Vol. III, No. 15 – Sunday, April 11, 2004
n
Easter Sunday (Saturday
midnight) the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ is celebrated. Before midnight, the Odes of
Lamentation of the previous day are repeated. The Orthros of
the Resurrection begins in complete darkness. The priest takes
Then comes the breathless moment as the people wait for the priest to start the hymn of Resurrection, which they join him in singing, repeatedly: "Christ has Risen from the dead, by death trampling upon Death, and has bestowed life upon those in the tombs". From this moment the entire service takes on a joyous Easter atmosphere. The hymns of the Odes and Praises of Resurrection which follow are of superb meaning and expression. The people confess, "It is the Day of Resurrection, let us be glorious, let us embrace one another and speak to those that hate us; let us forgive all things and so let us cry, Christ has arisen from the dead". By this hymn they admit that love of one's fellowman is the solid foundation of the faith in the Resurrection of Christ. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is then officiated. At the end of the Liturgy, a part of the marvelous festival sermon of St. Chrysostom is read, which calls upon the people to "Take part in this fair and radiant festival. Let no one be fearful of death, for the death of the Savior has set us free . . . O Death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is Thy victory? Christ is Risen and Thou art overthrown. To Him be glory and power from all ages to all ages.”
Service hours: Sundays and Feast days: Orthros at 9:30 am; Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am. Evening Services as Announced Saints: Glorious and Holy Pascha; Priest Martyr Antipas of Peramum (+92); Righteous Tryphaine; Martyrs Pocessos and Marinian, beheaded with St. Paul (1 c.) PASCHA – THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST!Gospel Entrance and Other Hymn Changes
Dismissal Hymn of Pascha
(Sing) “Christos
Anesti” Kontakion of Pascha
(Read) Though You, / O
deathless One, / descended into the grave, / You destroyed the
power of hell, / and as Victor, / You rose again, O Christ our
God. You greeted the ointment –bearing women, / saying,
Rejoice! / You bestowed peace upon Your Disciples, / and
resurrection on those that are fallen. EPISTLE – Acts 1:1-8 (Pascha Sunday)
n the first book, O Theophilos, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of lsrael?" He said to them, "it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." GOSPEL – John 1:1-17 (Pascha Sunday)
n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light. The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. (John bore witness to him, and cried, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, for he was before me.'") And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
In the Place of “Axion
Esti” (Hymnal,
54) the Leaders sing “O Angelos eboa” (Read)
The Angel cried out to the one full of Grace: / Hail! Holy
Virgin, and again I say, Hail! / Your Son has risen from the
tomb on the third day. / Shine, shine, / the New Jerusalem! /
For the glory of the Lord has dawned upon You. / Rejoice now
and be glad, O Zion; / and You, O all-pure Theotokos, /
delight in the Resurrection of Him, / to Whom you gave birth. Bulletin Sponsors:
CHRIST THE SAVIOR GREEK
ORTHODOX CHURCH
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light
from the vigil light and gives it to the faithful, who are
holding candles. The priest sings: "Come ye and receive light
from the unwaning life, and. glorify Christ, who arose from
the dead", and all the people join him in singing this hymn
again and again. From this moment, every Christian holds the
Easter candle as a symbol of his vivid, deep faith in the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ as Savior. In many churches the
priest leads the people outside the church, where he reads the
Gospel which refers to the Angels statement: "He is Risen; He
is not here", Mark 16:1-8.
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