SaintElias.com -> Divine Services -> The Holy Feast Days of the Lord

Pascha

Christ is Risen!

Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing Life!

"Pascha"

In the Byzantine Tradition, we still use the most ancient designation to refer to the Feast of Christ's Resurrection.

We call it: "Pascha".

"Pascha" is simply the Aramaic form of "ha Pesakh", Hebrew for "The Passover".

Aramaic was the language used by Jews in Israel during the New Testament period.

(Hebrew was the liturgical language reserved for prayer.)

Thus "Pascha" would have been the word used by the Lord Jesus, the holy Theotokos, the illustrious Apostles, etc.

Thus when we refer to "Pascha" or "Pasch", linguistically we retain the theological connection between the Christ's Easter Resurrection and Passover.

Passover is a celebration and anamnesis of God's liberation of the Jews slavery and delivering Israel from the Plagues and through the Red Sea.

Thus ancient Israel's 'passing over' from death to life, from slavery to freedom is the antitype and an historical instance recapitulated in the Christ's "passing over" from death to everlasting life and his liberating of sinners from death and the redeemed from Hades

In Ukrainian, there is the wonderful practice of referring to "Easter" as:

"VelykDen' "which means quite simply: "The Great Day".

Christ is Risen!

Nadhrobne: The Service at the Tomb:

The Paschal Service on Easter Morning begins with "Nadhrobne", the Service at the Tomb.

The Faithful arrive at 5:00 a.m. and enter the Temple as if Entering the Tomb.

All is dark, lit only by those candles surrounding "the Tomb".

The "Tomb" consists of the Icon of Burial (in Ukrainian, the "Plashchenytsia") laid upon a bier shaped stand set in the middle of the Sanctuary.

On the Icon of Burial is placed the Book of the Gospels.

As the Faithful arrive and await the Pascha, quietly but intense with anticipation, they arrive to the continuous reading of the Acts of the Apostles, begun after the Vigil Service of St. Basil on Saturday evening.

Again we sing the Irmoi from the Kanon of Jerusalem Matins, especially that of the Ninth Ode where from the depths of Hades, from beyond Death and the Grave, Jesus answers his Mother's Lamentations with those haunting words of Consolation:

"Do not lament me O Mother, seeing me in the Tomb, the Son conceived in the womb without seed, for I shall arise and be glorified with eternal glory as God. I shall exalt all those who magnify you in faith and in love."

With the singing of this hymn, the Priest takes up the Icon of Burial and bears it into the Altar, placing it upon the Holy Table.

Then all lights are extinguished. All candles are put out. All lamps are blown out.

Then we wait in utter darkness...
for Light,
for Life,
for God.

The Rite of Holy Light

From the depth of utter darkness and deepest night, Light suddenly appears, brought out from the Altar by the Priest vested all in White.

The Holy Doors of the Iconostas are thrown open! The Deacon Doors, likewise, thrown open! These will be left open throughout the Paschal Celebration and throughout Bright Week.

The only other time that the Holy Doors are left open are during a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.

All the Doors of the Iconostas will remain open (even when there are no Divine Services going on) until the accomplishment of the Paschal Octave, the 8 Day celebration, known as "Bright Week", wherein each day is accounted Pascha.

And Matins, Liturgy, and the Divine Services of Bright Week are those of Pascha, i.e. Easter Sunday, itself (sans Processions).

The Faithful rush forward to receive the Holy Light of Pascha, symbol of the Resurrection of the Messiah of God.

"Come, O ye Faithful, take light from the Light that never fades. And glorify the Christ who is Risen from the dead."

(Tone 5)

This Holy LIght is passed on from the Altar to all the Faithful until the entire Church is filled with light, each person radiant in Paschal Light.

There are many accounts both ancient and contemporary that describe the miracle of Holy Light on Pascha.

All accounts testify as follows. In Jerusalem each year, on the night of Pascha, the Patriarch enters the Holy Sepulchre without candle or matches. And light, descending from Heaven, miraculously appears in the Holy Sepulchre and all over the Church of the Resurrection. There are many accounts which describe how this holy Light of Pascha even miraculously ignites the candles held in the hands of the some of the Faithful.

Suddenly, from the holy Sepulchre, the Patriarch emerges, holding aloft in each hand, flaming torches (candles bundled together), afire with holy light.

