SATURDAY OF BRIDEGROOM LAZARUS ORTHROS

April 24, 2021 April 25, 2021 April 25, 2021 April 26, 2021 April 27, 2021 Saturday morning Sunday morning Sunday evening Monday Tuesday morning and evening morning and evening

Divine Liturgy 10 am Orthros & Palm Blessing 8:45 am Bridegroom Orthros 6:30 pm Presanctified Liturgy 10 am Presanctified Liturgy 10 am Preparation of Palms Divine Liturgy Bridegroom Orthros 6:30 pm Bridegroom Orthros 6:30 pm & 10 am Great & Artoklasia 6:30 pm

The solemnities of Great Week are preceded by a The first part of Great Week presents us with an array of themes based chiefly on two-day festival commemorating the resurrection of the last days of ’ earthly life. The name “Bridegroom Service” comes from Lazarus and the triumphant entry of Christ into the central figure in the well-known parable of the ten virgins (Mt. 25:1-13). The . “Behold the Bridegroom cometh at midnight…” sung at each service, relates us to that existential expectation: watching and waiting for the Lord, who                  will come again to judge the living and the dead.

It is significant that Holy Jesus is acknowledged                           Week begins with Christ and acclaimed as the raising Lazarus from the Messiah, the King and dead. Lazarus, the friend Redeemer of Israel. With of Jesus, personifies each palm branches in our one of us, for we are all hands, we identify Commemorations: Commemorations: Commemorations: friends of Jesus. With ourselves with the people Lazarus’ resurrection, of Jerusalem. Together the Patriarch, the The parable of the Ten The sinful woman who “death begins to with them we greet beloved son of Virgins (Mt. 25:1-3). anointed the head of tremble.” Thus begins Christ and confess Him to (Genesis ch. 37-50), a Jesus shortly before the - the decisive be our King. prototype of Christ. The parable of the Passion (Mt. 26:6-13). duel between Life and Talents (Mt. 25:14-30). Death - a duel that will The cursing of the fig tree Judas, the disciple who end with the final victory (Mt. 21:18-20). betrayed Christ. of Life over Death at Pascha.

Behold, the Bridegroom cometh at midnight; and blessed is the servant whom He shall find awake, but he whom He shall find neglectful is verily unworthy. Behold therefore, my soul; beware, lest thou fall into deep slumber, and the door of the kingdom be closed against thee, and thou be delivered unto death. But be thou wakeful, crying, Holy! Holy! Holy! Art thou, O God; through the intercessions of the Theotokos have mercy on us. - Troparion of the Bridegroom GREAT AND HOLY HOLY THURSDAY HOLY FRIDAY PASCHA

April 28, 2021 April 29, 2021 April 30, 2021 April 31, 2021 May 2, 2021 Wednesday Thursday Friday morning, Saturday Sunday morning and evening morning and evening afternoon, and evening morning and evening afternoon

Presanctified Liturgy 10 am Holy Thursday Foot-washing Royal Hours 10 am Vesperal Baptismal Liturgy 10 am Agape Vespers 12 noon Liturgy 10 am Vespers of Burial 4 pm Paschal Vigil, Paschal Orthros & Potluck & 1 pm Metr. JOSEPH Visit Twelve Passion Orthros Lamentations Orthros6:30 pm Resurrection Liturgy 11:00 pm Holy Unction 6:30 pm 6:30 pm

The Mystery of Holy The Eucharist - In the On Great Friday, we On Great Saturday, the Church contemplates the Unction is established Upper Room, while at remember the ineffable mystery of the Lord’s descent into hades, the place upon the word and meal, Jesus established mystery of Christ’s death. of the dead. Death, our ultimate enemy, is defeated actions of our Lord Jesus and instituted the Mystery His death - tormenting, from within. Christ. It embodies, or Sacrament of the Holy indiscriminate, universal - extends, and continues Eucharist. casts its cruel shadow over “He [Christ] gave Himself as a ransom to death in which His healing ministry. It is “Receive me today, O Son of all creation. we were held captive, sold under sin. Descending into the sign of His God, as a partaker of They At Vespers, the of the hades through the Cross … He loosed the bonds of transforming presence in Mystical supper … I will not crucified Christ is removed death.” a bruised and hurting give The a kiss as did Judas … Remember me, O Lord, in from the Cross and we                  world, and the emblem of Thy Kingdom.” remember the holy acts of His promise to deliver us Nicodemus and Joseph of from sin and corruption.     Arimathea. On the evening of Holy Thursday, twelve selected At Lamentations, we sing lessons are read the burial service of our which tell the entire story Lord. “In a grave they laid PASCHA! of our Lord’s suffering and Thee, O my Life and my death. It includes his Christ.” farewell talk to His CHRIST IS RISEN! disciples, His burial, and the sealing of the tomb. After the fifth Gospel lesson, the large cross and INDEED, HE IS icon of the crucified Christ is carried to the center of the church to be venerated. “Today He is suspended on a Come, receive the Light tree, who suspended the that is never overtaken by night! earth over the waters.” It is the day of Resurrection! Be illumined, people! Pascha! The Lord’s Pascha! From death unto life, from the earth to paradise, has Christ our God led us, singing the song of victory: Christ is risen from the dead!

In worship we encounter the Living God. Through worship God makes Himself present and active in our time, drawing the particles and moments of our life into the realm of redemption. He bestows upon us the Holy Spirit, who makes real the promise of Jesus to be in the midst of those gathered in His name (Mt. 18:20). In our services, we do more than remember past events and recall future promises; we experience the RISEN Christ, who is “clothed with his past and future acts.”