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St. Athanasius Orthodox Church • Nicholasville/Lexington Kentucky

St. Athanasius Orthodox Church • Nicholasville/Lexington Kentucky

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June, Pentecost, Vacation Church School

In these recent days, the Orthodox Church throughout the world has pivoted from the Paschal season towards the holy days that follow Pentecost — which is observed this year on June 8. In the month of June, we also host the annual Pan-Orthodox Vacation Church School Program (June 9-13.) You can register for VCS here and you indicate your interest in volunteering here. Any children from pre-K (potty-trained) through those entering 6th grade are welcome to register — not just those in our parishes!

Of course, we also invite you to visit our parish. You can learn more about making an actual visit to St. Athanasius here. You can also take a peek inside our church by checking our parish YouTube channel. Check out our updated google calendar here (and you can import it into your own calendar if you wish) and our pdf calendar for June here:

We also welcome those who are in (or close to) Madison County to consider a visit our St. Nina Mission in Berea, which helps extend the reach of the Orthodox Faith along the I-75 corridor and Wilderness Trail. We are drawing people from Somerset, London, Corbin, and beyond — and are celebrating at least 9 services in our Berea chapel each month! )

Below is a collection of photos from May 2025, which includes a recent pilgrimage our young ladies took to Holy Transfiguration Women’s Monastery in Pennsylvania where one of our (former) parishioners was just tonsured a nun. You will also see lots of other photos of parish life throughout the month, showing the full range of liturgical, educational, missional, and social life in our parish. We hope these photos and the depth of our Faith inspire you to visit St. Athanasius Orthodox Church or our St. Nina Mission during this season! If you have questions about our calendar or any aspect of our Faith or parish life, please reach out to our rector and senior pastor Fr. Justin at fr.justin@bluegrassorthodox.org.

Bulletin June 15th

June 13, 2025 News

Bulletin June 8

June 6, 2025 News

June, Pentecost, Vacation Church School

May 31, 2025 Featured

In these recent days, the Orthodox Church throughout the world has pivoted from the Paschal season towards the holy days that follow Pentecost — which is observed this year on June 8. In the month of June, we also host the annual Pan-Orthodox Vacation Church School Program (June 9-13.) You can …

Bulletin June 1st

May 29, 2025 News

Bulletin May 25th

May 22, 2025 News

Bulletin May 18th

May 15, 2025 News

Bulletin May 11th

May 8, 2025 News

Bulletin May 4th

May 8, 2025 News

Pascha Continues: Christ is Risen!

April 30, 2025 Featured

On Sunday, April 20, Orthodox Christians everywhere celebrated the Feast of Feasts — the PASCHA of the Lord. (You can see our Paschal photos below.) The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ continues through May 29 (40 days) when the Church keeps the Feast of the Lord’s Ascension and …

Bulletin April 27th

April 26, 2025 News
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St. Athanasius Orthodox Church
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St. Athanasius Orthodox Church

The official "Life" and liturgical texts of the soon-to-be canonized Matushka Olga are here; ... See MoreSee Less

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St. Athanasius Orthodox Church is at Calvary Cemetery.
19 hours ago
St. Athanasius Orthodox Church

We are moving closer towards being able to announce an Orthodox section at Calvary Roman Catholic Cemetery in Lexington. Here is Fr. Justin in the proposed location for a 100-grave section open to all Orthodox Christians! ... See MoreSee Less

We are moving closer towards being able to announce an Orthodox section at Calvary Roman Catholic Cemetery in Lexington. Here is Fr. Justin in the proposed location for a 100-grave section open to all Orthodox Christians!Image attachmentImage attachment
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St. Athanasius Orthodox Church
1 day ago
St. Athanasius Orthodox Church

+The Apostles' Fast Begins: What's it About?+
-Reflection by Archpriest Justin Patterson

The Feast of Pentecost remains one of the most beloved feasts in Orthodox Christian piety and experience. And by the grace of the Spirit, poured out upon the Apostolic gathering on the Day of Pentecost and renewed moment by moment in believers, the work of sharing and living the Gospel continues!

One week after this great feast of Pentecost, the Church continues Her celebration of Pentecost with the commemoration of "all the saints” —all those known and unknown who have shone forth the grace and love of the Lord. And it is on the day after this Sunday of All Saints that the Church enters into what is commonly called the Apostles’ Fast. The Apostles’ Fast, also called the Fast of Ss. Peter and Paul, runs from the Monday after All Saints until the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul on June 29th.

Why - just having had Lent just 2 months ago - would the Church have us undertake another fasting season now?

Two obvious reasons for this present Fast immediately present themselves: First, there can be no doubt that the monastic fathers and mothers who played such an important role in the development of Orthodox life simply relished the times devoted to the spiritual and physical struggle, which they saw as opportunities for growth in Christ. To the monks and nuns of old, sanctifying a time of fasting after the exuberance of Pentecost seemed the most appropriate thing for them to do. And their practice inspired the rest of the Church, too.