The Faithful surge forward en masse, to receive the Light from the hands of the Patriarch. They fervently pass it to one another.

Runners from parishes all over the Holy Land are sent to Jerusalem to await this Holy Light.

They guard the light in special lanterns and speed to their village churches so that there too, the Resurrection might be celebrated with the Holy Light of Golgotha.

It is still a custom of pious Greeks to come to Church with lanterns to bring home with them after the Resurrection Liturgy the Paschal Light. (These are available for purchase in any corner store in the Greek part of your city.)

The Procession of the Myrrh-bearing Women

With Candles lit, the Clergy lead the Faithful in Procession, 3 times around the Church building.

Thusly, we symbolically follow in the footsteps of the Myrrh-bearing Women, who despite all and in defiance of danger, death, and despair, went out in search of Jesus' body. As the Holy Scriptures recount:

"When the Sabbath was over, Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices with which to go and anoint Him. And very early the morning on the first day of the week, they went to the Tomb, just as the sun was rising.

"They said to one another, 'Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the Tomb?' " (Mark 16:1-3)

We emerge from the interior of the Church into the darkness of the night. But in the course of the procession, as we sing continuously the meditative Processional Tropar, the Sun rises from over the horizon.

We follow the Lantern holding the Holy Light held high by a Server. Behind him comes the Cross and the other Processional Icons of the parish. Then proceed the clergy holding the Icon of the Resurrection and the Gospel.

As we walk, we sing continuously the refrain: "Angels in heaven, O Christ our Saviour, sing of your Resurrection, enable us here on earth, to glorify you with a pure heart."

The bells from the Tower begin the ring. With increasing intensity, they ring continuously during the threefold procession.

"Christ has released the world from it's ancient bondage and its former terrors, and the whole Church rejoices triumphantly in His victory over darkness and death." (Archbishop Kallistos of Diokleia)

At the Hypakoe of Resurrection Matins we sing the Hymn of the Myrrhbearers:

"Before the dawn, Mary and the women came and found the stone rolled away from the Tomb.

They heard the angelic voice: ' Why do you seek among the dead as a man, the One who is everlasting Light? Behold, the clothes in the grave.

Go, and proclaim to the world: that the Lord is Risen. He has slain death, as he is the Son of God, saving the human race.' "

Likewise is chanted the Ikos verse of the Kondak:

"Before the dawn - as urgently as if in daylight - the women came with their spices to the Tomb, looking for him who existed before the sun was even created. That very Sun had come to set in a grave!

They cried to each other,

'Bring your fragrant ointments, friends, and let us anoint that life-giving body which has been laid in a tomb. His is the body which raises the fallen Adam.

Let us go! Let us hurry like the Magi; let us fall before Him in adoration. Let us offer myrrh to Him as He lays there wrapped, not in swaddling clothes, but in a shroud,. Let us shed our tears and cry to Him:

Rise up, O Lord, give Resurrection to the fallen!' "

At the Royal Doors as at the Entrance to the Tomb

After the Procession of Triumph where we have followed the Journey of the Myrrh-bearing Women from the darkness of Night into the Dawning of the Son, we arrive at the Royal Doors, the central front doors into the Church.

The original "Royal Doors" where those used only by the Emperor when entering the Imperial Cathedral of Holy Wisdom. Often today, the term "Royal Doors" has been conflated and confused with the "Holy Doors", the central doors in the Iconostas which lead into the Altar.

At the Royal Doors the Procession stops, just as the Myrrhbearing Women stopped at the Entrance of the Tomb. There they were met by Angels who proclaimed to them Christ's Resurrection.

So too, here, the Priest first proclaims: "Christ is Risen!" "Khrystos Voskres!"

And the Faithful respond: "Truly, He is Risen!" "Vo istynu Voskres!"

Now the Priest intones the Paschal Tropar, the principal Hymn of Easter:

"Christ is Risen from the Dead, trampling down death by death.

And on those in the Tombs bestowing Life!"

The Faithful also respond singing tirelessly and proclaiming incessantly this same Paschal Tropar.

