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Feasts
of the Orthodox Church
On Saturday, the day after the crucifixion of the Lord,
His disciples and followers were filled with gloom,
for they had seen their Lord and Master die, crucified
on a cross. As Holy Scripture tells us, there was
a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea.
He was a member of the council, a good and righteous
man, who had not consented to their purpose and deed,
and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man
went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus (Luke
23:50-52). Pilate gave him leave. So he came and
took away His body. [He and] Nicodemus also,
who had at first come to Him by night...took the body
of Jesus, and bound it in linen clothes...as is the
burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where He
was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden
a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because
of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close
at hand, they laid Jesus there (John 19:38-42). The
women who had come with Him from Galilee fallowed,
and saw the tomb, and how His body was laid; then they
returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the
sabbath they rested according to the commandment (Luke
23 :55-56).
Next day, that M, after the day of Preparation,
the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before
Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember
how that impostor said, while He was still alive, 'After three days
I will rise again.' Therefore order the sepulchre to be made secure
until the third day, lest His disciples go and steal Him away, and
tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead," and the last fraud will
be worse than the first," Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of
soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can." So they went and made
the sepulchre secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard (Matt.
27:62-66).
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, [the women] went
to the tomb, taking the spices which they had prepared (Luke 24:1). And
behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended
from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His
appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. And for
fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel
said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus
Who was crucified. He is not here; for He has risen, as He said. Come,
see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples
that He has risen from the dead (Matt. 28-2-7).
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark,
and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran,
and went to Simon Peter and the other disciples, the one whom Jesus
loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,
and we do not know where they have laid Him." Peter then came out with
the other disciples, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran,
but the other disciples outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and
stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did
not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him; and went into the
tomb, he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been
on His head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place
by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also
went in, and he saw and believed.... Then the disciples went back to
their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped
to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where
the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They
said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because
they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid
Him." Saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she
did not know that it was Jenuft. JKSUM said to her, "Woman., why are
you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she
said to Him, "Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You
have laid Him, and I will take Him away.** Jesus said to her, "Mary." She
turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
Jvsus said to her, "Do nut hold Me, fur I have nut yet ascended to
the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them? I am ascending to
My Father and your Father, to My God and your Cod." Mary Magdalene
went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord; and she told
them that He had said these things to her (John 20:1-8, 10-18).
Later the Risen Christ revealed Himself to the apostles in the Divine
Glory of the Resurrection. And when they witnessed that glory, a new
awareness of life was born within them along with the power of faith
which moved them to new deeds in their apostolic service. It led them
into a hostile world in which they were to endure suffering and which
met their preaching of the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ with
enmity and scorn. But we know that Christ's apostles carried His holy
message throughout the Greek and Roman world and into other lands,
preaching Christ, how He had come into the world to save men and how,
though Himself Cod, He had taken human flesh and lived as a man among
men, and how, as a man. He had achieved incomprehensible perfection.
So too, all true believers rejoice on this day of redemption by the
great revelation of Cod's truth and life eternal in Jesus Christ, our
Redeemer. His glorious Resurrection is the foundation of our Christian
Faith and Hope. It is the indestructible foundation on which the miraculous
structure of Christ's Church is built.
The Resurrection of Christ the Redeemer is the completion of the Great
Work for the redemption of mankind from enslavement to Satan and corruption;
the power of sin is destroyed and Death itself is abolished. The Resurrection
of Christ grants every one the right to call himself a child of God;
it is the return of Paradise lost, the threshold of the Holy of Holies
of immortal life and communion with God. St. Paul tells us that if
there had been no Resurrection then our Christian faith would have
been deprived of any foundation or value: If Christ has not been raised,
then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.... If Christ
has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your
sins (1 Cor. 15:14, 17).
But Christ is risen; He rose the First among the sons of earth, and
thus manifested His Might and His Divine Power. Through our forefathers
disobedience to God, sin took possession of human nature, and brought
decay and death in its wake. But Christ abolished original sin and
cleansed the fallen Adam (Eph, 1:7). With His divine blood He raises
man into a new creation (1 Cur. 15.13-26).
The Holy Orthodox Church triumphs, exults and rejoices, magnifying
and extolling Christ's glorious Resurrection, the great and wonderful
manifestation of Divine Love and Forgiveness and the beginning of everlasting
life. On this Feast of Feasts, this Triumph of Triumphs, the Holy Church
exults in her love for her beloved Bridegroom, Who rose from the tomb
for our salvation, and summons us, Her faithful children, to this eternal
Feast of angels and men. This greatest feast, illuminated by the light
from on high, is a divine prefiguration of the general resurrection
of all those who have died from the beginning of time. And this is
so because, as the Paschal Hymn so triumphantly proclaims: "Christ
is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those
in the tombs bestowing life!"
Troparion of the Feast (Special Melody)
Christ
is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death,
and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 8)
Thou
didst descend into the tomb, O Immortal, Thou didst destroy
the power of death. In victory didst Thou arise, O Christ
God, proclaiming "Rejoice" to the myrrhbearing women, granting
peace to Thy apostles, and bestowing resurrection on the
fallen.
Hymn of the Resurrection
Having
beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the
Holy Lord Jesus, tne onfy sinless One. We venerate Thy Cross,
O Christ, and we praise and glorify Thy holy Resur-rection;
for Thou art our God, and we know no other than Thee;
we
call on Thy name.
Come, all you faithful, let us venerate. Christ's holy Resurrection.
For, behold through the Cross joy has come into all the world. Let
us ever bless the Lord, praising His Resurrection, for by enduring
the Cross for us, He has destroyed death by death!
The
Nativity of the Theotokos
 The first Great Feast to fall in the Church Year
is the Nativity of the Most-Holy Theotokos. It is entirely
fitting that at the beginning of the new religious year
all Orthodox Christians should come before the highest
example of human holiness that the Orthodox Church holds
precious and venerates - that of Mary, the Theotokos and
Mother of God. This day is seen as one of universal joy;
for on this day - the boundary of the Old and New Covenants
- was born the Most-Blessed Virgin, pre-arranged from the
ages by Divine Providence to serve the mystical Incarnation
of God the Word.
The first Old Testament Reading of Vespers (Gen. 28:10-17) speaks of
the dream of Jacob, one of the Old Testament Patriarchs, when he fled
the wrath of his brother Esau. He saw a ladder extending from earth
to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. When he awoke, Jacob
blessed with oil the stone on which he had slept and called it Bethel,
meaning house of God. The Most-Pure Mother of God is seen here as that
ladder between heaven and earth, uniting earth with heaven in her womb.
