ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Our Journey To Pascha 2020

Rev. father Christos P. Kanakis proistamenos

PREFACE This booklet has been compiled to support the faithful as we take the journey as one church family to our Lord’s Resurrection. These are challenging times but we must stand strong as a community of worshippers and participate as fully as we can in the livestream services. All rules must be followed in accordance with the Holy Eparchial Synod for the health and safety of everyone.

You will find the schedule of services, ways in which you can support the church, social media platforms to watch services, background information for each service, guiding questions for discussion, and church family lessons. These resources are not meant to burden anyone nor is it expected that one should “do it all.” Do what you can. Use the resources you have within your homes. It must also be made clear that the lessons and activities are to help connect while we are apart, but that these do not take the place of any sacrament or fulfill the role of the priest.

The most important act throughout this journey is that we pray for one another, our clergy, our leaders, our health workers, for those who continue to work outside their homes, and those battling the virus. The journey’s end is marked by the triumph of Christ trampling down death and giving mankind a path to eternal life!

A Blessed Holy Week and Pascha!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE OF SERVICES 1-2 HOW TO CONNECT VIRTUALLY 3 SUPPORT OUR PANAGIA PARISH 4 SATURDAY OF LAZARUS 5-6 PALM SUNDAY 7-10 11-12 13-14 HOLY WEDNESDAY 15-16 HOLY THURSDAY 17-18 HOLY FRIDAY 19-20 HOLY SATURDAY 21-22 PASCHA 23 SOURCES 24-25

HOLY WEEK SERVICE SCHEDULE

Saturday of Lazarus/ Tοῦ Λαζάρου - April 11 + 8:45 am. Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

Palm Sunday/ Των Βαΐων- April 12 + Orthros 8:45 am. Divine Liturgy 10:00 am + Bridegroom Service / Του Νυμφίου. 6:00 pm

Holy Monday- April 13 + Bridegroom Service/ Του Νυμφίου. 6:00 pm

Holy Tuesday- April 14

• Bridegroom Service/ Του Νυμφίου. 6:00 pm

1 Holy Wednesday- April 15 + Bridegroom Service/ Του Νυμφίου. 6:00 pm *The Service of Holy Unction will be postponed and will be announced at a later date *Θα σας ενημερώσουμε πότε θα γίνει η ακολουθία του Ευχελαίου και το λάδωμα των πιστών σε άλλη ημερομηνία.

Holy Thursday- April 16 + Vesper Liturgy of St. Basil 9:00 am + The Service of the Passion (12 Gospels) /Ακολουθία των Παθών (12 Ευαγγέλια) 6:00 pm

Holy Friday- April 17 + The Royal Hours 1:00 pm + Descent from the Cross/ Αποκαθήλωσις 3:00 pm + Lamentations Service/ Επιτάφιος. 6:00 pm

Holy Saturday- April 18 + Liturgy of St. Basil 9:00 am + The Vigil for the Holy Resurrection 11:15 pm +“Come Receive the Light”-The Resurrection Service and Divine Liturgy 11:45 pm

Easter Sunday/ Πάσχα- April 19

• Agape Service 10:00 am. 2 Connecting to church VIRTUALLY

For general information: www.assumptionlb.org Instagram @assumptionlb

For livestream services YouTube Channel Assumption GOC Church

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TEXTS FOR SERVICES IN GREEK & ENGLISH https://www.agesinitiatives.com/

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support our panagia parish

Holy Week Donations Virtual Tray offering (any amount of your choosing) Venmo @LBAssumption Candles & Prayer Requests (1 day candle $2 / 7 day candle $10) http://tiny.cc/ubbtlz

Additional Ways to Give

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Checks payable to Assumption Church Mail to: 5761 E. Colorado St. Long Beach, CA 90814

PLEASE NOTE IN THE MEMO WHAT YOUR DONATION IS FOR

Saturday of Lazarus/ Tοῦ Λαζάρου - April 11 +Orthros 8:45 am. Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice,

‘Lazarus, come out."

