Forgiveness Vespers.

Twice in years past - first in 2009 and again in 2011 - I've presented Lenten posts focusing on the service of Forgiveness Vespers, which marks the start of Great Lent in the Byzantine tradition; for more on the service and its meaning, consult those earlier posts. The intent of this post is to share a video of one of the most moving parts of that service, the rite of mutual forgiveness at the end of vespers. During this rite, clergy and parishioners seek forgiveness of one another - not just collectively, but individually, one by one, one at a time.

This video comes from St. Elias Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Brampton, Ontario, which has done a commendable job of sharing the riches of the Byzantine tradition through a regularly updated YouTube channel featuring exceptionally well-produced videos filmed at various parish services. If this video catches your interest, why not pay St. Elias a visit - either online or, if you're nearby, in person? AMDG.