She who carried God in her womb is truly Bethel, none other than the
house of God...and the gate of heaven (Gen. 28:17).
The birth of the Most-Holy Theotokos took place in the following manner:
Her father, the Righteous Joachim, was a descendant of King David,
to whom God had promised that from the seed of his descendants would
be born the Savior of the world. Her mother, the Righteous Anna, was
the daughter of Matthan, and through her father was of the tribe of
Aaron and through her mother was of the tribe of Judah. The spouses
lived in Nazareth of Galilee.
Joachim and Anna had no children, and all their life they grieved about
this, especially since they were now in old age. Scorn and mockery
was their lot, for at that time childlessness was reckoned as a shame.
But they never murmured and only the more fervently beseeched God,
humbly trusting in His Will.
Once, during the time of a great Feast, the offering which Joachim
took to Jerusalem to offer to God in the Temple, was not received by
the priest, who reckoned that a childless man was not worthy to bring
a sacrifice to God. This greatly grieved the old man and he, counting
himself only a sinner among men, decided not to return home, but to
flee to a place of solitude in a deserted place.
Anna, having heard how her husband had been humiliated by the priest,
began to fast, and in prayer sadly beseeched God to grant her a child.
In the wilderness, secluded and fasting, Joachim also prayed to God
about this.
The prayers of the Holy Spouses were heard. The angel Gabriel came
to them and announced that a daughter would be born to them, whom the
whole human race would call blessed. At the command of the Heavenly
Messenger, Joachim and Anna returned to Jerusalem where, according
to the promise of God, a daughter was born to them, whom they named
Mary.
This child, the Most-Holy Virgin Mary, pure and virtuous, surpassed
not only all men, but even the angels, being manifested as the Living
Temple, "the Heavenly Gate, ushering in Christ to the Universe as the
Salvation of our souls." The Nativity of the Mother of God pre-announced
the approaching time when the great and comforting promise of God concerning
the salvation of the human race from the slavery of the devil was to
be accomplished. The Mother of the First-Born of all Creation was revealed
to all of us as a merciful Intercessor to whom we perpetually run for
help in all things. Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)
Your
Nativity, O Virgin, has proclaimed joy to the whole universe!
The Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, has shone from
you, O Theotokos! By annulling the curse. He bestowed a blessing.
By destroying death. He has granted us eternal life.
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 4)
By
your Nativity, O Most-Pure Virgin, Joachim and Anna are freed
from barrenness; Adam and Eve, from the corruption of death.
And we, your people, freed from the guilt of sin, celebrate
and sing to you: The barren woman gives birth to the Theotokos,
the Nourisher of our Life.
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The
Exaltation of the Cross
 Not
long after the Nativity of the Most-Holy Theotokos, the
Church celebrates the Exaltation of the Most-Precious Cross
of the Lord. The Savior Himself had spoken of His death
on the Cross, saying: As Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that
whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. For God
so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life
(John 3:14-16). This was accomplished on Holy Friday when
the Lord was "crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered
and was buried," as the Creed proclaims. And just before
He died He proclaimed It is finished (John 19:30)!
Truly, the Nativity of the Theotokos was seen as the beginning
of our salvation, and the Cross is seen as the culmination
of our salvation.
By Christ's death on It, our salvation was accomplished. Mary is also
closely associated with the Cross, for she was the "mystical paradise" in
whom the Tree of Life sprouted; this Tree of Life, Christ our Savior,
then "planted on earth the life-creating Tree of the Cross" (from the
Feast). And as He suffered and died on the Life-giving Tree of the
Cross, so too we are called upon to take up our own crosses on our
shoulders and to die daily for the sake of Him Who died for us.
The Feast itself came about because of certain historical events. After
the voluntary suffering and death on the Cross of the Lord, the sacred
place of His suffering was scorned by the pagans. When the Roman Emperor
Titus, in 70 A.D. conquered Jerusalem, he destroyed the city and leveled
the Temple on Mt. Moriah, not leaving even a stone upon a stone, as
had been foretold by the Savior in a dialogue with His disciples (Mark
13:1-2).
The Emperor Hadrian (117-138), a backward, zealous pagan, constructed
in place of the Jerusalem destroyed by Titus a new city, which he named
Helio-Hadrianopolis. Further, it was forbidden for this city to be
called by its previous name of Jerusalem. He commanded that the Holy
Grave of the Lord be covered with earth and stones, raising on it an
idol. On Golgotha, where the Savior was crucified, in 119 he erected
a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus. Sacrifices were offered before
the statue and pagan rites were celebrated, accompanied by prostitution.
In Bethlehem, in the place where the Savior had been born of the Most-Pure
Virgin, the impious monarch erected an idol to Adonis. All of this
he did intending that the people completely forget about Christ the
Savior and nevermore recollect the place where He lived, taught, suffered
and arose with glory.
When Constantine the Great, Equal-to-the-Apostles (306-337) ascended
the throne (being the first of the Roman Emperors to recognize Christianity)
, he, together with his pious mother. Queen Helena, decided to restore
the city of Jerusalem, and in the place of the suffering and resurrection
of the Lord Jesus Christ to erect a new church, to cleanse all of the
places connected with the memory of Jesus from the pagan cult, and
again to consecrate all of them. The Orthodox Queen Helena left for
Jerusalem with a great quantity of gold, and the Emperor sent a letter
to Patriarch Macarius I (313-323) in which he asked every kind of aid
in the holy task of restoring the Christian holy places.
Having arrived in Jerusalem, the pious Queen destroyed all the idols
and cleansed the city of pagan cult objects, consecrating the defiled
places. She burned with the desire to raise up the Cross of Our Lord
Jesus Christ; and so she commanded that digging proceed at the place
where the Temple of Venus had stood. There the covered Grave of the
Lord was discovered, as well as the place of execution, not far from
which were found three crosses and four nails, as well as the sign
board which had been nailed over His head.
In order to determine which of the three crosses belonged to the Savior,
Patriarch Macarius ordered that the crosses, in turn, be placed on
a dead person who was being brought to a place of burial. When the
Cross of Christ touched the dead one, he immediately came to life.
With great joy, the Orthodox Queen and the Patriarch together lifted
up the Life-Creating Cross and showed it to all the people standing
by. Later the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was constructed on the site,
enclosing within its walls the place of the crucifixion of the Savior,
as well as His tomb, and a Feast was instituted for September 14, commemorating
the glorious Exaltation of the Cross.
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)
O
Lord, save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance. Grant
victories to the Orthodox Christians over their adversaries;
and by virtue of Thy Cross, preserve Thy habitation.
