Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,

Christ is in our midst! He was and is and ever shall be.
Ο Χριστός έν τώ μέσω ημών.  Και ήν και έστι και έσται. 

THE PERIOD OF THE TRIODION

What is the Triodion?

This is the Orthodox liturgical book that contains the variable portions of the Divine Liturgy and other holy services for a particular period of Orthodox Christian ecclesiastical calendar.  It begins on the 4th Sunday before the Holy and Great Lent (Fast), the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, and ends on the Saturday of the Holy and Great Week.  Triodion is also called the period between the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee and Holy Pascha.  The name derives from the fact that during the season the Canons contain only THREE ODES instead of the usual NINE.  The canon is a series of nine hymns, odes used at the Orthros (Matins).  The NINE ODES vary so as to correspond with the theme of the particular feast.  The introduction of canons is ascribed to Saint Andrew of Crete.  Other famous authors of canons are Romanos the Melodos, Saint John Damascene, and Saint Theodore the Studetes.