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HOLY WEEK AT HOME Preparing for and Celebrating the Feast of Feasts During the COVID-19 Pandemic APRIL 2020 ST. BASIL GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL PROGRAM 733 South Ashland Avenue Chicago, IL 60607 Lazarus Saturday Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday are an interlude, or pause, between Great Lent and Holy Week. On this this day, we celebrate how our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ raised His friend Lazarus, who had been dead and been lying in a tomb for four days. This feast is a foreshadowing of Christ’s death and Resurrection, and a reminder that we will all be resurrected when Christ comes again. This feast is directly connected to Palm Sunday, when crowds in Jerusalem welcomed Jesus Christ as a savior after they heard about this great miracle. Lazarus, and his sisters Mary and Martha, were close friends and followers of Christ. The story of Lazarus’ illness and death are found in the Gospel of John (11:1-45). In that Gospel, when Jesus heard that Lazarus had died, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35). Even though Christ knew that He would soon raise Lazarus from the dead, He still wept. This is how greatly Christ loves us, and how He understands our pain, sorrow, and grief. Services Divine Liturgy* * St. Basil live stream Vespers Readings • Hebrews 12:28-13:8 • John 11:1-45 Hymn Kontakion of the Feast By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion, You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with palms of victory, We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death; Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord! • Listen to the Kontakion here (The above translation begins at 01:00) • Listen to the hymn in other languages (Spanish, church Slavonic, Korean, etc.) here Celebrating at Home • Try baking Lazarakia. These small, fast-worthy breads look like St. Lazarus wrapped in his burial clothes. There are many recipes available online. Additional Resources • Lazarus Saturday Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOARCH) – learn about the feast, the gospel passages, the festal icon, and the Liturgical celebrations • 4 Tips for a Great Holy Week (2020) GOARCH Youth and Young Adult Ministries • Lazarus Saturday Fr. Thomas Hopko - podcast • Remembering Saint Lazarus Orthodox Mom – activities for families • The Raising of Lazarus Orthodox Pebbles – activities for children Holy Week at Home 2020 – St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church – Chicago, IL Palm Sunday Before Holy Week, we celebrate Palm Sunday - one of the most joyous feasts of the year. On this day, we remember the entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem after he performed the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. Anticipating His arrival, and having heard of the miracle, the people went out to meet Christ and welcomed Him with displays of honor. The children laid palms and garments on the road in front of Him, as one would for a king. The people shouted praise: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” This is why we bless and process in our church with palms and other branches. By Palm Sunday evening, the gospels and the tone of our services will change from triumphant hymns, to focusing on of how our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ begins to prepare to be betrayed and crucified. Services • Divine Liturgy* * St. Basil live stream • Matins (Orthros, or morning service) of Holy Monday* Readings • Matthew 21:1-11; 15-17 • St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 4:4-9 • John 12:1-18 Hymn Kontakion of the Feast By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion, You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with palms of victory, We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death; Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord! • Listen to the Kontakion here (The above translation begins at 01:00) • Listen to the hymn in other languages here Celebrating at Home • Have a family procession with branches by cutting branches from your trees (like the children of Jerusalem did for Jesus), purchasing greens from the grocery store on your next trip, or using blessed palms from last year. • Make crosses from long strips of paper instead of palm fronds. • Christians all over the world use whatever greens or branches they have available to celebrate Palm Sunday. In Greece, it is common to branches of bay leaves. In Russia and other cold climates, there are no green leaves at this time of year, so they use pussy willows. So in this unusual times, let’s use whatever we have to celebrate. Additional Resources • Palm Sunday GOARCH – learn about the feast, the gospel passages, the festal icon, and the Liturgical celebrations • Palm Sunday Lesson Dr. Pat’s Orthodox Super Sunday School • How to Make