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 4)
As
Thou wast voluntarily crucified for our sake, grant mercy
to those who are called by Thy Name; make all Orthodox Christians
glad by Thy power, granting them victories over their adversaries,
by bestowing on them the invincible trophy. Thy weapon of
peace.
The Entrance in to the Temple
Soon
after the beginning of the Nativity Fast (Advent), the
Holy Church celebrates the Feast of the Entrance of the
Most-Holy Theotokos into the Temple. Here we encounter
the holiness of Mary - a small child separated from the
world, brought to live in the Temple - a life set apart,
consecrated, and in a state of intimacy with God - something
that all of us are called to be. We also see in this Feast
a comparison between the Temple of stone and Mary, the
Living Temple - the Temple of the Savior - for she will
bear God the Word - the God-Man - in her womb, thus showing
herself to be a holier Temple than that at Jerusalem. It
is the Living Temple - the instrument of the Incarnation
- which sanctifies the Temple built of stone.
According to the Inner Tradition of the Church, the Entrance into the
Temple took place in the following manner: The parents of the Virgin,
Joachim and Anna, when praying for the resolution of their barrenness,
gave a vow that if a child was born, it would be dedicated to the service
of God. Thus, when the Most-Holy Virgin was three years old, her holy
parents resolved to fulfill their vow.
Having gathered relatives and acquaintances, clothing the Most-Pure
Mary in bright garments, singing sacred hymns and carrying lit candles
in their hands, they led her to the Jerusalem Temple. There the young
Maiden was met by the High Priest with a multitude of priests. Leading
up into the Temple were fifteen high steps, and the child Mary, it
seems, was not able on her own to ascend these steps. But, as soon
as she was put on the first step, being strengthened by the power of
God, she quickly climbed the remaining steps to the top. Later, at
an inspiration from Above, the High Priest led the Most-Holy Virgin
into the Holy of Holies into which the High Priest entered only once
a year on behalf of the people, after first making sacrifices for them
and for himself. All who were present were astonished at this extraordinary
event.
The righteous Joachim and Anna, having delivered the child voluntarily
to the Heavenly Father, returned home; the Most-Blessed Mary remained
in the rooms for virgins which were found at the Temple. Around the
Temple, according to the witness of Holy Scripture (e.g., Luke 2:37),
as well as that of the historian Josephus Flavius, there were many
rooms in which remained those dedicated to the service of God.
A deep mystery covers the earthly life of the Most-Holy Theotokos from
her childhood to her repose. Her life in the Jerusalem Temple was concealed. "If
you were to ask me," said the Blessed Jerome, "how the Most-Holy Virgin
passed the time of her youth, I would answer that this is known only
to God Himself and the Archangel Gabriel detailed to protect her." In
Church Tradition, however, is preserved information that during her
sojourn in the Jerusalem Temple, the Most-Pure Virgin was educated
in the community of pious virgins, diligently reading Holy Scriptures,
occupied with handiworks, perpetually in prayer and growing up with
love towards God.
In remembrance of the Entry into the Temple of the Most-Holy Theotokos,
the Church, from ancient times, instituted a solemn Feast. Information
concerning the celebration of the Feast in the first centuries of Christianity
is found in the tradition of Palestinian Christians, which says that
when the Holy Queen Helena came to Palestine, she erected a church
in honor of the Entrance into the Temple of the Most-Holy Theotokos.
Thus the Feast of the Entrance into the Temple of the Most-Holy Theotokos,
pre-announcing the Incarnation of God on earth, proclaims salvation
to all Christians.
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)
Today
is the prelude of the good will of God, of the preaching
of the salvation of mankind. The Virgin appears in the Temple
of God, in anticipation proclaiming Christ to all. Let us
rejoice and sing to her: Rejoice, O divine Fulfillment of
the Creator's dispensation!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 4)
The
most pure Temple of the Savior; the precious Chamber and
Virgin; the sacred Treasure of the glory of God, is presented
today to the house of the Lord. She brings with her the grace
of the Spirit, which the angels of God do praise. Truly this
woman is the Abode of Heaven!
The Nativity of Jesus Christ
 In
the earliest days of Christianity, the Feast of the Nativity
of Christ was not generally celebrated in the Church. First
mention of the Feast is made by Clement of Alexandria,
who mentions that certain Egyptians commemorated the birth
of Christ on May 20. The Apostolic Constitutions of the
first half of the 4th Century set forth that January 6
should be celebrated as both the Feast of the Nativity
and Epiphany. St. Gregory of Nyssa in 380 wrote that the
faithful of Cappadocia celebrated the Nativity on Dec.
25. The Feast was not celebrated in Jerusalem until the
6th Century, while St. John Chrysostom introduced it at
Antioch in 386 and at Constantinople between 398-402. In
Rome the Feast of the Nativity of Christ had been celebrated
on Dec. 25 since 354.
December 25 was ultimately chosen by the Church as the
date of the Nativity in order to christianize the pagan
Feast of Natalis Invicti
or Invincible Sun, which was celebrated on that day. St. Cyprian of
Carthage noted that this "anniversary of the invincible" was made actual
only in the birth of Jesus-the only invincible One.
As the hymns of Christmas proclaim, "Our Savior, the Dayspring from
the East, has visited us from on high: And we who were in darkness
and shadow have found the Truth. For the Lord is born of the Virgin" (Exapostilarion).
And as the Prophet Isaiah foretold many centuries before, and as the
Church proclaims at the Great Compline during the All-Night Vigil for
the Nativity of Christ, "Understand all ye nations, and submit yourselves,
for God is with us!"
The Christmas story is well-known from the witness of Holy Scripture:
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world
should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was
governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, each to his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to
Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he
was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary his
betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time
came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born
Son and wrapped Him in a manger, because there was no place for them
in the inn [Luke 2:1-7].
Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod
the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where
is He Who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen His star
in the East, and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard
this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all
the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where
the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for
so it is written by the prophet: 'And you, 0 Bethlehem, in the land
of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from
you shall come a ruler who will govern My people Israel." Then Herod
summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time
the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Co and search
diligently for the Child, and when you have found Him bring me word,
that I too may come and worship Him." When they had heard the king
they went their way; and lo, the Mar which they had seen in the East
went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the Child
was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;
and going into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and
they fell down and worshipped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they
offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned
in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country
by another way [Matt. 2:1-12].
And in that region there were shepherds out in the fields, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared
to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were
filled with fear. And the angel said to them, "Be not afraid; for behold,
I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people;
for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ
the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped
in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was
with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men" [Luke
2:8-14].
