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…