Church Services
July 31, 2004 - Great Vespers on the Eve of the Procession of the Wood of the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord. The Feast is best described in the Greek Horologion as follows: "Because of the illnesses that occur in August, it was customary, in former times, to carry the Venerable Wood of the Cross through the streets and squares of Constantinople for the sanctification of the city, and for relief from sickness. On the eve (July 31), it was taken out of the imperial treasury, and laid upon the altar of the Great Church of Hagia Sophia (meaning the Wisdom of God). From this Feast until the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos (August 15), they carried the Cross throughout the city in procession, offering it to the people to venerate. This also is the Procession of the Venerable Cross."
Above, the setting sun streams through the stained glass windows of our Church as the Vesper service is about to begin. Before the service began, new blue covers (the color blue being associated with the Dormition Fast and all Holy Days of the Theotokos) for the Table of Oblation, Altar, Tetrapod, the Tomb, and other stands and tables were blessed by Father David. They were donated to the parish by the friends and family of Donald Dorn who reposed one year ago. Below left is Mrs. Vera Dorn.
Below, Father David censes the Tetrapod in the middle of the Church as Great Vespers with Litiya progresses. In the upper right corner of the photo, note the Cross decorated with flowers on the Altar. It was borne from the Table of Oblation to the Altar before the Vesper service began. You may click on the image below to view an enlargement.
As the service draws to its conclusion, the Holy Cross is processed by Father David with reverence from the Altar to the Tetrapod in the center of the Church. He then censes the Holy Cross upon the Tetrapod (photos below). You may click on the lower left image to view an enlargement.
In the photo below left, Father David leads the parishoners in making three reverential prostrations before the Holy Cross. Below right, Father David gives a sermon about the Feast. He explained the origin of the Feast as described in the Horologion above and stated that "suffering in the world makes no sense unless it is understood from the perspective of the suffering of Jesus on the Cross." Father David also said that "God suffers with us when His people are suffering in this world."
In the photo immediately below, an aspiring professional photographer from Moscow was in attendance. She recorded portions of the service with a still camera.
In the photo below left, Father David crosses the forehead of each parishoner with Holy Oil at the conclusion of the service.
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Copyright © 2004, Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, South River, NJ