Second, we can also see that the Apostles’ Fast developed at least in part due to our sensitivity to the imperatives of Scripture. When the Lord is asked why His disciples did not fast (as did, say, the more disciplined followers of His austere cousin John), the Lord spoke words that many in the early Church took as prophetic. “The days will come, ” Jesus taught, “when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matt.9:15).

The fathers clearly believed—as Orthodox Christians recognize today—that the Bridegroom has been taken away. Orthodox believers, due in large part to our yearly remembrance of the Ascension of Christ, are keenly aware of Christ’s being absent. We yearn for Him. We await His Second coming as we profess each Liturgy in the Creed. Yet we are even more keenly aware that the Spirit of Truth has now been poured out on all flesh. The Comforter has come. And He has come not just to bring us “comfort,” but to sanctify us and to equip us to emulate the ascetical struggles of the apostles that, in turn, reveal Christ to the world!

Following the apostles who are following Christ, empowered by the Spirit: it is in this mode that Orthodox believers “sanctify” this Fast of the Apostles. If we are genuinely trying to be His disciples—then we need to take up the Cross. By embracing the Cross of prayer and fasting in this season, we “train ourselves" for the spiritual contests ahead. We thus become more ready to live out and share the Gospel, just as the Holy Apostles did!

May God give us strength in these days to make a real effort to fast and pray and grow in Christ!
... See MoreSee Less

+The Apostles Fast Begins: Whats it About?+
-Reflection by Archpriest Justin Patterson

The Feast of Pentecost remains one of the most beloved feasts in Orthodox Christian piety and experience. And by the grace of the Spirit, poured out upon the Apostolic gathering on the Day of Pentecost and renewed moment by moment in believers, the work of sharing and living the Gospel continues! 

One week after this great feast of Pentecost, the Church continues Her celebration of Pentecost with the commemoration of all the saints” —all those known and unknown who have shone forth the grace and love of the Lord. And it is on the day after this Sunday of All Saints that the Church enters into what is commonly called the Apostles’ Fast. The Apostles’ Fast, also called the Fast of Ss. Peter and Paul, runs from the Monday after All Saints until the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul on June 29th.

 Why - just having had Lent just 2 months ago - would the Church have us undertake another fasting season now?

Two obvious reasons for this present Fast immediately present themselves: First, there can be no doubt that the monastic fathers and mothers who played such an important role in the development of Orthodox life simply relished the times devoted to the spiritual and physical struggle, which they saw as opportunities for growth in Christ. To the monks and nuns of old, sanctifying a time of fasting after the exuberance of Pentecost seemed the most appropriate thing for them to do. And their practice inspired the rest of the Church, too. 

Second, we can also see that the Apostles’ Fast developed at least in part due to our sensitivity to the imperatives of Scripture. When the Lord is asked why His disciples did not fast (as did, say, the more disciplined followers of His austere cousin John), the Lord spoke words that many in the early Church took as prophetic. “The days will come, ” Jesus taught, “when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast” (Matt.9:15).

The fathers clearly believed—as Orthodox Christians recognize today—that the Bridegroom has been taken away. Orthodox believers, due in large part to our yearly remembrance of the Ascension of Christ, are keenly aware of Christ’s being absent. We yearn for Him. We await His Second coming as we profess each Liturgy in the Creed. Yet we are even more keenly aware that the Spirit of Truth has now been poured out on all flesh. The Comforter has come. And He has come not just to bring us “comfort,” but to sanctify us and to equip us to emulate the ascetical struggles of the apostles that, in turn, reveal Christ to the world!

Following the apostles who are following Christ, empowered by the Spirit: it is in this mode that Orthodox believers “sanctify” this Fast of the Apostles. If we are genuinely trying to be His disciples—then we need to take up the Cross. By embracing the Cross of prayer and fasting in this season, we “train ourselves for the spiritual contests ahead. We thus become more ready to live out and share the Gospel, just as the Holy Apostles did! 

May God give us strength in these days to make a real effort to fast and pray and grow in Christ!
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Saint Athanasius Orthodox Church
100 Lime Lane
Nicholasville, KY 40356
Directions to the church

Priest Justin Patterson
Church: (859) 881-8144
Cell: (859) 361-2823
E-mail Fr. Justin

We are a parish of the Diocese of the South of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), under the archpastoral care of his grace, the right reverend ALEXANDER, Bishop of Dallas and the South. We are the first OCA parish in Kentucky. We are located in the heart of the bluegrass region just outside Lexington.

Click HERE if you’re looking for St. Nina.

  • Home
  • Welcome
  • About Us
    • Parish History
    • Leadership
    • Building News
    • Capital Campaign Update 2022
  • Ministries
  • Calendar
  • Directions
  • Pictures
  • Give

© 2025 · St. Athanasius Orthodox Church • Nicholasville/Lexington Kentucky