Themes:  Victory over death, praise of our God Who alone does wondrous things, and the universality of the Gospel

Gospel Reading: John 20:19-25

Sometime late on Easter Sunday morning or in the afternoon hours, we celebrate the Vespers of Pascha, also known as the Agape service.  It is a Great Vespers service centered upon the message of Pascha – the risen Jesus Christ.  All the hymns give glory to God for His resurrection from the dead, for freeing us from the curse of the ancient law – death, and for restoring mankind (and indeed the entire world) to its former position – communion and union with God.

At the time of the entrance of the Gospels, the beautiful evening hymn is sung: “O gladsome Light, of the Holy Glory of the Immortal Father, Heavenly, Holy, Blessed Jesus Christ!  As we come to the setting of the sun and see the evening light, we praise God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  It is proper at all times to praise You with fitting voices, O Son of God and Giver of Life; behold the universe sings Your glory.”  This is read at Vespers services and sung at Great Vespers services.  As has been one of the themes for the resurrection, Jesus is the Light of the world and this hymn shows that Christ’s Light is of the God the Father and thus unifies them as One God.  It’s also interesting to note, just like in the prayer of the Three Youths, the participation of all of creation in worship of its Creator.

Just after this hymn is sung, a brief hymn called a prokeimenon is sung (usually just a verse or two of a Psalm).  On this day, we sing the Great Prokeimenon (sung also on Pentecost, Epiphany and at an ordination):  “Who is so great a God as our God.  For you are the God Who alone works wonders.”  This is from Psalm 76/77.  This beautiful hymn simply gives glory to God – because truly our God is the only One Who can do such things as condescend to become incarnate, suffer, die, and rise from the dead to bring His creation back into His kingdom.

 The gospel lesson is about the appearances of Jesus after His resurrection (John 20:19-25).  Primarily, it recounts 10 of the 11 disciples being present at Jesus first appearance to them with Thomas absent.  Thomas tells the other disciples, out of disbelief for joy, that he needs to place his hands in the mark of the nails to know Jesus has truly risen.  Once again the disciples are together and Thomas was there, and Jesus tells him to put his hands in the mark of the nails and in His side.  This important event is further proof of Jesus physical resurrection from the dead. 

This Gospel lesson is traditionally read in many languages.  The reason is that the great message of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, the triumph of Christ and life over death, must be proclaimed throughout all the world.
Finally, if there are any liturgies during the week following the resurrection, known as Bright Week or Renewal Week, all the Orthros services and Liturgies retain the resurrectional tone of the Sunday of Pascha.  Also, for the weeks after Bright Week until the Thursday of the Ascension (40 days after Pascha), all the services in the Church retain a similar resurrectional tone as that of Pascha. 
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

This begins the Midnight Service, or Resurrection Service. At the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem (where the tomb of Christ is located), the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem enters the tomb of Christ, without any lighters, matches or flint, only with his candle, and receives the Light directly from Christ. This has been attested to throughout the centuries. Then the priest, accompanied by the altar boys and choir, proceeds down the center aisle to a place in the narthex or outside of the Church. It is at that point where the priest reads the resurrectional gospel reading (Mark 16:1-8). After thepriest is done reading, the Christos Anesti (Christ is Risen) hymn is sung for the first time. After a series of petitions is prayed by the priest and the people, the priest goes back to the altar as the choir sings the remaining hymns of the Resurrection Service. 

When the Resurrection Service is completed, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom begins.
 
Theme: Christ triumph over death and His Resurrection
 
Resurrectional Gospel: Mark 16:1-8, Liturgy – Epistle: Acts 1:1-8, John 1:1-17
 
During the Liturgy, the Epistle reading is from the Acts of the Apostles (1:1-8). St. Luke, the author of Acts, describes the general purpose of Christ’s incarnation and the very beginning of the Church as we know it in New Testament times. It recounts the disciples seeing the resurrected Christ and asking Christ if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel. Christ’s response is interesting. He points to the second coming as the restoration, completely, of the kingdom of Israel. However, that kingdom is for all who accept in faith Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior as witnessed by the Orthodox Church. The new kingdom of Israel is the Church, which according to St. Luke in this passage, will receive the Holy Spirit to make the Church the living and breathing Body of Christ.
 
The Gospel lesson is from St. John (1:1-17). This, in my humble opinion, is the greatest passage in the Scriptures, and the greatest words ever written. Please look it up and study it. But very briefly, it describes Christ in a cosmic way. St. John connects Genesis 1, the creation, to Jesus’ participation in it. It then goes on to recount St. John the Baptist, the greatest of all the prophets, and how he proclaimed the coming of Christ. Then, it describes how Jesus came not simply to forgive sins and grant eternal life, but something much more than that, St. John tells us that Christ came to make all believers sons of God! This is far more than just forgiving people, this is making us part of God’s family; this makes us participate in God Himself; this makes us able, through faith, to inherit all the blessings and promises
that God has made to mankind as we hear in all the Scriptures.
 
