Holy Friday: The Royal Hours

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we continue with the services of Holy Friday, we remember that on Thursday night, the service of the 12 Gospels, is really the Orthros service for Holy Friday.

Holy Friday Morning – The Royal Hours
This service is actually a group of services put together in one form.  These services are called the Great Hours, or Royal Hours.  On Good Friday morning, the 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 9th hours are combined into this one service.  The Hours are a service that are common in the daily liturgical schedule but offered daily almost exclusively in monasteries.  There are a number of Psalms and prophecies, an epistle and gospel lesson, and hymns associated with Great Friday which are sung or read during this service.

Themes and importance:  each hour has its own particular theme

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