Bishop Gerasim Visit: December 3

We are excited to announce that Bishop Gerasim (Eliel), will visit St. Barbara’s on December 3, celebrating with us, our Patronal Feast. Although His Eminence Archbishop Alexander (Golitzin) of Dallas is the ruling hierarch of the Southern Diocese, he is aided greatly by His Grace Gerasim Bishop of Ft. Worth. 

In the Orthodox Church “the office of bishop is the leading Church ministry. The word bishop (episkopos in Greek) means overseer…He is the one (ultimately) responsible and answerable before God and man for the life of his particular diocese” (Fr. Thomas Hopko). Our own Diocese of the South includes 14 states, from New Mexico to the East Coast, from Virginia to the Gulf of Mexico.  It includes over 80 parishes and missions, as well as 3 monastic communities.

Orthodox hierarchs have “an identical share” in their particular vocation: that is to say, each is equally a bishop. No one bishop has authority over others. An auxiliary however, as assistant such as Bishop Gerasim, does follow directives given by the ruling bishop of his respective diocese.  In practice certain hierarchs have more natural – and at times formal – influence within the life of the Church, depending on their seniority, experience and education, as well as the historical significance of their Episcopal See(s): Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, etc.       

Episcopal visits are times of great joy.  We greet the bishop as a father in Christ, but also as a successor of the Apostles.  The faithful will formally greet His Grace at 9:30 am, December 3.

HIERARCHICAL RECEPTION:

The reception that day will be in compliance with the Nativity Fast, although fish and wine are allowed. The main dish has been planned taking the Fast into consideration, as well as His Grace’s dietary requirements. Additional Lenten dishes and desserts will be needed.  A sign-up sheet is now posted in the Church Hall. Please see Matushka Christine for more information.

In addition, we have planned a cleaning party on December 1.  Special choir and altar-server rehearsals will also be conducted. His Grace will be accompanied by at least one deacon, as well as a subdeacon from the Cathedral.  We will see everyone on December 3. Please arrive prior to 9:30 am. Those with food, 9:00 am or 9:15 is advisable. Thank you.    

St. Tikhon: Enlightener of North America and Visionary

Prior to the consecration of an Orthodox hierarch, he offers a public confession of the ancient faith he will both teach and defend. This is a special moment in the early stage of a man’s episcopacy, as is the first sermon given in his new Cathedral. Through both, the faithful get a sense of the bishop’s personality. They hear about principles set to characterize his ministry.

The man commemorated on October 9 – St. Tikhon, Enlightener of North America – entered his San Francisco cathedral for the first time on December 23, 1898. In his sermon that day, Tikhon’s love and humility were obvious. He offered, as well, a sense of direction for the young North American Church.

Orthodox Christians in the 21st century remember Tikhon as a man of vision. He was pastorally sensitive to the diverse makeup and challenges of the Church in this land. From the beginning he understood the necessity for all Church members – clergy and laymen alike – to utilize their gifts for the glory of God. In our time, there are those who take as a given, this comprehensive vision of the Christian life. Many, however, need reminding.  St. Tikhon and others laid a strong foundation upon which we and our children continue to build.

In his homily on December 23, 1898, Tikhon stated, “I ask brethren, for assistance and cooperation with me (as your new bishop) not only from the pastors, but also from all of my beloved flock. The holy Apostle Paul wisely compares the Church of Christ with a body, and a body has not one member but many…each member is necessary and cannot do without the other. They all care for one another, and there is no discord in the body.”

He went on to say that believers should look after their fellow man, use their God-given gifts for the building up of the American Church. “Edify each other (he said), warn those who are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all.  See that no one renders evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men…”

In this first sermon – only a few pages long – the new Bishop Tikhon sets a tone, paints a broad picture of the Church he envisions, one that both Tikhon and his flock can build together. A Church in which everyone will realize their responsibilities toward fellow members, and toward the non-Christians yet to be evangelized.

While conveying this message, Tikhon’s love and humility are apparent. He refers to leaving his beloved homeland, his family and friends, to adopt as his people strangers he was meeting for the first time. He requests help from those who have lived and worked on this continent for years, and admits a certain ignorance, the need for advice.

“I enter this country for the 1st time; I know it little. But you have labored here for a long time, long before me; many of you have become intimately linked with it, and some were even born here. I hope in my forthcoming (episcopal ministry) that you will do a great service to me, with your knowledge of this land and its people, and that with your experience, you will become for me, true coworkers, men of advice and reason.”

Remembering our blessed father Tikhon, may we also be prepared to offer Godly counsel and tangible assistance to others, as opportunities present themselves. And, may we learn from his vision, his love and humility, utilizing our gifts for the glory of God, and for the building up of Christ’s Holy Church.

Comprehending the Written Word Through the Lens of Sacred Tradition

Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware)

It has been noted, time and again, that a person can make the Bible say anything he (or she) wants it to say.  Indeed, when left to their own devices, with little or no authentic spiritual guidance, individuals will inevitably base their own understanding of Scripture on personal likes and dislikes, social trends, the views of friends, of one or more political parties, even on the preaching of popular religious leaders. They can indeed, make the Bible say whatever they wish it to say, depending on their chosen instructors and sources of information.  The humble of heart, however, will always seek out – first and foremost – divine guidance from Christ Himself, “the Teacher,” the Living Word of God.

Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of blessed memory, offers four principles for Orthodox Christians to keep in mind as they explore God’s Word, keys to understanding the Bible through the lens of Sacred Tradition. The following is an edited version of Ware’s thoughts, with simple additions made to enhance or clarify specific points.

A SPIRIT of OBEDIENCE:

His Beatitude states that when reading Scripture, we are to listen in a spirit of obedience. We should approach the Word, ready to be guided along a definite path. The Bible is God’s will, His divine teaching given in human language. As such, it should evoke within us a sense of wonder, of expectation and surprise, as well as an eagerness to pay attention.

Within Holy Scripture there is much depth, a great deal of wisdom and majesty to discover. To do so, however, requires us to perform a most difficult task according to the Apostle James (James 3:1-12). We have to stop talking so much, and keep our minds – at least momentarily – from running in a dozen different directions. We have to quiet everything down to hear what the Lord is telling us through the pages of the Bible, in the depths of our hearts. This state of being, remaining calm, is absolutely essential, emphasized especially during the Lenten season.   

CONTINUITY and CONTEXT are IMPORTANT:

In addition, we are to interpret Scripture, through the Church and in the Church. It is the Body of Christ that gave Christians the Bible, that chose formally, 1700 years ago, which books would be included in a Canon of Scripture, and which would not, based on specific criteria. The Church has a centuries old understanding for each passage of the Bible, and She functions as a living guide for that understanding. Consider Acts, Chapter 8: coming upon an Ethiopian, as he read the Old Testament, Philip the Apostle asked him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The Ethiopian answered, "How can I, unless someone should guide me?" Philip then, proceeded to offer the necessary instruction.

