SHUBKONO.......

 'Day of Forgiveness,' 

The Holy Church, begins Great Lent with the

 'Day of Forgiveness,' and sets her journey into penitence. And so, kneeling and prostrating, her people look ahead to the Holy Resurrection (Kymtho), the great feast of the Light.

The Holy Church teaches to enter the Great Lent with a pure heart, reconciling with all our brethren. The service of reconciliation is conducted on Monday, the first day if the Great Lent, at the end of third hour.

 The Service of Reconciliation or shubqono, stands at the 'threshold of Great Lent.' The service marks the actual doorway into Lent, the threshold on the other side of which stands the fullest measure of ascesis that the Church metes out to the whole of her faithful throughout the world. As we stand at the threshold of the fast, we sing of him who stood before the gates of Eden.

O merciful and compassionate Lord, to You I cry aloud: I am fallen!
Have mercy on me! Your grace has shown forth, O Lord, it has shone forth and given light to our souls. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the season of repentance.

This year's journey begins today. Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;

Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. - Joel 2:12-13

Let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, that having sailed across the great sea of the Fast, we may reach the third-day Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of our souls.

Cleanse me in the waters of repentance, and through prayer and fasting make me shine with light, for Thou alone art merciful. Abhor me not, O Benefactor of all, supreme in love.

Ashwalan moryo aloho b’tayboothok l’hoosoyo d’hawbai w’shoobqono dahtohai b’hono yawmo qadisho d’ithaw shooroyo d’soomoyeekh qadisho.

Make us worthy, O Lord God, by Your abundant grace, for the remission of sins and the forgiveness of debts on this holy day, which is the beginning of Your Holy Fast.