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Holy Week and Pascha
During Holy Week, services for each day are held during the preceding evening. On Wednesday evening a service of Anointing (Holy Unction) is held. Divine Liturgy of the Last Supper is held on the morning of Holy Thursday. Matins of Holy Friday, with its Twelve Gospel Readings, is held on the evening of Holy Thursday; Vespers of Holy Friday (Vespers of the Unnailing) is held during the day on Holy Friday. An embroidered icon on cloth representing Christ is laid in a "tomb" decorated with flowers. Matins of Holy Saturday is held on the evening of Holy Friday: the tomb is sprinkled with rose petals and water, and then carried in a candlelit procession, and a set of hymns called ‘The Lamentations’ is sung. On Holy Saturday the Church waits at the Lord's tomb, meditating on his suffering and death. Divine Liturgy is held Saturday morning. This is the First Resurrection service, with a change from dark vestments to light ones. On Saturday night the service begins in darkness. A single candle is lighted by the priest from a light on the altar. The light spreads from person to person until everyone holds a lighted candle. The Divine Liturgy follows. A late night reception then takes place, sometimes lasting till dawn. Paschal Vespers is held in place of the regular Sunday morning Liturgy. Parishioners bring baskets filled with meat, eggs, cheese and butter: foods abstained from during Lent, to be blessed and eaten. Click on a thumbnail to see the full-sized picture:
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