GREAT WEEK THE PASSION OF THE LORD

End of the 40 Day Fast The Fast ends the Friday before Feast of the Entrance into Jerusalem Feast of Lazarus Saturday –Anticipation and Antitype of the Resurrection –Fish Eggs allowed Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem –1 of the 12 Great Feasts –Fish allowed!!! (not just Wine & Olive Oil) –Anticipation of Pascha: Hosanna! Baruch haBah!

Lazarus Saturday a paschal celebration. It is the only time in the entire Church Year that the resurrectional service of Sunday is celebrated on another day. At the liturgy, the Church glorifies Christ as “the Resurrection and the Life” who, by raising Lazarus, has confirmed the universal resurrection of mankind even before his own suffering and death. By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy passion, Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with the branches of victory, we cry out to Thee, O Vanquisher of Death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord! (Tropar). At the Divine Liturgy of Lazarus Saturday the baptismal verse from Galatians: As many as have been baptizedl into Christ have put on Christ (Gal 3:27) replaces the Thrice-holy Hymn thus indicating the resurrectional character of the celebration, and the fact that Lazarus Saturday was once among the few great baptismal days in the Orthodox Church Year

Entrance of the Lord Sunday Sitting on Thy throne in heaven, and carried on a foal on earth, O Christ God, accept the praise of angels and the songs of children who sing: Blessed is he who comes to recall Adam! (Kondak). During Vespers, the Old Testament Prophesies about the Messiah-King are read together with the Gospel accounts of the entry of Christ into Jerusalem. At Matins branches are blessed which the people carry throughout the celebration as the sign of their own glorification of Jesus as Saviour and King. As the people carry their branches and sing their songs to the Lord on Palm Sunday, they are judged together with the Jerusalem crowd. For it was the very same voices which cried Hosanna to Christ, which, a few days later, cried Crucify him! Thus in the liturgy of the Church the lives of men continue to be judged as they hail Christ with the “branches of victory” and enter together with him into the days of his “voluntary passion.”

Great Week = Advent (& Passion) Great Week is Advent –Pascha & the Second Coming if the 2d Coming is coming…most likely at … –Reading and Hymnody: Apocalyptic Eschatological Focused on the 2d Coming –At Pascha Priests wear their ordination vestments Spouses wear their wedding garments

Eschatological Services: The “Bridegroom” Offices Behold the Bride Comes in the middle of the night…be watchful & awake…lest ye be excluded from the Kingdom… I behold Thy Bridal Chamber Richly adorned, O my Saviour; But I have no wedding garment to worthily enter Make radiant the garment of my soul O Giver of Light and Save me.

Great Wednesday In preparation for Judgment Day The Anointing for the Sick is received by all the Faithful Healing, forgiveness of Sins

Great Thursday The Vesperal Liturgy of Saint Basil –the Mystical Supper Commemoration –We are present at the Mystical Supper –In Cathedrals and Monasteries: the Office of Feet-Washing The Office of the 12 Gospels –Reading of the 12 Pericopes of the Passion from the Gospels –Accompanying theological hymnody –We accompany Jesus in his Passion

Great Friday Royal Hours of the Passion Great Friday Vespers –Crucifixion and Death of Jesus Before the service begins, a “tomb” is erected in the middle of the church building and is decorated with flowers. On it is placed the plaschanitsa icon, depicting the dead Saviour

Great Friday Jerusalem Matins –With the Women we Lament at the Cross –Lyrically & Musically the MOST hauntingly beautiful Service of the entire liturgical year –Incense and Rose Water pervades all –The weeping Theotokos calls on her son to Rise! –Jesus answers from the other side of the grave: –Do not lament me mother…. –Procession with the Body –Enter the Tomb UNDER the Icon of Entombment

Great Saturday The Vesperal Service of Saint Basil for the Most Holy Sabbath Jesus is in the Tomb 17 Bible Reading –15 from the Old Testament –Retracing all Salvation History The Great Prokimen: Arise O God Judge the earth, for to Thee belongeth every nation! Vestments & Church Cloths are changed from Dark to Bright Flower pedals are strewn

Pascha the Nocturn Office in the Tomb –Repeating the Canon of Burial Paschal Light: –Come Ye Faithful Take light from the Light All Iconostas Doors are opened for all of Bright Week Procession with the Myrrhbearers Office at the Royal Doors: –Reading of the 1 st Gospel –Proclamation of the Resurrection Christ is Risen! Rx: Truly Risen! –Lift up ye Gates for the King of Glory enters Knocking on & the Opening of the Royal Doors Entering the Bright Sanctuary Resurrection Matins and Liturgy

txt Aren’t you worshipping Idols? Why do they look so Weird? What good are they?

txt Aren’t you worshipping Idols? Why do they look so Weird? What good are they?

txt Aren’t you worshipping Idols? Why do they look so Weird? What good are they?

txt Aren’t you worshipping Idols? Why do they look so Weird? What good are they?

txt Aren’t you worshipping Idols? Why do they look so Weird? What good are they?

THE THEOTOKOS

The Gospels in Colour Healing the Soul