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said
to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that
has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." And they went with
haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. And
when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them
concerning this Child; and all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds
told them. But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they
had heard and seen, as it had been told them [Luke 2:15-20].
Now when [the wise men and shepherds] had departed, behold, an angel
of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rife, take the
Child and His mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell
you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy Him." And
he rose and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed to
Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill
what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called
My son." Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise
men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children
in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under,
according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then
was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was
heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her
children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more" [Matt.
2:13-18].
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)
Thy
Nativity, O Christ our God, has shone to the world the
light of wisdom! For by it, those who worshipped the
stars, were taught by a star to adore Thee, the Sun of
Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Orient from on high.
O Lord, Glory to Thee!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 3)
Today
the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, and the
earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One! Angels,
with shepherds, glorify Him! The wise men journey with
the star! Since for our sake the eternal God was born
as a little child!
 The
Feast of the Theophany (or Epiphany) of Our Lord Jesus
Christ, is celebrated on January 6. After Pascha and Pentecost,
this is the greatest Feast of the Orthodox Church, predating
even the Nativity of Christ in importance. Here Our Lord
Jesus Christ is baptized by John in the waters of the Jordan,
this being the first public manifestation of God the Word
Incarnate to the world.
As Holy Scripture tells us: In those days came John the
Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand." For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when
he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way
of the Lord, make His paths straight." Now John wore a garment of comet's
hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts
and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all
the region about the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river
Jordan, confessing their sins.... [And John said,] "I baptise you with
water for repentance, but He Who is coming after me is mightier than
I, Whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; He will baptize you with
the Holy Spirit and with fire" [Matt. 3:1-6, 11).
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of Whom
I said, 'After me comes a man Who ranks before me, for He was before
me'" [John 1:28-30]. Then Jesus came... to John, to be baptized by
him. John would have prevented Him, saying, "I need to be baptized
by You, and do You come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be
so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then
he consented. And when Jesus was baptized. He went up immediately from
the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and He was the Spirit
of Cod descending like a dove, and alighting on Him; and lo, a voice
from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased" [Matt.
3:13-17].
And John bore witness, "I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven,
and it remained on Him. I myself did not know Him; but He Who sent
me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on Whom you see the Spirit
descend and remain, this is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. 'And
I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God" [John
1:32-34].
In commemoration of this event, the Church, on January 5, the Eve of
Theophany, performs the Blessing of Waters in the church itself, and
on January 6, the day of the Feast itself, the Blessing of Waters is
performed at a site prepared outside the church (preferably a river
or lake).
The Feast of the Epiphany reminds us of our own Baptism in the hymn
sung just before the reading of the Epistle at the Divine Liturgy: "As
many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia!" For
in the waters of Baptism, we put off the Old Man and put on the New,
that is Jesus Christ, and strive to acquire the humility shown by the
Lord Himself when He, the Creator, bowed His head under the hand of
John, the creature, in the waters of the Jordan River.
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)
When
Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, the worship of
the Trinity was made manifest! For the voice of the Father
bare witness to Thee, and called Thee His beloved Son! And
the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness
of His word. O Christ our God, Who hast revealed Thyself
and hast enlightened the world, glory to Thee!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 4)
Today
Thou hast appeared to the universe, and Thy light, 0 Lord,
has shone on us, who with understanding praise Thee:
Thou hast come and revealed Thyself, O Light Unapproachable!
top
The Meeting of Jesus Christ in the Temple
And so Mary and Joseph came after forty days of purification
to the Temple to offer a sacrifice according to what
is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair
of turtledoves, or two young pigeons" (Luke 2:24). The original Old Testament
prescription that the firstborn must be consecrated to the service of the Lord
was now done by substitution: ...the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and
the firstling of unclean beasts you shall redeem. And their redemption price
(at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels in silver,
according to the shekel of the sanctuary... (Num. 18:15-16). These five shekels
evidently symbolized the coming redemption of us by the Savior - His five wounds
on the Cross.
The harsh way of the Cross, portent with profound significance, brought
Son and Mother, the God-Man and she who is "more honorable than the
Cherubim and more glorious, beyond compare, than the Seraphim," meekly
to the Temple at Jerusalem, and the Liberator and Redeemer of the world
was Himself redeemed for so trifling a sum.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man
was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and
the Holy Spirit was upon him And it had been revealed to him by the
Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's
Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when
the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to
the custom of the Law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and
said, "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according
to Thy word" (Luke 2:25-29).
This was the crossroads between the Old Testament and the New. St.
Simeon symbolizes the departing Old Testament, exemplified by men of
righteousness and prophets who in spite of all their doubts and searchings
entertained the firmest faith in what had been foretold of the promised
salvation. The righteous Simeon took Him up in his arms, and the Old
and New Testaments stood together: the Old, departing, held in its
arms and blessed the New. This was unity and continuity, a direct link
and a development; the Law and the promised manifestation of the Grace
of God as His Only-Begotten Son, the Redeemer.
To Simeon the God-Receiver was granted more than had been granted to
any other man before him: he held the Almighty in his arms, and to
him were revealed both the Glory and the Way of the Cross of his God: "for
mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the
face of all people, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and to be the
glory of Thy people Israel/' And His father and His mother marveled
at what was said about Him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary
His mother, "Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many
in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will
pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts
may be revealed" (Luke 2:30-35). Thus, for the first time, the Most-Holy
Mary was forewarned that there would be no end to the thorns and trials
of her life, that her Son, while bringing light and spiritual renewal
to all peoples, would Himself be so persecuted that a sword will pierce
through your own soul also.
The Lord wished for moral harmony in spreading abroad this holy news,
and so He wished a woman, too, to repeat what had been said by Simeon;
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe
of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven
years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four.
She did not depart from the Temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer
night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to Cod,
and spoke of Him to all who were looking for redemption in Jerusalem
(Luke 2:36-38).
 Just as in Palestine in ancient times, we bring our children
on the fortieth day to be presented to the Lord; but in contrast to
the Israelites, we bring children of either sex. In the Presentation,
Christ, the Firstborn of all the human race. Creator of the New Church
and of the New Testament, filled the old rites with a new content.
By bringing our children to church like the Most-Pure Virgin Mary,
we bind them over to God. Baptized and sanctified by grace, our children,
by being made members of the Church, take their first steps upon the
way of grace and the way of the Cross that lies before those who would
follow Christ.
So we must go out to meet Christ and receive Him, taking Him into the
arms of our souls, begging leave for sin to depart from us that we
may live our lives in peace and tranquility, free of the agitations
of evil. St. Simeon gave us an example of how firmly to follow the
path of a righteous life, filled with the expectation of a meeting
with the Lord.