Jesus raises His friend from the dead

Mary and Martha plead with the Lord to come quickly to heal their brother Lazarus. Jesus delays his return until Lazarus is dead four days. Martha confesses her belief in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus says: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…” Jesus has the power to raise the dead, and raises Lazarus. Jesus is the Resurrection and Life of all people.

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LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS Prayer on the Saturday of the Lazarus

O Christ our God, Who by Your voice did release Lazarus from the bonds of death after four days in the tomb, restoring him again to life. O Master, enliven us who are deadened by sins, granting life that none can take away; and make us who put our hope in You, heirs of life without end. For You are our Life and Resurrection, and to You belongs glory: together with Your immortal Father, and Your All-holy, and Good, and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Guiding Questions

• What did Christ cry out in a loud voice to Lazarus?

• It is during the time that Jesus came to Lazarus and we read the shortest verse in Scripture. What is the verse?

• How do we know the human side of Christ in this moment?

• What can we learn about Christ’s relationship with Lazarus? How can we lift up a friend who is spiritually dead/disconnected from God? Church Family Connection Icon Mural Print an icon of Lazarus being raised from the dead. Use it as a visual to discuss. Post the icon on a wall in your home. This could be the beginning of an Icon Mural for every service of Holy Week. Google for images or for printable coloring pages: http://dce.oca.org/resources/line-drawings Lazarakia These little cookies which look like Lazarus all bundled in his graveclothes are a wonderful Greek tradition for Lazarus Saturday. You could make them as traditional sweet bread rolls, or you could make them out of clay or play dough! There are many recipes online. Here is one: http://www.orthodoxmom.com/2009/04/10/lazarakia-recipe/

Role Play

Create a skit or role play the raising of Lazarus with your children. Use a closet in your home to represent the tomb of Lazarus. Palm Sunday/ Των Βαΐων- April 12 + Orthros 8:45 am. Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

"Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

Jesus Enters Jerusalem as a King!

Jesus enters Jerusalem and is honored as a King. The children greet Jesus waving palms and branches, crying out “Hosanna!” The people shout their praises to Him: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” In our celebration of the feast, the palms we hold are a sign of our allegiance to Christ.

7 LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS The Prayer of the Blessing of the Palms Lord our God, enthroned above the Cherubim, You have stirred up Your power and sent Your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to redeem the world through His Cross, His burial and His Resurrection. When He came to Jerusalem to His voluntary Passion, the people, living in darkness and the shadow of death, taking up the symbols of victory, boughs of trees and palm branches, foretold the Resurrection. Master as we too imitating them, carry Palms and branches on this eve of the feast, watch over us. And as we offer You Hosanna, like those multitudes and the children, safeguard us, so that in hymns and spiritual songs we, too, may worthily witness the lifegiving Resurrection on the third day, in Christ Jesus our Lord, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your all-holy, good and lifegiving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever. Amen.

Guiding Questions

• If Christ is our King, why did he arrive on a donkey into Jerusalem? • Jesus was greeted by people with palms in hand. What is the meaning of this act? • The people shouted, “Hosanna!” to Jesus as he arrived. What does Hosanna mean?

Church Family Connection Raise Your “Palms” Find a palm branch, a flower, or any foliage from your yard to hold during our church’s livestream service. If you can’t find anything, have children draw a palm on a piece of paper or print out an image of a palm branch.

How to fold a palm cross (You can use paper if you don’t have a palm branch):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT-0Z6YSJoU

Did you know that in other parts of the world, Orthodox Christians do not use palm branches because they are not native to their geographic location? For example, in Russia, they use pussy willows!

Icon Mural Print an icon for Palm Sunday. Use it as a visual to discuss. Post the icon on a wall in your home. Continue building your Icon Mural for every service of Holy Week. Palm Sunday/ Των Βαΐων- April 12 + Bridegroom Service / Του Νυμφίου. 6:00 pm

I see Your Bridal Chamber adorned, O My Savior, and I have no wedding garment, that I may enter therein;O Giver of Light, make radiant the vesture of my soul, and save me.