Spiritually, we are all in the position of the Ethiopian. The words of Scripture are not always self-explanatory; in part, that is why we see at least 30,000 variations of Christianity worldwide. God certainly speaks directly to the heart of each one of us as we read the Bible, no question. Scripture reading is a personal dialogue between each one of us and Christ. But we also need guidance, and our living, tangible guide is the 2000-year-old Sacred Tradition of the Church.

To be clear, we do make full use of our own personal understanding of Scripture, assisted by the Holy Spirit. We make full use as well, of the findings of modern Biblical research. But we always submit private opinion — whether our own or that of scholars — to the total experience of the Church throughout the ages.

When Christians speak of “spiritual security,” wanting assurances when it comes to knowledge and salvation, we would submit that the Orthodox Church’s approach to the Bible provides the utmost in certainty.  Believers find great comfort in knowing that their understanding of God’s Word matches that of a St. Athanasius or a St. John Chrysostom, giants in Church history, that we have these venerable fathers and countless others over the past two millennia, as instructors in the Faith. 

CHRIST CENTERED:

Scripture is approached as being Christ-centered. Salvation through the Messiah is the central topic, the unifying theme of all books of the Bible. The Person of Jesus is “a thread" as it were, that runs through the whole of Scripture, from the first sentence to the last, from Genesis to Revelation. Christ may be seen everywhere, foreshadowed on the pages of the Old Testament, just as He is spoken of directly in the New.

When approaching particularly the Old Testament, Orthodoxy assigns significance to the "typological" method of interpretation. "Types of Christ,” that is, signs and symbols of His work, are discerned throughout the Old Testament.

One notable example is the person of Melchizedek, the mysterious priest-king of Salem, who in Genesis, offered bread and wine to Abraham. Melchizedek is recognized as a type of Christ, not only by the Church Fathers, but even in the New Testament itself, specifically in Paul’s letter to the Hebrews. Christ is our Great High Priest, and also the King of Creation.

Melchizedek is referenced multiple times throughout the year, in liturgical celebrations. At Christmas, for instance, during the first entrance of the Liturgy, the clergy say: “Wisdom, let us attend:  Thou (O Lord) art a Priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”

SIGNIFICANCE of the BIBLE for ME:

And finally, Bishop Kallistos states that as Orthodox Christians we are to look everywhere in Scripture for a personal application. We are to ask not simply, "What does this mean?" but "What does this mean to me?" Scripture is a personal dialogue between the Savior and myself: Christ speaking to me, and me answering.

This is the fourth criterion for those reading the Bible. In fact, if I, as a Christian, do not apply this fourth criterion, then it might legitimately be asked, of what use are study and discussions, all of my prayers and the liturgical services that make abundant use of God’s Word?  What good is all of that, if I am not directing it toward my inner self?

I am called to see all the stories in Scripture as part of my own personal story. In Genesis, for instance, who is Adam? Well, the name Adam means "man," means "human." And so, when he is described as being created in God’s Image, I take comfort knowing that I also bear the stamp of that gift, and all related possibilities.

But the account of Adam's fall is also a story about me, my sins and failings. Let us recall the story of Cain and Abel: when God asks Cain, "Where is your brother?" these words, are addressed to each of us. Who is Cain? It is I myself, and indeed, God asks the Cain in each of us, "Where is your brother?" to remind us that the way to God lies through our brothers and sisters in Christ, our neighbors. Love for other people is essential. There is no other path to the Kingdom. When I disown my brother, I then replace the image of God in me with the mark of Cain, and I end up denying – in some way, large or small – my own humanity.

CONCLUSION:

In a nutshell, these are the thoughts of Metropolitan Kallistos Ware. We are to approach Scripture with these basic principles in mind: read it in obedience; as members of the Church; finding Christ everywhere; while seeing everything as a part of our own personal stories.

Through this method, we will sense something of the variety and depth to be found in the Bible. At the same time, we will undoubtedly feel that we have only scratched the surface of understanding Scripture. According to His Beatitude, we will find ourselves to be always at the beginning, like someone launching out in a tiny boat across a limitless ocean. But we have to start, we have to take those initial steps of study and contemplation.  We are to engage them as part of our own personal journey to growth and enlightenment in Christ.  

Sacred Music: Its Nature and Function

Department of Liturgical Music, Orthodox Church in America, 1977

(The following is an edited version of a wonderful, informative article found on oca.org.  For the sake of space some introductory material has been deleted.  We encourage everyone, however, to read the entire article at their convenience.  Given the central place of acapella music in the Orthodox Church – its history and often complexity – we thought the following might be of benefit.)

The Christian practice of worship included sacred music from the very beginning. At the Lord’s Supper when our Lord Jesus in­stituted the Mystery of His precious Body and Blood, He and His disciples sang a hymn before they departed to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26). And Saint Paul, writing to the “faithful saints” in Ephesus, advised: “Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one anoth­er in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.” (Ephesians 5:18-19).

The early Christians simply continued the Judaic heritage of chanting psalms, adding gradually new hymns which were specifically Christian in content. The notion that sacred music developed only after the age of the early Church persecutions is quite erroneous. In fact, it was through psalms and hymns that the intense band of the faithful expressed their strength and joy in the risen Lord during those long years of persecution. (The first three hundred years of the Church’s existence is often referred to as The Age of Martyrdom.) When the Church finally did emerge from that difficult era, its music continued and flourished as before.  

During the age of the Seven Ecumenical Councils (4th-8th Centuries), music in the Church received its definitive structure and character. Some of the cleverer heretics in that era knew well the power of music to capture human hearts. They shrewdly expressed their false doctrines in lively, catchy melodies which spread quickly among the people. But the character of the tunes, consonant with the falsity of their content, echoed the music of the theater and circus. In opposition to the heretics, the Church Fathers formulated guidelines for the music to be used in Orthodox worship. The main features of Orthodox sacred music defined during the Great Councils are still the canonical norms for church music today. They are outlined as follows:

FEATURES OF SACRED MUSIC:  

First and most obviously, the music is purely vocal. No accompanying organ or other instruments are used. The human voice alone glorifies God. There are a number of reasons for this. During the formative years of the Church, the organ, along with other musical instruments, were associated with the theater and circus; they evoked the whole atmosphere of pagan frivolity and licentiousness for the Christian. Even in the Western Church until the 15th Century instruments were not permitted. As late as the 16th Century in the West, the organ was hardly more than tolerated, the music being still mainly a cappella.

