by user | Apr 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
In the early Church, Holy Saturday was the day when catechumens were baptized. In the Byzantine tradition, this took place at the Vespers with Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil which we still have on Holy Saturday. This service is the original “Easter Vigil.” In recent...
by user | Apr 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
According to the Typikon, Vespers should begin at 4:00 pm. Many Ukrainian parishes have a custom of holding this service in the late morning, and I often wondered why. When I spent Holy Week in L’viv in 1991, I suddenly understood: the early time was set to allow...
by user | Apr 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
Let us be honest, and admit that Holy Thursday in the Byzantine liturgical tradition is not entirely successful! The day has become overloaded, and what should be the principal theme has suffered as a result. That principal theme is, of course, the Last Supper, at...
by user | Apr 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
Today at Matins we hear the Gospel warning of the dangers of rejecting Christ, that we should not be like those who “loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” We should he moved, yet again, not to take the grace of God for granted in our lives. Since we...
by user | Apr 5, 2014 | Uncategorized
Today at Matins, we hear the Gospel in which Jesus delivers a ringing, frightening denunciation of religious hypocrisy. We, who have the richest liturgical tradition in Christendom, should listen to this Gospel lesson attentively. Our wonderful, magnificent worship...