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)
Rejoice,
O Virgin Theotokos, Full of Grace! From you shone the Sun
of Righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening those who
sat in darkness! Rejoice and be glad, O righteous Elder;
you accepted in your arms the Redeemer of our souls, Who
grants us the Resurrection.
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 1)
By
Thy Nativity, Thou didst sanctify the Virgin's womb and didst
bless Simeon's hands, O Christ God. Now Thou hast come and
saved us through love. Grant peace to all Orthodox Christians,
O only Lover of Man!
top
 The
role that the Most-Holy Theotokos plays in the redemption
of the human race cannot be emphasized strongly enough.
As the Feast of her Nativity shows, she was the ladder
bridging earth and heaven. The Troparion of the Feast of
the Annunciation proclaims in part, "Today is the beginning
of our salvation, the revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin as Gabriel
announces the coming of Grace." This was effected through
the perfect obedience of the Theotokos whose humble yes
to the will of God overthrew the disobedience of the First
Mother, Eve, in the Garden of Eden.
As Holy Scripture tells us: In. the sixth month the angel
Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed
to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's
name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the
Lord is with you! Blessed are you among women!" But she was greatly
troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting
this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in
your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, He will
be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord
Cod will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign
over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there will be no
end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have
no husband?" [Luke 1:26-34].
Mary's question, How shall this be...? is not an _expression of doubt.
In this differs quite radically from the attitude of Zechariah, the
father of St. John the Baptist, when the angel announced to him news
of the birth of his own son. She simply poses a respectful question.
And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and
the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child
to be born of you will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold,
your kinswoman Elisabeth [the mother of St. John the Baptist] in her
old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with
her who was called barren. For with Cod nothing will be impossible" [Luke
1:35-37].
With perfect obedience and humility, Mary gives her reply to the angel
and with it overturns the curse of the First Parents: And Mary said, "Behold,
I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And
the angel departed from her [Luke 1:38]. Thus, with the Archangel Gabriel
we can all cry out to her from the depths of our hearts: Rejoice, you
through whom joy will shine forth: Rejoice, you through whom the curse
will cease! Rejoice, restoration of fallen Adam: Rejoice, redemption
of the tears of Eve! Rejoice, Height hard to climb for the thoughts
of man: Rejoice, Depth hard to perceive even for the eyes of angels!
Rejoice, you who are the throne of the King: Rejoice, you who hold
Him Who holdeth all! Rejoice, Star who makes the Sun appear: Rejoice,
Womb of the Divine Incarnation! Rejoice, you through whom the Creation
is made new: Rejoice, you through whom the Creator becomes a newborn
child! Rejoice, Unwedded Bride! [From the Ikos of the Matins of the
Feast].
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)
Today
is the beginning of our salvation, the revelation of
the eternal mystery! The Son of God becomes the Son of
the Virgin as Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.
Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos: Rejoice,
O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 8)
O
victorious Leader of triumphant hosts! We, your servants,
delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks to you,
O Theotokos! As you possess invincible might set us free
from every calamity so that we may sing: Rejoice, O Unwedded
Bride!
 At one point in His earthly ministry. Our Lord asked His
disciples. Who do men say that the Son of man is (Matt.
16:13)? The disciples gave various answers: John the
Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets.
Then He said to them. But who do you say that I am
(Matt. 16:15)? Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ,
the Son of the living Cod" (Matt. 16:16). Shortly after
this confession of faith, Jesus went up a high mountain
(according to Church Tradition, Mt. Tabor) to pray,
taking with Him Peter, James and John. And as He was
praying, the appearance of His countenance was altered,
and His raiment became dazzling white. And behold,
two men talked with Him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared
in glory and spoke of His departure, which He was to
accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were
with Him were heavy with sleep, and when they wakened
they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.
And as the men were parting from Him, Peter said to
Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us
make three booths, one for You and one for Moses and
one for Elijah"-not knowing what he said. As he said
this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they
were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice
came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, My
Beloved; listen to Him!" And when the voice had spoken,
Jesus was found alone. And they kept silence and told
no one in those days anything of what they had seen
(Luke 9:29-36).
In the Old Testament, the presence of light and cloud often signified
the Divine Presence: Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud
covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai,
and the cloud covered it six days; and on the seventh day He called
to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory
of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in
the sight of the people of Israel (Ex. 24:15-17). Likewise, on Mt.
Tabor the cloud signified the Divine Presence - the God-Man Jesus Christ,
and the Theophany here was accompanied by a bright radiance.
Both Moses and Elijah had beheld the presence of God, as the Readings
at the Vespers of the Feast point out, and thus were appropriate witnesses
on Mt. Tabor to Christ's divinity. In addition, as Jesus is the fulfillment
of the Law and the Prophets, how appropriate it was for those who par
excellence represented the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) to
be present.
 The Lord took His three closest disciples
(Peter, James and John) with .Him on the mountain for, although
God sometimes reveals Himself to sinners in quite unexpected
ways, it is usually those who have followed Him long and faithfully
who are privileged to enter into the joy of the Transfiguration
of the Master.
The bright radiance and shining of the face is also a characteristic
of those closest to God. Such was the case of Moses, who spoke to God/ace
to face: When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tables
of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses
did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking
with God. And when Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, behold,
the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.
But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation
returned to him, and Moses talked with them.... And when Moses had
finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever
Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he took the veil off,
until he came out; and when he came out, and told the people of Israel
what he was commanded, the people of Israel saw the face of Moses,
that the skin of Moses' face shone; and Moses would put the veil upon
his face again, until he went in to speak with Him (Ex. 34:29-35).
In more recent times this phenomenon was especially noted in the case
of St. Seraphim of Sarov whose face shone like the brightest sun according
to contemporary reports [Conversation with Motovilov].
In like manner, we all have the opportunity to be transfigured in our
lives and to acquire a close relationship with God. So, too, we all
have the opportunity to manifest the visible signs of those closest
to God. In any case, as St. Paul tells us, when we die our bodies will
be transformed (transfigured, as it were) and we will take on spiritual,
radiant bodies. This aspect is clearly seen in the Transfiguration
of Our Lord.
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 7)
Thou
wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ God, revealing
Thy glory to Thy disciples as far as they could bear
it. Let Thine everlasting light shine upon us sinner! Through
the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of Light, glory
to
Thee!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 7)
On
the mountain wast Thou transfigured, O Christ God, and
Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could see
it; so that when they would behold Thee crucified, they
would understand that Thy suffering was voluntary, and
would proclaim to the world that Thou art truly the Radiance
of the Father!
