THE SACRED AND SOLEMN HYMNS OF OUR CHURCH REVEAL THE ESSENCE OF HOLY AND GREAT WEEK [Part II)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

The Sacred and Solemn Hymns of our Church reveal
the Essence of Holy and Great Week [Part II].

HOLY AND GREAT FRIDAY

Antiphon Ten. Tone Six

He who clothes Himself in Light as in a garment, stood naked at the
judgment; on His cheek He received blows from the hands which He
had formed. The lawless people nailed to the Cross the Lord of Glory.
Then the veil of the temple was rent in twain and the sun was darkened,
for it could not bear to see such outrage done to God, before Whom all
things tremble. Let us worship Him.

Antiphon Twelve. Tone Eight

Thus says the Lord to the Jews: ‘O my people, what have I done unto thee?
Or wherein have I wearied thee? I gave light to they blind and cleansed thy
lepers, I raised up the man who lay upon his bed. O My people, what have I
done unto thee, and how hast thou repaid Me? Instead of manna thou hast
given Me gall, instead of water vinegar; instead of loving Me, thou hast nailed
Me to the Cross. I can endure no more. I shall call My Gentiles and they shall
glorify Me with the Father and the Spirit; and I shall bestow on them eternal
life.

Antiphon Fifteen. Tone Six

Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon
the Cross (three times).
He Who is King of the Angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns.
He Who wraps the heaven in clouds is wrapped in the purple
of mockery.
He Who in Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is transfixed with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear.
We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ (three times).
Show us also Thy Glorious Resurrection.

Let us not keep festival as the Jews: for Christ our God and Passover
is sacrificed for us. But let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement,
and with sincerity entreat Him: Arise, O Lord, and saveus in Thy love
for mankind.

HOLY AND GREAT SATURDAY

Troparia. Tone Two

Noble Joseph, taking down Thy Most Pure Body from the Tree,
wrapped it in clean linen with sweet spices, and he laid it in a new
tomb.

Going down to death, O Life immortal, Thou hast slain hell with
the dazzling Light of Thy Divinity. And when Thou hast raised up
the dead from their dwelling place beneath the earth, all the powers
of heaven cried aloud: ‘Giver of Life, O Christ our God, glory to
Thee.

The Angel stood by the tomb, and to the women bearing spices
he cried aloud: ‘Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but CHRIST HAS
SHOWN HIMSELF A STRANGER TO CORRUPTION.

Sessional Hymn. Tone One

The soldiers keeping watch over Thy tomb, O Savior became as
dead men in the presence of the shining Angel, who proclaimed
the Resurrection to the women. We glorify Thee, for Thou hast
destroyed corruption. We fall down before Thee, risen from the
tomb, our only God.

THE MEANING OF THE GREAT FAST

PALM SUNDAY. ‘Blessed is He that comes…’: this is the feast of Christ the King — welcomed by the children at His Entry into Jerusalem, and to welcome likewise by each one of us into our own heart. ‘Blessed is He that comes…’ –that comes not so much out of the past as out of the future: for on Palm Sunday we welcome not only the Lord Who entered Jerusalem long ago, riding on a donkey, but the Lord Who comes again in power and Great Glory, as King of the Future Age. Palms and branches are blessed after the Gospel at Orthros (Matins), and held with lighted candles during the rest of the divine service.

Holy Week. MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. On the days following His Entry to Jerusalem, Christ spoke to His Disciples in particular about the signs that will precede the Last Day (Matthew 24 and 25); and so this forms the theme of the first part of Holy and Great Week. Each of the three days has its own particular theme:

On Holy and Great Monday we commemorate the Patriarch Joseph, whose innocent sufferings (Genesis, chapters 37 and 39-40) PREFIGURE the Passion of Christ. Also we commemorate the BARREN FIG TREE cursed by our Lord (Matthew 21:18-20)–A SYMBOL OF THE JUDGMENT THAT WILL BEFALL THOSE WHO SHOW NO FRUITS OF REPENTANCE; a symbol, more specifically, of the unbelieving Jewish synagogue.

On Holy and Great Tuesday the liturgical texts refer chiefly to the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which forms the general theme of these three days. They refer also to the Parable of the Talents that comes immediately after it (Matthew 25:14-30). Both these are interpreted as Parables of JUDGMENT.

On Holy and Great Wednesday we commemorate the WOMAN THAT WAS A SINNER, WHO ANOINTED CHRIST’S FEET as He sat in the house of Simon. In the hymnography of the day, the account in Matthew 26:6-13 is combined with that in Luke 7:36-50 (cf. also John 12:1-8). A second theme is the AGREEMENT MADE BY JUDAS with the Jewish authorities: the repentance of the sinful harlot is contrasted with the tragic fall of the chosen disciple.

On the Evening of Holy and Great Wednesday the Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Oil (Holy Unction) and the ANOINTING OF THE SIC is usually celebrated in church and all are anointed, whether physically ill or spiritually sicknesses, and this Sacrament confires not only bodily healing but FORGIVENESS OF SINS, thus serving as a preparation for the reception of Holy Communion on the next day.

HOLY AND GREAT THURSDAY. On this day four events are celebrated: THE WASHING OF THE DISCIPLES’ FEET, THE INSTITUTION OF THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST AS THE MYSTICAL SUPPER, THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND THE BETRAYAL OF CHRIST BY JUDAS.

HOLY AND GREAT FRIDAY. On this day we celebrate the sufferings of Christ: THE MOCKERY, THE CROWN OF THORNS, THE SCOURGING, THE NAILS, THE THIRST, THE VINEGAR, AND GALL, THE CRY OF DESOLATION, AND ALL THAT THE SAVIOR ENDURED ON THE CROSS; ALSO THE CONFESSION OF THE GOOD THIEF. At the same time, THE PASSION IS NOT SEPARATED FROM THE RESURRECTION; EVEN ON THIS DAY OF OUR LORD’S DEEPEST ABASEMENT, WE LOOK FORWARD ALSO TO THE REVELATION OF HIS ETERNAL GLORY.

ON HOLY AND GREAT SATURDAY. On this day we celebrate THE BURIAL OF CHRIST AND HIS DESCENT INTO HELL. At Orthros (Matins), usually held on Friday evening, the service begins with the ‘PRAISES’ (in Greek Enkomia) sung before the Epitaphion in the center of the church. The predominant note at this divine service is not so much one of mourning as OF WATCHFUL EXPECTATION. For the time being God observes a Sabbath rest in the tomb, but we look forward to the moment when He will rise again, bringing new life and recreating the world.

On Holy and Great Saturday evening the people gradually reassemble in the darkened church while the Acts of the Apostles are read and then the Midnight Office is sung. At Twelve O’Clock approaches, the lights in the body of hte church are extinguished. All wait in silence for the moment when the priest will come out from the holy Sanctuary with the burning candle that symbolizes the Light of hte Risen Christ. So the period of the Lenten Triodion closes in a spirit of intense and eager expectation. [Source: The Lenten Triodion]

__________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George