Journey through Holy Week & Pascha

Lazarus Saturday ~ Orthros 8:00 am / Divine Liturgy 9:00 am

Great lent officially ends on Lazarus Saturday. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated to commemorate the raising of Lazarus. Notice that Fr. Tom is wearing white/gold vestments. This change in color denotes the resurrectional nature of this service as a prelude to Holy Week. Because of it resurrectional character the hymn as many as have been baptized into Christ is sung. Historically this was a baptismal liturgy.

Palm Sunday ~ Orthros 8:00 am / Divine Liturgy 9:00 am

The hymn of Palm Sunday proclaims the children holding the emblems of victory singing, "Hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." We experience Christ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem and we hold palms as symbols of Christ's ability to overcome death by raising Lazarus. We will receive our palms at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy so that we can remember this great triumph throughout our sacred worship.

Holy Week

Sunday, Monday & Tuesday - Bridegroom Service 7 pm

The Bridegroom Services instruct us in our faith, as does all the preparation for Holy Week. Even more they help us to make Holy Week more than simply a ritual that tells a story. The Bridegroom Services help us to enter into the story, the life of Jesus Christ, and live it.

On Monday night, the priest represents Christ and the congregation represents the bride waiting for the bridegroom. As the virgins were called to be vigilant and >

John 12:17-50 "The hour has come for the son to be glorified."

Wednesday Holy Unction Service 7:00 pm

Sacrament of Holy Unction - The Church is called the Body of Christ. We are members of the Body through our Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, and Holy Communion. As the sinful woman anointed Christ, we are also anointed with the oil of healing, so we can go with Christ to the Cross, suffer, die, and be resurrected with Him. At the conclusion of the service, the faithful are anointed with the sacrament of Holy Unction. The priest anoints each of the faithful with the oil of healing on various parts of the body: forehead, eyes, ears, mouth, palms, and the back of each hand. These areas are associated with the senses of smell, hearing, taste, and touch.

Thursday Evening 12 Gospels - 6:30 pm

Epistle and Gospel lessons regarding healing are readimportant and solemn Holy Week services. It is a remembrance and an entrance into the suffering and death of Christ. The priest, standing in the center of the church surrounded by twelve candles, reads the words of the apostles who witnessed the events. As each Gospel is read one candle is lit. During the fifth reading, the priest processes with the Cross carried his shoulder as he chants, "He who hung the earth upon the waters is now being hung on the cross."

As Simon carried the cross for Christ during his walk to the crucifixion, the priest now carries the cross. In doing so here presents the entire congregation.

At the point of the sixth Gospel when "He yielded up the spirit" is read, the priest places a wreath of flowers over the cross." (This is the moment in the scripture reading when Christ died).

Friday Morning

Royal Hours 9:00 am

Following the crucifixion, the myrrh bearing women prepared the tomb and Christ for burial. The women of the parish decorate the tomb of Christ with flowers. (11:00 am)

Friday Afternoon Procession Taking Down of Christ
Apokathelosis 3:00 pm

Procession with the Burial Shroud - At this service the icon of Christ is removed from the Cross as the priest reads, "And taking Him down they wrapped Him in a linen shroud." The tomb (Kouvouklion) prepared by the women stands empty in the center of the church. The shroud is carried by four men over the head of the priest who is carrying the gospel as the choir sings the "Hymn of Noble Joseph". The procession ends as the shroud is placed in the flower-decorated tomb.

Friday Evening ~ The Lamentations 7:00 pm

The Lamentations - As the name suggests the service is a mournful one lamenting the death of Christ. The beautiful Lamentations and refrains are sung by the congregation, "O Life, how can You die?". During the singing of the 9th ode of the Canon, the priest blesses the congregation with rose water as rose pedals are scattered around the church.

During the service, the shroud is removed from the tomb, along with the priest, choir and entire congregation make a procession around the entire exterior of the church. They return to the church to hear the reading Ezekiel about the valley of the dry bones. The service ends with the veneration of the shroud and the distribution of flowers.

Holy Saturday Morning Service - 9:00 am

This beautiful service celebrates Christ's decent into hell to free Adam and Eve and all who lived and died in anticipation of the coming of Christ. The beautiful hymn from the Liturgy of St. James is sung, "Let all mortal flesh be silent.

In the Orthodox Church it is the tradition that all services are sung or chanted. The singing and chanting is done accapella, without the use of musical instruments. The human voice is the only instrument worthy of praising God in the new covenant. The tradition of the Orthodox Church is one of congregational singing. The clergy, and chanters lead the congregation. Let us praise the Lord in song.

Saturday Night/Sunday Morning - 11:30 pm

As a community of faith, we have experience great spiritual renewal through our journey through Lent and Holy Week. All the preparations have been for this night. The church is ready and the faithful have spent the day in strict fast. There is a sense of anticipation in the air. The church is darkened and the music selections are somber as during all of lent. All lights in the church are extinguished and there is a total darkness.

At midnight the flame from a single candle appears at the altar. The priest comes forth singing "Come Receive the Light" -- holding the light of Christ which he gives it to the rest of the faithful. The entire congregation in procession, walks towards the doors of the church.

Upon finishing the procession around the church, the congregation gathers at the closed front doors of the church. The Priest knocks on the doors three times saying: Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. And a voice asks: Who is this King of Glory? The priest answers: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. The priest the knocks again saying: Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. And again the voice asks: Who is this King of Glory? The priest then replies: The Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory. The doors are swung open and the priest reenters followed by the congregation

The entire tone of the service is changed. The dim interior of the church is gone. The dark vestments and candle holders are also gone. The tomb and somber music are also gone. The church is as bright as possible. The vestments are bright and the singing joyous. It is the triumphal resurrection of Christ saving us from death and granting us resurrection. "Christ is Risen!" The Hymn "Christ is Risen from the Dead" is sung repeatedly with joy and power. The Cry of "Christ is Risen" and the response "Truly, He is risen." fills the air. This is proclaimed in many different languages.

English - Christ is Risen! / Truly He is Risen!

Greek - Christos Anesti! / Aleithos Anesti!

Slavonic - Christos Voskrese! / Voistinu Voskrese!

Arabic - Al-Masih-Qam! / Hakkan Qam!

Romanian - Christos E Anviat! / Adeverat Anviat!

At the conclusion of the service, everyone present receives a red egg. Eggs are a symbol of rebirth and new life. The red eggs of Pascha are a reminder of the blood of the risen Lord. At the end of our Resurrection Service, red eggs are blessed by the priest and distributed to all. Before eating the eggs, people tap their eggs against one another's as they say "Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!" Cracking the egg represents breaking the seal of Christ's tomb. We are reminded of new life, or that the cracking of eggs symbolizes the shattering of Hades by the victorious Christ. According to custom, the person who cracks the other's egg first will have the blessing.

St. Mary Magdalene, who is often depicted in icons holding a red egg, may have been aware that the Romans would know the meaning of the egg as something that brings forth life from a sealed chamber.

After Christ was crucified and rose up to Heaven, Mary Magdalene was in Rome. When she met with the Roman Emperor Tiberius, she gave him a red colored egg and announced "Christ is Risen!"

At the conclusion, all are invited to break the fast and break bread together.

The Agape Service

At 1:00 Sunday afternoon following Paschal Liturgy, the Agape Vespers service is celebrated. The congregation gathers together to hear readings from the four Gospels in different languages proclaiming that Christ is Risen!

Christ is Risen!

Truly He is Risen!

We will celebrate the Feast of Feasts together at our Community Pascha Celebration following the Agape Service.