St. Oliva

Today is Olivia's namesday (following the Old Calendar), the day we celebrate the saint for whom she is named, St. Oliva of Brescia, Italy, who was martyred under the Emperor Hadrian in 138 AD. This icon was hand-painted by Fr. Paul Akmolin and given as a gift from my parents to Olivia:

Since it is Great Lent, we are making an effort to go to more services, and give alms by helping  others.  Unfortunately, we are not able to attend as many services as the new church is much further than the old church was...

Olivia is collecting money to donate to OCMC (Orthodox Christian Mission Center), in this little box with a slot on top, that we got while at the homeschool gathering at Christ the Savior church.  I also want to start this prison ministry with my Sunday school class:  http://theorthodoxprisonministry.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/BBB_diy.pdf

We were able to attend Holy Unction (the anointing of oil, for the remission of sins) while the Kursk icon visited our parish last week:

Post by St. George Russian Orthodox Church.

One of the passages from the Bible that is read during that service is:
"A certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him." Luke 10:33-34

And another (although the healing is not merely for those sick of the body, but those who are sick of the soul...whose soul is pure?):
"Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."
James 5:14-15

Little 5 year old Sofia is home!  The surgery went very well.  Tomorrow is her little brother's first birthday!