Keeping a feast day without church

[William]

I had no idea that today was the Nativity of the Theotokos. 

Obviously, I was unable to attend services. How could someone keep a feastday without attendance at church?

[Benjamin the Red]

I had no idea that today was the Nativity of the Theotokos.  

Obviously, I was unable to attend services. How could someone keep a feastday without attendance at church?

Some simple ways would be to include the tropar for the feast in your daily prayers (morning/evening/mealtimes, etc.) Most prayer books have the tropars for the Great Feasts.

Also, enjoy the day with friends, have a nice meal, etc. Just be generally festive!

[orthonorm]

I had no idea that today was the Nativity of the Theotokos. 

Obviously, I was unable to attend services. How could someone keep a feastday without attendance at church?

Frankly, if you were not aware today was a feast day, I would start familiarizing myself with the upcoming feast and fast days. And if you are attending a specific parish, become more integrated with the parish, so you know what services are on the horizon and the like.

Probably most folks can't make a DL in the AM in America. We had a vesperal liturgy last night and an Akathist to the Theotokos this morning (not a big crowd).

This probably ain't the answer you were looking for, but I think it would be wise.

Aside from that you could read the portions of scripture appointed for the day. A narrative of the Theotokos' Nativity. Read portions in the NT where the Theotokos speaks.

Maybe see you can find the hymnography for the DL to get an understanding of the typological approach to the OT in light of the Theotokos. Read an akathist to her.

Etc.

I wish I could pile up links for these resources for you, but I think others can and you can probably google some of the material yourself as well.

Oh yeah, Rejoice!

[William]

I had no idea that today was the Nativity of the Theotokos.  

Obviously, I was unable to attend services. How could someone keep a feastday without attendance at church?

Some simple ways would be to include the tropar for the feast in your daily prayers (morning/evening/mealtimes, etc.) Most prayer books have the tropars for the Great Feasts.

Mine doesn't, but I can look them up easily enough. Thank you for the suggestion. 

Also, enjoy the day with friends,have a nice meal, etc. Just be generally festive!

I don't have any friends.

Besides, most of that stuff is not feasible for me on a school night.

[Volnutt]

I don't have any friends.

Well, there's always random homeless guys and hookers if you want to be really NT  .

[biro]

I always love weekday liturgies. Because of my job, I usually can't go anymore. Back when I was out of work, weekday church really helped lift me up. Plus, our chapel is really beautiful.   

[Thomas]

When I can not attend a major feast day, I read the Typika service in my icon  corner with my wife and whatever family is visiting ---it is available from the Antiochian Archdiocese and vrious other publications. Ask your priest for his blessing and where he suggests you get the text used by your jurisdiction.

Happy Feast Day!

Thomas

[TheodoraElizabeth3]

And for knowing what day is what - for feast days, saints, etc., you have two choices if you don't have an Orthodox wall calendar from your parish:

The jurisdictional websites all seem to have an area with the Scripture readings of the day, as well as what saints.

OR

If you're on the New Calendar and have an iPhone or an Android smart phone, the Greek Archdiocese has a really neat FREE app called "Daily Readings." You get the readings for the day (although if you're OCA or Antiochian, the lectionary is somewhat different, outside of Great Lent/Paschal season), top several saints, with the life of the saint and troparion/kontakion.

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