Saint Peter and Saint Paul

June 29th marks yet another important feast in the Orthodox liturgical year. The feast marks the end of a fast period that begins after All Saints Day and commemorates the lives of these great saints, the Apostles Peter and Paul, who contributed so much to the early church.

Readings: 2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9, Matthew 16:13-19.

For the Little Ones: First off, my apologies. I am at the very end of my pregnancy and my brain is not functioning normally (though what is normal when you chase around two toddlers everyday!). Anyhow, maybe next year I'll have better ideas for this feast! Please feel free to contribute any ideas you have.

The liturgy for the feast is usually conducted in the morning after matins. After the liturgy, come home and read bible stories about Peter and Paul from a children's bible (where the stories are paraphrased). Or, tell them on your one and act them out for your kids' amusement. One kid favorite is when Peter walks on water. And for story time...have a snack:

Now, it is a Ukrainian custom to eat Mandryky (meaning 'to wander')on this feast day due to a legend that Peter and Paul were sustained by these rolls while traveling for missions. If you are energetic, you can make them. If you're lazy (like me!), go ahead and buy some yummy rolls that resemble Mandryky (as much as is possible) to eat while telling the stories.

Lastly, for a fun summer activity, make some sidewalk paint and after story time, go out with your children and paint the sidewalks with stories of Peter and Paul serving as the basis.