Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) Today we have come out to meet the Lord, who goes willingly to His Passion. We have come out with branches and burning candles, as once the children of Jerusalem cried out to Him who was coming: “Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is He who cometh…” But is this gift…
What is this? Why is there such deep silence upon the earth today, and such stillness? It is because the King is at rest. The earth grew silent with awe, for the Lord has fallen asleep in the flesh, and has raised up those who have slept from ages past. The Lord died in the…
Today we celebrate the burial of our Savior. He descends into the netherworld to free the dead from the bonds of death, filling Hades with light and awakening the departed from sleep. We rejoice here on earth, anticipating His Resurrection, and we do not fear that corruption will overcome incorruption—for Scripture says, “Neither wilt thou suffer…
By St. Gregory Palamas The eternal and ineffable Word of God, the Almighty and Omnipotent Son, could, even without taking on flesh, have delivered humankind from corruption, death, and bondage to the devil—for all things are upheld by the word of His power, and all creation is subject to His divine authority. As Job says,…
Metropolitan Korniliy (Titov) Yesterday, we venerated the burial shroud, which is a symbol of Christ’s death. We honored the Lord’s long-suffering, His Passion, and His sacrificial love for all mankind. It is difficult to reconcile what we do now—venerating the Cross and the shroud—with what once was: when Christ died in the flesh upon a…
Metropolitan Korniliy (Titov) Yesterday, we venerated the shroud, which is a symbol of Christ’s death. We bowed down before the long-suffering of the Lord, His Passion, and His sacrificial love for all mankind. How difficult it is to connect what we are doing now—venerating the Cross and the shroud—with what took place then, when Christ…
On Holy and Great Saturday. A homily of our holy father Gregory of Antioch What is this stillness on the earth? What is this great silence? It is because the King is asleep. The earth was filled with awe and became silent, for God has fallen asleep in the flesh. God has died in the…
George Neminuschy Introduction In our present-day liturgical practice, the shortage of clergy, the necessity of undertaking practical tasks in preparation for Pascha, and the desire to rest before the all-night service of Paschal Matins and the Paschal Divine Liturgy often lead to the omission of one of the most important parts of the Passion–Paschal cycle:…
The homily of St. Epiphanius of Cyprus for Great Saturday begins magnificently—a homily which the Church Ustav recommends reading before the start of the Paschal Midnight Office, if time permits after the reading of the Acts of the Apostles. “What is this? Why such deep silence upon the earth, and why such stillness? — It is because…
I have often pondered within myself why our fathers, having passed by the prayer houses that stand within the city, ordained that today we should gather outside the city, and there hold the divine service. Surely they did not do this without cause or in vain. I sought the reason—and by the grace of God,…