 Liturgically, the most important Feast
of the Theotokos is that of her Dormition or Falling-Asleep.
Prior to this Feast there is a strict two-week fast,
beginning on August 1, which is broken only by the Feast
of the Transfiguration on August 6. This Feast possesses
two distinct aspects inseparably linked in the mind of
the believer. On the one hand, there is death and burial
and, on the other, resurrection and the assumption of
the Mother of God. As part of the Inner Tradition of
the Church, this event was mystery that was not designed
for the ears of the outside world, but which was revealed
to the faithful within the Church.
True believers know that insofar as the son of God assumed
human nature in the womb of the Virgin, She who was the
means of His Incarnation
was resurrected and taken up into Heaven in the Divine Glory of Her
Son. Arise, 0 Lord, and go to Thy resting place. Thou and the ark of
Thy might (Ps. 132;8). The Son transported His Mother to the eternity
of the life to come, "for being the Mother of Life, she was translated
to life by the One Who dwelt in her virginal womb" (from the Kontakion
of the Feast).
Thus, if every year we commemorate the anniversaries of the deaths
of the Saints - the Martyrs, Apostles, Venerable Mothers and Fathers,
Sainted Hierarchs, etc. - so much the more we commemorate the death
of the Most-Holy Theotokos who did not see the corruption of the grave
common to all humanity. And not only did her soul ascend to heaven,
but her body also. As she was a perfect example of that obedience which
all Christians are called upon to exercise, and as she alone was the
Mother of God, her body did not see the natural corruption which follows
death, but was raised from the dead and carried to the glory of the
King of All in the heavenly mansions.
According to the Inner Tradition of the Church, the Dormition of the
Most-Holy Theotokos took place in the following manner: Having reached
an advanced age, the Most-Pure One wished to leave the body and go
to God as soon as possible, since the one unceasing desire of her soul
had always been to see the sweet face of her son sitting at the right
hand of the Father in Heaven. Many tears she shed as she prayed to
the Lord to take her from this present vale of sorrows.
The All-Chaste One lived in the house of St. John the Divine on Zion
and often she went to the Mount of Olives, which was nearby, offering
there in solitude her fervent prayer to her Son. Once, as she was praying
alone on the Mount, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and announced
that soon (after three days) she would depart and be with Christ. The
Archangel told her that she should not be troubled, but should receive
his words with joy as she was being called to immortal life and to
the eternal
King of Glory. As a sign of the triumph of the Mother of God over death
- that bodily death would not have power over her, just as spiritual
death had not had dominion over her, and that she would merely fall
asleep for a short time and then, as if waking from sleep, she would
rise and shake off death like sleep from the eyes and would see in
the light of the Lord's face the immortal life and glory to which she
would go with shouts of joy and spiritual happiness - the Archangel
handed the Most-Holy Virgin a branch from Paradise. The Most-Blessed
Mother of God was filled with unspeakable joy and, falling down on
her knees, she fervently thanked her Creator.
Before her departure from this life, the Most-Pure Lady wanted to see
the Holy Apostles who were already scattered all over the world for
the preaching of the Gospel. On her knees she prayed that this might
be possible and that at the hour of her death she might not see the
Prince of Darkness and his terrible servants, but that her son and
God Himself would fulfill His promise and come and receive her soul
into His holy hands. As she knelt, the olive trees growing on the Mountain
bent, as if they were animate, and when the Pure Theotokos rose, they
straightened themselves out again, honoring her as the Mother of God.
Returning home, the Most-Blessed Lady showed the branch from Paradise
to St. John and told him to carry it before her bed. Then she began
to make preparations for her burial. St. John sent word to St. James,
first Bishop of Jerusalem and the brother of the Lord, and also to
all other relatives and neighbors, informing them of the imminent decease
of the Mother of God. In turn St. James informed all the Christians
living in Jerusalem and the surrounding towns. With weeping they came
to the home of the Pure Virgin to await her death.
As the multitude was gathered at the home of the Theotokos, suddenly
there was heard a loud noise, like thunder, and a cloud encircled the
house of St. John the Divine. At the command of God, angels seized
the Apostles who were scattered to the ends of the earth and, bringing
them on clouds to Jerusalem, placed them on Zion before the door of
the house. St. John greeted them and told them of the speedy departure
of the Most-Holy Mother of God. Later the Apostle Paul, accompanied
by his close disciples, Dionysius the Areopagite, Hierotheus and Timothy,
as well as the Seventy Apostles arrived at the home.
On the fifteenth day of the month of August, as all were awaiting the
final hour, there suddenly shone in the room an ineffable light of
Divine Glory which dimmed the lamps that had been lit in the house.
The inhabitants saw the roof of the room opened and the glory of the
Lord descending from Heaven-Christ the King of Glory Himself with the
hosts of angels and archangels, with all the heavenly powers, with
the holy Fathers and Prophets who of old had prophesied about the Holy
Virgin, and all the righteous souls, approached His Immaculate Mother.
After greeting Her Son, the Virgin surrendered her pure soul into His
hands. She felt no pain whatever, for the end was as if she had fallen
into a sweet sleep. At once there began angelic singing and with triumphant
songs the heavenly hosts accompanied the soul of the Mother of God
as she went in the arms of the Lord to the dwellings on High.
After her demise, the Holy Apostles bore the Most-Pure Body of the
Mother of God to the Garden of Gethsemane, where she was placed in
a tomb. The Holy Apostles stayed by the tomb of the Most-Pure One without
leaving the Garden for three full days, singing psalms day and night.
In addition, for all this time there was heard in the air the wonderful
singing of the heavenly hosts praising God and blessing His Immaculate
Mother.
By God's special arrangement, one of the Apostles, St. Thomas, was
not present at the glorious burial of the body of the Immaculate Mother
and he only arrived at Gethsemane on the third day. Grieving that he
had not been granted the last greeting and blessing of the Most-Pure
One, Thomas wept bitterly. Taking pity on him, the Apostles decided
to open the tomb so that he might at least see the dead body of the
Blessed Mother. But when the tomb was opened, the body of the Mother
of God was not there, but only the burial clothes, giving off a wonderful
fragrance!
With weeping and reverance the Holy Apostles kissed the burial clothes,
praying that the Lord would reveal to them where the body of the All-Pure
One had disappeared to. Later, after having eaten a meal in the Garden,
the Apostles suddenly heard angelic singing. Looking up, they saw standing
in the air the Immaculate Mother of God surrounded by a multitude of
angels. She was enveloped in an ineffable light and she said to them: "Rejoice,
for I am with you always!" Filled with joy, instead of the usual "Lord
Jesus Christ, help us!" the Apostles cried: "Most Holy Mother of God,
help us!" From that time they taught the Holy Church to believe that
the Immaculate Mother of God on the third day after her burial was
raised by her Son and taken with her body to Heaven.
