461. Holy Thursday Night: Matins for Holy Friday, “The Twelve Gospels Service”

Some advice:  For the remaining three days of this Holy Week, do not read this Blog. Or rather: if it’s a choice between reading this Blog and going to church, Go to church. If you can’t get to church, worship Live-stream either live or by video. This Blog may help you (and me) to understand […]

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460. Holy Thursday Morning: Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil

We all know that in the Orthodox Church the Divine Liturgy is always a celebration, not allowed during the penitential weekdays of the Great Lenten Fast. We also know that Holy Week is our most penitential period. Furthermore, running with our peculiar Holy Week schedule (which I’ll not go into again here), this actually turns […]

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459. Holy Wednesday Night Matins and Holy Unction

Note that we’re still on our Holy Week “topsy-turvy” schedule, always “anticipating” the next appointed service. As I said, I don’t really understand why we do this. However somehow it feels just right for this Week when the whole world and all of history got turned upside down – even though the world didn’t know […]

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456. Holy Tuesday Morning: Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Troparion of Bridegroom Matins: Kievan chant, sung by “Archangel Voices” Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is that servant whom He shall find awake, but unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, lest you be given up to death, […]

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455. Holy Monday Night: Bridegroom Matins for Holy Tuesday

Troparion (Apolytikion) at Bridegroom Matins, sung on the first three nights of Holy Week: “Thy bridal chamber I see adorned, O my Savior, but I have no wedding garment that I may enter. O Giver of Light, enlighten the vesture of my soul, and save me.” from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgK0Fc8QUOs   Pat Tsalgakis at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFrdWVEVKYE Chanted in […]

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