Then, St. John tells us that the Word of God, the active agent in creation (Jesus Christ), became flesh and lived amongst us and that He was replete with Grace (the good favor and outpouring of God’s goodness) and Truth. Finally, St. John tells us that the Law was made complete through the incarnation of the Word (Jesus Christ being born as a human being) because Christ brings to the world the Grace (good favor and outpouring of God’s goodness) and Truth. (Juxtapose this understanding with Pilate’s question during Jesus’ mock trial, “And what is truth?” all the while staring Truth in the face…)
 
During this service, it is customary, if not obligatory, to read St. John Chrysostom’s Paschal letter. St. John Chrysostom was born near Antioch in Syria, was ordained there to the priesthood, and later, became Patriarch of Constantinople. He was exiled twice because he was so outspoken against the Empress and her selfish, greedy ways. He was known as the Church’s best orator, ever. This homily is found in our black Holy Week books. It describes how all of us who love Jesus should be celebrating with the utmost of exuberance. Even if our fasting was lacking, now is the time to approach Jesus through the Communion chalice. Finally, he describes, in the most beautiful and upraising of ways, the
condemnation of death, and the triumph of the resurrection of Christ and what it means to the world and the individual Christian. Read it:
 
If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived thereof. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; he gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour.
 
And he shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one he gives, and upon the other he bestows gifts. And he both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering. Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
 
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hades, He made Hades captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen and fell upon the unseen.
 
O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages.
Amen.
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

This service starts off with a Vespers and then moves into the Liturgy of St. Basil. During the Vespers, a
number of prophecies from the Old Testament are read. After the prophecies, the Divine Liturgy of St.
Basil begins. After the epistle reading, the priest scatters bay leaves around the church as a sign of
Christ’s victory over death. After that, the lesson from the gospel is read and the Liturgy continues as
usual.
 
Theme: Christ’s resurrection
 
Prophecies: Genesis 1:1-13, Jonah, Daniel 3:1-57 (including the Hymn of the Three Youths); Epistle: Romans 6:3-11, Gospel: Matthew 28:1-20
 
All of the hymns during this service are paschal, or resurrectional, in nature. We have eagerly awaited
the moment of His resurrection, and during this service, we get a foretaste of the tremendous joy of
that moment. The odd thing is that this is done so early on Saturday. This is because this Liturgy used to
be a part of a long Paschal vigil that started late in the afternoon and which lasted towards midnight.
Now, however, the service has been pushed back to the morning. So even though the hymns and
Gospel Lesson describe the resurrection, we still have to wait until midnight before we can truly
celebrate it.

After the entrance with the Gospels, there are three readings from the Old Testament. The first reading
is from Genesis and recounts the first three days of creation. Please note the symbolism of recounting
just the first three days of creation – as Christ, the Author of that very Creation – was in the tomb for
three days (please know that 3 days in the tomb does not mean 72 hours – it means He was put in on
Friday, stayed Saturday, and arose from there on Sunday – thus three days, but not a 72-hour period).
On day one, Light was created, and it was good. On day two, God created Heaven, and it was good. On
day three God created the earth and the plants, and it was good. In the first three days, God created the
essentials for man – light (which is a part of Who God is), the Heavens (the place from which man
comes), and earth (the place man had dominion over). Most importantly, we have to remember the
nature of creation. “In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth. And the earth was void and
empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the spirit of God (Holy Spirit – which is always
associated with the waters of baptism…) moved over the waters. And God said...” (and a Word comes
forth from God – that Word is Jesus Christ – when God speaks, Christ acts – that is why Christ is always
depicted in icons of the creation). In the first 2 verses of Genesis, we have an understanding of the Holy
Trinity and we know that Christ is the person of the Trinity who completes the work of Creation. In
other words, He is the Author of that creation, the great Maker, the great Artificer. Many, many of the
hymns in Holy Week describe the paradox that the Author of Creation, Who made man out of the
elements of His own Creation, is ultimately betrayed by His own Creation and sent to His death by him.
 
The second reading is from the book of Jonah (pretty much the entire book). The obvious connection is
that Jonah was in the belly of the whale for 3 days as Christ was in the tomb three days. But it is much
more than that. It is also about: 1) being obedient to God (Jonah kept saying he would do things for
God, but often tried to avoid doing what God asked him to do simply because he did not like what he was
being asked to do) 2) understanding that God has a plan for all of the world because He loves all people
(that is why God asks Jonah to go and preach in Nineveh, and when he does, the entire city starts to turn
to God!!...) 3) God teaches us, through Jonah, that “… my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your
ways My ways,” says the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8) We want things to always go our way, according to our plans.
Sometimes, we always have to do things God’s way and often times should let Him do the driving…
 