The deeper objection to instruments was that their use was considered not consonant with the spiritual nature of Christian worship. In the past Jewish worship had included them, but only as an accommodation to human weakness, to the spiritual imperfection of the man under the old Law. St. John Chrysostom said in this regard: “David formerly sang in psalms, we today also sing with him; he had a lyre with lifeless strings, the Church has a lyre with living strings. Our tongues are the strings of the lyre, with a different tone, indeed, but with a more accordant piety.”1 Christian worship is higher and more perfect by virtue of the perfect revelation of God in Jesus Christ. Musical instruments are of the imperfect realm of “this world”; they are lifeless, mechanical and ostentatious; they introduce into the character of the services a contrived, sensuous, theatrical element. The lyre of “living strings,” the pure human voice because of its flexibility, its warmth and the deep feeling it can express, is the sole worthy instrument in the more perfect worship of the “New Israel.” Jesus Christ has inaugurated a new age, the New Creation where the faithful now worship in “spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).

The second main characteristic is that the music, being wholly vocal, is completely wed to the text. The text, in fact, is paramount, the words and their meaning suggesting the very contour and rhythm of the music. Since the Orthodox Church knows of no sacred music without words, it is from the text and for the text that the melody proceeds. The music is a holy chant, not measured by any regular or contrived meter. There are, therefore, in Orthodox musical history, no hymn-writers who were simply professional musicians; they were rather liturgical poets whose basic task was neither music nor poetry, but prayer. They were without exception ascetical, mystical fathers. And the content of their hymnology is never subjective, but rather objective declarations of Orthodox doctrine. Each verse, each tropar, each stichera, is a marvelous poetic statement of the Faith. The services, especially Vespers and Matins, are replete with these hymns “strung together with Glorias and broken verses from the psalms like pearls on a string.”2 Even in the rarer cases where the personal pronoun “I” appears (as more often in the Lenten Triodion), the hymns maintain their basic objectivity.

Just as there is no liturgical music without words, so too there are during worship no words without music. Besides the formal hymnology itself, everything else is chanted “psalmodically” — all psalms, all readings, all prayers, the Creed, everything. The phenomena in American churches of reading in an unpitched monotone or in a dramatic voice, or of congregational recitation of portions of the services are influences from Protestant worship, having no basis or precedent in the whole history of Orthodox corporate worship…

Two aspects of Orthodox sacred music which have all but fallen out of use in American parishes must also be mentioned. The first is: singing antiphonically. The practice of two choirs singing alternately is a tradition which became firmly established in the early Church. It has both practical and spiritual advantages. Practically, it enables the chanters to sing a long time without fatigue since they alternately sing and rest throughout the services. And spiritually this practice brightens and enlivens the services, keeping the congregation, as Constantine Cavarnos points out, “in a state of inner wakefulness.”3

Secondly, though much of the liturgical music in use in Orthodox Churches today is harmonized, the traditional Byzantine and early Slavic chants were monophonic with the addition at times of the drone or holding note. Polyphony appeared in Russia in the late 16th Century as a natural development of the Russian musical “soul” and paralleled the pattern of the multi-voiced folk singing. Later the harmonies became more sophisticated as professionally-trained composers harmonized chants and wrote original music of a high degree of esthetic beauty. The process, however, became more and more dominated by “western” influence and opened the door to music-for-music’s sake. Those who continue to argue for strict monophonic chant assert that harmony destroys the purity, holiness, and power of the simple chant. Those who prefer harmonized music insist that there is the possibility of simple part-singing which is not ostentatious, and which has, moreover, the effect of highlighting and beautifying the chant and its text. Each side argues that its method has greater transforming power in the hearts of worshippers. The controversy cannot be settled here. Perhaps the solution is in keeping both traditions, depending on the character of each individual chant. Harmonized or not, all sides agree that church music is most effective when it is uncomplicated and directly expressive of both the text and the liturgical moment.

Throughout the unbroken history of the Orthodox Church, whether or not these basic features of sacred music have been fulfilled totally in every local church, the ideals stand as a guide for all to follow. No individual, no local community has the right to abridge or ignore these canonical standards. Each generation must embrace anew the wisdom of the musical tradition, so that church singing may continue to fulfill (or return to) its proper and sacred role in public worship. Such a fulfillment, as this essay has attempted to show, is a fulfillment of the very nature of music. And it is the na­ture of music to draw mortals to the immortal Throne of God where all harmony and beauty have their beginning and end.

REFERENCES

1 Quoted in The Story of Christian Hymnody, E.E. Ryden, Augustana Press, Rock Island, Ill., 1959, p. 7.

2 R.M. French, The Eastern Orthodox Church, Hutchinson University Library, London, 1961, p. 124.

3 Constantine Cavarnos, Byzantine Sacred Music, Institute for Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies, Boston, 1956, p. 25.

Commemorating Ss. Peter and Paul

On June 29 each year, the Church remembers the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul. Contained herein are select, edited thoughts of St. Augustine concerning these two venerable disciples of Christ. Augustine was a fourth and fifth century Church Father, particularly influential in the Western Christian Tradition. 

St. Peter and the Rock of Faith

Peter is widely known for his confession of faith, when he said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” In return, he was deemed worthy to hear from our Lord, “Blessed art thou, Simon ... I tell you, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church” (Mt.16:16-18). Historically and theologically much has been made about these statements. From an Orthodox perspective, “Thou art the Christ…thou art Peter, and upon this rock…” means essentially that “upon this rule of faith confessed by you, Peter, and by followers in centuries to come, upon this belief in Me, I will build My Church.”

The Rock, the Foundation upon which everything rests, from which everything derives its existence, this Rock ultimately is our Lord Jesus. The Apostle Paul states, “Our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; they all drank the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock (he says) was Christ” (1 Cor.10: 1-4).

We indeed call the Church “Apostolic,” but the Apostles bore witness to their Master not to themselves, to their Lord Who was the Foundation of the Faith they so courageously preached. 

Keys to the Kingdom

Among the Twelve Apostles, Peter – for his fiery devotion – was chosen to occupy a primary place among the disciples. He was to be, as it were, a representative for the early Church community. Our Lord said to him: “I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in the heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth: shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt.16:19).

This was said to one man, but it was the One Universal Church, that received the “keys” and the right “to bind and loose.” To see that this is true (Augustine says), we can look at the Gospel of John where Jesus says to all of the Apostles, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit, whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them: and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained” (John 20: 22-23).  And then also in the Gospel according to Matthew: “Whatsoever ye bind upon the earth, shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt.18:18).

It is therefore, the Church that binds and loosens, the Church that received the Keys to the Kingdom. It is within the Church that a person intimately approaches the Savior Who alone has power to free men from their sins, to loosen the chains of iniquity that bind a person, preventing him from living a Godly life.       