God has made us stewards of His world, to serve and care for it. He calls us to bear fruit by using the talents He has given us. Christ will come to judge the world, and He will come at Midnight, at an hour when we least expect Him. He will come as a Bridegroom, to take us, the Church, as His Bride. God calls us to be prepared, for only those who are ready will enter His Kingdom. This is why we call them the Services of the Bridegroom.

8 LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS

Behold, the Bridegroom is coming in the middle of the night; and blessed is the servant He shall find awake and watching; unworthy is the other He shall find being lazy. So beware, O soul of mine, be not overcome by sleep, so that you not be handed over to death and be shut out from the Kingdom. Come to your senses and cry aloud: Holy, holy, holy are You our God. By the protection of the Bodiless Hosts have mercy on us (3 times).

Guiding Questions

• Why is this service called the Service of the Bridegroom? What is meant by “bridegroom”? Who is the bride? Who is the groom?

Church Family Connection Bridegroom Read/Sing the Troparion of the Bridegroom (above). It is done 3 times during this service.

Icon Mural Continued Print an icon of the Bridegroom. Use it as a visual to discuss. Add to your icon mural for Holy Week.

9 Holy Monday- April 13 + Bridegroom Service/ Του Νυμφίου. 6:00 pm

I see Your Bridal Chamber adorned, O My Savior, and I have no wedding garment, that I may enter therein;O Giver of Light, make radiant the vesture of my soul, and save me. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

The Parable of the Ten Virgins is a theme in the Bridegroom service, Jesus tells a story about a party of virgins, perhaps bridesmaids or torchbearers for a procession, chosen to participate in a wedding. Each of the ten virgins is carrying a lamp or torch as they await the coming of the bridegroom, which they expect at some time during the night. Five of the virgins are wise and have brought oil for their lamps. Five are foolish and have only brought their lamps. At midnight, all the virgins hear the call to come out to meet the bridegroom. Realizing their lamps have gone out, the foolish virgins ask the wise ones for oil, but they refuse, saying that there will certainly not be enough for them to share. While the foolish virgins are away trying to get more oil, the bridegroom arrives. The wise virgins then accompany him to the celebration. The others arrive too late and are excluded. This parable is primarily about the virtue of charity and almsgiving. The wise virgins are those who practice charity and mercy in this life, while the foolish are those who squander God’s gifts on themselves. LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS

Thy bridal chamber, O my Saviour, do I behold all adorned, and a garment I have not that I may enter therein. Illumine the garment of my soul, O Giver of Light, and save me.

Guiding Questions

• What does the parable of the ten virgins teach us? Are we wise and prepared or are we satisfied and foolish? How can we be prepared for Judgement Day? • On Great and Holy Monday the Church commemorates the event of the cursing of the fig tree (Matthew 21:18-20). The fig tree is symbolic of Israel become barren by her failure to recognize and receive Christ and His teachings. Those who belong to Christ ought to live and walk in the Spirit; and the Spirit will bear fruit in them: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-25). How can we belong to Christ in our daily lives? How can we be productive as Christians and “bear fruit”?

Church Family Connection It is during this time that “we wait in darkness for the light” (Psalm 142). If you have a vigil oil lamp, light it for the service. If you do not have a vigil oil lamp, use an alternate light source (and be careful). Find a clear jar or container and place an electric tea light in it. Dim or darken your worship space and recall the words of Psalm 142 which can be found in the text for this bridegroom service.

Icon Mural

Print an icon of Christ and the Ten Virgins. Use it as a visual to discuss. Post the icon on a wall in your home. Continue to expand your icon mural.

11 Holy tuesday- April 13 Bridegroom Service/ Του Νυμφίου. 6:00 pm

The harlot wept and sobbed, and she ardently wiped dry Your unde- filed feet, O compassionate Master, with the hair of her head, and sighed from the depths of her soul and cried, ‘O my God, I pray do not reject or abhor me, but accept me back who am repentant, and save me, for only You love humanity.’