The third reading is from the Book of Daniel. Here, the people, included those who believed in God,
were told that they must worship an idol the king (Nabuchodonosor) had made. Three faithful young
men refused and were thrown into a fiery furnace. While in the furnace, they were not burned and an
angel appeared with them in the fire. These three represent the three days Christ was in the tomb. At a
certain point, the hymn of the three youths is chanted with the refrain to each verse, “Praise you, the
Lord and exalt Him forever.” The three youths gave praise to God that they were not destroyed in the
furnace. This is recorded in the Book of Daniel according to the oldest and correct version of the Old
Testament, the Septuagint. In most Bibles, the Hymn of the three youths is omitted or stuck amongst
the deuterocanonical material. This is because those Bibles use a far less reliable source as their
foundational text, the Masoretic text. That aside, it is a beautiful hymn that heaves glory upon glory to
God for all that He has created. People, animals, and all forms of nature are called upon to give God
glory (for example: sun, moon, light, darkness, winds, frosts, dew, mountains, rivers, lighting, whales,
fish, birds, beasts, and all manner of men, etc.). We all give God glory because through Christ’s
resurrection, the curse of Adam is abolished and man’s restoration to God is accomplished.
 
It is interesting to note that according to the Septuagint, the books of the Prophets are not in chronological order.  The last three books, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, are all have a common thread: each author has a vision of Christ and relates it.  Because these books are so important to the prophecies of Christ, it seems as if the authors of the Septuagint placed the order in such a way that the most influential books of the Old Testament regarding Jesus Christ would be located closest to the New Testament!
 
Following that hymn, we enter into the Divine Liturgy and sing they hymn “As many as have been
baptized in Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia.” This is sung instead of “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy
Immortal have mercy on us” for two reasons. A) When we do a Vesperal Divine Liturgy according to St.
Basil, that is normally the rubric and B) more importantly, baptism and resurrection are always
connected. Christ went into the water to show that we need to bury our old selves in baptismal waters
and come out into a new life in Christ – die to our old selves and come to new life in Christ. Going into
the water means not simply cleaning; more often than not in the Old Testament it refers to death.
When Moses crossed the Red Sea, it was split and so he crossed on dry land. Once they passed, the
waters came back and drowned Pharaoh’s army. Egypt was viewed as death to the enslaved Israelites.
The left death in Egypt, through the parted waters of the Red Sea, and entered into a new life in the
promised land. Furthermore, in the early Church, people were often baptized just prior to Pascha so
they could receive Holy Communion on the day of the Resurrection.
 
Following that hymn is the Epistle lesson from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans which connects baptism to
resurrection – death to the old self (and death itself!) and life into Christ.
 
After the Epistle lesson, an unusual hymn is sung – no other Divine Liturgy has it. The priest exclaims,
“Arise o God and judge the earth; for You shall take all nations to Your inheritance.” (Psalm 82/83:8) As
this is being chanted along with the corresponding verses (which come from the proceeding verses in
that same Psalm, verses 1-7) the priest throws bay leaves into the air. The bay leaf was a sign of
triumph in ancient times. The victors in the Olympic games, for example, were crowned with a laurel of
bay leaves. Ancient kings and later on, Roman Emperors, also wore laurel wreaths (bay leaves) as a sign
of their position and victory. As we use bay leaves in remembrance of Christ’s triumphal entrance into
Jerusalem, so we once again use bay leaves to announce the greatest victory of Christ. This is a
magnificent sign of triumph – a sign of Christ’s resurrection from the dead – a sign that the ancient curse
of death has been annihilated - a sign that our God is truly a living God Whose purpose in being born in
the flesh was to draw all people to Himself.
 
The Gospel lesson which follows is the account of the Resurrection from St. Matthew (28:1-20) in which
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary find the tomb empty, the chief priest and elders conspire to lie and
say the body was stolen, and then Jesus meets the 11 disciples. After this reading we continue with the
Divine Liturgy of St. Basil.
 
Even though we recognize Jesus’ Resurrection, we still have to wait until the evening service and the
singing of “Christ is Risen from the dead…” “Christos Anesti…” before we can fully celebrate this glorious feast.
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

Gospel Reading: Matthew 27:62-66 – Other significant readings: Prophecy: Ezekiel 37:1-14, Epistle: 1Corinthians 5:6-8 & Galatians 3:13-14

The kouvouklion symbolizes Christ’s tomb.  Upon His death, Christ did not simply remain in the tomb.  In fact, he descended into Hades, broke the bonds of death, and freed the people who were tied down in Hades.  In fact, the procession of the Epitaphion symbolizes Christ journey into Hades.  As the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, Christ does an incredible work on the Sabbath – freeing mankind from the bonds and fetters of sin and death.  Those to whom He preached and accepted His word we led out of Hades and we brought into Paradise.

When we think of a tomb, a grave, no doubt one of the thoughts we have is of decay, uncleanness, and general nastiness.  Yet Christ’s tomb remained immaculate.  He was in it for less than 48 hours, but it spanned three days; Friday (His death and entombment), Saturday (the Sabbath), and Sunday (when He rises from the dead).  Christ turns what was only morbid and filthy into a place of life and light.  Life because He rises from the dead.  Light because He is the Light of the world and leads all who are willing to eternal life.  Remember, in Jerusalem, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Orthodox Church receives the uncreated light at the time of the resurrection every single year.  What was dark has become light, and what was death has brought forth life.

