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.

HOLY AND GREAT WEEK (Part II)

Holy and Great Thursday. On this day four events are celebrated: THE WASHING OF THE DISCIPLES’ FEET, THE INSTITUTION OF THE MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST AT THE LAST SUPPER, THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE (but the liturgical texts do not dwell much on this), AND THE BETRAYAL OF CHRIST BY JUDAS ISCARIOT. In certain cathedrals and monasteries, there is a special ceremony of feet-washing at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, with the bishop or abbot (egoumenos) taking the part of Christ and Twelve Priests representing the Holy Apostles. At the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople, and at the centers of other Patriarchates and Autocephalous Churches, the Holy Chrism is blessed during the Divine Liturgy on this day; but the rite does not take place every year. The meaning of Holy and Great Thursday is summed up in a text of singular beauty, repeated many times at the Divine Liturgy, which combines the themes of Eucharistic Communion, Judas’ treachery, and the confession of the Good Thief:

At Thy mystical Supper, Son of God,
Today receive me as a communicant:
For I will not speak of the mystery to Thine enemies;
I will not give Thee a kiss like Judas;
But a the thief I confess Thee:
Remember me, Lord, when Thou comest in Thy Kingdom.

Holy and Great Friday. On this day we celebrate THE SUFFERING 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 SAVIOUR 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 SELF-ABASEMENT, we look forward also to the revelation of His Eternal Glory:

"We venerate Thy Passion, O Christ:
Show us also Thy glorious Resurrection."

THE CROSS AND THE RESURRECTION, AS WE HAVE SEEN, ARE ASPECTS OF
A SINGLE, UNDIVIDED ACT OF SALVATION:

"THY CROSS, O LORD, IS LIFE AND RESURRECTION."

Holy and Great Friday Orthros (Matins) are usually ‘ANTICIPATED’ and held on Holy and Great Thursday Evening. They take a special form, with a series of TWELVE GOSPEL READINGS that begins with Christ’s discourse at the Last Supper and ends with the account of His burial. In the Greek use there comes a ‘high point’ shortly before the SIXTH GOSPEL, when the priest carries a large Cross from the sanctuary and sets it up in the center of the church. This ceremony, which originated in the Church of Antioch, was only adopted at Constantinople as recently as 1824; it is not found in the practice of the Slav Churches. Here we find the principle of dramatic representation carried a stage further than hitherto, through the use not only of words but of visible actions.

On Holy and Great Friday morning, the HOURS take a solemn form, as on the eves of Christmas and Theophany, with an Old Testament reading, an Epistle and a Gospel at each Hour. Vespers follow, either immediately after the Hours (normal Greek use) or in the afternoon (Slav use). At the end of Vespers (Esperinos), as was done earlier at Orthros (Matins) in the Greek use, the events of Holy and Great Friday are represented not only through words but through dramatic actions. The EPITAPHION — AN OBLONG PIECE OF STIFFENED CLOTH ON WHICH IS PAINTED OR EMBROIDERED THE FIGURE OF THE DEAD CHRIST LAID OUT FOR BURIAL — IS CARRIED IN PROCESSION FROM THE SANCTUARY TO THE CENTER OF THE CHURCH, AND IS THEN VENERATED BY THE FAITHFUL. There are few more moving moments in the whole of the Church’s Year. The Greek and Slav Triodia say nothing about this procession with the Epitaphion at the end of Vespers, nor about the corresponding procession at the end of Orthros (Matins) on Holy and Great Saturday. It seems that the practice of carrying the Epitaphion processionally on these two occasions originated at a relatively recent period, in the 15th or 16th century.

The present practice NO LITURGY IS CELEBRATED ON HOLY AND GREAT FRIDAY — neither the complete Liturgy (except when it is the Feast of the Annunciation) nor the Liturgy of the Presanctified. But in earlier times there was a Presanctified Liturgy on this day. (Resources: The Lenten Triodion)

(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