Author: Fr. Bill

As on the weekdays of Lent, so on the ordinary weekdays of Holy Week: There is no celebration of the full Divine Liturgy. The Anaphora (the consecration of the Holy Gifts) is omitted, and Holy Communion is received from that which was blessed previously. “presanctified” – in this case on Palm Sunday. Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:3-35 […]

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Introduction In our churches, Matins/Orthros is normally sung in the morning. So why, you may ask, are we now suddenly having it in the evening? Also and even odder, why during Holy Week do we have Vesperal Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (obviously an evening service) in the morning? I’m really sorry you asked those questions. […]

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The Entrance of Our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem Introduction Yesterday we celebrated the raising of Lazarus which was, as we sang, the “prefiguring of the General Resurrection”, when all mankind will be raised from death – “those who have done what is good will rise to life, and those who have done what is […]

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For those who may not know: I’m repeating my annual series of twice-daily Posts during Holy Week. Before we begin: This Holy Week please be sure to pray especially for the people of Ukraine, many of whom again this year will not be able to get to church because of the actions of (God help […]

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Be sure to listen to this powerful hymn sung by the Boston Byzantine Choir.    from the Arabic Tone 6, by Metropolitan Athanasios Atallah of Homs – arranged by Bishop Basil of Antiochian Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America (from Orthodox Christian Chants site) Actually the Saturday of Lazarus is not Holy Week, which begins with […]

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