ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF NEW ENGLAND WEEKLY BULLETIN 21 April 2019 The Entry of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem Ἡ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ εἴσοδος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ Cathedral: 514 Parker Street, Boston, MA Office/Mailing Address: 162 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, MA 02445 Phone: (617) 731-6633 Fax: (617) 730-2978 Fr. Demetri s cell: (617) 955 0126 www.bostoncathedral.org Upcoming Events Sunday April 21 Bridegroom Service at Cathedral (7:00 pm) Mon-Wed April 22-24 PresancQfied Liturgy at Chapel (9:00 am) Mon-Wed April 22-24 Bridegroom Service at Cathedral (7:00 pm) Wednesday April 24 Holy UncQon/Euchelion at Cathedral (3:00 pm) Thursday April 25 Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil at Cathedral (6:30 am) Thursday April 25 Passion Service-12 Gospels at Cathedral (7:00 pm) Friday April 26 Royal Hours (9:00 am)/youth Retreat (10:30 am) Friday April 26 Unnailing Service-Apokathelosis (3:00 pm) Friday April 26 Trisagion (6:30 pm)/epitaphios Service (7:00 pm) Saturday April 27 Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil at Cathedral (9:00 am) Saturday April 27 ResurrecQon Vigil (11:00 pm)
ΚΑΘΕΔΡΙΚΟΣ ΝΑΟΣ ΝΕΑΣ ΑΓΓΛΙΑΣ ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΣΜΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΘΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL OF NEW ENGLAND Rev. Fr. Demetrios E. Tonias, Ph.D., Cathedral Dean κα Ἀπριλίου,βιθ ΤΩΝ ΒΑΪΩΝ PALM SUNDAY 21 April 2019 Ἀπολυτίκια Ἦχος α Τὴν κοινὴν Ἀνάστασιν πρὸ τοῦ σοῦ Πάθους πιστούμενος, ἐκ νεκρῶν ἤγειρας τὸν Λάζαρον, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός ὅθεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ὡς οἱ Παῖδες, τὰ τῆς νίκης σύμβολα φέροντες, σοὶ τῷ Νικητῇ τοῦ θανάτου βοῶμεν Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Ἦχος δ Συνταφέντες σοι διὰ τοῦ Βαπτίσματος, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, τῆς ἀθανάτου ζωῆς ἠξιώθημεν τῇ Ἀναστάσει σου, καὶ ἀνυμνοῦντες κράζομεν Ὡσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Κοντάκιον Ἦχος πλ. βʹ. Τῷ θρόνῳ ἐν οὐρανῷ, τῷ πώλῳ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἐποχούμενος Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, τῶν Ἀγγέλων τὴν αἴνεσιν, καὶ τῶν Παίδων ἀνύμνησιν προσεδέξω βοώντων σοι Εὐλογημένος εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀνακαλέσασθαι. Dismissal Hymns Mode 1 Of the general resurrection, before Your Passion, You assured us; * from the dead You did raise Lazarus, O Christ our God. * Therefore do we, like the children, * carry the symbols of victory; * to You the Victor over death we cry * Hosanna in the highest, * blessed is He Who cometh, in the name of the Lord. Mode 4 We were buried with You through Baptism, O Christ our God, and thus by Your Resurrection we have been granted immortal life, and extolling You we cry aloud, Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are You, the One who comes in the name of the Lord. Kontakion Mode pl. 2. In heaven upon the throne, on earth upon the colt, * You were carried, O Christ our God; * and the praise of the Angels, and the hymns of the children, You received as they cried to You, * "Blessed are You, the One, who is coming to call Adam back again." When the crowd took the palm branches from the date palms and went before Christ as he was about to go up to the feast, all of them bore witness that he had called Lazarus forth from the grave and had raised him from the dead. Because of this, this great throng believed on him when they heard that he had done this sign. For all the people had come out of the tomb before they buried him and closed the mouth of the tomb. A great wonder seized them all when they heard that he was alive again. St. Athanasius the Great