In between the Paschal Tropars, the Priest sings the Paschal Versicles (Psalm 68 {Ps. 67 by the Septuagint numeration}):

1. Let God Arise. Let His enemies be scattered. And let those who hate him, flee before His Face.

2. As smoke vanishes, so let them vanish. As wax melts before the fire.

3. So let the wicked perish in the presence of God, but the Righteous rejoice.

4. This is the Day that the LORD has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

5. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,

6. Now and ever, and for ages of ages. Amen!

The Christ by appearing in Hell, broke down the Doors of Hell and shattered its Gates - Liberating those Captives therefrom.

So likewise, in symbolic fashion, the Priest at this moment strides up to the Royal Doors, which stand closed and locked.

He hammers the Royal Doors in 3 resounding blows with the Hand Cross!

The Royal Doors are thrown open wide. And the Faithful enter Triumphantly into the Temple, now brilliant with each candle and lamp radiantly lit and the all of the Doors of the Iconostas opened for this Feast of Feasts - just as the Just were lead triumphantly by the Christ from Death into Eternal Life and just as Israel passed over from death into Life, through the Plagues and the Red Sea.

Christ is Risen!

Resurrection Matins

"What a truly radiant Night!
The Night when boundless Light transfigured flesh, as Christ our God escaped the grave - dazzling splendour for the world."

(3d Tropar, Ode VII)

We enter into the Church, now brilliant with Light, just as the Tomb was made brilliant with the Angel who announced the Resurrection to the Women.

The Deacon begins with the Great Litany of the Resurrection:

That the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, may grant us triumph and victory over the temptations of our visible and invisible enemies...

That we may crush beneath our feet the Prince of Darkness and his powers...

That He may raise us with Him and make us rise from the tomb of our sins and offences...

That He may fill us with the joy and happiness of his holy Resurrection...

That we may merit the grace of entering into the chamber of his divine wedding feast and rejoice beyond limit, together with His heavenly attendants and the host of Saints glorified through Him in the Church Triumphant in heaven...

Then entire congregation sings the Paschal Kanon of St. John of Damascus:

The Paschal Kanon is composed of a series of Hymns, known as "Odes", which correspond to the 9 Biblical Canticles, and which interpret them as they pertain to the Resurrection of the Christ.

Each Odes is made up of an "Irmos" (the principal thematic hymn which establishes both the metre and the melody of the Ode. The Irmos is followed by several verses (the "Tropars"). Each Ode is concluded by a final "Katavasia" hymn.

"Katavasia" means the "Descent". Members from the both the North and South Kirilos (in the Latin Church something like the scholas of the 2 side chancels) literally descend into the centre of the Sanctuary. There they form a single united choir to sing together the Katavasia.

During each Ode, the Deacon leads one of the priests to incense the Church and Faithful. During the incensation, the priest, loudly proclaims, "Christ is Risen!" over and over again. The Faithful respond in kind and incessantly: "Truly He is Risen!"

During the 9th Ode, the deacon alone does the incensation and proclaims, "Christ is Risen!" Between the Odes, the Little Litany is taken, each being concluded with the appointed Resurrectional ecphonesis.

The Paschal Kanon of St. John of Damascus

(selections):

"O, day of Resurrection! Let us beam with festive joy! This indeed is the Lord's own Passover, for from death to life, from earth to heaven, Christ has led us, as we shout the victory hymn: 'Christ is Risen from the Dead! '

"As we gaze upon our dazzling Christ: Behold his Rising - a brilliant flash of light divine! Let all Creation dance in celebration! For Christ has risen: Christ our lasting joy!

"Yesterday, my Christ, they buried me with You; Today I rise with You! Yesterday Your partner in death was I; tomorrow, O my Saviour, let me share the glory of your realm!

"Hell's captives saw Your endless loving kindness; they fled with joy to You their Light; Look, behold our Christ triumphant who burst the tomb with glory!

"Devoted women followed after You bearing fragrant spices to anoint You; and though they mourned You first with many tears, their gloom was turned to joy in finding You their living God!

They spread the News to all Your friends, O Christ, the joy and gladness of the Mystic Pasch!

"Our feast today is death's own death! Hell is shattered! A new and lasting life begins!

Of all holy Sabbaths, the first and foremost, the very expectation of the People of God.

"You are the greatest Passover, O Chris, the holiest! The Wisdom, Word, and Power of God! Your radiant Presence, fuller ever lovelier manifest to us, O Lord when You come again in glory on the endless day when the sun will never set!

