Great Lent 2024 - Archpastoral Letter from our Father Archbishop Alexander

​Dearly beloved in the Lord,

To many, weeks of intensified fasting and increased liturgical services during Great Lent may not initially evoke excitement. Nevertheless, the reality is that the Lenten season is a manifestation of God's love.

Prayer, fasting, and acts of charity are the foundational elements of the Christian life. During Great Lent, we intentionally focus on these spiritual disciplines to deepen their integration into our hearts. Our hope is to emerge from the Lenten season with increased inner peace and heightened desire to please God.

Every gift from God is bestowed upon us to enable us to fulfil the two great commandments: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and, with all your mind," and "Love your neighbor as yourself." The strengthened resolve cultivated during the Great Fast empowers us to engage in the Christian life with greater diligence in loving both God and our neighbors.

I pray that your Lenten journey this year fills your hearts with gratitude for God's abundant blessings. May this season of thankfulness motivate each of us to faithfully steward God's gifts, applying them to the dual tasks of demonstrating love for God through tangible acts of kindness towards our neighbor.

With love in Christ,
+Alexander
Archbishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese