Tag: Holy Trinity

We return to the church at midday on Pascha for this “Love Vespers.” As on every day of Bright Week, we only sing hymns of the Resurrection. The Gospel is read in as many languages as possible, as the Good News of the Resurrection goes out to every tribe and nation. We again exchange paschal greetings and share the traditional red eggs.

The vigil begins in darkness with the Midnight Office. The Paschal Flame is then carried out, and the light spreads among the people as we process outside the church. The Resurrection Gospel is proclaimed, and we re-enter the church and everything is full of light, like the souls of all the dead entering into heaven with Christ as their champion. We sing the Paschal Canon and celebrate the Eucharist, full of joy on this day of Resurrection. Christ is risen!

Also known as the “First Liturgy of Pascha,” in truth, this is first service of Pascha. The vesperal hymns are those of Resurrection: Hades weeps with regret, wondering how he could have taken this Man, who turned out to be God. The beautiful doxasticon hymn tells us that Christ has spent this Great Sabbath in the tomb, resting from His work. The Old Testament readings prophecy of the Resurrection, and reach their pinnacle with the singing of Psalm 81: “Arise, O God, and judge the earth!” as the priest scatters flower petals throughout the church. St. Matthew’s account of the Resurrection is proclaimed, and the Cherubic Hymn is from the Liturgy of St. James: “Let all mortal flesh keep silence.”

Also known as the “Lamentations Service,” we join the Mother of God at the tomb as she weeps for her Son. Christ’s body, symbolically in the form of the epitaphios or plaschanitsa, is carried around the church in solemn procession. This is the Lord’s funeral service. Yet even in this dark hour, we see the first signs of hope as we begin to sing hymns of the Resurrection.