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Great and Holy Week

Great and Holy Week is the week leading up to Pascha, the celebration of the Resurrection of the Messiah.

On Great Monday and Tuesday, as well as the Presanctified Liturgy, Bridegroom Matins are taken.

These Services focus on the Second and Glorious Coming of the Messiah, when He shall come to restore the Kingdom of God, wherefore he is portrayed as Bridegroom (Mark 2:19)

During Great Week, the Holy Mystery of the Anointing of the Sick is generally served.

During this Service, all who are preparing for to celebrate Pascha are welcomed to receive the Holy Mystery - which is otherwise reserved for those seriously ill.

The first Service on Great Thursday is the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. This Service commemorates the Mystical Supper that Christ Jesus had with His Disciples - whereby the Holy Eucharist was instituted.

The second Service on Great Thursday is the Service of the 12 Gospels - wherein the Passion of the Lord is commemorated by reading the 2 pericopes in the Gospel that describe the Passion suffered by the Messiah.

On Great and Holy Friday, 3 Services are take: The Royal Hours of Great Friday, the Vespers of Entombment, and Jerusalem Matins.

The Passion of the Lord is mystically commemorated at the Service of the 12 Gospels (Thursday night) and the Royal Hours of Great Friday (Friday morning).

The Burial and Lamentation of the Lord are mystically commemorated at the Great Vespers service on Great Friday and Jerusalem Matins (usually taken on Friday night).

Great and Holy Friday

There are 3 Services that take place on Great Friday.

1. Royal Hours of Great Friday

2. Great Vespers of Entombment

3. Jerusalem Matins

On Great Friday, we commemorate the Passion and Crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.

"When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left.

"Jesus said, "Father, forgive them...." (Luke 23:33-34a)

1. Royal Hours of Great Friday
The "Hours" are Services that consists of a set of Psalms and some short prayers and hymns.

They are the lesser monastic Offices: The First, Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours

- taking place at the "first, third, sixth, and ninth hour" after sunrise, i.e. 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. (sunrise takes place at 6 a.m. in Israel and most places located close enough to the equator).

The "Royal" Hours are those Hours served on special Holy Days. In addition to Psalms, there are also Readings from the Gospel and from the Old and New Testaments. The Scripture readings and Psalms correspond to the Holy Day - in this case, the Passion and Burial of the Christ.

The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers took counsel against the Lord, and against His Anointed. (Ps. 2:2)

"When You were crucified, O Christ, the tyranny of the enemy was destroyed, and his power was trampled underfoot.

For it was not an angel nor a man that saved us but You Yourself, O Lord, glory to You!" (Tropar, 1st Hour)

"When the soldiers mocked You, O Lord, before your death upon the precious Cross, the heavenly armies were struck with wonder.

For You, who have adorned the world with flowers, were arrayed in a crown of shame.

And You, who have wrapped the firmament in clouds, were clothed in a robe of mockery.

Thus, in Your providence, O Christ, You have made known Your compassion and great mercy: Glory be to You!" (2d Stikh, 3d Hour)

"...He who is Jordan set Adam free receives blows upon His face.

The Bridegroom of the Church is transfixed with nails.

The Son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear.

We venerate Your Passion, O Christ. (prostration)
We venerate Your Passion, O Christ. (prostration)
We venerate Your Passion, O Christ. (prostration)
Show us also Your glorious Resurrection." (Katavasia, 9th Hour)

O God, Lord of Hosts, Author of all creation, who in Your ineffable tender mercy have sent down Your only-begotten Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ, for the salvation of our kind, and through his holy Cross have torn up the handwriting of our sin and thereby triumphed over the princes and dominions of darkness: ...Nail our flesh with fear of You, let not our hearts incline to evil words or thoughts, but wound our souls with Your Love... (Closing Prayer, 6th Hour)

2. Great Vespers of Entombment

In the Great Vespers of Entombment, we accompany the faithful Women, St. Joseph of Arimathea, and St. Nicodemus who took Jesus down from the Cross and buried Him.

There is a Procession (3x) around the Church, mystically following Myrrhbearing Women and their companions, who take the Body of Christ to the Holy Sepulchre.

Returning from Procession, the Clergy hold low the Plaschenytsia. The Faithful can enter the Church by bending down and going beneath the Icon of Burial. This is a graphic symbol of our Entering the Tomb and being Buried with Christ, in order that we may rise with Him on the Great Day.

Today the Master stands before Pilate, today, the Maker of all things is given up to the Cross, and of His own will is led as a lamb to the slaughter.

He who sent manna in the wilderness is transfixed with nails.

His side is pierced, and a sponge with vinegar touches his lips.

The Deliverer of the world is struck on the face and the Creator of all is mocked by His own servants. How great is the Master's love for mankind!

For those who crucified Him, He prayed to His Father, saying:

'Forgive them this sin, for in their wickedness, they know not what they do.

