122. Holy Saturday morning Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil

Gospel Reading: Matthew 28 Many themes today. This Liturgy begins as a celebration of Christ’s victory over Satan and death “down below”, and before we’re done we’re proclaiming the Resurrection here “up above”. Yet after that, later in the Liturgy Christ is singing “Do not lament me, O Mother”, as if she hasn’t yet heard […]

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121. Holy Friday afternoon Great Vespers, Holy Friday evening Lamentations Service

Holy Friday afternoon Great Vespers: the Taking Down from the Cross For less than a day, from Holy Thursday night to Holy Friday afternoon, the Orthodox crucifix is placed out in front of the icon screen. Otherwise it is normally kept behind the altar, half hidden from view, as if it is too “strong”, too […]

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120. Holy Thursday evening Twelve Gospels service

Thursday evening: Matins for Holy Friday – “The Twelve Gospels Service” Gospel Readings: 1 John 13:31-18:1, 2 John 18:1-29, 3 Matthew 26:57-75, 4 John 18:28 -19:16, 5 Matthew 27:3-32, 6 Mark 15:16-32, 7 Matthew 27:33-54, 8 Luke 23:32-49, 9 John 19:25-37, 10 Mark 15:43-47, 11 John 19:38-42, 12 Matthew 27:62-66 I will not (believe me!) comment on each of these readings, which carry the story from Holy Thursday through Holy Saturday evening. I will say a little to […]

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119. Holy Wednesday evening Matins and Anointing, and Holy Thursday Divine Liturgy

Holy Wednesday evening Matins and Holy Unction For most of our history the Holy Wednesday night service was Matins/Orthros alone, which continues the Holy Week narrative. However, beginning a few hundred years ago in Greek and Antiochian churches, Matins began to be replaced by Holy Unction. The Anointing was used as part of the preparation […]

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118. Holy Tuesday evening Bridegroom Matins, Holy Wednesday morning Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

Holy Tuesday evening Bridegroom Matins   Before we get into the Gospel story … Tonight we hear the Hymn of Kassiane, a ninth century nun and hymnographer. She was Irish, but her family moved to Constantinople, where she was one of several young women interviewed by Emperor Theophilus as his prospective bride. The story says […]

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