Category Archives: Holy Week

The Epitaphios

The Epitaphios is an ornate embroidered icon depicting the body of Christ laying on the Tomb. The word Epitaphios comes from a Greek expression meaning “on the tomb” (= επί του τάφου).  On the Epitaphios, Christ can be alone, or

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Holy and Great Friday

The Matins service for Great and Holy Friday (served on Thursday evening) includes the 12 Gospel readings and recounts the arrest, trial, humiliation, suffering, and execution of our Lord, the Son of God Himself. It is a long and exhausting

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Holy and Great Thursday

Thursday morning is marked by the service of the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. Though we recall the Mystical Supper during every Divine Liturgy, now, in particular, we are reminded of the very first Eucharist served by our

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Holy and Great Thursday

14Are any among you sick? Let them call for the presbyters of the Church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the Name of the Lord.15The prayer of faith will heal those who are sick and the

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Holy and Great Wednesday

As I explained in the last bulletin, the services for Holy and Great Week begin on Sunday evening. The Matins services read during the first three days of Holy and Great Week are known as the Bridegroom Matins services. We

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Holy and Great Tuesday

Having come to the end of Great Lent, we now find ourselves in Holy and Great Week, the heart of our Orthodox faith and the centre of the Church festal calendar. Holy Week begins on the evening of Palm Sunday

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