Consecration Dates: October 9-10, 2010

Honorary Chairman: Christos Tsaganis

Co-Chairmen: Thalia Lingos-Huser, Christy J. Mihos, Rocky Savas

Our first official meeting was held on the Feast of Holy Theophany, January 6th – a blessed day for the beginning of our sacred task! A general overview of the event, and discussion about committees and tasks was the focus.

A mailing will soon be going out to each household with more details about the consecration, with a special focus on seeking everyone’s participation and support, since this event truly involves each and every parishioner.

Our committee chairs, under the guidance of the Consecration Committee, are currently organizing their committees and tasks.

Beloved parishioners and friends of the Annunciation Church,

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, our spiritual leader, we will be consecrating to God our beloved Church of the Annunciation, during the weekend of October 9-10, 2010.

For those who are not familiar with this process, let us explain a bit about the consecration of an Orthodox temple.

From the early centuries of the Church, it has been the practice to consecrate – literally, to make sacred – Orthodox houses of worship. The various rituals performed will set apart this holy temple as a sacred place, dedicated solely for the worship of the living God.

The main focus of the ritual of consecration is the Holy Altar – the most sacred part of the temple. The altar table will be washed and prepared for the deposition of the holy relics of three saints. The table will then be anointed with Holy Chrism, as well as the walls of the church. Basically, the Holy Altar and the entire temple will be baptized and chrismated, just as each Orthodox Christian upon joining the Body of Christ. The final act that seals, so to speak, the consecration of the Holy Altar, is the celebration of the Divine Liturgy upon the newly consecrated altar table.

These beautiful and solemn rituals will bring grace and spiritual renewal, not only upon the physical structure of our Church, but also upon each and every one of us as members of the mystical Body of Christ. Our holy temple of the Annunciation will be consecrated to the glory of God, and toward the spiritual nourishment of all of us, and our posterity.

Therefore, let us all plan on being together as a family in Christ on the consecration weekend, in order to participate in these sanctifying rituals!