 3rd Royal Hours
2:00 p.m. 6th & 9th Royal Hours
4:45 p.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
5:00 p.m. Entombment Vespers with Burial Procession
Saturday, April 19: Great & Holy Saturday
7:45 a.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
8:00 a.m. Jerusalem Matins
3:00 p.m. Jesus Prayer in silence
3:15 p.m. Vespers & Divine Liturgy of St. Basil
Sunday, April 20: The Pascha of Our Lord (Easter Sunday)
10:00 a.m. Resurrection Matins with procession & Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, with basket blessing
Monday, April 21: Bright Monday
10:00 a.m. Resurrection Matins
11:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, April 23: Bright Wednesday
9:30 a.m. Resurrection Matins
10:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Sunday, April 27: Thomas Sunday
10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
Upcoming Events:
Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Join the nuns of Christ the Bridegroom Monastery for a special Lenten service, the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, on Thursday, April 3, at St. Mary Magdalene Byzantine Catholic Church in Fairview Park, Ohio. This powerful service of repentance includes beautiful melodies, plentiful Scriptural and spiritual nourishment, hundreds of prostrations, and the moving life story of the penitent St. Mary of Egypt. The evening will also be a great opportunity for the Mystery of Holy Repentance (Confession) and to venerate a relic of St. Mary of Egypt. Please bring a fasting-friendly potluck dish to share (no meat, dairy, eggs or fish) if you join us for dinner at 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the hall. The Canon will begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at about 9:00 p.m. All are invited to come for part or all of the Canon, even if you are not physically able to participate in the prostrations.
SAVE THE DATE:
Bridegroom Matins
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
10-11:30 a.m.
Spring Work Day
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Summer Picnic
Saturday, June 14
4:30 p.m. Vespers & picnic
The Bridegroom’s Banquet 2025
November 1, 2025
Annual Benefit Dinner
Parma, Ohio
Preparing for your visit to our chapel:
General instructions:
Guests are very welcome to come and pray with us in our chapel. You may be
surprised to find that there are no pews in the middle of the chapel. This is a
Byzantine tradition, as most of our prayers are done standing. (There are also
historical reasons for the introduction of pews into many churches in the 14th
Century). You will find benches on the outer perimeter of the chapel. You are
welcome to sit down if you need to, but if you are able-bodied and someone
elderly or infirm needs to sit on a bench, please offer them your seat. It is
acceptable to sit on the floor. If you are able to stand, and a priest or nun
are incensing or processing around the chapel, please move to the middle of the
chapel to leave the perimeter open for them. Please refrain from conversations
in the chapel and keep all non-essential conversations to the narthex (vestibule).
Candles:
We have small taper candles in the vestibule of the chapel. Please feel free to
light a candle by the icon of Jesus or the Theotokos for your intentions during
Matins, Vespers, or Divine Liturgy. You can light a candle at any time during
the service, but please know that at the end of the service the candles are
blown out as a fire-safety precaution. Your candle will be relit at the next
service.
Matins, Vespers, Hours, Compline:
You will be invited by a nun to come up to the cantor stand to follow along and
pray the services with us. You are invited to sing the services with the nuns,
but please listen for the cantor and follow along as best as you can. If you
prefer, you are also always welcome to just listen. If there is a large group
and special inserts have been made, these will be given to you before the
service begins. During Matins and Vespers there is often a prolonged chanting
of the Psalms called the Kathisma, and it is customary to sit during this
section. The Hours are primarily chanted by an individual nun. We have booklets
for Compline, so you are welcome to stand or sit anywhere in the nave of the
church for this service.
Divine Liturgy:
There is usually a nun available to help you before the Liturgy begins, however
this is not always possible and it may be helpful for you to have some basic
instructions before you arrive. There are books in the vestibule of the chapel,
as well as instructions on a cork board. You will want to take a Divine Liturgy
book as well as a Marian Hymnal, and any special insert on the shelf. You are
welcome to receive the Eucharist if you are a Catholic who has been properly
prepared. The Eucharist is distributed in both species on a spoon. When you
come forward to receive the Eucharist, please come very close to the priest,
say your name, and open your mouth wide and tilt your head back. Please do not
stick out your tongue or close your mouth on the spoon. After the Liturgy,
blessed bread will be distributed, which you are welcome to receive even if you
are not Catholic.
Arriving late:
If you arrive in our chapel and there is a service already ongoing, please feel
very welcome to come and join us. You are not disturbing the service, we are
glad to welcome you.
