and since we are all on the same "calendar" this year, I thought it would be nice if we share our own practices/services for Holy Week.
I always try to take vacation for Holy Thursday - Bright Wednesday so I can participate fully in the services. I wish I could take all of those two weeks, but I can't.
So here are the services that are usual in our OCA parish:
this Saturday is Lazarus Saturday and we have a Divine Liturgy that morning, with baptisms for those being received into the Church. Our priest likes to bring in the catechumens before Holy Week begins.
Saturday evening - vigil & blessing of the palms & [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] willows for Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday - Divine Liturgy in the morning. In the evening we begin the services of Bridegroom Matins. These are some of the most beautiful services of the year, imo.
Monday - Wednesday - In our parish, we have the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts each morning. And in the evening, the Bridegroom Matins with a different emphasis each day. Wednesday's Bridegroom Matins is followed by the service of Holy Unction, which we prepare to receive in the same way as for the Eucharist - with fasting and prayer and recent confession.
Holy Thursday - in the morning we have Divine Liturgy in commemoration of the initiation of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. That evening we have Matins with the reading of the 12 Passion Gospels.
Holy Friday - we start with the Royal Hours in the morning, then the Vespers of the Crucifixion at 3pm, then Matins in the evening, with Lamentations, followed by keeping vigil at the tomb (we read the Psalms in the Nave - ideally there is someone there at all times through the night, until the next morning's Liturgy).
Holy Saturday - in the morning is the Vesperal Liturgy of Pascha - the first Paschal service! There are 12 OT readings, and at one point in the Liturgy, the vestments are changed to white - the beginning of Pascha!
Then there is a tradition of having wine and bread after the Liturgy, and we are to fast the rest of the day, if possible. We usually go home and finish any preparations for Pascha, then rest or nap before the midnight service.
Holy Saturday/Pascha - Compline starts at 11:30, and Matins at midnight, followed immediately by Divine Liturgy. Then the blessing of baskets, and our parish feast. Then we go home and sleep.
Pascha afternoon - we come back at 2:00 for Agape Vespers, when the passage from 1st John 1 is proclaimed in as many languages as we have represented in the parish. After that, we have a parish picnic, with food & fun stuff & Easter Egg hunt for the kids.
Bright Week - we have the Paschal Divine Liturgy every morning Monday - Friday. Saturday, we go back to our regular schedule of Vespers in the evening.
So this is our normal schedule. What's yours?
Mary
I always try to take vacation for Holy Thursday - Bright Wednesday so I can participate fully in the services. I wish I could take all of those two weeks, but I can't.
So here are the services that are usual in our OCA parish:
this Saturday is Lazarus Saturday and we have a Divine Liturgy that morning, with baptisms for those being received into the Church. Our priest likes to bring in the catechumens before Holy Week begins.
Saturday evening - vigil & blessing of the palms & [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] willows for Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday - Divine Liturgy in the morning. In the evening we begin the services of Bridegroom Matins. These are some of the most beautiful services of the year, imo.
Monday - Wednesday - In our parish, we have the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts each morning. And in the evening, the Bridegroom Matins with a different emphasis each day. Wednesday's Bridegroom Matins is followed by the service of Holy Unction, which we prepare to receive in the same way as for the Eucharist - with fasting and prayer and recent confession.
Holy Thursday - in the morning we have Divine Liturgy in commemoration of the initiation of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. That evening we have Matins with the reading of the 12 Passion Gospels.
Holy Friday - we start with the Royal Hours in the morning, then the Vespers of the Crucifixion at 3pm, then Matins in the evening, with Lamentations, followed by keeping vigil at the tomb (we read the Psalms in the Nave - ideally there is someone there at all times through the night, until the next morning's Liturgy).
Holy Saturday - in the morning is the Vesperal Liturgy of Pascha - the first Paschal service! There are 12 OT readings, and at one point in the Liturgy, the vestments are changed to white - the beginning of Pascha!
Then there is a tradition of having wine and bread after the Liturgy, and we are to fast the rest of the day, if possible. We usually go home and finish any preparations for Pascha, then rest or nap before the midnight service.
Holy Saturday/Pascha - Compline starts at 11:30, and Matins at midnight, followed immediately by Divine Liturgy. Then the blessing of baskets, and our parish feast. Then we go home and sleep.
Pascha afternoon - we come back at 2:00 for Agape Vespers, when the passage from 1st John 1 is proclaimed in as many languages as we have represented in the parish. After that, we have a parish picnic, with food & fun stuff & Easter Egg hunt for the kids.
Bright Week - we have the Paschal Divine Liturgy every morning Monday - Friday. Saturday, we go back to our regular schedule of Vespers in the evening.
So this is our normal schedule. What's yours?
Mary
)