Three-fold Denial and a Second Chance

St. Peter is also known for having denied Jesus three times prior to the Crucifixion.  After the Resurrection however, our Lord offered him healing, a second chance by way of three identical questions: “Peter, lovest thou Me; lovest thou Me; lovest thou Me?” If you do (He said), then “feed My Sheep.”

Such a meaningful engagement. Peter, to whom Christ said, “bind and loose,” was himself bound by fear, resulting in a threefold denial of Jesus. To empower the Apostle in his upcoming ministry, the Lord loosens him from pain and guilt. He provided three opportunities for Peter to confess openly his love, just as he, thrice, had publicly turned his back on Christ. 

Consistent with His mission, our Lord identified completely with His flock saying to Peter, “Feed My sheep,” not “Feed your sheep.” “The good shepherd (Christ said) gives his life for the sheep” (John 10:11), those entrusted to him by the Chief Shepherd Himself (1 Pet 5:4). The sheep belong to Christ not to any one man or group of men. The Apostle Peter, true to his calling, gave his life for the flock of Christ. He sealed his Apostleship by a martyr’s death, and is now glorified throughout all the world.

St. Paul and Personal Redemption

Paul, an enemy of the Church, known initially as Saul, was later called to be an Apostle. As we know from Scripture – Acts, chapter 9 – Paul received authority from the high priests to bring Christians up for trial and execution.  He was on his way to fulfill his commission – on the Road to Damascus – when the Lord called to him from Heaven saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?”  In other words, why are you persecuting the Church, the Body, My very presence on earth?  

When Saul cried out in fear, “Who are You, Lord?” He answered, “I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting.” At this point, Saul undergoes a miraculous conversion, and receives specific instructions. He is to go to the city, and there he meets Ananias who baptizes Paul and is told that Paul will be “God’s chosen vessel, to bear Christ’s Name before the Gentiles, before kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9: 11,15,18). Ananias is further informed that Paul will be shown what great things he must suffer for the sake of Christ.

Ministry and Sufferings

The Lord in fact, revealed Paul’s Apostolic Ministry as characterized by pain as well as joy. Paul himself testified of those things which he endured for the sake of Jesus.

In Second Corinthians he states, “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.  Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked…I was adrift at sea; (I went) on frequent journeys, (was) in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, in the wilderness, at sea, danger from false brethren; (I endured) toil and hardship, many a sleepless night, I went hungry and was in thirst, I often went without food, endured cold and exposure.  And, apart from other things (he says), there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the Churches.”

As with St. Peter, Paul was martyred. Peter was crucified, Paul was beheaded. It is most appropriate that on a single day each year, June 29, the memory of both Apostles is celebrated. They suffered separately in life and in death. By faith however, and through the spirit of their sufferings they were the closest of brothers. In fact, we depict them on Icons as brothers, holding up the Church of Christ by their prayers. Together, their devotion to Christ was so great that we esteem them as leaders of the Apostolic Company.  Peter and Paul are among the most prominent within that “cloud of witnesses” that we read about in Hebrews, that army of saints that surrounds us with their prayers, by their presence in our midst.

May we strive to follow in some small way the examples of Peter and Paul, remaining true to Christ Who strengthened them along their path of virtue, Who said to His disciples that, “Without Me you can do nothing.”

Visit of His Grace, Bishop Gerasim: A Brief Summary

Christ is Risen!

The visit of Bishop Gerasim on May 14 was particularly joyful, coming as it did during the Paschal Season.  By two counts, just over one hundred people participated in the Pontifical Liturgy and reception afterwards. Guests included members from St. Seraphim Cathedral who helped sing in the choir and serve in the sanctuary.  Around the altar were one bishop, one priest, one protodeacon and eight altar-servers, including our own Methodios Bennett, Alex Roberts, Justin Ruehle and Adrian Schauer.  We were blessed with additional visitors from throughout the Metroplex and from out of state.  

THE GREETING

His Grace was greeted at his car by Roy (Rdr. Demetrios) Hall.  As Bishop Gerasim entered the building a colorful bouquet of flowers was presented by Holly (Katherine) Smith; bread and salt, symbols of hospitality, were presented by Vedon (Spyridon) Otto; and the Cross for veneration by Fr. Basil.   A number of adults and small children stood quietly in the entryway also, to welcome the bishop.  The choir under the direction of Rdr. Stephen Bodnarchuk sang traditional entrance hymns, after which the bishop was vested in the center of the Church.  The slow, processional singing of The Angel Cried was emotionally moving as Protodeacon Steven Kroll read aloud the entrance prayers.

THE LITURGY

His Grace began the service just prior to 10:00 am from the center of the Church.  A well-rehearsed four-part choir of eight, sang hymns and responses. Choir members included Rdr. Stephen Bodnarchuk, John Bradley Benson, Jamie Lynn Gonzalez, Lydia Leal, Anna Osborne, Steven Tinker, along with three additional singers that included a tenor and two visiting altos from St. Seraphim’s. Members of the congregation added their voices, especially during The Litanies, The Creed, The Angel Cried and The Lord’s Prayer, as well as during the Paschal Canon (with many Christ is Risen’s) while the clergy received Communion.

The Liturgy on Sunday, May 14, provided overall a beautiful worship experience.  Choir members put in many hours, weeks prior, setting up and rehearsing special hierarchical music. Altar servers held a related workshop in preparation for this event. Minor liturgical “hiccups” were experienced by clergy, choir and servers, as can be expected whenever a bishop visits. However, numerous compliments expressed delight with the overall beauty of the service.  Each visit by Bishop Gerasim is a learning experience, serving to reinforce in our minds the unique order of a Pontifical Liturgy.

The Epistle lesson was chanted by Roy (Rdr. Demetrios) Hall: Acts 11:19-26, 29-30. His Grace’s sermon focused on the main Scripture reading for the day: John 4:5-42, our Lord’s encounter with the Samaritan Woman.  He contrasted the Gospel’s description of the Jews’ rejection of the Samaritans with the love and openness of Christ.  He further emphasized that in the end, Jesus is not concerned with the where’s and when’s of worship, but that people approach God sincerely, from the depths of their hearts, in spirit and in truth.

THE RECEPTION

The post-liturgical reception was in some ways as wonderful as the service itself. The meal began at approximately 12:35 pm with Bishop Gerasim offering a prayer of blessing after the singing of Christ is Risen.  Food and drink were in abundance. The overall layout and décor were carryovers of Pascha, with brightly colored floral arrangements, center-pieces, mint green table coverings, as well as further recent additions.

Matushka Christine Zebrun, Barbara Connelly, Carol Guanieri, Alla Macchia, Ada Nicholson, Lynn Powers and a crew of many hard-working individuals tended to decorations, to serving our guests and to the preparation of a wide variety of breads, salads, meats, casseroles, main course dishes, fruits, regular and Paschal desserts, along with the purchase of select sodas and beverages.  