Christ is Risen!

The Hymn of Light In the flesh, you fell asleep
as a mere mortal
O King and Lord
But on the Third Day you arose
Lifting Adam from corruption
Abolishing death by death
O Pasch beyond corruption
O Salvation of world.

Following Matins, we celebrate the what in the Latin Churches is termed "Lauds".

The Paschal Service of Morning Praise

The Psalms of Praise appointed for Sundays are Psalms 148, 149, and 150.

The Psalm verses are interwoven with the Resurrection Stikhera hymns, such as:

"Today a sacred Passover is revealed to us. A new and holy Pascha. A mystical Pascha. Pascha which is Christ the Redeemer. The Great Pascha. A Pascha which has opened for us the gates of Paradise. A Pascha which sanctifies the faithful.

"Pascha of beauty! The Pascha of the Lord! Pascha! Pascha ransom from affliction.

"Pascha, let us embrace each other joyously. Let us call "brothers" even those that hate us and forgive all by the Resurrection!"

The Kiss of Peace

After the Service of Morning Praise, the Kiss of Peace of Exchanged with great solemnity and joy on this the Great Day. During the Paschal Season, instead of the usual formula used for the Kiss of Peace ("Christ is amongst us." Rx: "He is and will be."), we use the Paschal Greeting: "Christ is Risen!" Rx: "Truly He is Risen!"

Likewise for greetings during the ordinary course of the day, instead of, "Hello" or "Goodbye" or "Good Morning" or "Hi" or "G'd Day, eh" or even "W'sup", we say: "Christ is Risen!"

And we respond, "Truly He is Risen!" Or in Ukrainian, "Khrystos Voskres!" Rx: "vo instynu Voskres!" Or "Al Masiyah Qam!" Rx: "huqun Qam!" (Arabic). Or in any other language.

The Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom

(excerpts)

"...Come, then! Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! You the first and you the last, receive alike your reward. You rich and you poor, dance together. You with self-control and you who are weak, celebrate this day. You who have kept fast and you who have not, rejoice today. The Table is Richly laden: enjoy its Royal Banquet. The calf is fatted, let no one leave hungry.

"Let no one mourn their poverty, for the universal Kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep because they have fallen again and again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

"Let no one fear death, for the death of our Saviour has set us free. He has destroyed it be enduring it. He has sacked Hell by going into it.

"Hell is angered because it has been frustrated. Hell is angered because it has been mocked. Hell is angered because it has been reduced to nothing. Hell is angered because it is now imprisoned. He seized a body, but instead it discovered God. It seized earth and behold, it encountered heaven! It seized what it saw and was overcome by what it did not see! O death, where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory?

"Christ is Risen and Hell is annihilated! Christ is Risen and the evil ones are cast down.

"Christ is Risen and life is liberated! Christ is Risen and the tomb is emptied of the dead: for Christ being Risen from the dead, has become the leader and Reviver of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and power forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen!"

The Divine Liturgy of Pascha

After the Sermon of St. John Chrysostom, we begin the Divine Liturgy at the Trisagion (the beginning of the Liturgy of the Word, where we use the festal:
All you who have been baptized in Christ, Have put on Christ. Alleluia!

This Baptismal Hymn replaces the Trisagion on Great Feast Days because such Feast Days were the occasion of holding Baptisms. In our parish, we sing this hymn in Old Church Slavonic, then Ukrainian, then English.

After the Paschal Prokimen Psalm is sung, the Reader intones the Apostle Reading.

"In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the Beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the Apostles...and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself Alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for 40 days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the Kingdom of God..." (Acts 1:1-8 )

The New Testament cycle of readings begins on Pascha with the reading of Acts. Wherefore the nomenclature of the New Testament Reading in the Byzantine Tradition as: "The Apostle Reading" or "The Apostolic Reading" . (In the Latin Churches, the closest equivalent would be "Epistle Reading").

The Apostle Reading is chanted from the midst of the congregation, in the centre of the Sanctuary facing the East.

The Gospel is then proclaimed. The Paschal Gospel is always: John 1: 1-17 (the Johannine Prologue, which is the New Testament's equivalent of the Genesis Creation account: "In the Beginning..."

In the Slavic usage, it is common to read the Gospel in as many languages as time and clerical ability will allow.

