Zacchaeus Sunday: February 1

Saturday, January 31
Vespers 5:00 PM

Sunday, February 1:
Adult Class 9:00 AM
Hours 9:45 AM
Typika 10:00 AM

In Orthodox Churches following the Slavic lectionary, the Sunday of Zacchaeus signals the beginning of our preparatory period before Great Lent. The story of the tax-collector who climbed a tree to see Jesus reminds us that our Lenten devotion should begin with a recognition of sinfulness, just as Zacchaeus recognized his sins. He promised to make restitution by giving half of his wealth to the poor and by paying to those he had falsely accused four times as much as they had lost. In this, he went beyond the requirements of the Law.

Just as Zacchaeus "sought to see who Jesus was" (Luke 19:3), that same desire and effort to see Jesus starts the movement through Lent towards Holy Pascha.