Grade 5 Lesson 1

Grade 5 Lesson 1: Seasons of The Church

Learning Outcomes

Liturgical Calendar

• G5.LO48 - Examine how the Liturgical Calendar helps us grow as Christians.
• G5.LO49 - Discuss the different grades of Feasts.
• G5.LO50 - Contrast the West Syriac Liturgical calendar with that of other Orthodox Churches.
• G5.LO51 - Explain the importance of the Liturgical calendar in the Orthodox Church, and give an overview of the seasons of the Church.

Textbook Lesson

• USA & Canada: Lesson 1 Textbook PDF
• UEA: Lesson 1 Textbook PDF

Expanding Thoughts on Lesson

• Summary
  • Tradition, writings from Bishop Kallistos Ware
  • Our Church calendar is a celebration of Christ and His love for us. To quote Fr. Baby Varghese, “In and through the liturgical year, the life of Christ has been ‘publicly portrayed’ before us. It serves as a means to proclaim the reality of the Incarnation and thus to unite us with Him and to grow into His stature. The Church relives the whole life of Christ: Nativity, Baptism, Fasting, Passion, Resurrection, Sending of the Holy Spirit, and finally the Triumph of the Cross. Each phase in the earthly life of Christ, whether Nativity, Baptism, Passion, or Resurrection, includes and anticipates the whole economy of salvation. The celebration of a particular event manifests the whole economy of salvation, a striking characteristic of Syriac theology though, especially that of St. Ephrem. Each celebration is set in the context of the whole, for each leads us to life, to the Kingdom of God.”

Lesson Resources

• Vocabulary
  • Liturgical Calendar
  • Yeldho
  • Denaha
  • Incarnation
  • Kudhosh-Etho’: Sanctification of the Church
  • Hudos-Etho: Dedication of the Church
  • Moronaya Feasts:
  • Qyamtha
  • Zuloko
  • Shoonoyo: The Dormition of the Theotokos
  • Sleeba: Holy Cross
  • Pentecost (Siom Boorke)

Connecting Materials

• Share your resources! Please email resources@talmido.org