Midnight...Why?

[katherine2001]

I wouldn't miss the Pascha service for anything. It is such a beautiful and joyous service. Especially when you go back into the church after the procession and the church is all lit up and there are flowers everywhere. One priest I had, his face would just glow the entire service and he was so joyful. We have a family that live on the Indian reservation (the husband is Northern Cheyenne) a couple of hours away. They either stay with someone in the parish or at a hotel from Holy Thursday through Pascha.

I will say that during the feast after the liturgy when we have our Pascha baskets blessed and we eat what is in them and try to crack each others Pascha eggs, the kids are wide awake and very lively.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

I just wanted to add - my non-Orthodox husband refuses to miss Pascha, even when it means he has to miss his Anglican Easter service, like this year. And he's someone who has to have his sleep. He just gets a nap in Saturday evening and again on Sunday.

Mary

 

[katherine2001]

Families bring blankets & pillows & let the little ones sleep, then wake them up towards the end of Liturgy. Then we have the baskets blessed and have the festal meal. Our service starts at 11:30 with Compline, then Matins at midnight, followed by Divine Liturgy, so by the time the feast is over, it's between 4 & 5am. We go home & sleep, then come back for Agape Vespers & picnic at 2. It's the best day of the year!

As an Anglican, we had midnight Christmas Mass, which we always took our boys to. We just never had any problem with midnight services.

Mary

Ours works the same way. The priest that received me into the church is coming for Holy Week (and bringing his family), and we are having Agape Vespers at 11:30am followed by our parish potluck. I may just stay awake after I get home. If I only go to bed for a couple of hours, I usually do worse than if I just stay up. It is usually an hour or two after I get home from the Pascha service before I can even think of going to bed. I love Holy Week and it will be great to have Fr. Eric and family here for the week.

 

[katherine2001]

I also plan to watch the live streaming of the Paschal liturgy from Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow on Saturday if I get a chance. I was watching it last year on video as I was getting ready to go to church for the service, and it was perfect.

 

[rusmeister]

I have serious sleep issues. I really do. When I take naps, my whole evening is energy city. But if I can't leave until like 2am from Fresno and get home at like 3:30 or so, holy smokes, then I'll be sleeping in until like 10am probably. Then that late sleep will throw off THAT evening's sleep so I'll be tired the whole next day and on and on....with me, sleep is a serious domino effect. If I get throw off a bit, I'm hosed. If I have to drive clear up to Fresno and stay awake in a church all night, Lord have mercy, my next 3-4 days will be less than fun, trust me! Ever since I was a baby I've had sleep issues. Drove my parents nuts! Haven't changed, unfortunately. My wife works night shifts, so Pascha being her off-night "day" off, that will keep her in night shift mode and screw up the next couple days.

It's a lousy setup for people like us, trust me!

I do. I also feel wiped on the days following midnight services.
I chalk it off as an inevitable price to pay. Normal routine returns. Bright Week follows.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Yeah, I hear ya. I'll probably go, but I'm dreading the aftermath. My sleep habits SUCK!!! I'm not the "I'll just catch a little catnap and be just fine" sorta guy, UNFORTUNATELY! But I hear ya, Rus.

I do. I also feel wiped on the days following midnight services.
I chalk it off as an inevitable price to pay. Normal routine returns. Bright Week follows.

 

[GregConstantine]

many protestants have Easter services at sunrise, for many (including myself) who are not morning people, that is a very inaccessible time! So I would point that out to her.

 

[Anhelyna]

There is also the symbolism - of out of darkness into light

 

[Knee V]

For some people, you could have services at noon in their garage and they would still have a hard time getting there. Accessibility is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[Anhelyna]

For some people, you could have services at noon in their garage and they would still have a hard time getting there. Accessibility is in the eye of the beholder.

Sadly that's very very true

 

[Kristos]

My girlfriend is still new to Orthodoxy and wanted to know why "such an important service is held at such an inaccessible time".

Any help explaining it would be appreciated,.

I think it's mainly so that not too many people come...oh wait - everyone comes, event the people who never come when liturgy is at 10am...go figure

 

[Dorothea]

I think it's mainly so that not too many people come...oh wait - everyone comes, event the people who never come when liturgy is at 10am...go figure

LOL I noticed that, too. About a quarter of the people crowded inside our little church back in Colorado Springs, we'd never seen before til that Saturday midnight service. But, it's all good. God bless them.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I do. I also feel wiped on the days following midnight services.
I chalk it off as an inevitable price to pay. Normal routine returns. Bright Week follows.

oh I hear you. I crash afterwards and wake up for Agape Vespers and Paschal leftovers and one hurting stomach.

 

[prodromos]

oh I hear you. I crash afterwards and wake up for Agape Vespers and Paschal leftovers and one hurting stomach.

Yet another reason to leave doing the lamb on the spit for another day. We find it best to re - introduce meat into our diet very slowly after Pascha. Otherwise our stomachs have it in for us for the next couple of days

 

[ArmyMatt]

Yet another reason to leave doing the lamb on the spit for another day. We find it best to re - introduce meat into our diet very slowly after Pascha. Otherwise our stomachs have it in for us for the next couple of days

I have yet to be that smart. I usually make a B-line for the first thing that used to have a hoof

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I haven't eaten meat in 3 years. Haven't had a hamburger since 1989. If I were to eat that junk, I'd probably have a stroke at this point! Lord have mercy!

Yet another reason to leave doing the lamb on the spit for another day. We find it best to re - introduce meat into our diet very slowly after Pascha. Otherwise our stomachs have it in for us for the next couple of days

 

[prodromos]

I haven't eaten meat in 3 years. Haven't had a hamburger since 1989. If I were to eat that junk, I'd probably have a stroke at this point! Lord have mercy!

You would be very comfortable living on a monastic diet then I'm sure
Even better if cooked by monastics. Amazing how food tastes so much better when prepared with prayer.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I bet!!!

Yeah, that whole eating the lamb thing, I avoid that like the plague! LOL...I'd make a great monastic food-wise, like you said! LOL...although I'm a fool for chocolate and desserts, which I'm convinced are my Kryptonite!

You would be very comfortable living on a monastic diet then I'm sure
Even better if cooked by monastics. Amazing how food tastes so much better when prepared with prayer.

 

[ArmyMatt]

You would be very comfortable living on a monastic diet then I'm sure
Even better if cooked by monastics. Amazing how food tastes so much better when prepared with prayer.

amen to that one. I think that is also, vegetarian or not, the food at Pascha tastes so good. because of the prayers and preparation that went into it, to include messing up the old bio clock when the service starts at 2330. I think that is part of what makes it the Feast of Feasts.

 

[Dorothea]

Yeah, I don't eat very much at 2:30-3:00 in the morning after the midnight service is done. I don't like to eat at that time of night, so usually I have a half a bowl of the lamb stew and a little salad and a piece of bread and some juice or water, and then go home so I can get some sleep and be present for Agape service at noon. Not sure the schedule this year for the churches in our area.