At Bridegroom Orthros () on Great and Holy Tuesday evening, the Church chants the beautiful and inspiring hymn written by Saint Kassiani. Saint Kassiani the Hymnographer and poet was born between 805 A.D. and 810 A.D. in the city of Constantinople into a wealthy family and grew to be exceptionally beautiful and very intelligent. Three Byzantine chroniclers claim that she was a participant in the "bride show" (the means by which Byzantine princes/emperors sometimes chose a bride, giving a golden apple to his choice) organized for the young bachelor-emperor Theophilos the Iconoclast by his stepmother, the Empress Dowager Euphrosyne. Smitten by Kassiani's () beauty, the young emperor approached her and said: "Through a woman came forth the baser things," referring to the sin and suffering coming as a result of Eve's transgression. Kassiani promptly responded by saying: "And through a woman came forth the better things," referring to the hope of salvation resulting from the Incarnation through the Most Holy Theotokos. His pride wounded by Kassiani's rebuttal, Theophilos haughtily passed her by and chose Theodora to be his wife. We next hear of Kassiani in 843 A.D. when it is recorded that she founded a women's monastery in Constantinople, becoming its first Egoumenissa (Abbess) and devoting her life to asceticism and the composing of liturgical poetry. The best known of her compositions is the Hymn on the Aposticha of the Bridegroom Orthros (Matins) for Great and Holy Wednesday (which is, in parish churches, chanted by anticipation on the previous evening). Holy Tradition says that in his later years the Emperor Theophilos, still in love with Kassiani, wished to see her one last time before he died, so he rode to the monastery where she resided. Kassiani was alone in her cell, writing her now famous hymn, when she realized that the commotion she heard was because the imperial retinue had arrived. Being now devoted to God in her monastic life, Kassiani fled from her cell and hid, leaving the unfinished hymn on her writing desk. Theohilos was directed to her cell and entered it alone. Not finding Kassiani, he turned to leave when he noticed papers on the desk and read what was written upon them. When he was done reading, he sat and added one line to the hymn; then he left - never to see Kassiani again. The line attributed to the Emperor is "those feet whose sound Eve heard at dusk in Paradise and hid herself for fear." When the emperor and his party departed from the monastery, Saint Kassiani returned to her cell, discovered what Theophilos had written, and finished the hymn now popularly known as "They Hymn of the Sinful Woman."

12 LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS The Hymn of Kassiani Lord, when the woman who had fallen into many sins perceived Your divinity, she assumed the role of a myrrh-bearing woman, and lamenting brought fragrant oils to anoint You before Your burial. "Woe is me," she says. "Night for me is a frenzy without restraint, very dark and moonless, a sinful love-affair. Accept the fountains of my tears, You who draw out from the clouds the water of the sea. Take pity on me, and incline to the sighing of my heart, You who bowed the heavens by Your ineffable self-emptying. I shall cover Your unstained feet with kisses, and wipe them dry again with the locks of my hair; those feet, whose sound at twilight in Paradise echoed in Eve's ears, and she hid in fear. Who can reckon the multitude of my sins, or fathom the depths of Your judgments, O my life-saving Savior? Do not despise me, Your servant, since without measure is Your mercy."

Guiding Questions

• What does the story of Jesus and the sinful woman teach us about forgiveness? • What did the sinful woman offer to Jesus? What was Christ’s response?

