www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Holy Week, the Triduum and Easter

Well we are almost there. For me it's week 5 and Holy Week is nearly here.

Now to continue my education, and to share the differing ways we celebrate, could we please turn our attention to the end of Lent - Holy Week and Easter.

You have all given me such wonderful help in understanding our differences and similarities, I am hoping to learn and appreciate your customs now about Easter[ please come back Serge to share your encyclopaedic knowledge with us ]

The topic is now open - Could we start with Palm[Passion] Sunday and then move through the rest of the week ?

Over to you , I will sit back and just throw in questions when I do not understand things , if you don't mind, as I am sure that you all know the practices in the West.

[ 03-20-2002: Message edited by: Our Lady's slave of love ]

Dear Angela,

Reader Sergius is free to jump in here any time!

And he would be greatly welcomed!!

But, for now, you're stuck with just me .

Byzantine-Slavic Christians use pussy-willows on Palm Sunday, rather than palms.

The reason for this was not that palms weren't readily available, however.

The Eastern Slavs honoured pussy-willows for centuries before the advent of Christianity.

They were Christianized for Church use afterwards.

The shape of the oval pussy-willows and the fact that they are just about to burst out at Easter recalls to mind the Resurrection of Christ from the Tomb.

Pussy-willow branches are blessed and are often made in the shape of an Orthodox Cross that is then hung on a wall at home throughout the year until the next Pascha. (We don't like "Easter" as that is a pagan term!).

We walk around with the branches, gently tapping each other on the shoulders and saying, "The branch hits you, not I hit you, one week from today is Pascha!"

The "Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem" is a high holiday, like the Annunciation, and the Fast is relaxed on that day, although meat is still forbidden.

In the East, the Friday before Lazarus' Saturday and Palm Sunday marks the formal end of Lent/Great Fast.

For us, Holy Week is a separate liturgical entity during which we reflect on the "Triduum Pasche" of the Cross, the Tomb and the Resurrection.

On Monday of Holy Week, we celebrate the feast of St Joseph the Beautiful, son of Jacob. He is a prototype of Christ, as you know, having been sold for 20 pieces after being cast into a pit etc.

On Wednesday in some Churches the Mystery/Sacrament of Holy Anointing is given to the faithful, something that is significant in terms of our dying with Christ etc.

On Thursday, the Liturgy of St Basil the Great is served in commemoration of the Mystical Supper.

Holy and Great Friday services begin Thursday evening with the Service of the 12 Passion Gospels where 12 separate readings are done in a long service that lasts about three hours.

The next morning the service of the Royal Hours is done with the bringing out of the Shroud or Winding Sheet on which an Icon of Christ taken down from the Cross is written.

This Sheet is taken around the Church in procession three times and then placed on a stand where people come up, on their knees, to reverence and kiss it.

To kiss the Epitaphion or Plaschanitsia is like going to Holy Communion, one approaches it having fasted and prepared oneself with prayer.

There is no Divine Liturgy on Great and Holy Friday and we do not eat on that day.

The Liturgy of Basil the Great is served on Saturday morning and we are again offered an opportunity to kiss the Epitaphion.

In the evening, following the final services that end around 8 o'clock, the Acts of the Apostles are read in their entirety as we work up to 11:30 pm when the "Nadhrobne" is served, the Midnight Service just before the Resurrection Matins.

At midnight, the Hierarchs and clergy go in procession outside and the first song of Pascha is sung: Christ is risen from the dead, dealing death to death, and granting life to those in the tombs!

The church is bathed in light, the diaconal doors of the iconostasis are opened and stay opened throughout Pascha Week.

The Matins of Resurrection are sung, followed by the Divine Liturgy and the Resurrection Sermon of St John Chrysostom.

The Feast of Pascha or Easter is an all-week Feast, the seven days of Bright Week making up the one Day of Pascha, the Resurrection of our Lord.

It is "Bright Week" owing to the bright-coloured clothes people wear in imitation of the newly-baptized catechumens who wore their white robes for baptism during the Paschal Vigil.

God bless,

Alex

Wow , what a lot of help here - have you left out anything Alex ?