During the service of the Lamentations (really the Orthros for Holy Saturday), it starts out with great solemnity, sobriety, and sorrow.  The hymns lead us to contemplate how the Creator of man was buried after His brutal death.  There are three sets of lamentations that are sung, and all of them recount the condescension – the humility – of Christ to accept His passion, death, and burial.  They also note the great anguish this is for mankind to have its Creator killed and buried.  The first set begins with the hymn, (H Zoe en tafo) “You O Christ the Life, was laid in the tomb, and armies of angels were amazed, and they glorified Your condescension.”  The second begins, (Axion esti) “It is right to magnify You, the Giver of Life, You Who extended Your hands upon the cross, and shattered the power of the enemy.”  The third begins, (Ai yeneai  pasai) “All generations offer adoration to your entombment O Christ.”  Each of these three sets of hymns are sung in front of the Epitaphion.  During the third set, the priest sings, “Early in the morning the myrrh-bearing women came to the tomb, early in the morning, to sprinkle myrrh.”  Then the priest takes myrrh (we use rose water cut with a little bit of orange blossom water) and sprinkles the church and the congregation.  Shortly thereafter, the Epitaphion is processed around the church and the people receive the blessing from Christ through His icon as they pass underneath it.

After the procession, the mood of the hymns changes radically.  The hymns and readings now look to the hope of the resurrection.  A little before the singing of the lamentations, the priests often change their vestments from purple (a sign of sorrow) to white or gold (a sign of light, life, and hope).  The prophecy from Ezekiel (37:1-14) describes a vision Ezekiel has of the resurrection of the dead, which has come true upon the death of Christ (see Matthew 27:45-53).  The epistle reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians describes the New Covenant that has been established by Christ redeeming us from the curse of the law.  The Gospel lesson recounts how the chief priests asked Pilate for a guard to watch the tomb in case one of the disciples were to come and steal the body.  Pilate tells them to guard the tomb themselves (which they did). 

After the services, of course, the flowers from the kouvouklion are taken off and offered to the people.
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

Good Friday afternoon - Apokathelosis
This is the Vespers of Good Friday.  It is also called the Apokathelosis – or “unnailing from the cross.”  We remember that at this time, Christ “gave up His Spirit.”  During the service, the icon of Christ is taken down from the cross and wrapped in a white cloth, which symbolizes His burial garment.  The icon of the body is taken into the altar and remains there until after the Feast of the Ascension.  This is symbolic because the altar, in particular the Altar Table/Holy Table, is symbolically the tomb of Christ.  What comes from the tomb of Christ?  Life and the Risen Lord.   What comes from the Altar?  Life and the Risen Lord in the Holy Communion that is prepared and of which we can partake.  As Christ came forth from the tomb giving Life, so does the priest come forth from the altar and offer life when he says, “with the fear of God, faith and love draw near” as he brings forward the Holy Communion for the people.  Also, the priest processes with the Epitaphion.  The Epitaphion is the icon that is placed in the beautifully decorated wooden tomb.  The Epitaphion is not the wooden tomb that is decorated with all of the flowers – that is called the kouvouklion.  The priest places the Epitaphion in the kouvouklion at the end of the procession.

Theme:  salvation granted to us through His “awful Passion, the Cross, and condescension to voluntary entombment in the flesh.

Scripture Readings: Prophecies: Exodus 33:11-23, Job 42:12-17, Isaiah 52:13-15, 53:1-12, 54:1, Epistle: 1Corinthians 1:18-2:2 Gospel Reading: Matthew 27:1-38, Luke 23:39-43, Matthew 27:39-54, John 19:31-37, Matthew 27:55-61)

As we learned from earlier in Holy Week, Jesus Christ, though He is God, lowered Himself to our level.  That means He lived like we do in every way.  He felt pain, sorrow, joy, temptation – the same things we all feel.  The only difference is that He is sinless.  If He did not die, He could not have truly been like we are.  So, He is God, but chooses to allow Himself to be sacrificed so that everyone can attain the Kingdom of Heaven.  In other words, He came down to our level in order to raise us up to His level (“God became Man so that Man could become like God” – St. Athanasios).

It is a tradition in Orthodox for special icons to be processed.  Processions were not meant to take place simply around the church.  In fact, in Constantinople, processions throughout the city took place with the context of the Divine Liturgy, because the entire city became the space that is receiving the Body and Blood of the Son of God.  When an icon is processed, it is customary for that icon to be put upon a decorated bier, like the kouvouklion, and it will be held up so that people can pass underneath the icon to receive the blessing from Christ or the saint depicted in that icon.  There is a procession of the Epitaphion at this service.  The Epitaphion is the icon of the entombment of Christ.  It is brought out from the altar by the priest/s and processed around the inside of the church.  It is then placed in the kouvouklion where it will stay until the end of the evening service, the Lamentations.
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

1st Hour – The theme here is Christ as the true light.  (Prophecy: Zacharias 11:10-13, Epistle: Galatians 6:14-18, Gospel Reading: Matthew 27:1-56 )As the True Light, He “illumines and sanctifies every man who comes into the world.”  During this service we pray that “the Light of [His] Countenance leave[s] its mark on us.”  Two things about the Light: 1) When we light a candle, we are supposed to remember that Christ is the Light of the world.  He is always present and will always lead us to a safe path and a safe harbor if we simply follow that Light (holiness and righteousness) and stay off the dark paths of sin.  Even if we fall and end up turning our back to the Light, Christ will still be just behind us and will greet us with His mercy, love, and peace if we just turn back around and follow that Light.