Church Family Connection Today, the theme of repentance rings loudly as we learn about the story of the sinful woman. Read the Gospel lesson Luke 7:35–50 which tells her story. Link to passage: http://tiny.cc/an0kmz

Think of something you can offer to honor Christ just as the sinful woman did. It can be as simple as a prayer or more complex like volunteering time to help those less fortunate. During tonight’s Bridegroom service, we have the beautiful hymn of Kassiani. Listen closely to the hymn (or read it in English if it is being chanted in Greek). Take note of how it tells the story from the Gospel lesson read at home earlier in the day. It is important to realize that our hymnology is based on the traditions and scriptures of our Faith. 13 Holy Wednesday- April 15 + Bridegroom Service/ Του Νυμφίου. 6:00 pm

Of all lenten hymns and prayers, one short prayer can be termed the lenten prayer. Tradition ascribes it to one of the great teachers of spiritual life - St. Ephrem the Syrian.

Why does this short and simple prayer occupy such an important position in the entire lenten worship? Because it enumerates in a unique way all the "negative" and "positive" elements of repentance and constitutes a "check list" for our individual lenten effort. This effort is aimed first at our liberation from some fundamental spiritual diseases which shape our life and make it virtually impossible for us even to start turning ourselves to God.

14 LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS Prayer of St. Ephrem O Lord and Master of my life, deliver from me the spirit of indolence, meddling, vain ambition, and idle talk. +++ Grant to me, Your servant, the spirit of prudence, humility, patience, and love. +++ Yea, Lord and King; grant me that I may see my own faults, and not to judge my brother, For You are blessed to the Ages of Ages. Amen. +++

Guiding Questions

• The Prayer of St. Ephrem is used in the bridegroom services. Who was St. Ephrem? • What are the negative elements the prayer is asking for us to turn away from? • What are the positive elements of the prayer that we must embrace in our lives?

Church Family Connection St. Ephrem’s Prayer Pray St. Ephrem’s Prayer. The prayer is accompanied by bows and prostrations. It is divided into three parts, with a prostration after each part (See above +++). Watch the livestream of this service and see how the priest carries out this prayer.

The Service of Holy Unction will be postponed and will be an- nounced at a later date *Θα σας ενημερώσουμε πότε θα γίνει η ακολουθία του Ευχελαίου και το λάδωμα των πιστών σε άλλη ημερομηνία.

15 Holy Thursday- April 16 + Vesper Liturgy of St. Basil 9:00 am + The Service of the Passion (12 Gospels) /Ακολουθία των Παθών (12 Ευαγγέλια) 6:00 pm

Do this in remembrance of Me.

The Mystical Supper and Betrayal of Christ

Jesus' enemies seek to kill Him and Judas agrees to betray his Master. Jesus shows the disciples how they must serve others, by washing the feet of His own disci- ples, and shares a Passover meal with them. He blessed the bread and a cup of wine, saying “Do this in remembrance of Me.” He gave us the Mystery of the Divine Eucharist. Jesus teaches the disciples about love, and promises to send them a Comforter, the Holy Spirit, after He is gone. He said openly that one of them was about to betray Him. After this Jesus went forth to the Mount of Olives, and there He began to be sorrowful and in anguish. He went off alone, and bending the knees, He prayed fervently. Judas came with a multitude of soldiers and a great crowd; on greeting Jesus, Ju- das Iscariot betrayed our Lord with a kiss. The Lord Jesus was then apprehended and taken prisoner to the high priests, Annas and Caiaphas. The disciples were scattered, but Peter, who was more fervent than the others, followed Him even into the court of the high priest, but in the end denied the Lord three times that he was His disciple. Then Jesus was brought before the lawless Sanhedrin and was interrogated concerning His disciples and His teaching. The high priest ordered Him before God that He tell them whether He was truly the Christ. And having spoken the truth, He was judged guilty of death, supposedly as one who had blasphemed. Then they spat in His face, beat Him, smote Him with the palms of their hands, and mocked Him in every way, throughout the whole night until the morning. LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS

Today is hung upon the Cross, He Who suspended the Earth upon the waters (3x). A crown of thorns crowns Him, Who is the King of Angels. He, Who wrapped the Heavens in clouds, is clothed with the purple of mockery. He, Who freed Adam in the Jordan, received buffetings. He was transfixed with nails, Who is the Bridegroom of the Church. He was pierced with a lance, Who is the Son of the Virgin. We worship Your Passion, O Christ. Show us also, Your glorious Resurrection.

