BUCHANAN: Republican presidential candidate Patrick J. Buchanan...

BUCHANAN: Republican presidential candidate Patrick J. Buchanan will take part in the 19th annual Valley Prayer Breakfast on May 7, a program that already features three GOP primary candidates for U.S. Senate seats.

When Jerry Nordskog, chairman of the prayer breakfast, announced Friday that Buchanan was being added to the Studio City event “to talk briefly about the importance of the National Day of Prayer,” he was asked why no Democratic Party candidates were included.

“I hadn’t even thought about that,” Nordskog said. “I guess it’s because I’m a Republican. But this is not intended to be a political event--it’s to focus on prayer.”

Actually, he added, State Sen. David Roberti (D-Los Angeles), a leading Democrat who is seeking the San Fernando Valley’s 20th State Senate District seat, will appear briefly to present a proclamation.

But prominently featured participants include Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) and William B. Allen, both aspirants for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Sen. John Seymour, and Bruce Herschensohn, who is seeking the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Alan Cranston.

Author Dennis Prager, who hosts a radio talk show on religion, is the featured speaker.

The 7 to 9:30 a.m. prayer breakfast will be at the Sportsmen’s Lodge Restaurant. Tickets are $19. For information, call (818) 893-6035.

ORTHODOX: Easter will arrive at midnight tonight for Eastern Orthodox churches with traditional processions and services scheduled at parishes from the San Fernando to the Antelope valleys.

The 1,000-family St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, 9501 Balboa Blvd., Northridge, will begin its rites at 11:30 p.m., led by the Rev. Spencer T. Kezios. Starting at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, parishioners will dine and dance until dawn.

Likewise, services will start 30 minutes before midnight at St. Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Church, 16643 Vanowen St., Van Nuys; St. Innocent Orthodox Church (affiliated with the Orthodox Church in America), 5657 Lindley Ave., Tarzana; and St. Constantin and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 43404 30th St. West, Lancaster.

Eastern Orthodox churches calculate the date of Easter differently than Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations. The dates usually coincide every few years, but the next common celebration will not occur until 2001.

POSTSCRIPT: The first Passion Play presented by Porter Ranch’s Shepherd of the Hills Church was a financial and evangelistic success, church leaders said this week.

Seven pre-Easter performances of the musical production, which starred daytime serial actor Robert Newman as Jesus, drew an average daily audience of 735 people who paid up to $10 to see the play. “That will help us pay the debt on our new building,” said Darlene West, financial manager for the 6,675-member congregation, which opened its new church last fall.

Even more important, West said, was the response to the religious message. Pastor Jess Moody told churchgoers Sunday that 169 adults in the audience wrote on cards that they wanted to become Christians and 289 recommitted themselves to the faith.

HOLOCAUST: Eleven Burbank churches and temples are sponsoring a special service Tuesday to remember the Nazi-era Holocaust.

Father John Neiman, associate pastor of St. Charles Church in North Hollywood, will be the main speaker in the 7:30 p.m. service at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 133 North 5th St., Burbank.

The “Days of Remembrance” program is directed by the Burbank Human Relations Council and will include the testimonies of concentration camp survivors.

MEDITATION: A four-week course in “traditional Jewish meditation” taught by Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man will be offered at a North Hollywood synagogue starting Thursday night.

In announcing the course, officials at Adat Ari El, 12020 Burbank Blvd., said that the meditation techniques “are intended to enhance one’s Jewish experience and are not intended as a substitute for prayer or ritual.”

For more information, call (818) 766-9426.

News and announcements for this column can be sent to Religion Desk, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth 91311.