3rd Hour – The theme of the 3rd hour is the decent of the Holy Spirit.  (Prophecy: Isiah 50:4-11, Epistle: Romans 5:6-10, Gospel Reading: Mark 15:16-41)After Christ ascended into Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to us to be our Helper and Comforter.  Christ established the Church through the offering of His Body and Blood on the Cross and through the faith of the Apostles (see Peter the Rock - Matthew 16:13-20).  Christ also promised that after His resurrection, He would send the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us.  Indeed, it is the Holy Spirit that gives man life and gives the Church its life (see Genesis 2:7, John 20:21-23, and Acts 1).  In every sacrament we call upon God to send the Holy Spirit to affect that for which we are praying.  The Holy Spirit gives us life and gifts that are to be used for the glory of God and for the love of neighbor.  The Holy Spirit lives within us (1Cor 6:19-20, Romans 8:1-19) and speaks with us if we are quiet and attentive enough to hear.  And because the Holy Spirit dwells within us, and because we were created in the image and likeness of God, we should always treat our own bodies, and the bodies of others, with the utmost of respect.

6th Hour – The focus is the passion and crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  (Prophecy: Isaiah 52:13-15, 53:1-12, 54:1, Epistle: Hebrews 2:11-18, Gospel Reading: Luke 23:32-49) “But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.  Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.  “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name.”  Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”  Therefore, the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”  Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.  Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”  This He said, signifying by what death He would die.” John 12:23-33 (Note that “the ruler of this world [who]will be cast out is the devil).

9th Hour – We remember the death and burial of Creator of the universe. (Prophecy: Jeremiah: 11:18-23, 12:1-4, 9-11, 14-15, Epistle: Hebrews 10:19-31, Gospel Reading: John 19:23-37) “When You, O Christ, submitted in the flesh to be committed to the tomb, though You were by nature of the Godhead and still remained infinite and limitless, you did shut up and empty out all the store-houses and palaces of Hades and of Death, then you honored the Sabbath with Your own splendor and Divine blessing and glory.” (From the Aposticha at the service of the Deposition from the Cross/Apokathelosis)

And another from the same set of hymns, “O You who puts on light as a garment, when Joseph, with Nikodemos, brought You down from the Tree and beheld You dead, naked, and unburied, he mourned outwardly and grievously, crying to You with signs and saying, ‘Woe is me, sweet Jesus, Whom but a while ago, when the sun beheld You suspended on the cross, it was shrouded in darkness, the earth quaked with fear, and the veil of the temple was rent asunder.  Albeit, I see that You willingly endure death for my sake.  How then shall I array You, my God?  How shall I wrap You with linen?  Or what dirges shall I chant for Your funeral?  Wherefore, O compassionate Lord, I magnify Your passion, and praise Your burial with Your resurrection, crying, Lord, glory to You.’”

The kouvouklion, the bier that will hold the Epitaphion (the icon of the entombment of Christ), is customarily decorated before and during the observance of the Royal Hours.  The faithful of the parish come forward and offer flowers and their time to decorate the kouvouklion.  Any flowers may be used, but many churches use particular color themes that reflect the solemnity and sorrow of Christ’s death (purple and red) and then ultimately the hope of His resurrection (white, yellow, gold).  Any way it is done, it is meant to glorify God and contribute to the beauty and pageantry of the services during Holy Week.
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

Today is hung upon the Cross He Who suspended the earth amid the waters.  A crown of thorns crowns Him, Who is the King of Angels.  He, Who wrapped the Heavens in clouds, is clothed with the purple of mockery.  He, Who freed Adam in the Jordan, received buffetings.  He was transfixed with nails, Who is the Bridegroom of the Church.  He was pierced with a lance, Who is the Son of the Virgin.  We worship Your Passion, O Christ.  Show us also, Your glorious Resurrection.

This is hauntingly beautiful poetry.  The paradoxes are astounding.  We see the creator of all things, visible and invisible, amongst the glory of His creation – and in the same breath see the pinnacle of that very creation, mankind, turn against Him cruelly and vilely.  As beautifully sorrowful this hymn is, its very last line brings us great hope as we anticipate His rise from the dead.  There is always hope in the Church – like Christ in the garden, we are never left alone.

