A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
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| Volume 7 Number 19 - Tuesday, May 10th, 2005 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
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The Orthodox Christian Laity
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The Orthodox Christian News Service |
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To the Editor: Unfortunately, the article, "Church Attendance up for Holy Week Across the Country," in last week’s edition is replete with errors and omissions. During Holy Week, all evening services are observed in anticipation of the next day’s events (i.e., morning services are celebrated on the prior evening). The failure to observe this fact is the reason for many of the errors in the articles summary of Holy Week, among which are the following: 1. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday evening (Holy Monday morning by anticipation) when the Hymn of the Bridegroom is first sung with the procession of the Icon of Christ the Bridegroom, and not on Monday evening, as stated in the article. 2. Holy Tuesday, which commemorates the Parables of the Ten Virgins and of the Talents, is observed on Holy Monday evening, and not on Holy Tuesday, as the article states. 3. The anointing of our Lord by the woman in the house of Simon is commemorated, and the Hymn of Cassiane is sung, on Holy Tuesday evening by anticipation, and not on Holy Wednesday, as the article states. 4. The Passion of our Lord (His arrest, suffering and Crucifixion) is commemorated on Holy Thursday evening (Good Friday morning by anticipation) by the reading of the 12 Gospel lessons, and not on Good Friday as the article states. 5. The Lamentations sung on Good Friday evening concern the death and entombment of our Lord, and not His Passion. Moreover, it is the kouvouklion (representing Christ’s tomb) which is decorated with flowers, not the epitafios. The epitafios is the richly embroidered tapestry representing the Body of Christ which lies in the kouvouklion. The article does not state that the last of the pre-sanctified liturgies of Great Lent is celebrated on Holy Wednesday. There is also no mention in the article of the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on Holy Thursday morning commemorating the Last Supper and the institution of the mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Finally, the article makes no mention of the very important readings and Divine Liturgy of Holy Saturday morning, often referred to as the "First Resurrection." Mourning has turned into anticipatory joy. Bay leaves, the ancient symbol of victory, are tossed about the Church as the priest chants "Arise, O God and judge Thou the Earth..." If you publish authoritative articles on the Orthodox Church, they should be carefully reviewed by a priest or some other knowledgeable person for accuracy and completeness. Respectfully submitted, Evan Alevizatos Chriss
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