OK questions from that [ just for starters you understand whilst I take it all in ]

1) Normally I understand you use the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysotom so why do you now use that of St Basil ? And , briefly, how does it differ ?

2 Epitaphion or Plaschanitsia Is this the 'Winding Sheet'? You reverence it the same way we do to the very Large Cross which is carried down our Church by one of the priests whilst he sings "Behold the wood of the Cross, on which Our Saviour Hung" and we reply " Come, let us worship"

[ 03-20-2002: Message edited by: Our Lady's slave of love ]

Dear Angela,

I'm sure I've left much out . . .

The Liturgy of St Basil the Great is, in terms of the audible prayers, virtually the same as that of St John Chrysostom.

The difference lies in the much longer prayers of the priest that he says. This liturgy is used at different times of the year for great solemn occasions, including Holy Thursday, the Sundays of Lent and on St Basil's Day, of course.

During the Lenten weeks, we use the Liturgy of St Gregory the Dialogist of the Presancified on Wednesdays and Fridays, although originally this Liturgy was used on Monday-Friday inclusive.

Yes, the Epitaphion and Plaschanitsia is the Winding Sheet.

The Greeks take down an image of the Crucified from the Cross, the Copts do similarly and actually place an image of Christ into a tomb with flower petals, while singing "Lord have mercy" 1,000 times.

And you Latins, of course, have your traditions .

There was an Orthodox pilgrim to Jerusalem who once remarked on how the Latins and the Greeks there worshipped together in accordance with their specific traditions throughout Holy Week.

As you know, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is divided into six Churches or parts, including one for the Roman Catholics and one for the Copts and Armenians.

The Churches of the New and Third Romes have their sections as well.

Alex

I am becoming more and more convinced that the more we know about each other's practices/traditions and the reasons for them, the more and more likely it is that union[ reunion ?] will come in God's time . The exchange of information here is valuable and I know how much I have gained from it - hence this plea for information/ knowledge which I hope people will give in charity.

[ 03-20-2002: Message edited by: Our Lady's slave of love ]

Dear Angela,

None so charitable as me, as you know .

I do slip up at times.

But that's when I ask for forgiveness and put on sackcloth and ashes - which is how I generally look like at the end of the day anyway .

Alex

I suppose I could go into Syrian customs now...

...but I think I'll wait till Holy Week actually rolls around, and give you a day-by-day update.

:p

A far as my understanding goes I would not have thought you would be able to find the time. Perhaps you had better find enough matchsticks to use to prop your eyes open - particularly at the end of the week

Dear Angela and Catholicos,

This sounds like a good idea, not the matchsticks however . . .

As we do a lot of prostrations, I guess I could give a "bow by bow" commentary too . . .

Alex

Just an aside...we Melkites do use palms on Palm Sunday!

Edward, deacon and sinner

On Palm Sunday at my parish, in addition to the palms, candles decorated with flowers and ribbons are carried in the outdoor procession before the Divine Liturgy. Mostly the candles are prepared by the kiddies on Lazarus Saturday, but adults have been known to make them, too. Palm Sunday is a very big deal in my Church. It is the most heavily attended daytime Sunday Liturgy. The kiddies are even more dressed up than usual, and they get a special homily. Gee, I'm really getting in the mood for HOly Week now. Maybe I'll do a candle this year.


Vicki Williams
member of Holy Transfiguration Melkite parish
McLean, VA

As I promised, I will try my best to include snippets of prayers and "daily coverage" of services when I attend them. The following is from Vespers for today...

FORTIETH DAY, AND THE END, OF THE GREAT FAST

P. Let us pray and beseech the Lord for grace and mercy.
C. Merciful Lord, have mercy on us and help us.

The priest continues...

Hoosoyo

Praise, thanksgiving, glory, honour, and exaltation, continually and without ceasing, at all times may we be worthy to offer...

Proemion

To the Word of the Father who became incarnate for our salvation, and who fasted forty days for our purification, restraining His desire for food for our liberation and entering the unseen warfare with Satan, the enemy of our race. And by completing His Wondrous Fast He gave us a strong armour by which we might defeat our Enemy who made us fall by greed and covetousness. To Him belongs glory, honour, and adoration, at this time, and at all times and seasons and hours and moments of the days of our life forever. Amen.

