April 19, 2008
Saturday of St. Lazarus
The Saturday of Lazarus and Palm Sunday introduce us to Holy Week and Christ's journey to the Cross. On Lazarus Saturday, we find that death is the enemy and that Christ came to conquer, and that He is truly the Giver of Life!
Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, had been dead four days when Jesus went to the tomb where he was buried. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life", and brought Lazarus back to life.
April 20, 2008
Palm Sunday
Divine Liturgy--10:00 a.m.
On this day we celebrate Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people met Him with palm branches and cried, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
We receive palm branches on this day to show that we too accept Jesus as King, and that we are willing to follow Him to the Cross.
April 20, 2008
Palm Sunday
Bridegroom Service--5:30 p.m.
The service of Palm Sunday Evening helps us understand Christ's passage from death to life and how each of us can also become free from sin and death.
On this day, we commemorate Christ the Bridegroom by singing "The Hymn of the Bridegroom", warning us to be prepared for Christ's coming. The priest carries the Icon of the Bridegroom in procession. We behold Christ as the Bridegroom of the Church, bearing the marks of suffering, yet preparing a marriage feast for us in God's Kingdom.
Commemorated also is the blessed Joseph, son of Jacob in the Old Testament, who was thrown into a pit and sold into slavery by his brothers, and who later became a powerful ruler. In the same way, Christ was rejected, betrayed and crowned with glory in God's Kingdom.
Commemoration is also made of the barren fig tree which Christ cursed and withered because it bore no fruit. The tree is like those who have heard God's word but fail to bear fruit by not obeying it.
April 21, 2008
Holy Monday
Bridegroom Service--7:00 p.m.
Holy Monday services urge us to be spiritually prepared to receive Christ. We should take this time to reflect on "The Parable of the Ten Virgins", the maidens who filled their lamps with oil and were prepared to receive the bridegroom. Those with empty lamps were shut out of the marriage feast. Thus each of us should light our lives with faith and good works and be ready to receive Christ.
April 22, 2008
Holy Tuesday
Bridegroom Service--7:00 p.m.
During this service we remember the sinful woman who anointed Christ in anticipation of His death. Her repentance and love of Christ is the theme of the Hymn of Kassiani which is chanted on this night.
April 23, 2008
Holy Wednesday
Holy Unction--7:00 p.m.
The Sacrament of Holy Unction is celebrated on this day when we confess our sins and seek to be reconciled with God. The priest anoints us with holy oil that we may be healed physically and spiritually.
April 24, 2008
Holy Thursday
Matins for Holy Friday (Passion Gospels)--7:00 p.m. (Bring something soft to kneel on.)
April 25, 2008
Holy Friday
Holy Friday is a day of mourning, fasting and prayer. On this day we commemorate the Passion of Jesus Christ, for on this day, Our Lord went to the Cross and died to take away our sins. The power of death and the reality of evil rule the world on this day. Yet, Jesus Christ's death marks the beginning of His--and our--victory over death's power.
April 25, 2008
Holy Friday
Royal Hours--9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., Noon, 2:00 p.m.
These services help us keep vigil at the side of the crucified Christ, and relate Jesus' suffering to our own redemption.
April 25, 2008
Holy Friday
Vespers--3:30 p.m.
During this service, we relive the death of our Lord and His removal from the Cross. During the Gospel reading, the Body of Christ is removed from the Cross and is wrapped in a white sheet. The Priest then takes it into the Sanctuary.
Afterwards, the cloth icon, the "Epitaphios", is carried in procession and placed in the flowered bier that represents Christ's tomb.
April 25, 2008
Holy Friday
The Lamentations and Procession of the Epitaphios--7:00 p.m.
The Hymns of Lamentations are sung this evening as we lament Jesus' undeserved death for our salvation. With both sorrow and joy we sing the Lamentations to Him who is symbolically buried, yet who we already know is risen.
During this service, the Epitaphios is taken in a candlelight procession around the church. At the conclusion, the flowers are given to the faithful which are symbolic of the many gifts the Lord has given us, the greatest of which is eternal life.
April 26, 2008
Holy Saturday
Divine Liturgy--10:00 a.m.
On Holy Saturday morning, we celebrate a vesper service with the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil. This is the Blessed Sabbath, a day of strict fasting, but a day of hope and waiting. We know that because Christ died, death is no longer the end of life. Christ descended into hell that death itself might be destroyed. Anticipating Christ's victory over the power of death, we sing: "Arise, O God, judge the earth. For to Thee belong all the nations!"
April 26, 2008
Holy Saturday
Paschal Divine Liturgy--11:30 p.m. (Please keep in mind that this is a long service. Feel free to bring pillows and blankets for the children to nap.)
Today we celebrate Our Lord's glorious resurrection. The Resurrection service at midnight begins in a darkened church. As the faithful receive the resurrection light from the priest, a procession is formed to the Narthex. The people hear the good news of Christ's triumph over death from the Gospel. The joyous hymn of Christ's resurrection is triumphantly chanted: "Christ is Risen!"
The Paschal Liturgy and sermon of Saint John Chrysostom follows inviting us all to take part in the Feast of the Resurrection and to receive Holy Communion.
April 27, 2008
Great and Holy Pascha
Agape Vespers & Pascha Celebration at the Rose home--1:00 (Vespers to start at 2:00)