This year (2002) the Gospel was proclaimed in English, Ukrainian, Greek, Latin, and even Hebrew.

In prior years, French, of course, but also Romanian, German, Italian, Old Slavonic, etc.

On Pascha, we return once again to the Anaphora of St. John Chrysostom. As was stated supra, Divine Liturgy (and all other Divine Services during Bright Week) are served with all the Doors of the Iconostas opened. Indeed the Doors are left open even after and outside the time of Divine Services.

At the conclusion of Divine Liturgy, the Paschal Prayer before the Ambo is taken:

"O only -begotten Son and Word of God, inseparable from the Father, by your victorious Passion, You have brought death to nothing. You have raised up with Yourself all those who have fallen since the time of Adam.

"...Today, the Resurrection of our Lord brings light and salvation to us, and the Church of the Lord is filled with people.

"...The whole world rejoices today in the Resurrection of Christ: Heaven is purified by the brightness of the Godhead; the Earth is clothed; the sea is calmed; Tyranny is stopped, reverence grows, Catechumens are enlightened; Peace is made with enemies, wanderers have returned; sinners are forgiven, churches are joyful; and Christ God is glorified.

"...For You are the Resurrection from death, O Christ our God, and we give glory to you, together with your beginningless Father, and your all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and for ages of ages. Amen!

The Office of the Resurrection

During Bright Week, instead of the Canonical Hours and Compline, the Office of the Resurrection is served. This includes such Hymns as:

Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One.

We venerate your Cross of Christ, and Your holy Resurrection we praise and glorify, for You are our God. We know no other than You. We call on Your Name.

O Come all you faithful, let us worship the holy Resurrection of Christ, for behold, through the Cross joy has come to all the world.

Ever blessing the Lord, we sing the praises of His Resurrection, for be enduring the Cross for us, He destroyed death by death.

Jesus is Risen from the tomb, as he foretold, granting us eternal life and great mercy.

You were in the Tomb with the Body, yet in Hades in the soul, but in Paradise with the Thief, and being God, O Christ, on the Throne with the Father and the Holy Spirit, filling all things and encompassed by none!

Christ is Risen
from the dead
trampling down death by death
and on those in the tombs bestowing Life!

Blessing of Paschal Food

After Divine Liturgy, the Clergy and Faithful process out into the Church Courtyard for the Blessing of Paschal Food.

First of all, the Artos is blessed. The Artos (Greek for Bread) is a loaf baked especially for the Paschal Services.

It is yet another symbol of the Risen Messiah, who is the Bread of Life, coming down from heaven (John 6:35ff.) The Artos is set on Analoy and place before the Holy Doors of the Altar throughout Bright Week.

The Artos, like the Resurrection Icon, is carried in the daily Paschal Processions of the Cross. On Bright Saturday (often transferred to Thomas Sunday, following the reading of a special prayer, it is broken into pieces and distributed to the Faithful.

In the courtyard, when all have taken the places, the Easter Baskets are blessed.

They contain all the food from which the Faithful have been abstaining during the period of the Great Fast in preparation to celebrate the Great Day.

They contain such Traditional items as:

- sausage and other meats (recalling to us the Heavenly Banquet, the proverbial Fatted Calf and the richness of God's great mercy),

- cheese and other dairy products (The Resurrection inaugurates the entrance into the Promised future Kingdom, of which Israel, the Promised land of Milk and Honey, is an historic antitype.

- eggs (both the edible hard-boiled variety and the decorative, dyed "Pysanky" {eggs symbolize New Life in Christ} ["Pysanky" means "written" indicating that just as icons, the decorations and depictions of the Easter Eggs are "Gospels in colour", proclaiming the Good News of the Resurrection and Divine love for humanity] ),

- horseradish ({mixed with blood red Beets}, which colour and taste recall the bitterness of the Passion and humanity's enslavement to sin),

- salt (for the Faithful being the Salt of the Earth {Matthew 5:13}),

- and Paska Breads, decorated with a Cross and the Paschal Kerygma. Christ Himself is the Bread of Life come down from the Heavens.

The Butter is often carved into the shape of a Byzantine Cross or a Lamb (recalling Christ, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world) and decorated in patterns depicting the Cross, using cloves, which are themselves Cross shaped.