Sedro

Who that is clothed in flesh will be found to render praise even by a simple whispering of the lips, equal to Your Love, our true God, Jesus Christ? And what voice is there which would suffice to speak forth the thanksgiving which we owe to Your Love for mankind, our God all-adorable? All words and expressions come from You, O Word of God, and all praise and exaltation belongs to You, all abundance of gifts and blessings flows from You.

Therefore we, whom You created with Your Father and Your Holy Spirit in Your living likeness in the beginning, and for whose renovation and salvation, in the fulness of time, You humbled Yourself, showing us in Your own person, the way of return to our first place, we entreat Your Lordship and we offer supplication, with the fragrance of incense, that in these last days, days of the late fruit of the Fast, You will fulfil Your sure promise which You made in Your Life-giving Gospel to the diligent servants. At the end of our fast, Lord, make us worthy of the good and full reward which You keep for the good. At the end of our fast, Lord, give us an open face, the confidence of your friends. At the end of our fast, Lord, let us hear the word calling all to Your Kingdom. At the end of our fast, Lord, give us the grace of the glorious crown of those who have fulfilled Your will. At the end of our fast, Lord, make us worthy of Your great marriage feast which does not come to an end. At the end of our fast, Lord, make us worthy of Your Life-giving Passover in which there is no more darkness. At the end of our fast, Lord, make us enter Your marriage chamber of light with the earnest virgins. And grant to all those who are sick, in body, soul, or spirit, health and wholeness, and to those who are in bondage to the Evil One, freedom and security. To those who are captive to passions or to evil, grant release and true freedom. Comfort those who are weary. Make to stand those who have fallen. Continue Your assistance to the whole company of believers and all dedicated people, and grant forgiveness to those who have followed You in Your Passover in faith, that all may come to offer praise and thanksgiving to You and to Your Father and to Your Holy Spirit, now and always and for ever. Amen.

This all beginning to make me realise more and more how great this season is - thanks one and all

Thanks for reminding me about Pussy Willows - I have never seen them used in Scotland but as soon as Alex mentioned them I had memories of the Parish[ Anglican and English ] before I was married which decorated its Church entirely with pussy willows for Easter and I did not realise the significance. Decorated Candles - how nice - wish we had them !

I am glad Mor Ephrem will give us 'appetisers' from his Liturgy - it's things like that which make me realise that beautiful though all our Liturgies are , each has something special about it that we should share with others.

Since Mor Ephrem has started describing his Liturgy and the way it will progress towards that greatest of all Celebrations, could I please ask people to continue with their own thoughts/reflections as the Week progresses - and here of course I am not excluding those following the Old Calendar [ even if Alex is in warmer climes ] Brendan, Thomas and the others, your contributions here are wanted too - even if you do have to anticipate things a little !

For me Sunday [ Palm Sunday] seems to have come far too quickly this year - I can't believe where the time has gone and I shall be singing in our choir loft, looking down to the action on the altar and accompanying Christ on this last journey of His earthly life. Oh yes and I shall be attempting to make my cross with my palm - when it comes to that I am all fingers and thumbs - do any of you do that - and have you any tips ?

One last thought for today - and here I am anticipating things a little - what are the greetings you use on Easter Day ?
Since being in Geneva I have always used " Christ is Risen, Alleluia, Alleluia" and the expected response is " He is Risen indeed ,Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia" When I said this to one of our Priests last year he looked at me in amazement !

[ 03-22-2002: Message edited by: Our Lady's slave of love ]

[ 03-22-2002: Message edited by: Our Lady's slave of love ]

I second the first request. Does *ANYONE* know how to make those? I've been trying to make them for about ten years now, and I can never figure out how...

As far as greetings on Easter go, traditionally someone says "Christ is Risen!" and you respond "Indeed He is Risen!", or you say it first, and they respond (Syriac: Mshiha qam! Bashrira qam!). I would like to see such things "resurrected" among our people, but for Indians, it seems never to have caught on, except by those priests in one way or another educated at Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary.

