The Sunday before last, we celebrated the women who came to Christ's tomb with myrrh, and Joseph of Aramathea and Nicodemus, who buried Him. The events themselves are celebrated in Holy Week, but since the focus there is on Christ's Passion and Resurrection (as it should be!) the Sunday two weeks later is set aside to celebrate those who, at great ( Read more... )

O all-glorious wonder! Unbelief hath engendered certain faith! For Thomas said: If I do not see, I will not believe. But when he had touched His side, he theologized that He is the son of God incarnate, acknowledged that He suffered in the flesh, proclaimed the Resurrected One God, and cried out with a splendid voice: My Lord and my God, glory ( Read more... )

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life!During Bright Week -- the week beginning with Easter -- all prayers are sung, not read (with a couple exceptions), out of joy that Christ, by His Resurrection, has overthrown death. Likewise, all prayers are said standing, as sons, rather than ( Read more... )

If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival ( Read more... )

The Noble Joseph, having taken Thy most pure Body down from the Tree, and wrapped It in pure linen and covered It with spices, laid It in a new tomb ( Read more... )

Hymnody only for the next week or so. If you want to read about what we do, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Week#Great_and_Holy_FridayRead more... )

Passing from one divine feast to another, from palms and branches let us now make haste, ye faithful, to the solemn and saving celebration of Christ's Passion. Let us behold Him undergo voluntary suffering for our sake, and let us sing to Him with thankfulness a fitting hymn: Fountain of tender mercy and haven of salvation, O Lord, glory to Thee! ( Read more... )

In confirming the common Resurrection, O Christ God, Thou didst raise up Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion. Wherefore, we also, like the children bearing the symbols of victory, cry to Thee, the Vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.In the Eastern reckoning (which includes Sundays but ( Read more... )

On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the Orthodox Church remembers St. Mary of Egypt, whose life exemplifies repentance. The whole story of her life is here; in summary ( Read more... )

On the fifth Friday night of Lent, we sing the Akathist hymn to the Mother of God. The hymn, however, is not so much about Mary herself as about the Incarnation of God: Christ, our salvation, came to us through her. In fact, large sections of the hymn are directly addressed to Christ ( Read more... )