Ἀπόστολος Φιλιπ. δ 4-9 Philippians 4:4-9 Epistle Ἀδελφοί, χαίρετε ἐν Κυρίῳ πάντοτε πάλιν ἐρῶ, χαίρετε. Τὸ ἐπιεικὲς ὑμῶν γνωσθήτω πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις. Ὁ Κύριος ἐγγύς. Μηδὲν μεριμνᾶτε, ἀλλ' ἐν παντὶ τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ τῇ δεήσει μετὰ εὐχαριστίας τὰ αἰτήματα ὑμῶν γνωριζέσθω πρὸς τὸν Θεόν καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ ὑπερέχουσα πάντα νοῦν φρουρήσει τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Τὸ λοιπόν, ἀδελφοί, ὅσα ἐστὶν ἀληθῆ, ὅσα σεμνά, ὅσα δίκαια, ὅσα ἁγνά, ὅσα προσφιλῆ, ὅσα εὔφημα, εἴ τις ἀρετὴ καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος, ταῦτα λογίζεσθε ἃ καὶ ἐμάθετε καὶ παρελάβετε καὶ ἠκούσατε καὶ εἴδετε ἐν ἐμοί, ταῦτα πράσσετε καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης ἔσται μεθ' ὑμῶν Brethren, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you. Εὐαγγέλιον Ἰω. ιβ 1-18 John 12:1-18 Gospel Πρὸ ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς Βηθανίαν, ὅπου ἦν Λάζαρος ὁ τεθνηκώς, ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν. ἐποίησαν οὖν αὐτῷ δεῖπνον ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἡ Μάρθα διηκόνει ὁ δὲ Λάζαρος εἷς ἦν ἐκ τῶν ἀνακειμένων σὺν αὐτῷ. ἡ οὖν Μαρία, λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου, ἤλειψε τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἐξέμαξε ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου. λέγει οὖν εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, Ἰούδας Σίμωνος Ἰσκαριώτης, ὁ μέλλων αὐτὸν παραδιδόναι Διατί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς; εἶπε δὲ τοῦτο οὐχ ὅτι περὶ τῶν πτωχῶν ἔμελεν αὐτῷ, ἀλλ' ὅτι κλέπτης ἦν, καὶ τὸ γλωσσόκομον εἶχε καὶ τὰ βαλλόμενα ἐβάσταζεν. εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς Ἄφες αὐτήν, εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ ἐνταφιασμοῦ μου τετήρηκεν αὐτό. τοὺς πτωχοὺς γὰρ πάντοτε ἔχετε μεθ' ἑαυτῶν, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε. Ἔγνω οὖν ὄχλος πολὺς ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ὅτι Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazaros was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazaros was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said, " Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also Continued on next page
ἐκεῖ ἐστι, καὶ ἦλθον οὐ διὰ τὸν Ἰησοῦν μόνον, ἀλλ' ἵνα καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἴδωσιν ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν. ἐβουλεύσαντο δὲ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς ἵνα καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἀποκτείνωσιν, ὅτι πολλοὶ δι' αὐτὸν ὑπῆγον τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ ἐπίστευον εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν. Τῇ ἐπαύριον ὁ ὄχλος πολὺς ὁ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν, ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ἔρχεται Ἰησοῦς εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, ἔλαβον τὰ βαΐα τῶν φοινίκων καὶ ἐξῆλθον εἰς ὑπάντησιν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐκραύγαζον Ὡσαννά εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. εὑρὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὀνάριον ἐκάθισεν ἐπ' αὐτό, καθώς ἐστι γεγραμμένον Μὴ φοβοῦ, θύγατερ Σιών ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεται καθήμενος ἐπὶ πῶλον ὄνου. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ πρῶτον, ἀλλ' ὅτε ἐδοξάσθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς, τότε ἐμνήσθησαν ὅτι ταῦτα ἦν ἐπ' αὐτῷ γεγραμμένα, καὶ ταῦτα ἐποίησαν αὐτῷ. Ἐμαρτύρει οὖν ὁ ὄχλος ὁ ὢν μετ' αὐτοῦ ὅτε τὸν Λάζαρον ἐφώνησεν ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου καὶ ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος, ὅτι ἤκουσαν τοῦτο αὐτὸν πεποιηκέναι τὸ σημεῖον. to see Lazaros, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazaros also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it; as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazaros out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. Holy Communion throughout Holy Week Holy Monday: Presanctified Liturgy (at Chapel) 9:00 am Holy Tuesday: Presanctified Liturgy (at Chapel) 9:00 am Holy Wednesday: Presanctified Liturgy (at Chapel) 9:00 am Holy Thursday: Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil (at Cathedral) 6:30 am Holy Saturday: Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil (at Cathedral) 9:00 am Pascha Sunday: Paschal Orthros & Liturgy (at Cathedral) Midnight
