+ The Holy Week of Pascha

What is Pascha? The last week of our Lord ministry The word means passing over. The last week of our Lord ministry including: His suffering, death and resurrection. Holy Pascha Narrative occupies 1/3 of the Gospels. The fulfillment of all prophesies.

Our Lord spent mornings teaching in the temple,

And nights with disciples on nearby mount of olives.

How the service is structured? Starting Sunday night in preparation for the Glorious entry of our Lord to Jerusalem

Service follows biblical timing system: The day starts after sunset with 12 night hours 6 pm to 6 am 12 day hours 6am to 6 pm Pascha service is likewise divided into 5 times during night hours 5 times during day hours

3. Doxology (Praising) of the Pascha. 4. The Psalm and the Gospel. service is arranged to follow 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th and 11th hours. Following Jesus' parable on the workers, Mathew 20: 1-16. Each hour starts with: 1. Our Father. 2. The Prophecy /(ies). 3. Doxology (Praising) of the Pascha. 4. The Psalm and the Gospel. 5. The exposition, an elaboration on the gospel. 6. The conclusion of the hour. The Service is held in the church main hall (outer Chorus) to point out that Jesus was taken outside Jerusalem to be crucified (Hebrew 13: 12-13).

The altar veil is kept closed all the time (except on Thursday) until it is opened again on the 12th hour of Friday indicating the reconciliation with the Father. The church is clothed in black till the 12th hour on Friday. The lamenting melodies dominate the week. On the Saturday before resurrection the melodies are mixed with joyful tunes

Pascha days and Themes From Sunday to Wednesday: the continuous examination of the hearts From Wednesday to Friday: Jesus, the Pascha lamb From Friday to Sunday: awaiting the father’s response.

Jesus a king but not of this world. Themes of Pascha week Palm Sunday: Jesus a king but not of this world. the mother of James and John

Palm Sunday Blessed is He who comes in the Name of The Lord

The Fig tree and Jerusalem. Monday The Fig tree and Jerusalem. The city looks better than it really is Jerusalem will kill its King and be destroyed

Jesus reveal His day of Crucifixion Tuesday Jesus reveal His day of Crucifixion The Throne of God Many parables on the second coming

Mary anoints Jesus Holy Head Wednesday Mary anoints Jesus Holy Head and Judas Betrayal

Preparation for Passover Thursday of the New Covenant Preparation for Passover Washing of the feet The First Eucharist Who is the traitor?

Trials by Caiaphas, Ananias Friday Night Prayer in the garden They took Him Trials by Caiaphas, Ananias And the Sanhedrim

Great Friday Prophesies

First hour (6-7am) Mathew 27:1-14 Deuteronomy 8:19-9:24 What is the Jordan river? What is the Land of inheritance? Christ is before you, consuming fire!

+The selection of a Passover lamb John 11:49 Isaiah 1:2-9 worse than a donkey Zachariah 11:11-14 The price of a lamb +The selection of a Passover lamb John 11:49 +The inspection of a Passover lamb Psalms 35:11 Fierce witnesses

The Third hour Christ sintinced to crossifixion

Genesis 48:1-19 The time of blessing Time of crossing of hands

2. Isaiah 50:4-9 *a Tongue and an ear every morning *Plucking the beard 5. Psalm 38: 17, 22:15

3. Isaiah 63: 1-7 *Coming from Edom in red * No one was with me

+ The Sixth Hour The Hour of the Cross

The Bronze Serpent numbers 21:1-9 John 4:14

The silent Lamb Jesus Isaiah 53:7 + verse 12: the portion of the great, the spoil of the strong

The praise Isaiah 12:2 + The praise + Fountains of Salvation (that day starts from chapter 11) + The darkness

Amos 8:9-12 the darkness + The Sun go down at noon + The feast into lamentation + The waters will run to the depth of the sea the darkness

The Ninth Hour Jesus dies It is Finished

a Lamb without blemish Jeremiah 11:18 Verse 7: I have given my beloved soul into the hand of her enemies

The Living water at evening Zachariah 14:5-11 +The Lord rains all over the earth

+ The 11th hour Jesus body taken down from the cross

The Feast of uleavened bread The Passover lamb Exodus 12:1-4 and The Feast of uleavened bread Leviticus 23:5-15

+ The 12th hour The Entombment

Lamentations Lamentation 3:1-22

Jonah Jonah 1:10-2:7 Psalms 23:3 and 88:4

Saturday of Light: Beyond the tomb Songs of Salvation

Saturday of Light Songs of Salvation

Psalm 151 The Song of Moses 1 The Song of Moses 2 Exodus 15 Deuteronomy 32: 1-43

The prayer of Hanna ( Mother of Samuel ) The Prayer of Habakkuk Habakkuk3:2-19 The Prayer of Jonah Jonah 2: 1-10

The Prayer of Hezekiah Isaiah 38:10-20 The Prayer of Manasseh

Three prayers of Isaiah 25:1-12 26:1-9 26:9-20 The Prayer of Jeremiah Lamentation 5:16-22

Prayer of baruch Prayer of Elijah Prayer of David Prayer of Solomon 1 Kings 18:36-39 Prayer of David 1 chronicles 29:10-13 Prayer of Solomon 1 Kings 8:22-30 Prayer of Daniel Daniel 9:4-19

The vision of Daniel Prayer of Azariah Prayer of St mary Luke 1:46-55 Prayer of Simeon Luke 2:29-32 Prayer of Zachariah Luke 2:29-32

Story of Susanna Revelation

Night visit to beloved disciples Resurrection Sunday Sunday Dawn Many appearances Night visit to beloved disciples

THE MAIN THING IS THE BIBLE PASSAGES 4. Get involved: THE MAIN THING IS THE BIBLE PASSAGES a. Prepare your mind by going over the main theme of the day before you leave home.

4. Get involved: b. Use the lengthy melody of the psalm as a suitable background for studying the main massages in the prophets, the psalm and the gospel. Try to find the link if possible. Write down what you find, or write your meditation

4. Get involved: c. Think of the hours, each as a station where you stop to listen to our Lord and watch Him do things. Get your imagination and emotions involved.

Final notes d. Saturday Night is a must for those who want to have a very unique church experience.

e. It is quite normal to have a time when you find great resistance to continue with the above program (usually about Tuesday or Wednesday). It will go away definitely by Thursday.