A special thanks is extended to the many members and friends of St. Barbara’s who brought their own favorite and unique foods, adding greatly to the reception. The selection was amazing.  A cleaning crew earlier in the week saw to the cleanliness of the building: Les and Ada Nicholson, Lucie Muns, Svetlana and Olga Tsarkova and Fr. Basil. Professional photographs were taken by Bob Guarnieri throughout the morning of May 14.

THE GOODBYE’S

The last individuals to depart from St. Barbara’s did so at around 3:00 pm, having had, what seemed to be, a full day of worship, fellowship and joyous celebration.  His Grace stayed with us for much of the early afternoon visiting with members and friends until his departure to the airport for yet another Episcopal visitation.  Many approached him for a blessing before they left.

On behalf of the parish, we thank everyone again for their assistance, during the Paschal commemoration of the Samaritan Woman, and for the enthusiastic reception of Bishop Gerasim into our midst.

It is always difficult when one starts to list names in a summary such as this. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that many people wear many hats. But please know that if anyone was inadvertently left out, your efforts were greatly appreciated and always are.  

We look forward to Bishops Gerasim’s next visit and to another joyous celebration. 

In the Risen Lord,

 Fr. Basil

Pascha and Pentecost

The Feast of the Resurrection, Baptism and Evangelism

+ His Eminence Archbishop Dmitri 

(Archbishop Dmitri fell asleep in the Lord on August 28, 2011.  He was the beloved founding hierarch of the Diocese of the South (1977), a noted visionary, author, linguist and scholar.)  

For forty days after Pascha, the Church lives and rejoices in light of Christ's resurrection.  At each service during the Paschal season the faithful sing, "Christ is Risen!"  The Paschal canon, sticheras and kontakion are repeated many times.  Members of the Church greet one another with a holy kiss and with the words, "Christ is Risen!" receiving back the affirmation, "He is Risen, indeed!"

The Paschal season is experienced by the Orthodox as the focal point of all Christian celebration.  Such is the content of our liturgical life, and yet what a paradox that immediately after "the feast of feasts, holy day of holy days," Christian people take a vacation from Church.  We often witness generally, a decline in church attendance at this time of year.  As a result, the wonderful joy proclaimed by the Church's liturgy fails to be deeply felt by many individuals.

Regarding this phenomenon much thought has been given to the idea of restoring or recapturing that which has been lost.  In recent years the Church has devoted a great deal of time and effort to the restoration of Lent and to some extent of the Paschal season, because we have witnessed (probably for centuries) an almost complete loss of the Great Fast as a meaningful phenomenon in the Christian community.  Perhaps we Orthodox have been somewhat more reluctant than others to do away with these seasons entirely, for we have realized in some way that the very essence of the Faith is to be found in Lent, Pascha and the Paschal season.

I am convinced, however, that the dimension that has been lost and which we are still somewhat far from acquiring, that makes it difficult to recapture and restore the meaning of what is at the heart of the Christian year, is what can be called the "baptismal dimension."

We are all somewhat familiar with the history of the matter we are talking about:  (A) how Lent developed from a period of intense preparation for those who were to be baptized; (B) how at the Paschal celebration the catechumens were baptized and became, for the first time, full

participants in the Eucharist; and (C) that the Paschal season was a period of post-baptismal instruction, in which the newly baptized were told repeatedly of the marvelous things that had happened to them through the waters of the fount, and were prepared for their own "mission" as disciples.

The entire Church not only lived the new life in Christ, but true to its missionary nature, concentrated its attention upon incorporating the new converts into the Body of Christ.  Such were the "missionary" and "baptismal" orientations of the Church.  All of this was centered on the Paschal celebration for one simple reason:  the moment of Christ's triumph over death was the most appropriate moment for one to become a member of Christ:  the meaning of being buried with Him in baptism and rising with Him to walk in the newness of life (Romans 6:3-4) was clear to every Christian.

The true spirit of Lent and the Paschal season can never be recaptured as long as we have a weak missionary vision:  as long as baptisms and receptions of converts are private affairs, become "routine," and are not considered as matters of concern to the whole Church.

With His ascension into Heaven, forty days after the resurrection, our Lord indicates for us the way, the orientation of our life.  The Kingdom of God is initiated on earth with the advent of Christ ("Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand"), and we are commissioned to receive into it, as citizens, "such as would be saved" (Acts 2:47).  Our life, following Christ, is all ascension, directed toward the "Kingdom to come" manifested in and through Christ.  At each Eucharistic celebration (the Divine Liturgy) we participate in that worship which eternally takes place before the Throne of God.

The disciples went back to Jerusalem (after the Ascension) with great joy, because they had the confirmation and assurance that everything, they had been told by Christ, was true.  Now they simply awaited the power to perform their mission in the world.  They knew what their mission was:  to go into all the world, preach the Gospel to all nations, "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."  They knew from their Master that He would "always be with them, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28: 19-20).  This was the source of their joy:  the assurance of the Lord's abiding presence and of the power to bring others into the fold.  Any lack of joy or participation on our part during the radiant season of Pascha can be said to coincide with (A) a certain amount of doubt or insensitivity to the fact that "Christ is in our midst," or (B) a lack of appreciation for mission.

It can be rightly asked, "how can we not revel in the joy of these forty days, when we think of the possibilities for bringing salvation to others, given to us by the risen Christ dwelling among us, unless it is true that our faith wavers and that we have little interest in mission and evangelism?"  We must pray always that our Lord will give to us the Spirit of wisdom and understanding to come to an appreciation of the Paschal season for the life of each of our communities

Paschal (Resurrection) Season 2023

Introduction and Bright Week

The week following Pascha (Easter), is called Bright Week, by the Church.  Pascha is celebrated this year by the Orthodox Church on April 16, one week after Christians of the Western Tradition.  As Holy Week was a final time of anticipation and preparation for “the Feast of Feasts,” so Bright Week is a period of unique Resurrection joy, manifested outwardly in diverse ways.  For instance, during Bright Week there is no fasting at all from various types of food; all liturgical hymns, ideally, are to be sung rather than read; and the Church remains highly decorated, with the royal doors and deacon’s doors of the iconostasis left open as they were during the Midnight Service.  This latter practice emphasizes visually that the gates of God’s Kingdom have been open to man through the Cross, Tomb and Resurrection of Christ.  Services during Bright Week are celebrated in a particularly glorious manner, identical to that experienced during the Midnight Service and Resurrection Vespers on Pascha Sunday.  The traditional announcement, “Christ is Risen,” is sung repeatedly by the Church choir, and people greet one another with this same message of hope.