Θεία Κοινωνία (Μεγάλη Εβδοµάδα) Μεγάλη Δευτέρα: Η Θεία Λειτουργία των Προηγιασµένων 9:00 π.µ. Μεγάλη Τρίτη: Η Θεία Λειτουργία των Προηγιασµένων 9:00 π.µ. Μεγάλη Τετάρτη: Η Θεία Λειτουργία των Προηγιασµένων 9:00 π.µ. Μεγάλη Πέµπτη: Η Θεία Λειτουργία του Μεγάλου Βασιλείου 6:30 π.µ. Μεγάλο Σάββατο: Η Θεία Λειτουργία του Μεγάλου Βασιλείου 9:00 π.µ. Κυριακή του Πάσχα: Η Θεία Λειτουργία του Χρυσοστόµου 12 µεσάνυχτα Suddenly sorrow has been changed to joy, And all has become joyous and a cause for rejoicing; I do not hesitate to say, I have been glorified as Moses, For I have seen, I have seen not on the mountain but in the tomb, Not concealed by a cloud, but by flesh, The Lord of the Immortals and of the clouds, Lord of old, now and forever; And He said, Mary, hasten and tell Those who love Me that I have arisen; Take Me on your tongue, like a branch of the olive To the descendants of Noah; announce the good news, Pointing out to them that death is destroyed and that He has arisen, He Who offers resurrection to the fallen
Palm Sunday: Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem Introduction On the Sunday before the Feast of Great and Holy Pascha and at the beginning of Holy Week, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of its most joyous feasts of the year. Palm Sunday is the commemoration of the Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem following His glorious miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. Having anticipated His arrival and having heard of the miracle, the people when out to meet the Lord and welcomed Him with displays of honor and shouts of praise. On this day, we receive and worship Christ in this same manner, acknowledging Him as our King and Lord. Biblical Story The biblical story of Palm Sunday is recorded in all four of the Gospels (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38; and John 12:12-18). Five days before the Passover, Jesus came from Bethany to Jerusalem. Having sent two of His disciples to bring Him a colt of a donkey, Jesus sat upon it and entered the city. People had gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover and were looking for Jesus, both because of His great works and teaching and because they had heard of the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus. When they heard that Christ was entering the city, they went out to meet Him with palm branches, laying their garments on the ground before Him, and shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel! At the outset of His public ministry Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God and announced that the powers of the age to come were already active in the present age (Luke 7:18-22). His words and mighty works were performed to produce repentance as the response to His call, a call to an inward change of mind and heart which would result in concrete changes in one s life, a call to follow Him and accept His messianic destiny. The triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is a messianic event, through which His divine authority was declared. Palm Sunday summons us to behold our king: the Word of God made flesh. We are called to behold Him not simply as the One who came to us once riding on a colt, but as the One who is always present in His Church, coming ceaselessly to us in power and glory at every Eucharist, in every prayer and sacrament, and in every act of love, kindness and mercy. He comes to free us from all our fears and insecurities, to take solemn possession of our soul, and to be enthroned in our heart, as someone has said. He comes not only to deliver us from our deaths by His death and Resurrection, but also to make us capable of attaining the most perfect fellowship or union with Him. He is the King, who liberates us from the darkness of sin and the bondage of death. Palm Sunday summons us to behold our King: the vanquisher of death and the giver of life. Palm Sunday summons us to accept both the rule and the kingdom of God as the goal and content of our Christian life. We draw our identity