Thus, the Lord, by His special Providence, delayed the arrival of St.
Thomas until the day of the Falling-asleep of the Mother of God so
that the tomb might be opened for him, so that the Church, in this
way, might believe in the resurrection of the Mother of God, just as
previously through the same Apostle's unbelief the Church had come
to believe in the resurrection of Christ. Thus were accomplished the
Falling-asleep of our Most-Blessed Lady the Mother of God, the burial
of her undefiled body, her glorious resurrection and the triumphant
assurance regarding her ascension to heaven in the flesh. Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)
In
giving birth, you preserved your virginity! In falling
asleep you did not forsake the world, O Theotokos! You
were translated to life, O Mother of Life, and by your
prayers you deliver our souls from death!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 2)
Neither
the tomb, nor death, could hold the Theotokos, who is constant
in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. For being
the Mother of Life, she was translated to life by the One
who dwelt in her virginal womb!
The Entrance into Jerusalem
 On
the Sunday before Pascha, the Holy Church celebrates
the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem. Six days before
the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was,
whom Jesus had raised from the dead (John 12:1). While
tarrying there, in the house of Lazarus, many of those
who had accompanied Him on the way from Jericho managed
to reach Jerusalem and spread the tidings that Christ
the Savior was coming there for the Feast of the Passover,
and had stopped for a while in Bethany. Hearing this
news, Christ's enemies, the scribes and Pharisees came
to Bethany, not only on account of Jesus but also to
see Lazarus, Whom He had raised from the dead (John 12:9).
The number of people believing in Christ the Savior was growing from
day to day, and even some of the Jews who had up until then been hostile
towards Him, seeing the miracle He had wrought, believed in Him. This
made the scribes and Pharisees even more angry, and they resolved to
kill not only Our Lord Jesus Christ, but the righteous Lazarus as well.
Jesus Christ did not want to increase the spite of His foes, the scribes
and Pharisees, and for this reason He often avoided direct and open
confrontation with them. But the time had come to take all the wrath
and spite of these people upon Himself. So that His enemies would have
no justification for their unbelief and would not be able to say afterwards
that He had hidden His glory and His predestined Messianic mission
from them. Our Lord made a ceremonial entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling
all that the Prophets had foretold of Him. After spending a day in
Bethany, Jesus Christ set out for the Holy City.
Calling to Himself two of His disciples - in all likelihood Peter and
John - Our Lord asked them to bring from a nearby village a she-ass
and her colt. The disciples went and fulfilled everything: finding
at the gates of the town a she-ass and her colt, they brought them
to the Savior. The young colt had not been ridden or borne a yoke before
(1 Sam. 6:7). The disciples then spread their clothes upon it.
Thus Jesus entered Jerusalem, not in a royal chariot drawn by horses,
but on a young ass, covered, not with rich cloths, but with the well-worn
robes of the disciples. In this way, as the Evangelists John and Matthew
tell us, the sayings of the Prophets were fulfilled: Tell the daughter
of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on
an ass, and on a colt, the foal of an ass (Matt. 21:5).
The meek and humble entry of Our Lord Jesus Christ in to Jerusalem
was a symbol of peace and humility, for it represented a complete contrast
to the triumphal processions of kings at that time. The way in which
Christ entered Jerusalem showed that His Kingdom was not of this world,
but that He was sent by His Father in Heaven. Jesus was accompanied
by throngs of people who had followed Him from Bethany or had met Him
on the way.
Having ascended the Mount of Olives, He stopped. From this hill a beautiful
view opened out over Jerusalem. The tumultuous joy of the people following
the Great Miracle-Worker who had raised Lazarus from the dead, grew
even greater at the sight of this beautiful and sacred city.
Not only the disciples, but all who believed in Him rejoiced with a
great joy, for they believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah, Who,
according to the erroneous beliefs and expectations of the Jews, would
sit on the throne of David, the king of glory, and be their ruler and
rescue them from the Roman yoke.
At the gates of Jerusalem Jesus was met by a great multitude of people,
rejoicing and waving palm branches, who, as St. Matthew tells us, bestrewed
the way with them and their garments (Matt. 21:7-8). All this was an
_expression of particular reverence for the Messiah Whom they had come
out to welcome. [We note here that in the Russian Orthodox Church,
branches from the pussy willow are used instead of palm branches, obviously
on account of the harsh climate.]
 During the Lord's triumphant entry into
Jerusalem, the whole people, who had come in their multitudes
to celebrate the Passover and those who had witnessed Lazarus'
resurrection and had been astounded by this great miracle, cried
in joyous rapture: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He
Who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! (Matt.
21:9). The humble and meek procession of the Savior through the
streets of Jerusalem surpassed and eclipsed all the triumphant
processions that humanity had ever known.
Seeing the joy of the multitudes around Him, however, the Savior
grew sad, and since He loved His people and His city. His heart
was filled
with sorrow. He knew that the same people, who rejoiced now and cried
Hosanna! and saw in Him their salvation, would in a few days cry out
in rage: Crucify Him! Crucify Him! (John 19:6). The Savior also knew
that the fair and holy city of Jerusalem which He was entering, would
soon be desolated and not a stone be left one upon another. As He drew
night to the city, Jesus wept over it, saying, "Would that even today
you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from
your eyes (Luke 19:41-42).
But it was not for Himself that our Lord wept. He wept and grieved
because He knew that God's chosen Jewish people were perishing in ignorance
and error. The Lord grieved not only for Jerusalem and the Chosen People,
but for the whole universe; His gaze reached across the centuries,
and saw the sins of future generations, and it was for them that He
grieved in His soul; for them He wept and prayed.
Thus, the triumphant entrance of the Savior into Jerusalem which we
celebrate on Palm Sunday was accomplished. In the Lord's Entrance,
we see His way to voluntary suffering and death for our salvation.
And we also see the image of Christ's spiritual Kingdom - the Kingdom
of Truth, Peace and Humility.
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 1)
By
raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion, Thou
didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God!
Like the children with the palms of victory, we cry out
to Thee: O Vanquisher of Death: Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!
Another Troparion (Tone 4)
When
we were buried with Thee in Baptism, O Christ God, we were
made worthy of eternal life by Thy Resurrection! Now we
praise Thee and sing: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is
He that comes in the name of the Lord!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 6)
Sitting
on Thy throne in heaven, carried on a foal on earth, O
Christ God! Accept the praise of angels and the songs of
children, who sing: Blessed is He that comes to recall
Adam!