There are a number of other hymns in this service that are almost as beautiful and certainly as dramatic in relating the calamity of Christ’s passion, crucifixion, and death.  They are written in the first person as Christ (just prior to the 10th Gospel Lesson):

They took away My garments from Me, and put upon Me a scarlet robe; they set upon My head a crown of thorns, and gave a reed into My right Hand, that I may break them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Here we have as if Christ were able to discuss the mockery that was thrown against Him.  Such arrogance, evil, and hatred poured upon Him by the tormentors.  They mock His kingship and place a simple reed in His right hand.  Yet that reed, a part of God’s creation, could easily be used to smash into dust another of God’s creation – the one made of a potter’s clay, or earth – man.  However, He does not do that.  Instead, we hear immediately following that hymn:

“I gave My back to scourgings, and turned not away My face from spittings; I stood before the judgment seat of Pilate, and endured the Cross, for the salvation of the world.”  The first and foremost part of a description of “love” is sacrifice, and it is shown nowhere greater than during this service.
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

Themes: The Mystical (Last) Supper; Jesus washing the feet of the Disciples, the Garden of Gethsemane
Gospel Reading:  Matthew 26:2-20, John 13:3-17, Matthew 26:21-39, Luke 22:43-45, Matthew 26:40 – 27:2

Remember, even though this service takes place in the morning, it is really part of a Great Vespers service for Thursday evening.  The Mystical Supper took place in the evening on a Thursday.  Today, we remember Mystical Supper on Thursday, but in the morning instead of in the evening.

At this service, we remember the Last Supper.  At the time of the Last Supper, two very important events took place.  First of all, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples.  This is a great show of love towards them and also of humility.  Jesus did this to show His service to God and to mankind as well as to teach His disciples how to treat others – to teach them to be humble and servants of the Lord and of mankind.  Let’s really consider this: the Lord and Creator of all cinches a towel around Himself, and bends to the ground to wash the feet of His disciples.  It is a complete condescension of God, a display of utter humility (not humiliation) to teach the disciples that they must be humble towards one another and serve one another.  Did Christ ever ask anyone to prostrate themselves before Him?  No.  People did out of respect, love, and awe, but not because of His command.  His command, rather, is that we follow His example and be humble to one another and serve one another.  His whole ministry on earth was a service to mankind, and even just prior to and during His passion, He continued to be a servant to mankind.  And Jesus’ service was to heal our souls and bodies from the effects of sin and lead us to holiness and His heavenly kingdom.

Second, this is the day of the Last Supper – the mystical event initiated by Christ so that we would always be able to receive Him in our body and soul.  Christ broke bread and shared wine with His Disciples.  We read in Mt. 26:26-28, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the Disciples and said, ‘Take eat; this is My body.’  Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you.  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”  This event gives each of us the greatest opportunity in the world – to participate in the Kingdom of Heaven by taking God into our bodies - which cleanses us from sin and allows us to be in union and communion with God.  Please note that the formula from St. Matthew aforementioned is exactly what we use in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom nearly every time we celebrate a Divine Liturgy.

A few more important issues concerning the Last Supper: a) We take this excerpt from St. Matthew literally.  Jesus was not speaking in parables when He was talking about the bread being His Body and the wine being His Blood.  From the very beginning, the Orthodox Church, which was the only Church for centuries, accepted this as fact and never deviated from it.  We call upon the Holy Spirit to make the bread and the wine the Body and Blood of Christ at every Divine Liturgy.  We are not sure exactly how the Holy Spirit makes this change; it is a mystery how it happens.  But we, through faith and the Tradition of the Church, know and accept that the Holy Spirit does consecrate the elements into the Body and Blood of Christ b) we use leavened bread in the Eucharist.  Leavened verse unleavened bread takes on different connotations in different contexts so we cannot look there for definitive answers (although the Church does look to the leavened bread as symbolic of the resurrection).  In the synoptics (the Gospels of Saints Matthew, Mark, and Luke) we hear of the Last Supper being a Passover meal.  In the Gospel of St. John, however, it is clearly not a Passover meal.  We view the Gospel of St. John making clear issues that may have been uncertain in the nascent Church.  Since the Gospel of St. John was written decades after the Synoptics, we consider that what the Church was already practicing is reflected in the Gospel.  St. John makes clear that this was not a Passover meal and that leavened bread was used.  Even in the Synoptics, the use of the word “arton” in all likelihood refers to leavened bread, not just any bread, and certainly not specifically unleavened bread.  Furthermore, it is clear historically that the Church used leavened bread in the Eucharist, and it was not until much later that the western half of the Church started using unleavened bread on a consistent basis.

We also remember the Garden of Gethsemane.  Here, we learn about the obedience of Christ to His Father in Heaven, His intense prayer, and His betrayal at the hands of Judas.  In terms of prayer, we also learn about its power.  How?  In the garden, Christ was agonizing.  He knew what was going to happen to Him and He was anguishing over it.  This shows His humanity.  Nevertheless, His intense and persistent prayer to His Father helped him get through the agony and remain obedient to the will of the Father.  It is vitally important to have a consistent prayer life, privately and publicly.  Privately because it will keep us focus on Christ and help us keep a disciplined life in which we: truly struggle to avoid making sinful decisions, consistently offer thanks to God for His many and profound blessings, ask the Lord for the things we need, and offer supplications for our family, friends, neighbors and even enemies.   Publicly because our private prayer is validated in the community (Divine Liturgy) as we are beseeching God to, “grant that with one voice and one heart we may glorify and praise Your most honored and majestic name…” and later, “…let us commit ourselves, and one another, and our whole life to Christ our God.”