from Christ and His kingdom. The kingdom is Christ - His indescribable power, boundless mercy and incomprehensible abundance given freely to man. The kingdom does not lie at some point or place in the distant future. In the words of the Scripture, the kingdom of God is not only at hand (Matthew 3:2; 4:17), it is within us (Luke 17:21). The kingdom is a present reality as well as a future realization (Matthew 6:10). Icon of the Feast In the Icon of the Feast of Palm Sunday, Christ is the central figure, depicted seated upon the colt of a donkey as He enters Jerusalem, a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9 (1). Christ is blessing with His right hand, and in His left hand is a scroll (2), Continued on next page
symbolizing that He is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, the Anointed One who has come to redeem us from our sins and break the power of death. The colt, one of the animals that were considered unclean according to the Law, is symbolic of the inclusion of all peoples of all nations in the new covenant that will come through the death and Resurrection o f C h r i s t ( I s a i a h 62:10-11). It is also a sign that our Lord has revealed a heavenly and spiritual kingdom that offers true and enduring peace. On the left, the disciples accompany Jesus in His Triumphal Entry (3). Depicted on the right are the Jews (4) who greet Him crying Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! The word Hosanna means Save, I pray or Save now. The children are the small people who are greeting Christ with palm branches (5) and laying these and their garments on the ground before Christ as tokens of honor for one who is acknowledged as a King. The city of Jerusalem is shown as the walled buildings, and the temple is depicted as the building with the dome (6). Celebration of Feast Palm Sunday is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, which is preceded by the Matins service. A Great Vespers is conducted on Saturday evening according to the order prescribed in the Triodion. Scripture readings for Palm Sunday are: At the Vespers: Genesis 49:1,8-12; Zephaniah 3:14-19; Zechariah 9:9-15. At the Orthros (Matins): Matthew 21:1-17. At the Divine Liturgy: Philippians 4:4-9; John 12:1-18. On this Sunday, in addition to the Divine Liturgy, the Church observes the Blessing and Distribution of the Palms. A basket containing the woven palm crosses is placed on a table in front of the icon of the Lord, which is on the Iconostasion. The prayer for the blessing of the Palms is found in the Ieratikon or the Euxologion. According to the rubrics of the Typikon, this prayer is read at the Orthros just before the Psalms of Praise (Ainoi). The palms are then distributed to the faithful. In many places today, the prayer is said at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, before the apolysis. The text of the prayer, however, indicates clearly that it is less a prayer for the blessing of the palms, even though that is its title, and more a blessing upon those, who in imitation of the New Testament event hold palms in their hands as symbols of Christ s victory and as signs of a virtuous Christian life. It appears then, that it would be more correct to have the faithful hold the palms in their hands during the course of the Divine Liturgy when the Church celebrates both the presence and the coming of the Lord in the mystery of the Eucharist. Prayer at the Blessing of the Branches O Lord our God, Who sits upon the Cherubim, You have reaffirmed Your power by sending Your Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to save the world through His cross, burial and resurrection. When He came into Jerusalem to suffer His voluntary passion, the people that sat in darkness and in the shadow of death took boughs of trees and branches of palms as signs of victory, thus foretelling His Resurrection. Do You, Yourself, O Master, keep and preserve us who, in imitation of them, carry palms and branches in our hands. As we join the crowds and the children who sang Hosanna to You, may we, with hymns and spiritual songs, attain the life-giving resurrection of the third day.