While Bright Week is a time of profound, perhaps uncommon celebration, the Resurrection season is not limited to one week.  For forty days, until Ascension (this year May 25), the faithful recall in songs and greetings the joyous news that ‘Christ has trampled down death by death, bestowing life upon those in the tombs.’  Clergy and altar servers continue to wear their brightest vestments, and everyone stands (rather than kneels) in prayer, both at home and in Church.  The practice of standing in prayer during the Paschal Season serves to stress our belief that in Christ we are already resurrected beings, residents on earth yet citizens of Heaven. The faithful continue this practice until Pentecost (this year June 4), when after Liturgy for the first time since Holy Week we kneel in prayer during three special prayers that are read from the ambo by the clergy.

The five Sundays following Pascha emphasize, through the appointed Scripture readings and hymns, (1) post-resurrection appearances of Christ;  (2) the Church’s early life and missionary endeavors (epistle readings are taken from the Book of Acts); and (3) aspects of baptism, through which we ourselves have died and risen with Christ to a new life in God (Gospel readings are taken from the most “sacramental” of Gospel accounts, that of John the Theologian or Evangelist).  Fr. Thomas Hopko (of blessed memory) in his Orthodox Faith Handbook Series, Volume II, provides a summary of the meaning of the five Sundays of Pascha.  The following contains quotes and paraphrases from that summary.       

Thomas Sunday (April 23)

On the Sunday following Pascha, called in our liturgical books “the Second Sunday,” the stress is on the Apostle Thomas’ vision of Christ.  The significance of the day comes to us in the words of the Gospel: “Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered Him,

“My Lord and My God!”  Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen

Me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”  (John 20:27-29).

In this last statement Christ refers to all those who will come after the Apostles and become disciples through their words. This includes Christians of every century, including our own.  We have not seen Christ with our physical eyes, nor touched His risen body with our physical hands, yet in the Holy Spirit we have seen and touched and tasted the Word of Life (1 John 1:1-4), and so we believe.  In the early Church it was only on this day that those baptized at Pascha removed their (baptismal) robes and entered once again into the life of this world.   

 The Myrrhbearing Women (April 30):

The Third Sunday after Pascha is dedicated to the Myrrhbearing Women who cared for the body of the Savior at His death and who were the first witnesses of His Resurrection.  The three troparia of Holy Friday, (having to do with the Noble Joseph of Arimethea anointing and burying the Body of Jesus; Christ’s descent into hell and its defeat; and the angel’s proclamation to the myrrhbearing women of Christ’s resurrection) are sung once again and form the theme of the day:

     "The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure body from the Tree, wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb."

      "When Thou didst descend to death, O Life Immortal, Thou didst slay hell with the splendor of Thy Godhead."

      "The angel came to the myrrhbearing women at the tomb and said: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption! So proclaim: The Lord is risen, granting the world great mercy."

The Paralytic (May 7)

The Fourth Sunday is dedicated to Christ’s healing of the Paralytic (John 5).  The man is healed by Christ while waiting to be put down into the pool of water.  Through baptism in the church we too are healed and saved by Christ for eternal life.  Thus, in the church, we are told, together with the paralytic, to “sin no more that nothing worse befall you” (John 5:14).  Our Lord’s question to the man, “Do you want to be healed?” is directed to us as well, reminding us that the gift of life and illumination through the Resurrection brings with it responsibilities.  It must be nurtured and shared with others. 

 The Feast of Mid-Pentecost

In the middle of the Fourth Week, there is a day which is called by the Church, the Feast of Mid-Pentecost (this year May 10).  On this day we recall that Christ, “in the middle of the feast” teaches men of His saving mission and offers to all “the waters of immortality” (John 7:14).  Again, we are reminded of the Master’s presence and His saving promise: “If anyone is thirsty let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37).

The Samaritan Woman (May 14)

The Fifth Sunday after Pascha deals with the Woman of Samaria with whom Christ spoke at Jacob’s Well (John 4).  Again, the theme is the “living water” and the recognition of Jesus as God’s Messiah (John 4: 10-11; 25-26).  We are reminded of our new life in Him, of our own drinking of the “living water,” of our own true worship of God in the Christian Messianic Age “in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4: 23-24).  We see as well that salvation is offered to all:  Jews and Gentiles, men and women, saints and sinners.

The Blind Man (May 21)

Finally, the Sixth Sunday commemorates the healing of the man blind from birth (John 9).  We are identified with that man who came to see and to believe in Jesus as the Son of God.  The Lord has anointed our eyes with His own divine hands and washed them with the waters of baptism (John 9: 6-11).  In Christ we are given the power to see and confess Him as God’s only-begotten Son, and we are given the ability to comprehend clearly and with love, our own lives, the lives of others and the world around us.

Ascension, Pentecost and All Saints Sunday

The Paschal Season ends with the great feast of Ascension (again, this year May 25) on which believers celebrate the Lord’s ascent in order to be glorified with God the Father and to glorify us with Himself.  He goes in order to “prepare a place” for us, and to take us into the blessedness of God’s presence.  He goes to open the way for all flesh into the “heavenly sanctuary...the Holy Place not made by hands” (See Hebrews 8-10).  Furthermore, Christ ascends in order to send the Holy Spirit (an event celebrated on Pentecost) who proceeds from the Father, to bear witness to Him (Christ) and His Gospel in the world, by making Him (Christ) powerfully present in the lives of His disciples.

On Pentecost (June 4) the Church celebrates the final act of God’s self-revelation and self-donation to the world.  God’s plan of salvation – starting with and including the formation of His chosen people, Israel; the sending of the prophets; the birth of Christ; His teachings, miracles, sufferings, death, burial and resurrection – all of this culminates with the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and the birth of the New Israel, the Church of God, the life of which is the continued presence of the Spirit in our midst.

The Sunday after Pentecost, that of All Saints (June 11), reveals the power of the Holy Spirit in this world, the reason that He was given.  The Saints are those who, without a doubt, have been saved and transformed by the Spirit’s presence, a fate open to all who believe.  And then finally, on June 18, we commemorate All Saints of America, as a logical follow up to the previous Sunday.  This celebration affirms God’s presence and activity amongst His disciples in North America, placing before us local and contemporary examples of sanctity.    

