The priest spoke about the events of Holy Week
Garden beds or temple
On Friday, April 26, Lent ended, its first part being Pentecost. After two holidays - Lazarus Saturday and the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem - the last week before Easter comes, the time of the strictest fasting - Holy Week, dedicated to the events of the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, his crucifixion and death. Easter, or the Resurrection of Christ, will be celebrated in the Russian Orthodox Church on May 5 this year.
“I strongly urge those who consider themselves Christians not to exchange the services of Holy Week for any, even the most innocent, types of out-of-town or other leisure activities. If you want some air, go for some air, because almost everywhere you can find a church and attend divine services. Enjoy the sun, breathe fresh air, but don’t get caught up in everyday worries these days,” said Maxim Kozlov.
According to him, the days of Holy Week and the Resurrection of Christ are “the most important in the entire earthly history of mankind.” “At this time, it is better to try to push aside other life circumstances, except for the most necessary concerns, and not to find yourself outside the experience of those events that are remembered in the Church during services. Fortunately, this year there is every opportunity for this: most of Holy Week falls on days off postponed or added by the state,” the archpriest added.
The first three days of the week
Each day of Holy Week is dedicated to memories of what happened in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. Thus, on Monday it is told about a barren fig tree, which the Savior turns into a withered one, because the tree did not bear fruit. “On the second day they remember the Lord’s denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, as well as the parable of the Last Judgment. The third day is about Judas’ plan for betrayal and the memory of his wife, a sinner, who wiped the Savior’s feet with her hair and anointed them with fragrant oil - myrrh,” the priest recalled.
Believers will also be reminded of the parable of talents (a monetary unit in Israel), when two slaves multiplied the funds given by the Master, and the third, being afraid, buried his talent in the ground, after which the Master took it away too; and about ten virgins, only five of whom were reasonable and prepared to meet the groom - the parable tells that believers need to be ready to meet God at any moment in life.
Also, on the first three days of Holy Week, the last liturgies of the presanctified gifts of the year are served, and unlike the liturgies that took place on the weekdays of other days of Lent, excerpts from the Gospel are read on these, dedicated to events from the life of Christ, Father Maxim added.
Maundy Thursday and Friday
“The most important days of Holy Week are from Thursday to Saturday. On Maundy Thursday, the Savior at the Last Supper (see the corresponding painting by Leonardo Da Vinci) established the sacrament of the Eucharist - communion. On the same day he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and the betrayal of Judas actually took place. Good Friday is a day of remembrance of the sufferings of the cross, crucifixion and the sacrifice of Calvary. Friday is the day of the strictest fasting: the charter says “whoever can not eat on this day must not eat.” And those who cannot help but eat are advised to reduce their diet to a minimum,” said the archpriest.
He noted that on Thursday evening or on the night from Thursday to Friday, a divine service is held, which is called “Matins of Good Friday.” “The peculiarity of this service is that 15 Gospel passages are read, that is, all the Gospel narratives about the events from Maundy Thursday to the burial of the Savior,” said the priest.
In connection with the remembrance of the death of the Savior on the cross, the liturgy is not served on Friday morning, and in the afternoon the service “vespers with the removal of the shroud” is held. “The Shroud is an icon, sometimes painted, sometimes embroidered, which depicts the Savior lying in the tomb. This shrine is worshiped. On Friday evening, Matins of Holy Saturday begins, at the end of which the procession with the shroud goes around the temple, which symbolizes the burial of Jesus Christ in the cave,” explained the archpriest.
Holy Saturday and Easter
“Great Saturday is a day that in the Church is understood as a day of rest, the day when the Savior was physically in the tomb. By his divinity, as always, he was inseparable from the Father and the Son (Christians believe that God exists in three persons - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - ed.), and with his soul, separated at that moment from his human corporeality, he descended into hell, to free the souls of the people who were there. On Saturday morning, a liturgy is served, at which 15 proverbs are read - 15 of the most significant Old Testament passages, in which the events of the atoning sacrifice of the Resurrection of Christ are prophetically predicted,” said Maxim Kozlov.
Also, he noted, on Saturday mornings in churches the clergy changes their dark Lenten robes to light ones - “like that angel in white shining robes, whom the first visitors and visitors to the cave of the Savior’s tomb saw (after the Resurrection of Christ - ed.).”
“After the liturgy of Holy Saturday, as a rule, in most churches the consecration of Easter cakes, Easter eggs, eggs and other Easter food is performed. Well, and then - the Easter service and the Resurrection of Christ,” concluded the agency’s interlocutor.