Κυριακὴ τῶν Βαΐων Αναγράφει το «Ωρολόγιο»: «Πέντε μέρες προ του Νομικού Πάσχα, ερχόμενος ο Ιησούς από τη Βηθανία στα Ιεροσό υμα, έστειλε δύο από τους μαθητές του και του έφεραν ένα ονάριο και αφού κάθισε πάνω του εισερχόταν στη πό η. Ο λαός μό ις άκουσε ότι έρχεται ο Ιησούς (είχαν μάθει και τα περί αναστάσεως του Λαζάρου) έ αβαν στα χέρια τους βάγια από φοίνικες και πήγαν να τον προϋπαντήσουν. Ά οι με τα ρούχα τους, ά οι έκοβαν κλαδιά από τα δένδρα και τα έστρωναν στο δρόμο όπου διερχόταν ο Κύριος και τον ακολουθούσαν. Ακόμα και τα νήπια τον προϋπάντησαν και ό οι μαζί φώναζαν: «Ωσαννά, ευλογημένος ο ερχόμενος εν ονόματι Κυρίου, ο βασιλεύς του Ισραή» (Ιωαν. ιε ). Αυτή τη λαμπρή και ένδοξο πανήγυρη της εισόδου στα Ιεροσό υμα του Κυρίου εορτάζομε αυτή τη Κυριακή. Σήμαιναν δε τα βάγια, οι κλάδοι των φοινίκων, τη κατά του διαβό ου και του θανάτου νίκη του Χριστού. Το δε Ωσαννά ερμηνεύεται σώσον παρακαλώ. Το δε πωλάριο της όνου και το κάθισμα του Ιησού πάνω του, ζώου ακάθαρτου κατά τον νόμο τους, σήμαινε τη πρώην ακαθαρσία και αγριότητα των εθνών και την μετά από λίγο υποταγή αυτών στο άγιο Ευαγγέ ιο. Η Εκκλησία μας ψά ει: Αφού ταφήκαμε μαζί με Σε, Χριστέ και Θεέ μας, δια του βαπτίσματός μας (το οποίο είναι τύπος του θανάτου Σου και της ταφής Σου), αξιωθήκαμε δια της αναστάσεώς Σου να εισέ θουμε στην αθάνατο ζωή της Βασιλείας Σου. Γι αυτό υμνούντες Σε, κράζομε: Βοήθησέ μας και σώσε μας, Συ, που ως Θεός κατοικείς στα ύψιστα μέρη του Ουρανού. Ας είσαι ευλογημένος Συ, που έρχεσαι απεσταλμένος από τον Κύριο! Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος πλ. α. Τὴν κοινὴν Ἀνάστασιν πρὸ τοῦ σοῦ πάθους πιστούμενος, ἐκ νεκρῶν ἤγειρας τὸν Λάζαρον Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός ὅθεν καὶ ἡμεῖς ὡς οἱ παῖδες, τὰ τῆς νίκης σύμβολα φέροντες, σοὶ τῷ νικητῇ τοῦ θανάτου βοῶμεν Ὠσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐ ογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Ἕτερον Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος δ. Συνταφέντες σοι διὰ τοῦ Βαπτίσματος, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, τῆς ἀθανάτου ζωῆς ἠξιώθημεν τῇ Ἀναστάσει σου, καὶ ἀνυμνοῦντες κράζομεν Ὠσαννὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις, εὐ ογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Ἡ Ὑπακοή. Ἦχος πλ. β. Μετὰ κλάδων ὑμνήσαντες πρότερον, μετὰ ξύ ων συνέ αβον ὕστερον, οἱ ἀγνώμονες Χριστόν, Ἰουδαῖοι τὸν Θεόν ἡμεῖς δὲ πίστει ἀμεταθέτῳ, ἀεὶ τιμῶντες ὡς εὐεργέτην, διὰ παντὸς βοῶμεν αὐτῷ Εὐ ογημένος εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀνακαλέσασθαι. Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος πλ. β. Τῷ θρόνῳ ἐν οὐρανῷ, τῷ πώ ῳ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἐποχούμενος, Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, τῶν Ἀγγέ ων τὴν αἴνεσιν, καὶ τῶν παίδων ἀνύμνησιν, προσεδέξω βοώντων σοι Εὐ ογημένος εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, τὸν Ἀδὰμ ἀνακαλέσασθαι. Μεγαλυνάριον. Ἐπὶ πώ ου ὄνου εἰς τὴν Σιών, εἰσῆ θες Σωτήρ μου, ὑπὸ παίδων καὶ τῶν βρεφῶν, αἰνούμενος Λόγε, τὸ Ὠσαννὰ βοώντων, εὐ ογητὸς ὁ ἥκων, σῶσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον.