Thus, a journey which began for us way back on January 29 with the Sunday of Zacchaeus will end on June 18.  But the journey was taken for a reason.  The seasons of fasting and celebration that we have experienced are to lead us to a deeper faith in Christ as Savior.  They are to instill within us a stronger commitment to our own mission, to be Christ’s witnesses “to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

(Some of the above information taken from Fr. Thomas Hopko’s, The Orthodox Faith, Volume 2, Worship, published by the O.C.A.’s Department of Christian Education)

Bringing Good Out Of Evil

Prophet Habakkuk, Holy Week & Pascha:
A Reflection

Archpriest Daniel Kovalak  

Written a decade ago, the following article refers briefly to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, in which three people were killed and hundreds injured. Starting with that tragic event, the author addresses the age-old question, “how can God bring forth good, out of evil?” In doing so, Fr. Daniel recalls the confusion experienced by the Prophet Habakkuk as he wrestled with the notion of God allowing destruction to fall upon the people of Judah. He lists the great evils of men that led to Christ’s crucifixion. He reminds readers as well, of the greatest good that came ultimately from our Lord’s Self-Offering upon the Cross. A beneficial reflection as we approach Holy Week, and as the nation mourns three children and three adults recently killed at Covenant Christian School in Nashville.

“The inspired Prophet Habakkuk now stands with us in Holy Vigil.  He is like a shining angel, crying out with a piercing voice: ‘Today salvation has come to the world, for Christ is risen as All-Powerful!’” [Fourth Ode of the Paschal Kanon]

Just when our Lenten efforts are beginning to bear some fruit, something always seems to happen that derails our spiritual journey.  Sometimes it’s a minor irritation, illness or unexpected interruption. Sometimes it’s a more formidable and shocking event, with consequences that rock our world—like bombs in Boston!

Once again, as the media assaults us with breaking news, eyewitness interviews, endless analysis and graphic images of the consequences of evil acts, in a rare moment of reflection comes the question, “Where’s God in this?”  About 600 years before Christ, there lived a prophet named Habakkuk.  There’s a short, three-chapter book in the Old Testament that bears his name.  The Church commemorates him annually on December 2 and, whether we realize it or not, his prophecy is an integral part of our liturgical life.

As most of the prophets, Habakkuk was, shall we say, disinclined in his calling from God.  To communicate God’s divine will to stubborn people who’d rather be doing their own thing than be reminded of their sin and need to repent was (and still is!) hazardous duty.  Prophets were stoned because they scratched places that didn’t itch.  Nevertheless, Habakkuk was given a vision to deliver to the Chosen People—a revelation of God’s justice.  Judah consistently disobeyed God, and it seemed God had tolerated enough of their contempt and was ready to teach them a hard lesson.  Habakkuk saw the wrath of God descending on Judah at the hands of Babylonians.  This blew his mind because the Chaldeans were the most merciless, godless, ruthless people on the face of the earth!  Habakkuk’s perplexity was that God would not only allow evil against Judah, but that He’d use notorious Babylon as His rod of correction!

In spite of his trepidation at this vision, Habakkuk was utterly convinced that good would somehow come.  He just couldn’t imagine how.  Perhaps not unlike a tragic April day in Boston, Habakkuk was confronted by the haunting question, “how can God bring good out of evil?”  Because Habakkuk was faithful— because he embraced the will of God as his name implies—his prophecy was actually one of encouragement to Judah, that in spite of the overwhelming odds against them, in some wonderful yet mysterious way, God would bring good out of it.  Habakkuk then took up a vantage point in a tall tower to witness the vision unfold before his eyes.  He became the watchman who literally “kept vigil,” confidently waiting in faith to see God work.  The rest is history.

The Passion Gospels upon which our Holy Week services are built confront us with a horrible picture of the incredible evil heaped upon Our Lord.  He was betrayed by a kiss, dragged to an unjust trial, scourged, mocked, slapped, spit upon, crowned with thorns, and nailed to the cross, where the agony and humiliation continued.  Deceived by Judas, denied by Peter, condemned by religious leaders, sentenced by Pilate, crucified by soldiers, abandoned by seemingly everyone—what greater evil can we imagine!  All this and more, the Gospel says.  And we firmly believe He endures willingly.  Why?  “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Among the things we should do all the time, but especially during Holy Week, is assume a proper spiritual vantage point, akin to Habakkuk’s tower, to contemplate the mystery of the Cross, to keep vigil, to observe and respond to the actions of God with total faith, to prayerfully contemplate how God’s will for man unfolds to bring the greatest good out of the greatest evil. (Hint: it has something to do with “trampling down death by death!”)

In view of all the irritations, distractions and breaking news of the day, we would also do well to occasionally revisit Habakkuk’s conclusion and make it our own (3:17-18): “Though the fig tree does not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.”  May this faith be ours as we journey to the Promised Land of Pascha, and confidently face the issues of today.

Orthodox Holy Week 2023

St. Barbara Orthodox Christian Church

 (April 8 - 16)

On Saturday, April 8, Orthodox Christians begin observing the most solemn of days leading up to the celebration of Pascha on April 16:  Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week.  These nine days are specifically set aside – consecrated – by the Church to commemorate the final and decisive events in the Lord’s earthly life.  Traditionally, during this time, Christians make an effort to “lay aside all earthly cares,” in order to devote themselves to contemplating the central Mysteries of the Faith: the Cross, Tomb and Resurrection of Christ.  So significant is this period that some have stressed that during Holy Week “time seems to stand still or earthly life ceases for the faithful, as they go up with the Lord to Jerusalem” (Fr. Thomas Hopko). 

Lazarus Saturday & Palm Sunday (April 8 and 9)

These two days form a double feast, anticipating the joy of Pascha.  At the grave of His friend Lazarus, Christ encounters “the last enemy,” death (1 Cor. 15:26).  By raising Lazarus, Christ foreshadows His own decisive victory over death, and the universal resurrection granted to all mankind. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, “riding on the colt of an ass,” in fulfillment of a prophecy from Zechariah (9:9).   On this occasion our Lord allows the people to greet Him as a Ruler, the only time during His earthly ministry when this occurs.  Christ is indeed the King of Israel, but He comes to reveal and open to mankind His Heavenly Kingdom.  We hold branches of palms and pussy willows of our own on Palm Sunday, greeting Christ as the Lord and Master of our lives. 

Liturgies for Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday at 10:00 am.  Vespers, Lazarus Saturday, 6:30 pm with Blessing of Palms. 

Great & Holy Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday (April 10 – April 12)

Having just experienced a foretaste of Pascha we now enter the darkness of Holy Week.  The first three days stress the End Times, the Judgment, and the continual need for vigilance.  They point to the fact that when the world condemned its Maker, it condemned itself, “Now is the judgment of this world” (John 12:31).  They remind us that the world’s rejection of Christ reflects our own rejection of Him, inasmuch as we sin and accept the worldview of those who shouted, “Away with Him, crucify Him!”  Central to the services for these days are the Gospel readings, and the hymns which comment on these lessons.  Among the chief hymns are the Exapostilarion, “Thy Bridal Chamber, I see adorned….,” and the following troparion sung during Matins as the Church is being censed: “Behold!  The Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching:  and again, unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, lest you be given up to death, and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom.  But rouse yourself, crying: “Holy! Holy! Holy! art Thou, O our God.  Through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.”  (Troparion)

Bridegroom Matins for Holy Monday and Tuesday at 7:00 pm.  Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts on Holy Wednesday at 7:00 pm.

