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