Holy Week Services at the Annunciation Cathedral PALM SUNDAY EVENING [Services at 7:00 pm at the Cathedral] - This evening s service calls to mind the beginning of Jesus suffering. The gospel describes the plotting of the priests and elders to trap Jesus into convicting Himself as a religious heretic. Through parables, Jesus tells us of His coming betrayal, trial, conviction and execution by crucifixion. The hymns of this service commemorate two things; the first, the prophetic figure of Joseph, who, while virtuous, nonetheless suffered unjustly at the hands of his brothers before being greatly rewarded, and the second, the parable of the fig tree, which in failing to bear fruit, became a symbol of fallen creation, and of our own lives, in which we also have failed to bear spiritual fruit. HOLY MONDAY EVENING [Services at 7:00 pm at the Cathedral] - This evening s theme is the need for watchfulness and preparation, lest we be called unprepared before the awesome judgement seat of Christ to render an account of ourselves. The gospel reading contrasts the efforts of the Pharisees to trick and discredit Jesus, with the forceful resistance which Christ mounts against their evil. The hymns remind us of the parable of the Ten Virgins, in which the faithful Christian is exhorted to vigilance. HOLY TUESDAY EVENING [Services at 7:00 pm at the Cathedral] - The need for true repentance is the concern of Tuesday evening s service. This transformation from the life of sin to a life of faith and obedience is exemplified for us in the person of the sinful woman who received the gift for forgiveness when she anointed Jesus with myrrh and washed His feet. The highlight of the service is the hymn written in honor of this woman by St. Kassiani. The Gospel meditation foretells of the coming suffering of Christ and recalls His inner struggles and agony. HOLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING [Services at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm at the Cathedral] - The primary theme of Holy Wednesday is our human need for the healing and forgiveness that comes into our lives when we establish a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We are reminded that the way to this relationship is to be found, above all else, through the life of prayer. In the Sacrament of Holy Unction, the faithful are anointed and thus, healed both physically and spiritually. They are also reconciled to God and one another so that they might receive the gift of the Holy Eucharist instituted by Christ at the Last Supper. HOLY THURSDAY MORNING [Services at 6:30 am at the Cathedral] - On Holy Thursday morning, we ascend Mt. Zion with Christ and the Twelve, and enter into the upper room. Once there, we witness the awesome moment when, at the Last Supper, Christ abolishes the ritual practice of the Old Covenant and establishes the ritual of the New Covenant, prophesied by Jeremiah, through the Sacrament of Holy Communion. The faithful receive Holy Communion at that Holiest of Liturgies. HOLY THURSDAY EVENING [Services at 7:00 pm at the Cathedral] - In this service, we commemorate the undeserved suffering of Jesus Christ, endured for our sake, so that we might be reconciled anew to God our Father. The Gospel readings witness for us the betrayal and arrest of Jesus, his trial and conviction, and finally his torture, crucifixion and death at the hands of a sinful humanity. This evening s service also includes
the procession representing Christ carrying His own cross along the Via Dolorosa, and ends when we see before us the King of Glory crucified. HOLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON [Services at 3:00 pm at the Cathedral] - In this service, we are once again reverent witnesses to the undeserved suffering of Christ, to his terrible passion and death. What is remembered in a special way through liturgical commemoration and procession, is the faithfulness and love of Joseph of Arimathea who tenderly removed Christ s body from the cross, wrapped it in clean linen, and carried it to his own unused tomb for burial. HOLY FRIDAY EVENING [Services at 7:00 pm at the Cathedral] - On Holy Friday evening, the theme is Christ s descent into Hades during which the Gospel of repentance and reconciliation with God is shared with those who died before Christ s saving dispensation in the flesh. The service begins with lamentations sung as we stand before the tomb of Christ commemorating His unjust punishment and the shedding of His innocent blood. But the service ends on a note of joy and hope, with the reading of the Prophet Ezekiel in which he describes his vision of our resurrection yet to come; in the midst of despair, we are told there is