The traditional Easter greeting for Indian people is ::in thick Indian accent:: "Happy Easter!" :p

[ 03-22-2002: Message edited by: Mor Ephrem ]

Slava Isusu Christu!

Dear Friends:

I have a really cool picture from my old latinized Holy Week Service Book that I scanned for all of you; I thought you might like it at least for novelties sake

It was a picture of a priest performing Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church.
The Name of the Book is "The Main Services of Holy Week and Glorious Resurrection" put out by our very own Byzantine Seminary Press dated 1950, the +Imprimatur if from Metropolitan Stephen Kocisko. The picture is from the service for Holy Thursday.

Here is the link:

www.geocities.com/byzantinecatholic2002/Adoration [geocities.com]

I think it is pretty neat!

Enjoy!

In Christ and the Theotokos:


Robert

Dear Robert and All:

I too have always liked this picture and think of it often. It appeared in several publications prepared by the Rev. Dr. Julius Grigassy, of blessed memory, secretary to Bishop Takach and pastor of SS. Peter & Paul Church in Braddock, PA, a suburb of Pittsburgh, in the steel valley along the Monongahela River, where there was one of our churches for almost every little town. These include "Moi Molitvennyk - My Prayerbook" standard for all of us who grew up before the newer publications, "Devotions to Our Lord & His Blessed Mother - Molebens" and the Holy Week book you mention. Believe it or not, that holy week book still serves as a useful tool, especially for anyone who wants to sing the services in Church Slavonic.

The picture is from the church in Braddock and shows the magnificent altar and baldachino (yes, they are proper to our churches, given that they should cover the altar only) that the church possesses. This church is truly majestic in its architecture and would be wonderful if it only had an iconostasis. If it did, it would truly be an example of the "high Greek Catholic" period. Unfortunately, the church is in such a ravaged neighborhood, that I doubt it will ever be updated. I do not know what type of vessel the Blessed Sacrament is being exposed in though, (it is hard to see) and it may even be a photographic insert, as are clearly the "rays of light." Unlike churches in Galicia, in the Subcarpathian Rusyns most always used a ciborium for this purpose,(sometimes with a crowned top) rather than the monstrance or "melchesidech."

Thanks for the memories. Fr. Joe

[ 03-22-2002: Message edited by: Joe ]

At a certain Church in Pittsburgh I have some knowledge of, there are beautiful silk hand-painted veils for the "Ciborium" (artophorion?). These are painted with the crown of thorns, and the Sacred Heart image, and were used to cover the mysteries, the "ciborium" for this procession on Great Friday. I understand that it was the custom for four men to carry the "shroud" over the head of the priest, who underneath, carried the mysteries to the tomb, the "altar of repose".

It is an obvious imitation of the 'eucharistic' procession on Holy Thursday in the restored Roman Holy Week services.

Elias

Could you please tell me when are we going to celebrate the Holy Pascha?
It's confusing. At least, before we knew, that the Eastern Pascha was celebrated (most of the times) a week after the Roman Easter... and now I've seen there'll be three paschas (correct me if I'm wrong)...

Angela, I forgot to mention that some of the people from slavic Churches who are members of my parish bring pussy willows to be blessed along with the palms.

Vicki Williams
(Melkite)

Three Paschas ?

I was aware of two - ours [= Western/Latin/New] on March 31 and Old [=Orthodox/ Ukranian] on May 5 but three = even more

I had thought this would be educational and so it has proved - elucidation please for this puzzled ignorant RC.

Slava Isusu Christu!

Father, Bless.

Father Joe:

I have started a website

www.geocities.com/greekcatholicliturgy/KanonBVM [geocities.com]

And have scanned the Canon of the Lamentations of the Theotokos from my very old Greek Catholic Holy Week Service Book.

I pray that you and my Byzantine brothers and sisters enjoy it.

I wanted to offer something for all of you for Lent and so here it is

Father, Bless.

Sincerely in Christ,


Robert

Robert,

Thank you for that Lenten offering. I may not be Byzantine , but I do appreciate such treasures ! This really appeals to me , and I will print it off for my use next week.

May our Blessed Lady, the ever Virgin Mary, Mother of us all, my Mistress keep you in Her most tender care.

Slava Isusu Christu!

