On Sunday, August 6th, St. George celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration with Divine Liturgy.  After Divine Liturgy, Fr. Sergei, assisted by Deacon Eugene Shkurti, blessed grapes, fruit, and vegetables that is traditional on this feast day.  The blessing of grapes and other fruits and vegetables on this feast day is an ancient tradition of the Orthodox Church, stretching all the way back to the early church, and is a sign of God's renewal of all creation through Christ. Afterwards, parishioners shared their blessed fruits or vegetables at coffee hour. Click onto the more information link below to view some photos.

Below are the prayers that were offered during the blessing of fruits and vegetables:

Prayer at the partaking of grapes on the sixth day of August:
Bless, O Lord, this new fruit of the vine, which, through temperate weather, through showers of rain and times of calm, has attained to ripeness at this hour, according to Thy good pleasure.  May our partaking of this birth of the vine be for gladness, and for the offering of a gift unto Thee for the cleansing of sins, through the sacred and holy Body of Thy Christ, with whom thou art blessed, together with thy most holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

Prayer for those who offer first fruits:
O Master, Lord our God, who commandest everyone to offer to Thee thine own of thine own, according to their intention, granting them in return thine eternal good things, and who didst favourably accept the offering of the widow which was according to her ability: now also accept these things offered by Thy servants [here present], counting them worthy to lay up the same in thine eternal treasury.  And grant them an abundant harvest of thine eternal good things, together with all things that are profitable unto them.  For blessed is Thy Name, and glorified is Thy kingdom: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen.