MAR 17: PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY – 6:00 PM. Note: Confession available before and after Liturgy.
Saint Patrick’s Day or the Feast of Saint Patrick is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on March 17th for the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. The day commemorates him, the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and the heritage and culture of the Irish in general.
Little is known of his early life, except he was born in Roman Britain in the 4th century, into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father was a deacon and his grandfather a priest in the Christian church. At 16, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken captive to Ireland as a slave somewhere on the west coast of Ireland. According to his Confession, he was told by God in a dream to flee from captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to be a priest. In 432, he again said that he was called back to Ireland, though as a bishop, to Christianise the Irish from their native polytheism. According to legend, Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to Irish pagans. After nearly 30 years of evangelism, he died on 17 March 461, and according to tradition, was buried at Downpatrick.
(NOTE: PreSanctified Liturgy books are in the church).
THE HOLY LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED GIFTS ACCORDING TO BYZANTINE RITE TRADITION (from the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh): https://archpitt.org/the-holy-liturgy-of-the-presanctified-gifts-according-to-byzantine-rite-tradition/
THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE PRESANTIFIED GIFTS E-VERSION (note – this is a “draft,” but if you don’t have a book, it can guide you): PresanctifiedGifts
or you can purchase from Byzantine Seminary Press at the following: https://www.byzantineseminarypress.com/the-divine-liturgy-of-the-presanctified-gifts-peoples-version-with-music/
The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated during the Great Fast, and provides the faithful with the opportunity to receive Holy Communion on those days when the Eucharistic Sacrifice is not celebrated. The word “presanctified” indicates that the “gifts” (the Body and Blood of Christ) which are distributed at the service are those consecrated at a previous Eucharist. Information about the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts from the Metropolitan Cantor Institute: https://mci.archpitt.org/liturgy/DivineLiturgyPresanctifiedGifts.html
