The Akathist to the Mother of God commemorated on the 5th Saturday of Lent is believed to originate from the 6th and 7th centuries, when Intercessions to the Holy Theotokos on three occasions drove back would-be invaders from Constantinople.
The icon-before which the Akathist was sung shows the Mother of God seated on a throne, and surrounded by Prophets with scrolls. The icon was given to the Dionysiou Monastery on Mt. Athos by Emperor Alexius Comnenos. There, it began to flow with myrrh. There were at least three wonderworking copies of this icon in Russia before the Revolution.
The icon-before which the Akathist was sung shows the Mother of God seated on a throne, and surrounded by Prophets with scrolls. The icon was given to the Dionysiou Monastery on Mt. Athos by Emperor Alexius Comnenos. There, it began to flow with myrrh. There were at least three wonderworking copies of this icon in Russia before the Revolution.
“Lazarus, come forth”! +John 11:43
"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me. Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!'" +John 11:41-43 #LazarusSaturday
"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me. Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!'" +John 11:41-43 #LazarusSaturday
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“I am defending my faith and my church! … My soul is crying!”
—Dasha, an 11-year-old Ukrainian girl, defender of the Orthodox faith at the Holy Dormition-Kiev Caves Lavra
Thousands in Ukraine are entering Holy Week by guarding churches, monasteries, and other holy places with prayer and hymnody. As the do so, they receive abuse and provocations from nationalist radicals and their schismatics allies.
Pray for the Orthodox persecuted in Ukraine!
—Dasha, an 11-year-old Ukrainian girl, defender of the Orthodox faith at the Holy Dormition-Kiev Caves Lavra
Thousands in Ukraine are entering Holy Week by guarding churches, monasteries, and other holy places with prayer and hymnody. As the do so, they receive abuse and provocations from nationalist radicals and their schismatics allies.
Pray for the Orthodox persecuted in Ukraine!
"Having fulfilled Forty Days... we ask to see the Holy Week of Thy Passion." — sung at Friday Vespers
On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, we celebrate the raising of the holy and righteous friend of Christ, Lazarus, who had been four days in the grave.
On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, we celebrate the raising of the holy and righteous friend of Christ, Lazarus, who had been four days in the grave.
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion, Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God!
“Lazarus Saturday is a paschal celebration. It is the only time in the entire Church Year that the Resurrectional service of Sunday is celebrated on another day. At the liturgy of Lazarus Saturday, the Church glorifies Christ as ‘the Resurrection and the Life’ who, by raising Lazarus, has confirmed the universal resurrection of mankind even before His own suffering and death.” — Fr Thomas Hopko, Orthodox Worship
“Lazarus Saturday is a paschal celebration. It is the only time in the entire Church Year that the Resurrectional service of Sunday is celebrated on another day. At the liturgy of Lazarus Saturday, the Church glorifies Christ as ‘the Resurrection and the Life’ who, by raising Lazarus, has confirmed the universal resurrection of mankind even before His own suffering and death.” — Fr Thomas Hopko, Orthodox Worship
Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes. —Genesis 49:11 “Hosanna in the Highest!“
Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
Troparion — Tone 4 When we were buried with You in Baptism, O Christ God, We were made worthy of eternal life by Your Resurrection! Now we praise You and sing: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!
Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)
Troparion — Tone 4 When we were buried with You in Baptism, O Christ God, We were made worthy of eternal life by Your Resurrection! Now we praise You and sing: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!
On Great and Holy Monday, the Orthodox Church commemorates the patriarch Joseph, betrayed by his brothers and sold to foreigners for thirty pieces of silver. In the Old Testament story (Genesis 37, 39, 41), Joseph typifies in himself the betrayal, Passion, death and glorification of out Lord Jesus Christ.
On Great, Holy and Good Friday, March 30, 1945, the Righteous Martyr Maria of Paris (Skobtsova) was selected for the Nazi gas chamber at Ravensbruck, where she met her martyrdom on Great and Holy Saturday. For her efforts in rescuing Jewish children in Paris, she is among the "righteous gentiles" honored in Israel. St Maria devised a plan involving Paris garbage collectors, who hid the children in trash cans so they could be whisked away to safety outside the city and spared from the same death she would suffer.
“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.” Matt. 21:20
On Great and Holy Monday, we remember Christ's divine power and of God's judgment symbolized in Christ’s cursing of the fig tree. The tree portrayed the Jewish synagogue, which had not produced the fruit of faithful obedience to God and so was stripped of all spiritual grace. (Matt. 21: 18-20)
On Great and Holy Monday, we remember Christ's divine power and of God's judgment symbolized in Christ’s cursing of the fig tree. The tree portrayed the Jewish synagogue, which had not produced the fruit of faithful obedience to God and so was stripped of all spiritual grace. (Matt. 21: 18-20)