hope, for not even death can separate us from the unfailing love and power of God. Death is about to be conquered and faithfulness rewarded. HOLY SATURDAY MORNING [Services at 9:00 am at the Cathedral] - On Holy Saturday morning we celebrate the theme of faithfulness receiving its reward. The crucifixion is over, Christ is buried, the twelve apostles and other disciples are scattered and defeated. And yet, three myrrh-bearing women come in faithfulness to perform the last act of love--to anoint Jesus according to the Jewish burial custom. Their unwavering devotion is rewarded--they are the first to share in Christ s triumph over evil and death. They are the first witnesses to the Resurrection. This joy is commemorated through the scattering of bay leaves and rose petals by the priest. HOLY SATURDAY EVENING [Services at 11:00 pm at the Cathedral] - The lamentations of the previous night are repeated and the church is plunged into darkness to symbolize the despair and defeat experienced before the dawn of Christ s victory over the Enemy of our salvation. Precisely at midnight, a single light emerges from the altar representing the victory of Christ over death, the defeat of the Prince of Darkness by Jesus, the Light of the World. As the light is passed from person to person, it pushes back the darkness of the church and defeats it completely. The Resurrection is proclaimed in song and triumphant procession, and after the Liturgy, its light is carried into our homes so that they too might be filled with its light and warmth and triumph. EASTER SUNDAY MORNING [Services at 10:30 am at the Cathedral] - Christ s Resurrection and victory is affirmed in this morning s theme. The Gospel is read in several languages to illustrate the universality of the Good News of the Resurrection and its proclamation to the very ends of the earth. Love, forgiveness, reconciliation, triumph and joy these are the gifts which we receive because Christ lived and died and triumphed for our sake.
Services of the Bridegroom Beginning Tonight at 7:00 pm Introduction Beginning on the evening of Palm Sunday and continuing through the evening of Holy Tuesday, the Orthodox Church observes a special service known as the Service of the Bridegroom. Each evening service is the Matins or Orthros service of the following day (e.g. the service held on Sunday evening is the Orthros service for Holy Monday). The name of the service is from the figure of the Bridegroom in the parable of the Ten Virgins found in Matthew 25:1-13. Background The first part of Holy Week presents us with an array of themes based chiefly on the last days of Jesus' earthly life. The story of the Passion, as told and recorded by the Evangelists, is preceded by a series of incidents located in Jerusalem and a collection of parables, sayings and discourses centered on Jesus' divine sonship, the kingdom of God, the Parousia, and Jesus' castigation of the hypocrisy and dark motives of the religious leaders. The observances of the first three days of Great Week are rooted in these incidents and sayings. The three days constitute a single liturgical unit. They have the same cycle and system of daily prayer. The Scripture lessons, hymns, commemorations, and ceremonials that make up the festal elements in the respective services of the cycle highlight significant aspects of salvation history, by calling to mind the events that anticipated the Passion and by proclaiming the inevitability and significance of the Parousia. The Orthros of each of these days is called the Service of the Bridegroom (Akolouthia tou Nimfiou). The name comes from the central figure in the well-known parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). The title Bridegroom suggests the intimacy of love. It is not without significance that the kingdom of God is compared to a bridal feast and a bridal chamber. The Christ of the Passion is the divine Bridegroom of the Church. The imagery connotes the final union of the Lover and the beloved. The title Bridegroom also suggests the Parousia. In the patristic tradition, the aforementioned parable is related to the Second Coming; and is associated with the need for spiritual vigilance and preparedness, by which we are enabled to keep the divine commandments and receive the blessings of the age to come. The troparion "Behold the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night ", which is sung at the beginning of the Orthros of Great Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, relates the worshiping community to that essential expectation: watching and waiting for the Lord, who will come again to judge the living and the dead.
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