A Variety of Topics: Saints, Seasons, Society, the Moral Life, plus Travels mostly to Greece, and more, by Father Bill Olnhausen
In case you’ve tuned in late to this series: These posts are “repeats” (with a little reworking each year) of my Holy Week posts from past years – which are based on talks I gave for about twenty years at Holy Week services when I was pastor at Saint Nicholas Church, Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Why do […]
Read More »Before we get started: Tonight at the end of the Aposticha verses we hear the Hymn of Kassiane, a Ninth Century nun and hymnographer. Kassiane was one of several young women interviewed by Emperor Theophilos as a prospective bride. The story says he was so flummoxed by Kassiane’s beauty that he said something stupid, as […]
Read More »Kievan chant, sung by “Archangel Voices” Troparion/Apolytikion of Bridegroom Matins Alleluia. 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 […]
Read More »Matins in the evening? In our parish 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 equally odd, why during Holy Week do we have Vesperal Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (obviously an evening service) in the morning? I’m really […]
Read More »Exaposteilarion 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.” Courtesy of nazo zakkak Available from “Archangel […]
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