wfn.org | Orthodox Christians to Observe Pascha May 1st, Holy Week

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10021
Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0215
Web: http://www.goarch.org
Email: communications@goarch.org

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  April 21, 2005

  Contact: Nikki Stephanopoulos
  212.570.3530

  ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS OF AMERICA EXHORTS FAITHFUL TO
  "USE EACH DAY OF OUR LIVES TO PREPARE TO RECEIVE
  OUR LOVING LORD, THE KING OF GLORY"

  ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS TO OBSERVE PASCHA MAY 1st
  HOLY WEEK BEGINS ON PALM SUNDAY APRIL 24TH

  New York, NY - PASCHA will be celebrated on May 1 this year by over 250
  million Orthodox Christians throughout the world.

  In his Paschal Encyclical, Archbishop Demetrios of America, spiritual
  leader of 1.5 million Greek Orthodox Christians in America and Chairman
  of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops representing
  over 6 million Orthodox Christians in the Americas, says:

  "? By receiving Christ into our lives through the Holy Sacraments of the
  Church and through our daily commitment to His divine will, we are given
  an unfading hope of glory, of the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God, of a
  new heaven and a new earth that is completely filled with the life and
  light of our Lord."

  "This hope that springs from the presence of the Risen Christ within us
  directs us to live each and every day preparing to receive 'an
  inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading'	(I Peter
  1:4).  This was the way our beloved former Archbishop Iakovos lived his
  blessed life on earth before leaving us on April 10 to be forever with
  Christ in heaven.  He left us a strong message that our life here and now
  is a journey toward heaven.	We have been given this time to be reborn in
  the image of the Life-Giver, to live each day in faith, and to anticipate
  the fulfillment of all things and the great and glorious return of our
  Savior. Just as we have prepared ourselves to receive the Paschal light
  and affirm in joy and hymns the essence of our faith, we must use each
  day of our lives to prepare to receive our loving Lord, the King of
  glory."?

  Archbishop Demetrios, will officiate at the Good Friday Service, April
  29, beginning at 8:00 p.m. and Resurrection Service, April 26, beginning
  at l1:00 p.m. at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (319 E.
  74th St., New York City). The Good Friday Lamentations and Resurrection
  Service will be broadcast Live on Television National Greek Television
  (NGTV) Time Warner Digital Channel 509 and ANTENNA SATELLITE NORTH
  AMERICA. All Services of Holy Week will be broadcast live on Cathedral
  and Archdiocese Websites: http://www.thecathedral.goarch.org and
  http://live.goarch.org.

  Archbishop Demetrios will officiate at Holy Week services in the
  following Greek Orthodox parishes: Lazarus Saturday Liturgy at Holy
  Trinity, Bridgeport, CT; Palm Sunday Liturgy, St. Sophia Cathedral,
  Washington DC; SS. Constantine and Helen, Washington, DC, Bridegroom
  Service, Sunday evening; Holy Trinity Hicksville, NY, Bridegroom Service,
  Monday evening; Kimisis Tis Theotokou Church, Brooklyn, Bridegroom
  Service, Tuesday evening; St. Demetrios Cathedral, Astoria, Bridegroom
  Service, Wednesday evening; Holy Thursday Liturgy, St. Paul Chapel,
  Archdiocese; Holy Passion, Thursday evening, St. Nicholas, Flushing; Good
  Friday Apokathelosis, St. Michael's Home for the Aged and Good Friday
  Lamentations, Holy Trinity Cathedral; Saturday morning, Vespers/Divine
  Liturgy, St. Paul Cathedral, Hempstead, NY; Saturday evening Resurrection
  and Sunday Agape services at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy
  Trinity.

  Centuries-old religious services which recall the passion, crucifixion
  and Resurrection of Christ are conducted each morning and evening
  throughout Holy Week in Orthodox Christian Churches including: Greek,
  Russian, Romanian, Antiochian, Bulgarian, Carpatho-Russian, Albanian,
  Serbian and Ukrainian, which serve some 6 million faithful in the
  Americas.

  On PALM SUNDAY during the Divine Liturgy, palms are blessed and
  distributed to the faithful commemorating Christ's entrance into
  Jerusalem.

  On PALM SUNDAY EVENING, as well as on the evenings of Holy Monday,
  Tuesday, and Wednesday, the faithful gather for the Nymphios or
  Bridegroom Services that include readings, hymns, and commemorations that
  anticipate the Passion of Christ.

  On HOLY WEDNESDAY, the faithful participate in the Sacrament of Holy
  Unction, and anointed with blessed oil, which cleanses, renews and
  strengthens both spiritually and physically.

  On HOLY THURSDAY MORNING, a Divine Liturgy is held and communion given in
  commemoration of the institution of the Eucharist by Christ.

  On Holy Thursday EVENING, the Service of Holy Passion takes place, during
  which the Twelve Lessons of the Gospel are read. After the Fifth Gospel a
  solemn litany begins. A large crucifix is carried in a procession led by
  the clergy as the mournful hymn of Crucifixion is sung.

  On GOOD FRIDAY AFTERNOON, the Vespers of the Descent from the Cross are
  offered. The Body of Christ is taken down from the Cross, wrapped in
  white linen and is prepared for burial.

  On GOOD FRIDAY EVENING, the Lamentations are sung during the Epitaphios
  Service, which symbolizes the burial of Christ.

  On HOLY SATURDAY EVENING, the Easter Resurrection Service begins with
  Matins at 11 p.m. At midnight, the Church is completely darkened and the
  faithful wait in joyous expectation for the Bishop or priest to come
  forth carrying a white candle, chanting, "Come, Receive the Light, the
  Light of the Resurrection".	The "light" is passed to the congregation
  until the Church is aglow with candlelight. A procession of altar boys,
  choir, chanters and clergy joined by the people move outdoors where the
  Gospel proclaiming the Resurrection of Christ is read. The triumphant
  hymn, "Christos Anesti, Christ is Risen" is joyfully sung by the
  faithful. At the conclusion of the Resurrection Liturgy, red Easter eggs
  are distributed to the congregation, which symbolize the Resurrection of
  Jesus Christ.

  On EASTER SUNDAY, the Vespers of AGAPE  (Love) is celebrated during which
  the Holy Gospel narrating the appearance of the Risen Lord to His
  disciples is read in several languages emphasizing the universality of
  the Gospel message.

  The Orthodox date for Easter is based on a decree of the First Ecumenical
  Council of the undivided Church at Nicaea, Asia Minor, held in 325 A.D.
  According to this decree, the determination of the date of Easter is
  governed by a computation based on the vernal equinox and the phase of
  the moon. Therefore, Easter Sunday should fall on the Sunday, which
  follows the first full moon after the vernal equinox, according to the
  Julian Calendar, which was in use at that time. If the full moon happens
  to fall on a Sunday, Easter is observed the following Sunday.

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