A DAILY ACCOUNT OF THE SERVICES DURING GREAT AND HOLY WEEK

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

A Daily Account of the Services During
GREAT AND HOLY WEEK
By Father George Mastrantonis

“For I delivered unto you first of all that
which I also received, how that Christ died
for our sins according to the Scriptures;
and that He was buried, and that He rose
again the third day according to the
Scriptures; and that He was seen of Cephas,
then of the Twelve; after that He was seen
of above five thousand brethren at once.”
[1 Corinthians 15:5-6]

Approach to the Great and Holy Week

Great and Holy Week in the Eastern Orthodox Church institutes the sanctity of the whole calendar year of the Church. Its center of commemorations and inspiration is PASCHA, wherein the Glorified Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST is celebrated. Every Lord’s Day (Sunday) is dedicated in the Eastern Orthodox Church TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD. One hundred days also are dedicated to the All-Holy Pascha, 50 before it for preparation, and another 50 after it for commemorating the Glorification of the Lord Pascha is considered the “Feast of Feasts.”

The 50 days before Pascha, known as a part of the Period of Triodion (“three” + “odes”). are the period for strengthening faith in the Lord. The means are well-known to people of spiritual experience; PRAYER, which is considered the soul of faith, and through which faith emerges from theory INTO LIFE; and self-control, which governs our relationships with our fellowman. These means are practical indicators of our vivid faith in God. With this preparation, WE ARE INVITED TO ENTER THE SANCTUARY OF GREAT AND HOLY WEEK, NOT AS SPECTATORS, BUT AS PARTICIPANTS IN THE COMMEMORATION AND ENACTMENT OF THE DIVINE ACTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD. A Christian must keep HIS OWN SPIRITUAL KINGDOM INTACT AND HIS FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND UPRIGHTNESS VIVID IN ORDER TO BE A PART OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, WHERE THE COMPASSION OF THE LORD AND HIS RESURRECTION WILL BE EXPERIENCED. There is no other place where the Kingdom of God can be expanded except THE HEART OF MAN; and there is no other gate whereby we can enter the Kingdom but that of “REPENTANCE.” This was the proclamation of the new era of Jesus Christ, Who said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2)

The 50 days which follow Pascha are signified by the Pentecostarion (Gk. Pentekontas 50). They are dedicated TO THE SPIRITUAL ENJOYMENT OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE DEEP BELIEF THAT ALMIGHTY GOD IS OUR COMPANION IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE AND THOUGHTS. It starts with the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection. During this period, the Church of Christ, which is His Mystical Body, was instituted and strengthened. His Disciples and Apostles were THE WITNESSES OF THE APPEARANCES OF THE RISEN LORD; THEY WERE RECIPIENTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO CHANGED COMPLETELY THEIR ATTITUDE OF FEAR. Who made the Apostles into piercing heralds and ambassadors of the New Message of salvation in the name of Christ, the Savior. This was an experience, teaching, and inspiration they handed down as the treasure of the Christian Faith. Christians are called to commemorate the same Divine Events and TO ENACT THEM IN THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS, BASED ON THE REALIZATION THAT “CHRIST IS RISEN.”

The entire Christian confession is contained in the words “Christ is Risen.” Saint Paul, referring to this fact, clearly and emphatically says: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14). This is the reason why, from the beginning, the Church of Christ set forth as the CENTER OF ITS WORSHIP AND FAITH IN THE RESURRECTION OF ITS LORD. From the earliest days of Pentecost, the Apostles designated “the first of the Sabbath” of each week for the REMEMBRANCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD. This day was called the “LORD’S DAY” in the Revelation of John, who said: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day…” (1:10). It was this tradition which the writers and hymnologists of the Orthodox Church had in mind when they wrote hymns and odes FOR EIGHT CONSECUTIVE SUNDAYS (LORD’S DAYS) having for their subject the Resurrection of Christ as the BASIC BELIEF OF REDEMPTION and WORSHIP. The Fifth Article of the Ecumenical Creed of Faith, the Nicene Creed, refers to this belief as well.

THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, in relation to the CRUCIFIXION, constitutes the essence of the Christian Pascha, which is THE CENTER OF THE CELEBRATION OF WORSHIP OF GOD IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH. Herein will be presented the events and services of the PASSION WEEK, RECORDED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, AS THEY EXIST IN THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH TODAY. The Passion Week, from the TRIUMPH ENTRANCE OF OUR LORD INTO JERUSALEM UNTIL HIS RESURRECTION, CONTAINS A SERIES OF EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR THAT LINKS PROPHECY WITH ITS FULFILLMENT.