Dear Friend:

Thank you so much! I really wanted to get the webpage roughly finished by Pascha. And I did, thank goodness. They are scanned and turn out rather nice when printed; with slower modems pages will take a while to load, but for those on DSL et al it should come up rather quick. I have many old Greek Catholic texts and I want to make them available over the web for not only my Byzantine and Latin brothers and sisters, but also the Orthodox. I am so glad that you will be using them. I could not find this service, of the Supplication of the BVM, on the net so I wanted to provide it for our faithful before Great and Holy Saturday. I like the text translation, it has a "Jordanville prayerbook" feel to it. Now, of course we us American English translations of liturgical texts. There is such a lack of Byzantine texts on the internet and so I will try my best to help add more to the salad so to speak

I will try to work more in at the end of Great and Holy Week. May you have a Blessed Pascha my friend!

In the Theotokos:


Robert

Again, from Vespers...

SATURDAY OF THE RAISING OF LAZARUS

P. Let us pray and beseech the Lord for grace and mercy.
C. Merciful Lord, have mercy on us and help us.

The priest continues...

Hoosoyo

Praise, thanksgiving, glory, honour, and exaltation, continually and without ceasing, at all times may we be worthy to offer...

Proemion

To Him who awakens those who have fallen asleep in the dust and makes them to stand, the Creator and Fashioner of all creatures who in His Economy for our Salvation works glorious deeds, and with a great cry called Lazarus His friend, and raised him from the dead. To Him belongs glory, honour, and adoration, at this time, and at all times and seasons and hours and moments of the days of our life forever. Amen.

Sedro

Christ our God, Lover of Truth and Right, and Hope which does not put to shame, You do not forsake Your friends in life or in death. In Your coming to us You descended to the utmost lowliness and You took upon You all that is human except sin. You made for Yourself beloved friends, disciples and companions, fathers and brothers and kindred. While in Your Godhead You are high above all sensible and spiritual intelligences, You were pleased to reveal, even to those who were far off Your benevolence, Your boundless love for mankind. You so loved our fallen and sinful nature, that You were pleased, suddenly, according to Your divine will, to appoint an end for Your friend Lazarus, separating his soul and spirit from the body. And when he was as one who is without consciousness, You said to Your disciples, "Come, let us go again into Judea." And when the sun's rays were still strong, You came with the glorious company of Your apostles. You found Your friend already dead, and his holy sisters Mary and Martha standing in sorrow with those who had come from Jerusalem to sympathise with them over their brother. Then You suffered in a human manner and You revealed Your humility by shedding tears from Your eyes, and by Your prayer at the grave, and by Your sorrow for Your friend, and by Your thanksgivings offered to Your Father. But when You cried to Lazarus "Come forth!", it was Your divine authority which was revealed, for straightaway the dead man came forth, with his hands and feet still bound and his face wrapped in a shroud and he began to walk. Satan was terrified! Death howled! Sheol was cast down! The people were confused, and the Scribes and Pharisees covered their heads.

Therefore we beg of Your love, our God, all-adorable, abounding in all things, that as You raised Lazarus You will raise us from death in sin, and make us stand like Your friend, from our wretched fall into disgrace. Give us joy as You did to Mary and Martha, Your disciples and friends. Bestow on us the healing of our diseases, refreshment in our afflictions. And make us worthy, with all those who have followed You in Your Passover with faith, to stand at Your right hand and to praise Your Majesty, with your Father and Your Holy Spirit, now and always and forever. Amen.

Ok Let me see.
I thought that the Byzantine Catholic Churches celebrate according to the Orthodox calendars (the "revised" Julian Calendar, and the Old Julian Calendar in Ukraine, Serbia & Russia)and not according to the Latin Calendar. The only Orthodox Church that celebrates the Pascha the 31th is the Church of Finland (I don't know why).
But I saw he Ruthenian Calendar at this site and it says that Pascha is the 31th Apr and not the 5 may. I visited the Melkite one and it has the same date.

Dear Remie,

That must've been a misprint. I just checked the calendar on this site, and it has 31 March as Pascha.