A dread and marvellous mystery we see come to pass this day:

He, whom none may touch, is seized.

He, who looses Adam from the curse, is bound.

He, who tries the hearts and inner thoughts of man, is unjustly brought to trial.

He, who closes the abyss, is shut in prison.

He, before whom the powers of heaven stand with trembling, stands before Pilate.

The Creator is struck by the hand of his creature.

He, who comes to judge the living and the dead, is condemned to the Cross.

The Destroyer of Hell is enclosed in a tomb.

O You, who endure all all these things in Your tender love, who have saved all from the curse, O long-suffering Lord, glory to You! (Katavasia)

"They laid me in the lowest pit, in dark places, and in the shadow of death.

"O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you."
(Ps. 87, Tone 7, 3d Prokimen)

During the Burial Procession:

When You, the Redeemer of all, were laid for the sake of all in a new tomb,

Hell was brought to scorn, and seeing You drew back in fear.

The bars were broken and the gates were shattered, the tombs were opened and the dead arose.

Then Adam in thanksgiving and rejoicing cried to You: Glory to Your self-abasement, O Lover of Mankind!" (Apostikha 2d verse)

In the flesh You were of your own will enclosed within the tomb.

Yet in your Divine Nature You remain uncircumscribed and limitless.

You have shut up the treasury of hell, O Christ, and emptied all his palaces.

You have honoured the Sabbath with your Divine Blessing, with your glory and your radiance. (Apostikha, 3d verse)

3. Jerusalem Matins

During Jerusalem Matins, we accompany the Faithful Women and their Companions, who, keeping Vigil at the Graveside, mourn the Crucified Christ.

Arguably this the most aesthetically beautiful Service of the entire Christian year.

Its hymns are hauntingly lyrical and profoundly spiritually.

They express the anguish of loss and the yearning for restoration and justice.

Again there is a Procession around the Church with the Plaschenytsia (the Icon of Burial).

"By descending into death, O Life Immortal, You destroyed hell's power by the brilliance of your Divinity and raised the dead from their deep sleep.

For this the Powers of heaven shout triumphantly: 'O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!' " (Tropar)

"An angel greeted the myrrh-bearing women as they neared the tomb:
'Mortal death deserves the soothing balm of precious spices, but the corruption of death can never defile Christ.' "
(Tropar)

Stasis I:

In the grave they laid You.
O my life and my Christ:
And the armies of the Angels were sore amazed
as they sang the praise of your submissive love!

How, O Life, can You die?
In a grave how can You dwell?
For the proud domain of death You do destroy now
and the dead of Hades do you make to rise!

You gave earth her bounds;
yet how small is the tomb
where, O Jesus, King of all You do dwell today,
You who call the dead to leave their graves and rise!

Stasis II

"That I may renew Man's lost nature now from beauty fallen,

Gladly in my flesh I take Death on me.

Wherefore, Mother, slay me not - with bitter tears."

"I am rent with grief and my heart with woe is crushed and broken,

As I see them slay You with doom unjust.

So bewailing Him his grieving - Mother cried."

Strong that man has wrought now conceals the Cornerstone of Promise.

Mortal man his God in a grave would hide as if God were mortal - Shake with fear, O earth!

Beauty, Word of God nor yet charm was Yours when You did suffer

But your Risen Glory its light poured down shedding beauty on all men - with rays divine.

Hades, that dread foe shook with terror when it looked upon You,

O You Sun of Glory which cannot die and his captives when he yielded up - in haste.

Stasis III

Women bringing spices
came with loving forethought
Your due of myrrh to give You.

Him as dead, though living
let us now like the women
in love anoint with spices

Joseph, greatly blessed,
bury now the Body,
of Christ the Life-Bestower.

O my Precious Springtime!
O my Son beloved!
O whither fades Your beauty?

Snared is now the Snarer,
Man ensnared is ransomed,
my God, through Your great Wisdom.

Rise, O Lord of mercy
raising us up also,
who languish deep in Hades.

Once a Joseph bore You
into exile, Saviour,
another now inters You.

Myrrh the women sprinkled
store of spices bringing
to grace Your tomb near dawning.

Every generation
to Your graves comes bringing
dear Christ, its dirge of praises.

The Canon of Jerusalem Matins
(in Lesser Znameny Chant)

Of old Thou didst bury the pursuing tyrant beneath the waves of the sea.

Now the children of those who were saved bury Thee beneath the earth.

But like the maidens, let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously has he been glorified.

Jonah was caught but not held fast in the belly of the whale.

He was a sign of Thee, who hast suffered and accepted burial.

Coming forth from the beast as from a bridal chamber, He called out to the Guard:

'By observing vanities and lies, you have forsaken your own mercy.'

Inexpressible wonder! In the Furnace, Thou didst save the Holy Youths from the flame.

Now Thou are placed in the grave as a lifeless corpse, for the salvation of us who sing: 'Blessed are Thou, O God, our Redeemer!'

"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."

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