Palm Crosses video and diagram Holy Week at Home 2020 – St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church – Chicago, IL Holy Monday Beginning on Palm Sunday evening and continuing through Holy Wednesday evening, we pray the Service of the Bridegroom, or Bridegroom Matins (Orthros). Although prayed in the evening, Bridegroom Matins are morning prayers services for the following day. Therefore, on Palm Sunday evening, we pray the Bridegroom Matins for Holy Monday, and on Holy Monday evening, we pray the Bridegroom Matins for Holy Tuesday, etc. In this way, we are always anticipating the events of the next day of Holy Week. The term Bridegroom refers to the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). In this parable, Christ is the Bridegroom, and we learn from the story how we are to prepare for His coming. The term Bridegroom also reminds us of the intimacy we have with Christ, and how he loves us eternally. The services of the first three days of Holy Week are similar, but focus on different themes that we are to consider as we prepare for Christ’s passion and Pascha. The themes for Monday are: • Saint Joseph of the Old Testament (Genesis 37-50), whose life foreshadowed Christ’s coming, and how Christ will deliver us from the slavery and death of sin, just as Joseph delivered his people from starvation and death. His icon is above. • Jesus cursing of the fig tree in the Gospel of Matthew (21:18-43). This fig tree with no fruit teaches us that if we are not alive with faith, and producing the fruit of faith, that we will be cursed like the tree. Services • Presancitfied Liturgy * St. Basil live stream • Bridegroom Matins (Orthros, or morning service of the next day)* Readings • Matthew 24:3-35 • Matthew 21:18-43 Hymn Troparion of the Bridegroom Behold the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night. And blessed is the servant whom he shall find watching. And again unworthy is he whom he shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, lest thou be borne down with sleep, Lest thou be given over unto death, And lest thou be shut out from the kingdom. Wherefore arouse thyself and cry, "Holy! Holy! Holy art thou O our God. Through the intercession of the Theotokos, Savior save us!" • Listen to the Troparion here. Celebrating at Home • Light your home oil lamp, or make one for the occasion, and light it during each Bridegroom Service this week. Additional Resources • Services of the Bridegroom (Holy Monday) GOARCH – learn about the day, the gospel passages, the icons, and the Liturgical services • Holy Week OrthodoxABC • Holy Week chart and Holy Week activities for kids Orthodox Education BlogSpot • Journey to Pascha Department of Christian Education Orthodox Church in America (OCA) Holy Week at Home 2020 – St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church – Chicago, IL Holy Tuesday The themes of Holy Tuesday are the Kingdom of Heaven and the Final Judgement. We learn about these through two parables that Christ taught his disciples in the days before his crucifixion: • Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-3), which teaches us that Judgement Day will be like bridesmaids (Virgins) who were waiting for the Bridegroom (Christ) to arrive for the wedding feast (Heaven). Some were wise and brought plenty of oil for their lamps as they waited, and some were not. We must strive to live like the wise bridesmaids – watchful and ready for Christ at all times, so that we can enter with Him into the Heaven. Watchfulness is the intense love of God. • Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), which tells of a master (Christ) who gave different amount of wealth (talents) to each of his servants to keep for him while he was away. From this parable, we learn how each of us must use our God- given talents while on this earth, waiting for our master, Christ, to return. Services • Presancitfied Liturgy * St. Basil live stream • Matins (Orthros, or morning service of the next day)* Readings • Matthew 24:36-51; 25:1-46; 26:1-2 • Matthew 22:15-46; 23:1-39 Hymn Exapostelarion of Bridegroom Matins I see Thy bridal chamber adorned, O my Savior! And I have no wedding garment that I may enter therein. O Though Giver of life make radiant the vesture of my soul and save me. • Listen to the Exapostelarion here Celebrating at Home • Light your home oil lamp, or make one for the occasion, and light it during each Bridegroom Service this week. • Children can make paper lamps to remember the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Additional Resources • Services of the Bridegroom (Holy Tuesday) GOARCH • 4 Tips for a Great Holy Week (2020) GOARCH Youth and Young Adult Ministries • Holy Week OrthodoxABC • Holy Week chart and Holy Week activities for kids Orthodox Education BlogSpot • Journey to Pascha Department of Christian Education OCA Holy Week at Home 2020 – St.
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