A Candle is place in the Easter Basket, denoting the sacrality of the Festive Meal. A special cloth embroidered with "Christ is Risen!" and other Paschal symbols is used to cover the Basket.

(It has been said, that even chocolates and wieners may find their way into child's Eastern basket, wherein there have even been reports of the butter being carved into the image of tryrannosauri reges or warp-speed capable vessels [all with due solemnity and piety, of course].)

Children (and anyone they can get to do it with them) play the game of Krashenky, where they hit each other's Easter Egg to see whose cracks first. For those of you who are new to this, be careful to ensure that it is the hard-boiled eggs that are used and not the beautifully coloured but very fragile Pysanky!

Hayivky Dances

On Pascha or Thomas Sunday, it is traditional in Churches of Ukrainians to hold the "Hayivky Dances". Performed by the parish children and young people, these dances can trace their history to pre Christian spring dances.

These served to foreshadow the Sacred Dancing of King David before the Ark of the Covenant:

"When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets." (Samuel 6:13-15)

Again and again, the Paschal Liturgies proclaim: "This is the Day that the LORD hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!" Thus it is that we rejoice and celebrate and dance.

Jeremiah 31:13
Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

and again,

Jeremiah 31:4
I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful.

In the light of the Gospel Truth, deconstruction of the Hahilky's pre-Christian origins reveals the metaphysically original and existential meaning of these spring dances as celebrations of the New Life revealed in the Resurrection of Christ and offered to all humanity and all Creation.

The circular movement symbolize the Eternity of Life, which is Christ Risen from the dead, He who is glorified together with the beginningless Father and the all-holy and life-creating Spirit, unto the ages of ages or "cycle of cycles".

The Sermon of St. John Chrysostom, proclaimed at every Pasch says: "You rich and you poor, dance together."

In the Paschal Ambo Prayer, we hear that on account of the Resurrection the Earth is clothed and the meadows are in flower! At the Lauds of Pascha, we sing: "Praise Him with timbrel and dance!" In the Ninth Ode, we sing:"Shine, Shine O new Jerusalem, for the glory of the Lord has Risen over you! Sing, dance, and rejoice O Zion!"

And in the IV Ode, we sing: "Before the Ark symbolic, God's forbear David danced and leaped. But we God's holy people, our eyes see all symbols now fulfilled. For this God's joy and gladness dance within us, for Christ has risen in His Might!

Water Monday and Water Tuesday

Another Bright Week tradition is Water Monday and Water Tuesday, when after Divine Liturgy, having exited the Temple, the young people (and young at heart) energetically throw water on each other.

Sometimes the festive joy becomes so infectious and overwhelming that the waterthrowing becomes .... "EXTREMELY" energetic. Gone are the days of the water pistols of our youth. Now, some kids bring their toy water cannons, which after being pumped up can deliver a stream over quite a distance!

This year, some of the youth turned the Bell Tower into a fortress, from whence they lobbed water balloons. In return, a Gallipoli-esque full frontal assault was made on the Bell Tower - using a scaling ladder no less (a.k.a. a ladder from the church basement). Despite the overwhelming odds, the attackers managed to carry the day, but getting thoroughly soaked en processus.

Of course all these activities were performed with all due solemnity and piety as befits the season. (Where are the pictures? Are you Kidding?!! Can you imagine what a target a guy with a camera would make?!!?)

This practice also has its sociological roots in Ukraine's pre Christian history when pouring water upon each other was a rite of purification.

Yet again, as properly deconstructed, the ontologically prior meaning become clear: it is a symbolic reminder of the Faithful being Baptized in Water and the Spirit. As we sing during the Divine Liturgy of Bright Week, in place of the Trisagion:

All You who have been Baptized in Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia!

Following Resurrections Matins and the Paschal Divine Liturgy, Clergy and Fatithful exit the Temple into the Church courtyard to bless the Paschal Foods.

Traditionally, the Faithful bless bring food from which they have abstained throughout the Great Fast - meat, dairy products (such as cheese and butter), eggs, etc.