Guiding Questions

• What is the importance of the Mystical Supper?

• Why would Jesus willingly go through this much pain and suffering for us?

• Do you think Jesus hated the people who hurt Him?

Church Family Connection This is a very solemn point in Holy Week. Kneel at the Fifth Gospel as the priest processes around the church with the Crucifix.

Dying of Eggs

Traditionally, eggs are dyed on Holy Thursday. Why are eggs dyed red in the Orthodox Christian tradition? If you do not have red dye, there are recipes online using onion skins. Here is one recipe: http://www.atastyadventure.com/onion-dyed-easter-eggs/

If you are unable to dye eggs, use what is available to you for your Pascha feast...undyed eggs or plastic eggs!

It is also a time to bake tsoureki and koulourakia if you are able.

Continue Building Your Icon Mural

Add the icons of the Mystical Supper and Crucifixion. Our journey to Pascha continues!

17 Holy Friday- April 17 + The Royal Hours 1:00 pm + Descent from the Cross/ Αποκαθήλωσις 3:00 pm + Lamentations Service/ Επιτάφιος. 6:00 pm "Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise."

On this day we commemorate the sufferings of Christ: the mockery, the crown of thorns, the scourging, the nails, the thirst, the vinegar and gall, the cry of desolation, and all the Savior endured on the Cross. The day of Christ's death is the day of sin. The sin which polluted God's creation from the breaking dawn of time reached its frightful climax on the hill of Golgotha. There, sin and evil, destruction and death came into their own. Ungodly men had Him nailed to the Cross, in order to destroy Him. However, His death condemned irrevocably the fallen world by revealing its true and abnormal nature. In Christ, who is the New Adam, there is no sin. And, therefore, there is no death. He accepted death because He assumed the whole tragedy of our life. He chose to pour His life into death, in order to destroy it; and in order to break the hold of evil. His death is the final and ultimate revelation of His perfect obedience and love. He suffered for us the excruciating pain of absolute solitude and alienation - "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me!" (Mark 15:34). Then, He accepted the ultimate horror of death with the agonizing cry, "It is finished" (John 19:30). His cry was at one and the same time an indication that He was in control of His death and that His work of redemption was accomplished, finished, and fulfilled. LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS

Guiding Questions

• What is the epitaphios? What is the kouvouklion? How do these differ?

• Who were the myrrh bearers? What was their role?

Church Family Connection The Tomb/Kouvouklion

On Holy Friday, we decorate a tomb with flowers and then place the icon of Christ inside it, marking the time He spent in the tomb. Create a tomb with a box at home and decorate it with flowers from outside, or with flowers made from tissue paper or con- struction paper.

Be the Choir.

Sing the Lamentations.

Our Lord Jesus Christ has been taken down from the cross, and His Most Pure Mother laments and grieves over His lifeless Body, but theologizes concerning the mystery of His death and our redemption. These are divided into three parts. Use your Holy Week Book or go to agesinitiatives.com. Sing the lamentations during the service.

Holy Saturday- April 18 + Liturgy of St. Basil 9:00 am + The Vigil for the Holy Resurrection 11:15 pm +“Come Receive the Light” -The Resurrection Service and Divine Liturgy 11:45 pm

“Why do you seek the living among the Dead? He is not here, but is risen! On Great and Holy Saturday the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord's descent into Hades, the place of the dead. Death, our ultimate enemy, is defeated from within. "He (Christ) gave Himself as a ransom to death in which we were held captive, sold under sin. Descending into Hades through the Cross ... He loosed the bonds of death" (Liturgy of St. Basil). Jesus died in order to give us new life! Through His death on the Cross, Jesus defeated the power of death. Having died as a man, Jesus descended to Hades, the place of death, to destroy death and bring life to those in the tombs. Jesus ’ Life was more powerful than death. At the moment of His death, the earth shook, the tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints were raised. By His Resurrection from the dead, Jesus, who is the Christ-God, gives new life to all who believe in Him and do His will. Although we will die, we know that “death can no longer hold men captive,” for when Christ comes again, all those in the tombs will be raised from the dead. Christ the Lord of all will come to judge the living and the dead, and grant life eternal in the world to come, to all who believe in Him as King and as God. Xristos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