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 On
the 39th day after Pascha we celebrate the Leavetaking
of the Feast of Feasts, commemorating the last day of
the Risen Christ's earthly sojourn. The day following
is celebrated as His Leavetaking - His Glorious Ascension
into Heaven. As Holy Scripture tells us, after Jesus
had spoken with His disciples on the Mount of Olives,
concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit, as they were
looking on. He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him out
of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven
as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,
and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into
heaven? This Jesus, Who was taken up from you into heaven,
will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven." Then
they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,
which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away
(Acts 1:9-12).
The Lord ascended to Heaven not to sadden us with His departure, but
in order to do what was best for us. It is to your advantage that I
go away. He had told His disciples. [For] if I do not go away, the
Comforter will not come to you (John 16:7). I will pray the Father,
and He will give you another Comforter, to be with you for ever, even
the Spirit of truth.... The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father
will send in My name. He will teach you all things (John 14:16, 26).
The Savior saw that His mission on earth was accomplished. The goal
of His Incarnation was to proclaim the Divine Truth to the world, to
direct men onto the path of repentance and salvation, and deliver us
from Eternal Death. The Lord accomplished our salvation and man acquires
it through the action of the Holy Spirit.
The Lord knew the trials and tribulations that would be endured by
His disciples - mockings, scourgings, imprisonment and even death.
And thus the Lord ascended to His Heavenly Father that the Spirit might
descend from the Father as the Comforter, and fortify His Friends.
The Lord ascended to Heaven in order to prepare for us, too, the path
to the Heavenly Mansions, to open the Gates of Paradise, and Himself
to be our Guide. Heaven that had been closed to men before the Resurrection
now at the Ascension was opened by Christ the Savior.
 None of the righteous men of the Old Testament
- the Patriarchs, the Prophets, and men pleasing to God could
enter Heaven. No one has ascended into heaven but He Who descended
from heaven, the Son of man (John 3:13), the Lord had said. Our
first parent, Adam, closed the Gates of Paradise, and an angel
with a flaming sword was placed at the gates. But the New Adam,
Our Lord Jesus Christ, through His Ascension, opened the way
to Life and Heaven itself. He was followed by the souls of the
holy Forefathers, Prophets and hosts of righteous people of the
New Testament. All worthy Christians who follow in the footsteps
of their Savior, enter Heaven in this way today and so they will
in the future.
The Lord ascended to intercede for us with His Heavenly Father. Towards
the end of His earthly mission He had said: I go to prepare a place
for you. And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again
and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also (John
14:2-3). This same thought was also expressed by the great Preacher
of Christ's teaching, St. Paul, in the Epistle to the Hebrews: Christ
has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true
one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Cod on
our behalf (Heb. 9:24). These words fill us with hope, for we now have
in Heaven a great Mediator and Advocate for the world with God - Christ
Our Lord.
Our Lord ascended in a cloud on high, symbolizing the rising smoke
of an acceptable sacrifice. Thus the sacrifice was accepted by God
and Christ the Lamb that was slain is ushered into the preserve of
God where He will be eternally offered in the Holy Eucharist. Therefore
we must be worthy of the great mercies of God, capable and ready to
receive them. All the power, all the fruit of His divine Ascension,
therefore, belong to us, for when He ascended on High, He led captivity
captive, and gave gifts to men (Eph. 4:8). This is why the Church repeatedly
proclaims: "Clap your hands, all you nations, for Christ is ascended
up to the place where He was before" [from the Vespers of the Feast].
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 4)
O
Christ God, Thou hast ascended in Glory, granting joy to
Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Through
the blessing they were assured that Thou art the son of
God, the Redeemer of the world!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 6)
When
Thou didst fulfill the dispensation for our sake, and unite
earth to heaven: Thou didst ascend in glory, O Christ our
God, not being parted from those who love Thee, but remaining
with them and crying: I am with you and no one will be
against you!
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The Holy Pentecost
.jpg) On
the 50th Day after Pascha, the Holy Church celebrates
the Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Holy Pentecost).
When the Day of Pentecost had come, they were all together
in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like
the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house
where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues
as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance
(Acts 2:1-4).
In His farewell discourses to His disciples, the Lord told them, I
will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, to be
with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot
receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; you know Him, for
He dwells with You, and will be in you.... [The] Comforter, the Holy
Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name. He will teach you all
things... (John 14:16-17, 26). These words of the Lord were accomplished
on the 50th Day after the Passover (Pascha), for the Seal of the Holy
Spirit was seen on the Apostles in the form of fiery tongues, just
as, in Holy Chrismation, we receive the Seal of the Holy Spirit in
the form of the Holy Chrism.
The people who were present were greatly amazed at the sight, and especially
that each one of them, no matter what nationality, heard the Apostles
speaking to them in their own'language. But others mocking said, "They
are filled with new wine" (Acts 2:13).
Then Peter got up and spoke to them: Men of Judea and all who dwell
in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For
these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third
hour of the day; but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: "And
in the last days it shall be. Cod declares, that I will pour out My
Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream
dreams; yea, and on My menservants and My maidservants in those days
I will pour out My Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show
wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth beneath, blood,
and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness
and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great
and manifest day. And it shall be that whoever calls on the name of
the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:14-21).
Peter went on to speak of the Risen Christ and His redemptive acts,
reminding them that this Jesus Cod raised up, and of that...all [of
the Apostles were] witnesses (Acts 2:32). He continued: Being therefore
exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father
the promise of the Holy spirit. He has poured out this which you see
and hear (Acts 2:33).
Many of those hearing were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and
the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter said
to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit...." So those who received his word were baptized,
and there were added that day about three thousand souls (Acts 2:37-38,
41).
A special characteristic of this day is the singing of the Troparion
to the Holy Spirit: "0 Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of
Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury
of Blessings and Giver of Life: Come and abide in us and cleanse us
from every impurity, and save our souls, 0 Good One!" In addition,
seven Kneeling Prayers are read by the Priest during the Vespers which
immediately follows the Divine Liturgy of that day, while everyone
are on bended knees, this being the first time kneeling is permitted
since Holy Pascha.
Troparion of the Feast (Tone 8)
Blessed
art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast revealed the fishermen
as most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit;
through them thou didst draw the world into Thy net. O
Lover of Man, Glory to Thee!
Kontakion of the Feast (Tone 8)
When
the Most High came down and confused the tongues, He divided
the nations; but when He distributed the tongues of fire.
He called all to unity. Therefore, with one voice, we glorify
the All-Holy Spirit!
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