Great & Holy Thursday (April 13)

During the Matins Service or the Service of the 12 Passion Gospels on Holy Thursday night we “accompany Christ, step by step, from the time of His last discourse with His disciples to His being laid in a new tomb by Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus.  Each of the 12 Gospel sections read during the evening service involves us in a new scene:  the arrest of Jesus; His trial; the threefold denial of St. Peter; the scourging and the mockings by the soldiers; the carrying of the Cross; the Crucifixion; the opposing fates of the two thieves; the loving tenderness of the moment when Jesus commits His Mother to the care of His faithful disciple, John; and the Lord’s final yielding up of the spirit and burial” (Fr. Paul Lazor). The liturgical hymnography for that night comments on the Gospel readings and offers the response of the Church to these events in the life of Christ.  During the service the faithful hold lit candles during the Gospel lessons while kneeling, and in large parishes Church bells are rung before each reading: once for the first reading, twice for the second, and so on.

The Matins Service at St. Barbara’s on Holy Thursday will be at 7:00 pm.  

Great & Holy Friday (April 14)

On the one hand, this is the most solemn of days, the day of Christ’s Passion, His Death and Burial.  On this day the Church invites us, as we kneel before the tomb of Christ, to realize the awful reality and power of sin and evil in “this world,” and in our own lives as well.   It is this power that led ultimately to “the sin of all sins, the crime of all crimes” the total rejection and murder of God Himself (Fr. Alexander Schmemann).

On the other hand, the Church affirms that this day of evil is also the day of redemption.  “The death of Christ is revealed to us as a saving death, an offering of love” (Fr. Alexander Schmemann).  Holy Friday is the beginning of the Lord’s Pascha, for the One Who is raised, is the One Who is crucified for us and for our salvation.  “By death Christ tramples down death…”  Thus, the tomb of Christ, placed in the center of the Church, is lavishly adorned with flowers, for from the tomb comes life.

The afternoon service is often referred to as “Burial Vespers.”  During its celebration the final events in the life of Christ are brought to mind through the scripture readings and the hymnography.  At the conclusion of Vespers, the faithful kneel and the choir sings, in a very slow manner, the troparia for the day which speak of Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus burying the Body of Jesus; and the angel’s announcement to the Myrrhbearing Women that, “Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption.”   As these words are heard the clergy and servers make a procession around the tomb with the “winding sheet” on which is an icon of the crucified Lord. This winding sheet is placed on top of the tomb and venerated by the faithful.

Service for Holy Friday at 3:00 pm. 

Great & Holy Saturday (April 15)

On the morning of this day, at 9:00 am, we will celebrate the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil.  This service “inaugurates the Paschal celebration…”  On ‘Lord I Call Upon Thee’ certain Sunday Resurrection hymns are sung, followed by special verses for Holy Saturday which stress the Death of Christ as the descent into Hades, the region of death, for its destruction.

"A pivotal point of the service occurs after the Entrance, when fifteen Old Testament lessons are read, all centered on the promise of the Resurrection, all glorifying the ultimate Victory of God…The epistle lesson is that which is read at Baptisms (Romans 6:3-11), referring to Christ’s Death and Resurrection as the source of the death in us of the “old man,” and the resurrection of the new man, whose life is in the Risen Lord  (Here we must remember that Pascha has always been the most traditional time for Baptisms of catechumens).  During the verses immediately after the epistle reading the dark Lenten vestments and altar coverings are put aside and the clergy vest in their brightest robes.  An announcement of the Resurrection is then read from the last chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel.  The Liturgy of St. Basil continues in this white and joyful light, revealing the Tomb of Christ as the Life-giving Tomb, introducing us into the ultimate reality of Christ’s Resurrection, communicating His life to us…”  (Fr. Schmemann). 

It should be noted that on Great and Holy Saturday every major act of the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil takes place in front of the Tomb, or processes around it:  the Small Entrance; the 15 Old Testament readings; the Epistle and Gospel readings; the Great Entrance; the distribution of Holy Communion; and the final dismissal prayer. 

Holy Saturday’s service starts at 9:00 am.

Pascha (April 16)

The Main Resurrection service will begin at 11:30 pm on Saturday night (We ask that everyone try to arrive at least 15 minutes early, those with food even earlier, so that we can begin the service promptly with all lights out in the Church).  This particular service is actually comprised of three services, celebrated together, one after another:  Nocturnes, Matins and the Divine Liturgy.  The entire service ends around 2:30 am on Sunday morning and is followed by the blessing of Pascha baskets and the Agape Meal, at which we enjoy fellowship and partake of many non-Lenten foods.

Special features of the Midnight Service include:  Nocturnes (11:30 pm to 12:00 midnight) celebrated in total darkness with only dim lights for the choir, followed by a triple procession around the outside of the Church, a Resurrection Gospel reading and the first announcement of, “Christ is Risen!”  The Paschal Matins then begins during which the Church is brightly lit and the faithful sing of Christ’s Resurrection in a very joyous manner. Near the end of Matins, the Paschal Catechetical Sermon of St. John Chrysostom is read.  During the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the Gospel from the Prologue of St. John’s Gospel is chanted in several languages, symbolic of the universal character of the Christian Faith.  Immediately after the service food for the Agape Meal is blessed, as well as Pascha (Easter) baskets full of non-fasting foods.

On Sunday afternoon, April 16, at 12:00 noon, we return to the Church to celebrate Resurrection Vespers during which we hear a Gospel reading and more hymns of Christ’s Resurrection.  A continuation of the Agape Meal will be enjoyed after Vespers.

Bright Week (April 17 – April 22)

The week immediately after Pascha is an extended, intense celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection. Although we enjoy a 40-day Paschal season (April 16-May 25, the services of Bright Week are uniquely joyous, reflecting the specific tone and spirit of Pascha night.  Divine Liturgies and Vespers celebrated during this time are very similar to those of April 16.  There is, as well, no fasting during Bright Week.  We look forward to celebrating Pascha with all of our Church members and friends. 

During Bright Week we will celebrate an additional Paschal Liturgy at St. Barbara’s on Thursday, April 20 (10:00 am).  Resurrection Vespers will be celebrated the night before on Wednesday, April 19 (7:00 pm).  In addition, other Orthodox Churches throughout the Metroplex will celebrate Bright Week services also, as their schedules allow.  We invite you to check out their websites and avail yourselves of these opportunities. 

 Christ is Risen!  Indeed He is Risen!