20 LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS

Let the creation rejoice exceedingly, let all those born on earth be glad: for hell, the enemy, has been despoiled. Ye women, come to meet me with sweet spices: for I am delivering Adam and Eve with all their offspring, and on the third day I shall rise again.

Guiding Questions

• Why do we throw bay leaves and make noise during today’s morning service?

• Where does the Light come from for the Resurrection?

• What did the angel say when the myrrh bearers arrived at the tomb? Where was Christ? Church Family Connection Morning service To celebrate the harrowing of Hades, create noisemakers or find them around your home and make a joyful noise! Arise O God, and judge the earth; for you shall take all Nations to Your inheritance.

Midnight service

Be ready with candles for everyone. If you don’t have candles or do not wish to use candles, use flashlights or your smartphone. When you light the candles, let the eldest person in your household light theirs first and then pass the light to one another, as we do in church.

Take a selfie of your family holding the Light and post to our social media platforms. Please use the hashtag #assumptionlb

Teach your children the Paschal Sermon of St. John Chrysostom (Text for sermon: http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/sermon.htm) if they don’t know already, so that they are prepared to call out their responses when you read it aloud.

Feast with all of your family’s favorite foods for breaking the fast and crack your red eggs! Complete Your Icon Mural Print an icon of the Resurrection and post to your mural. Xristos Anesti! Christ Is Risen!

Easter Sunday/ Πάσχα- April 19

• Agape Service 10:00 am

Agape is a service that continues the celebration of Pascha, typically held the day of Pascha. At this service the Gospel reading (John 20:19-25) depicts the first appearance of the risen Lord to his disciples, and is recited in many languages, symbolizing that the glorious resurrection of Christ is proclaimed to all the nations of the world. To this effect, the Gospel is sometimes read from different places within the nave.

22 LESSONS, REFLECTIONS, CONNECTIONS

A sacred Pascha has been shown to us today; a new and Holy Pascha; a mystic Pascha; An all-venerable Pascha; a Pascha, which is Christ the Redeemer; a spotless Pascha; a great Pascha; a Pascha of the faithful; a Pascha, which has opened to us the gates of Paradise; a Pascha sanctifying the faithful.

Guiding Questions

• What does the word Pascha mean? Why do we call it Pascha?

• Why is the Gospel reading for this service read in different languages?

• Is Pascha really over? How will we continue to proclaim and celebrate our Risen Lord?

Church Family Connection Proclaim the Truth! Chant Xristos Anesti at your dinner table and do so throughout the Paschal season! Call family and friends to wish them a blessed Pascha. Greet one another with Xristos Anesti/ Alithos Anesti! Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

Listen to the Paschal hymn of Xristos Anesti/Christ is Risen in many languages: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOP9mo5D1aY Χριστός ανέστη εκ νεκρών, θανάτο θάνατον πατήσας και τοις εν τοις μνήμασι, ζωήν χαρισάμενος.

Christós anésti ek nekrón, thanáto thánaton patísas, ké tís en tís mnímasi, zoín charisámenos!

Christ is risen from the dead, by death trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. 23 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Coloring pages for Icon mural http://dce.oca.org/resources/line-drawings Icons for printing https://www.goarch.org/-/downloadable-graphics

SOURCES USED FOR THIS BOOKLET

Digital Chant Stand https://www.agesinitiatives.com Ancient Faith Ministries Logistics: Planning Holy Week and Pascha at Home Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America www.goarch.org http://orthodoxeducation.blogspot.com/ orthodoxmom.com orthodoxmotherhood.com http://www.saintbarbara.org/our_faith/holy_week

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Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

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