The Lord’s Day of Forgiveness 2026

The Lord’s Day before the beginning of the Great Fast is a day of repentance. Repentance means that we decide to change our evil ways, confess our sins and forgive others. The Orthodox Church also helps us to remember today that Adam and Eve, the first-created man and woman, were sent out of Paradise, the beautiful Garden of Eden. If you look at the icon below, you can see that they were wearing royal robes before they sinned. Because they disobeyed God’s only command, to not eat the fruit of just one tree, they lost their robes of grace. They did not repent of their sin, and so God sent them out of the garden with the door guarded by an angel with his sword. In the garden, God planted so many other beautiful trees with delicious fruits that they were allowed to eat. But, they were tricked by the evil one, who lied to them, saying they will become gods if they eat of this one tree. They believed the evil one who was in the form of a serpent, but did not believe God, their Father, who loved them. Today, the Church is helping us to remember the sin of disobedience of our first parents, so that we are obedient to Christ. Fasting from certain foods during the Great Fast helps us be obedient to God, to end our sins, and to defeat the evil one. We fast for Christ’s sake, in great anticipation of His glorious Resurrection on Pascha.

Let us set out with joy upon the season of the Fast, and prepare ourselves for spiritual combat. Let us purify our soul and cleanse our flesh; and as we fast from food, let us abstain also from every passion. Rejoicing in the virtues of the Spirit may we persevere with love, and so be counted worthy to see the solemn Passion of Christ our God, and with great spiritual gladness to behold His holy Pascha.

(From Forgiveness Vespers Stichera, Tone 2 by Theodore, The Lenten Triodion)