Let's not get more divided than we already are. :p

Oh this poor person is getting more and more . I thought I was getting the hang of the 2 Calendars and then this happens

GLory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Remie , Lady, et al,

You are right, the ONLY Eastern Orthodox Church that celebrates Easter on the Western Date is The Orthodox Church of Finland, they do so because they are required to do so by the Laws of the State of Finland. All other Eastern Orthodox Churches follow the Orthodox Paschalion by agreement (whether they observe the old or new calendar, Orthodoxy is united on the date of observance of Pascha). This agreement was made in the 1920s when some jurisdictions accepted the modified Julian Calendar that is primarily based on the western Gregorian Calendar with some ecclesiatical requirements imposed.

As I understand it, some Byzantine Catholic Churches follow the Old Calendar and thus observe Pascha on the same date as the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Other Byzantine Catholic Churches follow the new, Gregorian Calendar completely and thus observe the Western date for Easter as Pascha with their Roman Catholic brethren.

I know that his holiness Pope John Paul II views this ununity on date for Easter/Pascha as a scandal to the non-Christian world. His Beatitude the Patriach of Antioch, during Pope John Paul II's visit to Syria, was overheard asking the Melikite Patriarch, "Isn't it about time that we observe Pascha on the same date." The Orthodox believe that the Orthodox Paschalion as the older method of dating Pascha/Easter and was established by joint Ecumenical Council and should thus should be used rather than the much more recent Roman Paschalion method. Most Patriarchs are in agreement that the seperation of Christians on this the holiest of all Christian Feasts is a scandal.

For those of us on the Old Calendar or using the Orthodox Paschalion, this is the end of the firts week of Lent with tommorrow being the Sunday of Orthodoxy. I will be carrying my grandchildren with their Patronal Icons in the procession Tommorrow. I can Hardly wait!

Your brother in Christ,
Thomas

[ 03-23-2002: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Dear All,

Christ, the King of Glory, enters Jerusalem!

Below you will find a link that has much information on the Slavic customs surrounding this day - Flowery Sunday.

Enjoy.

http://members.tripod.com/ResurrectionWillows/index.html#menu

Benedictine

Benedictine,
Thank you for that link - Flowery Sunday - a good name for a day that should be triumphal.

I looked at our Church today - a large container of Palms on the altar steps, 2 small vases with palms on the altar - and thought where is the joy ?
The congregation were half hearted waving their palms, there were no flowers [ it being Holy Week] and the fidgets during the Gospel left much to be desired. Oh dear

Well it has put me into a solemn mood in preparation for the rest of the week.

Please could we start to look at the Triduum as I'm sure that you have all so much to teach me , I Thought of the Winding Sheet mentioned by Alex at this point ?

Angela - who has not prepared for the Great Feast as well as she hoped - God forgive me a sinner

I don't have much time online with which to tell you about the Palm Sunday services at our church...except that they were long and fun. Five hours. I'll find time either Tuesday or Wednesday to provide a description and maybe some other things.

Hosanna!

Dear Angela,

You get to fidget during the gospel? We try to catch a short nap without snoring too much!

As Father pointed out today, some who cheer Jesus on His entry to the city today will be shouting "Crucify Him!" in a few days. People are fickle that way, aren't they?

So, it is a triumphal day, but there is a red sky in the morning. The fishers of men are warned, for trouble is coming!

Have a Blessed and Holy Week, and please pray for our Priests over here.

John
Pilgrim and Odd Duck

Oh dear, - such truths you have pointed out - indeed people are fickle. I honestly think that the fidgets were due to the length of the Gospel yesterday - Mt.26:14-27:66 much longer than normal and Father did suggest we sat for it ! One of the other problems was [ I can see eyebrows going up here ] that as the Gospel was read by 2 of our Readers with Fr Tony reading Christ's words and one of the readers had no idea at all as to how to use the mike - so she was completely inaudible. I think a lot of people sat and made their palm crosses then......

Yes Mor Ephrem , I made mine later - quite neat this year ;.

John Pilgrim and Odd Duck [ what a wonderful handle - I've long admired it] I regularly pray for all priests[ Eastern and Western] , indeed all workers in the Vineyard - they need our prayers all the time.


In this Holy Week my prayers are with you all