Church Services

PASCHA - THE FEAST OF FEASTS - THE GLORIOUS RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST - Was Celebrated on April 11, 2004. Services Began at 11:30 PM on Saturday Night and Were Completed at 3:11 AM Sunday Morning with the Blessing of Food. Orthodox Christians Do Not Refer to the Holiday as Easter but Rather as Pascha, a Greek Word Meaning Passover. While the Jews Celebrate the Old Testament Passover Recounting the Exodus from Egypt, Orthodox Christians Proclaim Christ as the New Passover from Death to Life. Eastern and Western Churches Celebrate the Holiday Simultaneously This Year But this is Not Always So. Eastern Orthodox Pascha Can Never Coincide with Or Come Before the Jewish Passover Inasmuch as Christ Celebrated the Passover Meal Before and Not After His Crucifiction and Resurrection.

One Sees in the Photos Above and Below Scenes from the Procession Which Occurred at Midnight.

In the Photos Below, Father David Garretson Reads the Catechetical Address of St. John Chrysostom While Father Sergius Kuharsky Listens to the Epistle.

The Gospel Was Read by the Priests in English and Church Slavonic and Parishoners Recited Selected Passages in Various Languages, Latin Being Among Them.

More Parishoner Attend this Service Than Any Other During the Year. Toward the End of Liturgy Father David Blesses the Artos.

Red Eggs Are Distributed to Each Parishoner at the Conclusion of the Liturgy. They Symbolize New Life in the Hope of the Resurrection. In the Photo Below Right,
One Sees the Winding Sheet on the Altar Table in the Sanctuary.
It Will Remain There for Forty Days Until Ascension Day.

The Priests Do Not Greet the Parishoners with "Happy Easter" But Rather with the Words "Christ is Risen" The Parishoners Respond in Kind With the Words
"Indeed He is Risen". These Greetings Will be Exchanged as Well for Forty
Days Until the Holy Day of Ascension.

Below Left One Sees Christ's Empty Tomb. Below Right, Paschal Baskets are Blessed Again in the Church Hall at the Conclusion of Divine Liturgy.

Parishoners Often Cover the Paschal Food in Their Baskets with Cloths That They Have Either Bought or Made. Note the Beautiful and Intricate Design of the Basket Cover in This Photo.

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