DAILY OBSERVANCES OF GREAT AND HOLY WEEK

Saturday Morning of Saint Lazarus
[Saturday before Palm Sunday; the service

and the Divine Liturgy.]

On this day, THE RISING FROM THE DEAD OF SAINT LAZARUS, the righteous friend of Christ, is celebrated. Great and Holy Week begins with the phrase: “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany…” [John 12:1]. His arrival coincided with the Jewish Passover. It started on the 15th of the Month of Nissan in commemoration of the freeing of the Hebrew people, under the leadership of Moses, from the slavery of the Egyptians by the miraculous act of God. The Church RELATES PREPARATION AND REDEMPTION TO THE EVENTS OF THIS WEEK. The Church names this day the “Saturday of Lazarus” in remembrance of the resurrection of Lazarus AND ITS PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL RESURRECTION FOR ALL PEOPLE. The Church connects this celebration, by ANTICIPATION, WITH THE ENTRANCE OF CHRIST INTO JERUSALEM: “WE CARRY THE SYMBOLS OF VICTORY AND CRY HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.”

The readings: Epistle, Hebrew 12:28-13:8 and Gospel, John 11:1-45

PALM SUNDAY MORNING

“Blessed Is He that cometh in the Name
of the Lord…”

PALM SUNDAY celebrates the Glorious and brilliant Feast of the Entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. Zechariah had prophesied the Entrance of the Messiah into Jerusalem, saying: “Rejoice greatly… O daughter of Jerusalem; behold the King comes unto Thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” [Zechariah 9:9]. The contemporary Jews associated this prophecy with THE EXPECTED MESSIAH. This action of Christ testifies to His nature as Savior, but with the definite declaration that His Kingdom was NOT of this world. The news that Christ was in Bethany provoked a general enthusiasm of acceptance, but also indignation among the High Priests, who had decided to kill Christ. The main road leading to Jerusalem was covered with palm trees. The multitudes, with palm branches in their hands, spread their cloaks on the road as a show of respect, crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.” All the actions and words of the people and of Christ had a Messianic meaning readily recognized by the Jews of that time. As usual, Christ went immediately to the Temple, where He prayed and taught. That evening He departed for Bethany.

A tradition of distributing branches of palms[ or palm crosses]to the faithful in the Church prevails to this day, commemorating THE VICTORY OF CHRIST AGAINST THE EVIL POWERS.

The Epistle reading is Philippians 4:4-9, and the Gospel reading is John 12:1-18].

“Behold the Bridegroom Cometh in the Midst of
the Night…”

(The service is Orthros (Matins] of Great Monday
and is sung by anticipation on PALM SUNDAY
EVENING.]

MONDAY of Great and Holy Week (sung by anticipation, now on Palm Sunday Evening) commemorates THE BLESSED AND NOBLE JOSEPH AND THE FIG TREE WHICH WAS CURSED AND WITHERED BY THE LORD. The withering of the fig tree was a miracle of special symbolism, since the tree had leaves, BUT NOT FRUIT. It is symbolic OF THE MANY PEOPLE WHO CLAIM ETHICAL AND RELIGIOUS IDENTITY, BUT IN REALITY HAVE EMPTY LIVES THAT YIELD NO FRUIT. This was the case with some of the Pharisees of that period. Jesus cursed the tree: “May no fruit ever come from you again” (Matthew 21:19). The reference to the story of the virtuous Joseph of the Old Testament [Genesis 37-41] is made only for contrast, since the life of Joseph WAS A MODEL OF PROPRIETY AND SINCERE OBSERVANCE OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES.

On this evening, we begin with the hymn of the Bridegroom, “Behold the Bridegroom comes in the midst of the night…beware, therefore, O my soul, lest thou be borne down in sleep…and lest thou be shut out from the Kingdom…” The canticle hymn also has a symbolic exhortation: “I see Thy bridal chamber adorned, O my Savior, and I have no wedding garment…O Giver of Light, make radiant the vesture of my soul and save me.” At this time, the solemn procession of the holy icon of Christ-Bridegroom takes place around the nave of the church. The faithful, anticipating the sufferings of Christ, sing: “Thy sublime sufferings, on this day, shine upon the world as a light of salvation.”

The Gospel reading this service is taken from the Gospel of Saint Matthew 21:18-43. It mentions that “the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” (v. 23). They sought to have Christ accuse Himself in answering this question.

[To be continued]

________
“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