SAINT LAZARUS BEREAVEMENT MINISTRY

Losing a loved one is not easy. Often, it may be the most traumatic experience of our lives. For those of us left behind, our whole world has changed and we are never the same. Unfortunately, our modern culture sees grief as something to overcome, something to fix, rather than something to tend or support. The St. Lazarus Bereavement Ministry has been created to tend and support those who are grieving – whether it be due to a recent loss or the loss of a loved one many years ago.

This ministry is set-up as an eight-session course based upon the newly released book Memory Eternal: Living with Grief as Orthodox Christians by Dr. Sarah Byrne-Martelli and published by Ancient Faith Publishing. The book draws on the rich theological, scriptural, and liturgical resources of the Orthodox Church as well as the collected experience of a variety of people undergoing grief and loss to provide a roadmap for the journey of grief. Participants in this class are asked to purchase and read the book and will be working with a carefully designed bereavement curriculum designed by Dr. Byrne-Martelli. The facilitator of the class is Dr. Nickitas Demos. All class sessions will be held in person in the Kafenion from 7:00 - 8:00 PM beginning on Wednesday, Setpember 4. A full schedule is listed below.

  • Session 1: September 4

  • Session 2: September 11

  • Session 3: September 25

  • Session 4: October 2

  • Session 5: October 9

  • Session 6: October 16

  • Session 7: October 23

  • Session 8: October 30

The St. Lazarus Bereavement Ministry does not seek to “fix” grief but to support us as we bear the unbearable and carry the memory of our loved ones eternally in our hearts. 

You may purchase Memory Eternal: Living with Grief as Orthodox Christians by Dr. Sarah Byrne-Martelli by clicking HERE or stopping by the Cathedral Book store.