St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christ is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

Christos Anesti!

Alithos Anesti!

I am grateful to greet you in the extreme joy of the Resurrection. We came to the second year of celebrating Lenten, Holy Week and Paschal Services in our new worship space. Everything, and I mean everything went so smoothly and seamlessly this year. I am thankful to all of you who came in pious prayer to worship our Savior Jesus Christ these past several months of the Season. All services were well attended and enthusiastically received. You are such a lovely community, alive in the Spirit and serving each other with Christian Love. I cannot believe that Pascha has come and gone in 2025, but that is our reality. We still have several days to celebrate our Risen Lord, of course. The Feast of the Ascension is not until May 29th!

Thank you to all who worked so hard to bring dignity, grace, love, and special attention to each of our services and all of the retreats that took place in these past few months, leading up to the Resurrection of Christ. Our Philoptochos, Men’s Ministry, Church Musicians, Parish Council Members, Ushers, Teachers, and Altar Boys all brought their best to be brought to the Throne of God. Every effort to His Glory, and unto our salvation. Also, I wish to thank my brother clergy who served with such passion and dedication throughout the Lenten Season, Holy Week and Pascha. I literally would not be standing without the support and propping up of Fr. Elias and Dn. John. 

As we head into the remainder of spring and summer, there will be allot taking place here at St. Anna’s. We tend not to slow down much at any time of year. So please, keep up the spiritual zeal and enthusiasm for the sacred. God Bless you in these salvific days of Resurrection. And hey, while they say “Paschal Letdown” is a real thing – when the Sunday after Pascha is lightly attended. Let’s prove “them” wrong. See you tomorrow!

I remain,

With Love in Christ Who Rose on the Third Day,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

At long last, we are here. Tomorrow begins the transition to Holy Week and Pascha. For weeks you have been seeing the Holy Week Schedule and I pray you have prepared yourselves and allocated the proper time to experience together, the most spiritually significant week of our lives. Please keep in mind a couple thoughts beyond what has been announced. 

Beginning with the Orthros Service of Palm Sunday, we welcome as our guest chanter, Mr. Robert Shand. Rob is a native to Salt Lake City and grew up in the local Greek Orthodox Community. He, his wife, Jenny and their son, Charles will be welcomed additions to our Holy Week and Pascha experience. He is a graduate of our Holy Cross Seminary and an accomplished and formally trained psalti. Together with our own Spirit-filled and church musicians, I look forward to celebrating these divine services unto the glory of God, and for the inspiration of His people. 

Secondly, as we begin the actual commemoration of Holy Week, with the First Bridegroom Service on the Evening of Palm Sunday, please remember that we will have His Eminence Metropolitan Constantine with us. Also visiting for the first time, Dn. Alexios Demos, the deacon to the Metropolitan and the Metropolis of Denver Director of Ministries. It would be fantastic to have as many people as possible to welcome them and to receive the blessings of His Eminence to begin our Holy Week journey together. 

Thirdly, please remember to have your children participating in our annual Youth Holy Friday Retreat. All children from kindergarten to Twelfth Grade are welcome and encouraged to attend. The Retreat begins at 11:30 and ends after Vespers. Kids will be ready to be picked up at around 4:15 pm.

Fourthly, the Divine Liturgy on Holy Saturday Morning is very much thought of as a youth event of sorts. I invite all children to be with us as they joyfully ring bells and see the flower petals fly as we commemorate Christ’s descent into Hades, freeing those held captive from the time of Adam and Eve. What a celebration!

Lastly, please remember that we break bread together on the early morning of Pascha following the Paschal Divine Liturgy. A full lamb dinner (or chicken if you don’t do lamb) will be waiting for us. Break the Fast surrounded by your closest friends and family, at St. Anna’s!

God bless you and be strengthened in these salvific days. I remain,

With Much Love in Christ Who Triumphantly Arrives in Jerusalem on the Colt of a Donkey, 

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Tomorrow is the final weekend before we head into a most significant transition with a full head of steam. Next Saturday is the Saturday of Lazarus. The combined observance of the Raising of Lazarus and Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem is the pivot point from Great Lent into Holy Week. For the many of you who are experiencing these commemorations and liturgical celebrations for the first time, or are still new to them, I envy you. The wide-eyed and open-hearted spirit with which you will approach this season is an inspiration to us all. The Passion and Resurrection of Christ is in full display in all the dignity, reverence, awe, poetic expression, and respect They so completely deserve. You are in for the spiritual ride of your lives!

The services of Holy Week and Pascha are filled with the dogma, theology, teachings and truths of holy Orthodox Church. The Church from the beginning. The Church that was there. The Church that continues. The Church that is His precious Body. 

To those of us who have been accustomed to these days, please, approach them with the childhood innocence of your youth. Each year is a new celebration, a new observance, a new reality. To be sure, these Holidays happen every year, but we mourn the crucified Christ and celebrate the Resurrected Christ every year as if it is happening now, for the first time. The language indicates the present, not simply referencing us to the past. 

This coming week, there are no weekday evening services. You have been diligent these past five weeks in participating in the Great Compline Services, Presanctified Liturgies, and Salutations Services, as well as Saturday Evening Great Vespers. I encourage you to take this needed rest from an intensified liturgical schedule and gear up for an energized Holy Week experience. Come to as many services as possible. His Eminence Metropolitan Constantine will be with us for the first Bridegroom Service next Palm Sunday Evening. The Sacrament of Holy Oil will be administered twice on Holy Wednesday, and for sure, please, PLEASE, make sure that your children, from kindergarten through 12th Grade are with us for the Holy Friday Retreat. There is no reason for them not to be with us on that most sacred, solemn, sad, and auspicious day. 

I have attached the Holy Week and Pascha Schedule, as well as having it included within the Weekly Bulletin. Please reference it and plan accordingly.

Lastly, please remember that we will, once again be breaking bread and breaking the fast together with our annual Anastasi Dinner following the Paschal Divine Liturgy in the early morning hours of April 20th. There are many things that will take place in the coming and immedate days. They are all to God’s glory. They are all to our spiritual benefit. Enjoy.

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony Savas
Protopresbyter