When we remember the Garden and Christ’s prayer, we remember that the disciples all fell asleep, three times, and were unable to respond to Christ’s statement to watch over Him as He prayed.  As much as this was a “request” for their support (Mark 14:32-34), it was also meant to keep them strong against temptations and fear (Luke 22:39-40).  Nevertheless, they all fell asleep and were unable to give support to Christ or keep themselves strong against temptations (particularly to flee from fear).  So that left Christ alone, right?  No.  The Father sent an angel to strengthen His Son during His agony and prayer (Luke 22:43).  Even Jesus needed that help from at that moment, He prayed for it, and received it.  Mind you, it was not so that He would avoid the problem, but rather that He would have the strength to see it through to the end.  Furthermore, it makes clear to us the presence of angels all around us.  There is far more to this world than we can perceive with our senses alone… (“Surround us with Your holy angels, that guided and guarded by them, we may attain to the unity of the faith, and to the knowledge of Your unapproachable glory.” – Prayer from the 6th Hour and also an evening prayer)

Two other very important events occur on Holy Thursday morning.  First of all, during the Divine Liturgy, the priest prepares the reserve sacrament.  The reserve sacrament is Holy Communion that is used only in times of special emergency.  The priest may carry Holy Communion with him (taken from this reserve sacrament) to hospitals, nursing homes, people homes, etc.  During the preparation of the gifts, a second Lamb is taken out of the prosphoro in the same manner as during a Divine Liturgy when a Presanctified Liturgy is scheduled the following week.  During the service of the Proskomidi, the priest takes the portions out of the prosphoro, blesses them, and places them on the paten.  One of the pieces he takes out is called the Lamb.  This piece has the Greek letters, “IC XP NI KA” on it.  This means Jesus Christ conquers.  This is the piece that becomes the Lamb, or the Body of Christ.  Normally, the priest only takes out one Lamb.  However, if there is going to be a Pre-sanctified Liturgy during the week, he will remove another piece from the prosphoro – another Lamb.  Later on, during the Liturgy, the priest calls upon the Holy Spirit to consecrate the bread (Lamb) and wine and to change them into the Body and Blood of Christ.  This happens during the part of the service when we are kneeling (part of the anaphora).  Remember, there are two Lambs on the paten at this point – so there are two pieces of the one Body of Christ on the paten on the altar table.  After the Lord’s prayer, the priest prepares the communion cup.  He takes one of the Lambs and puts some of the consecrated wine – the Blood of Christ, on it.  This makes it communion.  He then takes the portion of the Body and Blood of Christ and places it in a protected place so that it may dry.  After a few days, the priest takes that Holy Communion and places it in the Tabernacle on the altar table (the Holy Table).  The remaining reserve sacrament from the previous year is added to the Communion chalice during this service, or sometimes during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy on Holy Saturday morning.
Second, in Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey), the Ecumenical Patriarch prepares Holy Chrism after this Divine Liturgy.  We receive Holy Chrism at our Baptism or at our Confirmation if we are converts to Orthodoxy.  Holy Chrism “makes us partakers of the Holy Spirit.”  It allows us to receive the Holy Spirit in our hearts, minds, and bodies.  It also allows us to understand, acknowledge, and cultivate the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to all of us.  The process for making the Holy Chrism takes a long time and involves over 40 different spices and fragrances.  For those of us here in the United States who are in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, only the Ecumenical Patriarch can prepare the Holy Chrism, which he then distributes to all of the churches (Metropolitans and Bishops) under his jurisdiction.  This process begins on the Saturday of Lazaros and culminates with consecration of the Holy Chrism on Holy Thursday.  This only happens about once every ten years or so.
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

During this service, we also hear 7 epistle and 7 gospel readings.  Of the Gospel readings, 6 of them have to do directly with the healing ministry of Jesus Christ.  Jesus cleansed people possessed by demons, He healed the sick and infirm, and commanded that His disciples do the same.  However, this healing ministry is not limited to diseases of the body.  It is also meant for diseases of the soul.  In the last gospel reading (Mt. 9:9-13), Christ says, “Those who are well are in no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’  For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

The only gospel lesson that does not deal directly with the healing ministry of Christ is the 5th lesson – the parable of the 10 Virgins.  As we heard on Holy Monday night, this parable was given to us so that we may always be prepared to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, because we will never know when that moment will come.  Part of preparing ourselves for the Kingdom is to cleanse ourselves of everything impure in our souls and bodies.  Holy Unction is another way we can be healed of diseases of the soul and body and further prepare ourselves for the Kingdom to come.

