First sunday in Lent

This morning we began the liturgy with a modernized version of the Great Litany, which I had never before heard sung in church. Some version of the Great Litany is found in a number of christian traditions, including Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican. It is the church's prayer par excellence.

Incidentally, today is the first sunday in Lent in both western and eastern churches. Although western and eastern Paschal feasts are usually separated by a week or so (and sometimes as much as five weeks), this year Easter falls on 11 April for all Christians everywhere.