In addition, there are in the Paschal Basket foods that symbolise various aspects of the Great and Holy Passover, e.g.: '

-- cloves (which symbolise the holy and life-bearing Cross),

-- horseradish (symbolising the bitteness of the Passion suffered on account of our Sins; this is an inheritance from our spiritual ancestors, viz. the "haroseth" (bitter herbs) eated at the Passover Meal, as a reminder of the bitternesss of the slavery suffered by the Children of Israel at the hand of the Pharaoh),

-- this may be made the in the form of "Khrin", horseradish mixed and sweetened with beets (the red colour reminiscent of the Precious and Life-Creating Blood of the Lord, Shed for the Life of the World, and the sweetness of the beets, reminiscent of the Resurrection's victory over the bitterness of Sin and Death;

-- the "Paska", a rich egg bread (representative of He who is Risen from the dead, the Bread of Life and Food for the World);

-- smoked meats (reminiscent of the Whole Burnt Sacrifices of the Old Testament; etc.)

On Bright Monday, after Divine Liturgy, the most ancient of Processions are held. Clergy and Faithful process around the Temple. They stopping at the four corners to proclaim the Resurrection Gospel to the four directions - cf. the Great Commission of the Risen Lord to "Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations; baptise them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..."

Bright Monday Liturgy is one of the most well attended Liturgies of the year (at least by children and youth)! This is due to the fact that after the Liturgy, we have our "traditional" Wet Monday. This means that it's a big Parish Water fight (for the young and the young at heart).

The Old Ukrainian cultural "tradition", inherited from pagan times would have the young men being able to splash water on the young women on Bright Monday and the young women splashing the young men on Bright Tuesday.
On Bright Monday, any young woman not wanting to be splashed could give a pysanka to her would be splasher and he would have to cease and desist. Unfortunately (or fortunately) there is no such "escape clause" available to the young men on Tuesday.

At St. Elias, being the thoroughly modern (without falling into the heresy of modernism) and non-gender discriminatory entity that it is, we just have a lot of fun (and bring a change of clothing {or habit, as the case may be}) - even the hieromonks get involved!

On Bright Tuesday, after Divine Liturgy, the Paschal Procession is made to the Church cemetery for the celebration of "Radonitsa".

We process carrying with us the Paschal Foods (blessed on Pascha).

After a short Paschal Memorial Service, we have a Paschal and Festal Meal right there in the cemetery - sharing the blessed Paschal bread, wine, meat, etc.

The Procession winds all through the cemetery, lead by the Processional Cross, incensations, etc., singing the Paschal Tropar & Versicles. - passing by every grave.

Why?

So that the Priest, as he passes every grave, may greets every single person buried there by Name and announce to them: "Christ is Risen!"

As St. Paul the Apostle writes in his Letter to the Church in Rome (8:31ff.):

Who is he that condemns?

Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:"For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

On Thomas Sunday (the Sunday after Pascha and the end of Bright Week), the Artos is again blessed (it is blessed once on Pascha and then again, with a different blessing, on Thomas Sunday). Then it is brought to the "Sviatchene" the Holy Paschal Meal, wherein the entire parish community participates.

On Thomas Sunday (the Sunday after Pascha and the end of Bright Week), the Artos is again blessed (it is blessed once on Pascha and then again, with a different blessing, on Thomas Sunday).

Then it is brought to the "Sviatchene" the Holy Paschal Meal, wherein the entire parish community participates.

And then there's the Dancing....!

After Liturgy, the children go out for the "Hayivky" Dances.

These are dances inherited from pagan times where the return of spring (and thus the renewal of life) was celebrated by maidens dancing and singing.

Of course we do not dance to renew the cycle of life on earth, nor do we dance because it is a mere cultural tradition of pagan provenance.

Our children (boys as well as girls), and we with them, dance because we are filled to overflowing with the joiy of the Resurrection of the Messiah God.

As prophesied the Holy Jeremiah 31:1-4, 13:
"At that time," declares the LORD ,"I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they will be my people."
This is what the LORD says:"The people who survive the sword will find favor in the desert; I will come to give rest to Israel." The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful. Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.

Video Clips of the Parish Children's Hayivky Dancing:, # 1: Click here

Video Clips of the Parish Children's Hayivky Dancing:, # 2: Click here

Video Clips of the Parish Children's Hayivky Dancing:, # 3: Click here

Video Clips of the Parish Children's Hayivky Dancing:, # 4: Click here

Christ is Risen!

Ukrainian version
Українська версія

Mailing address:
25 Harold Street
Brampton, Ontario
L6Y 1C9
Canada
Tel. (905) 459-8888