[scrierile] Holy Week and Pascha
- From: "Biblioteca Crestina" <ortodox137@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 3 Apr 2007 04:07:34 -0700
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http://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Week
For the Orthodox Christian, Holy Week is the week from the conclusion
of Great Lent on the Saturday of Lazarus to the celebration of Pascha.
This week is also often called the Great and Holy Week.
History
While little is recorded of the development of the celebrations of the
Holy Week during the early years of the Church, it apparently had very
early origins. By the fourth century the celebration of the week
appears well founded and to be similar to our celebrations today. The
pilgrim Aetheria to Jerusalem in the latter part of the fourth century
described the events of the week after the services of Saturday of
Lazarus, "...began the week of the Pasch, which they called here the
Great Week", noting the procession commemorating Christ's triumphal
entry into Jerusalem on the first day of the week. It is during this
week that we remember Christ's Passion and Crucifixion.
The Holy Week
Lazarus Saturday concludes Great Lent. This celebration remembers
Christ's raising of Lazarus from the dead and the promise of universal
resurrection for all. Lazarus Saturday provides a bridge to Holy Week
during which the Church services remember Christ's last week before
his crucifixion and resurrection, his passion. During this week the
Matins Services for the upcoming day is celebrated the evening before,
and vespers is celebrated in the morning. This anticipation of the
church's services gives the faithful a sense that the world is in
travail, upside-down, because of the passion our Lord endured for our
salvation. Although this practice is unusual, it is canonical in
accordance with the ancient definition that the day is from sunset to
sunset.
Palm Sunday
The first day of Holy Week begins with Vespers of Saturday evening
leading to the celebration of the services of Our Lord's Entry into
Jerusalem the next morning, Sunday. In the western world this day is
usually called Palm Sunday. As Christ makes his triumphal entry into
Jerusalem, his divine kingdom on Earth is proclaimed under the
branches of the palm tree.
Holy Monday
The first three days of Holy Week remind us of Christ's last
instructions with his disciples. These teachings are remembered in the
celebration of the Great Compline, Matins, Hours, and Liturgy during
these days. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts celebrated these
days includes readings from Exodus and Job and Matthew
The Matins services of the evenings of Palm Sunday, and Holy Monday,
and Holy Tuesday, anticipating the events of the next day, share a
common theme devoted to the Bridegroom Services derived from the
Parable of the Ten Virgins that calls for preparedness at the Second
Coming, for the "thief comes in the middle of the night." (Matt.
26:1-13)
Holy Wednesday
The Mysterion or Sacrament of Holy Unction is celebrated on Holy
Wednesday, commemorating Christ's anointing with myrrh. The service
ends with the priest anointing the faithful with Holy Oil. Also,
remembered is that on this day Judas betrayed Christ, which led to the
tradition from Apostolic times of fasting on Wednesday throughout the
year.
Holy Thursday
Holy Thursday begins with the celebration of vespers and the Divine
Liturgy of St. Basil with a Reserved Holy Communion in representation
of the earthly presence of Christ realized at the Last Supper. In the
evening, anticipating the Matins of Friday morning, the Holy Passion
service of the reading of the Twelve Gospel is conducted. In these
readings Christ's last instructions to his disciples are presented, as
well as the prophecy of the drama of the Cross, Christ's prayer, and
his new commandment. The twelve readings are:
* John 13:31-18:1
* John 18:1-29
* Matthew 26:57-75
* John 18:28-19:16
* Matthew 27:3-32
* Mark 15:16-32
* Matthew 27:33-54
* Luke 23:32-49
* John 19:19-37
* Mark 15:43-47
* John 19:38-42
* Matthew 27:62-66
Good Friday
Great and Holy Friday begins with reading of the Royal Hours leading
up to Vespers of Friday afternoon during which the removal of the Body
of Christ from the Cross is commemorated. The priest removes the Body
of Christ, the Epitaphios, from the Cross, wraps it in a white cloth
and carries it into the altar. In an evening service, called the
Lamentations at the Tomb, the priest carries the Epitaphios, the
painted or embroidered cloth representation of Christ, from the altar
around the church before placing it in the Sepulcher, a bier
symbolizing the Tomb of Christ. This procession, with the faithful
carrying lighted candles, represents Christ's descent into Hades.
Holy Saturday
Great and Holy Saturday Vespers and a Divine Liturgy of St. Basil are
served, marked with readings of Psalms and Resurrection hymns that
tell of Christ's descent into Hades, celebrated as the "First
Resurrection" of Adam and the conquering of Death.
Pascha
Easter or Pascha, the Feast of Feasts, celebrations begins just before
midnight with the singing of the Odes of Lamentation as the
Resurrection Vespers begins with the church in complete darkness. As
midnight approaches the priest taking a light from a vigil light
within the altar passes the flame to the faithful for their candles
while singing "Come ye and receive light from the unwaning life, and,
glorify Christ, who arose from the dead." Then, the priest leads the
faithful out of the church in procession. After circling the church
either one or three times, as the procession nears the entrance door
of the church, the priest leads in the singing of the hymn of
Resurrection. "Christ has Risen from the dead, by death trampling upon
Death, and has bestowed life upon those in the tombs" At this point
the priest and faithful enter the well-lighted church for the
remaining part of Vespers and the breaking of the fast with the Divine
Liturgy. After conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, in many communities,
the faithful retire to an agape meal to break the Fast together, and
then return home as dawn arrives. Later in the day of Pascha the
faithful again gather for prayer with lighted candles in a vespers
service, singing the hymn "Christ is Risen from the Dead," and
greeting each other joyously "Christ is Risen" and responding with
"Truly He is Risen."
External links
Holy Week GOARCH
http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8432.asp
Holy Week and Pascha
http://www.holy-trinity.org/feasts/holyweek.html
Holy Week
http://holytrinity.ok.goarch.org/holy_week.html
Approach to Holy Week
http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/holy_week2_e.htm
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