Something we should always remember is that sin is a poison.  It invades every part of our mind and body.  The thought that leads to sin also leads to improper thinking in areas not directly associated with the sin itself.  The act of sin affects our bodies as well, particularly through guilt and stress.  The really insidious aspect of sin is that when we are ravaged by it, we are contagious.  We end up poisoning others around us – even if we do not intend that to happen.  Sometimes that contagion is spread to others and they commit sins because of what we have done.  In other cases, the sin damages others (to varying degrees of intensity) by causing them harm, grief, embarrassment, etc. that they did not bring upon themselves.  In this sense, it is interesting that all sacraments in the church are public acts – because the root need for each of the sacraments is healing of soul and body – and therefore shows how the sin of an individual affects the whole community (even Confession is, in a sense, public – because the priest, as the spiritual leader of the community, bears witness to the confession).  Conversely, the healing power of Christ, when it heals an individual, helps to heal the entire community.  Thus, in every communal act of faith (sacrament) we have the all-important prayers asking for remission of sins and healing of soul and body.

Another aspect of the sacrament of Holy Unction that is crucial to our understanding is: the healing of our soul is paramount, i.e., more important than the healing of the body.  It is possible to eaten up by bodily ailments, and yet our souls may be completely healthy and at peace.  Take for example, the martyrs.  They gave up their bodies to all kinds of terrible things – and their bodies certainly suffered.  But their souls were magnificently healthy despite all else.  As well, there are examples of numerous saints, and even loved ones of ours that may easily come to mind, who had suffered greatly from some bodily ailment or ailments.  Yet, their souls were healed and they were able to endure all else.  The accounting we have to make at the Judgment is about the soul and its condition.  This does not mean that the body is bad or unholy – it indeed is good and meant for holiness as we hear in Genesis at the creation.  Nonetheless, for the time being (until the Second Coming) our bodies are subject to decay and death, while the soul is always meant to remain healthy and live eternally.

During the service, you will often see that the bowl containing the oil is resting on flour.  This is a pious tradition in our Church that on Holy Wednesday, or indeed anytime and Unction service is offered (and the Unction service can be offered throughout the year) we bring in flour so that it can be blessed and made into the prosphoro for following morning’s service (during Holy Week, this would be the Vesperal Divine Liturgy on Holy Thursday morning which commemorates the Last Supper and Christ’s time in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane just prior to His arrest and passion).
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick

*(Sung on Tuesday night)

Themes: The faithful woman who anointed the head of Jesus with costly, fragrant oil; the selfishness and greed of Judas; Jesus as a suffering servant.
Gospel Reading: John 12:17-50
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On this day, we remember the woman who used very expensive oil to anoint the head of Jesus (Mt. 26:6-13).  Christ says that she did this “For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.”  This was done shortly before Jesus’ passion, or just before He was to suffer for all of mankind.  Christ even says, “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”  Of course, these words are true today.  Throughout the world, her gift to Christ has been made known.  In fact, on Tuesday night, we hear the Hymn of Kassiani, which describes this selfless act of love towards our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Even the disciples thought the money she used on the oil would be better used if given to the poor.  But Jesus says she did a great thing because we will always have a chance to help the poor around us, but we may not always get the chance of helping Christ Himself.

Also, we remember the terrible selfishness of Judas, who is plotting to betray Christ for 30 pieces of silver.  On the one hand, we have the faith and reverence of the woman towards Christ, who spends a great deal of money on oil to anoint Jesus.  On the other hand, we have Judas who was willing to turn over the Savior to be arrested and ultimately killed.

Those are the two main themes in the service.  However, I would like to focus on a line from the Gospel:

…because Isaiah said again: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”

First, we have to know what is going on here.  Jesus is quoting the prophet Isaiah.  From Whom does Isaiah receive the prophecy?  From Jesus!  In this passage, Jesus is quoting Himself!  Jesus gave the words for Isaiah to speak.  How do we know this?  Look at the line, “…so that “I” should heal them.”  The “I” is Jesus because that is exactly what He does in His earthly ministry and what He offers through His death on the Cross.

And this brings us to the point.  Since the fall of Adam and Eve, sin has been the cause of all the evil and everything bad in the world.  It is a sickness that infected the world – the first true pandemic.  Jesus came to restore all mankind to proper spiritual health through His passion, death, and resurrection.

First and foremost, Jesus came to heal us from the effects of sin (death).  The healing He brings is the exact opposite: righteousness (eternal life).  The first words Jesus Himself uses in His ministry are: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”  He sits amongst the tax collectors, harlots, and other sinners.  Upon healing people physically, Jesus grants them forgiveness of sins.  And even after they are healed, He tells them, “…go, and sin no more,” offering them preventive spiritual medicine.

The brokenness of mankind is still about us, but through Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to be restored and made whole, again. 

The Bridegroom services of Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday offer us the opportunity to pay attention and be alert to the wholeness, redemption, and eternal life that Jesus offers through His own death, for our spiritual well-being in everlasting life.  Amen.
With Love in Christ,
+Fr. Nick