Holy Week and Pascha 2023 revised)
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Holy Week and Pascha – 2023. (revised)

 

Friday, April 7, 6 pm –Final Presanctified Liturgy, Lazarus and St. Tikhon 

Saturday, April 8, 10 am –  Lazarus Saturday Divine Liturgy

Saturday, April 8, 5 pm - Vespers of the Triumphal Entry

Sunday, April 9, 10 am – Palm Sunday Liturgy & Procession

Sunday, April 9, 6 pm – Bridegroom Matins

Holy Monday, April 10, 6 pm – Bridegroom Matins

Holy Tuesday, April 11, 6 pm – Bridegroom Matins

Holy Wednesday, April 12, 6 pm – Holy Unction (Anointing of the Sick)

Holy Thursday, April 13, 10 am – Mystical Supper Liturgy

Holy Thursday, April 13, 6 pm – Twelve Passion Gospels

 Holy Friday, April 14, 4 pm – Vespers with Taking Down from the Cross

Holy Friday, April 14, 7 pm –  Lamentations at the Lord's Tomb

Holy Saturday, April 15, 10 am –Blessed Sabbath Liturgy

HOLY PASCHA:

Saturday night April 15, BEGINS AT 11:30 PM - Midnight Service, Matins, and Divine Liturgy, followed by the blessing of baskets

Sunday, April 16, 1 PM- Agape Vespers and picnic

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Lenten Season is HERE!
The pre-lenten Sundays prepare us for our “lenten journey.” They arm us with that which we need to “enter the Fast with joy,” to make the most of the “time for action,” for as we sing on the first day of Great Lent, “salvation is at the door
The pre-lenten Sundays prepare us for our “lenten journey.” They arm us with that which we need to “enter the Fast with joy,” to make the most of the “time for action,” for as we sing on the first day of Great Lent, “salvation is at the door
The pre-lenten Sundays prepare us for our “lenten journey.” They arm us with that which we need to “enter the Fast with joy,” to make the most of the “time for action,” for as we sing on the first day of Great Lent, “salvation is at the door
2023 JOURNEY TO PASCHA

Glory to God for all things!  We are thankful to offer this chart each year. It is lovingly created by Fr. Jonathan Bannon, and it travels around the world. It has been shared and translated in multiple languages, so you can think of people around the world walking this journey with you, together, as the body of Christ.

 

Explanation of services for Thursday- Pascha Sunday
 
Tonight - Sacrament of Holy Unction, 6 pm
This Holy Mystery is celebrated for the healing of the sick. After a canon is sung, praying for our healing, seven epistles and gospels are read, and seven prayers are prayed in blessing of the oil. All Orthodox Christians may be anointed with oil of the healing of bodily and spiritual illnesses. We will also have other holy oils available for any (including non-Orthodox) who wish to be anointed with them after the service.
 
 
mystical supper.jpg
 
Tomorrow - Mystical Supper Divine Liturgy, 10 am
This Liturgy commemorates the first Divine Liturgy ever celebrated, when Christ celebrated it in the Upper Room in Jerusalem on Holy Thursday night. We also remember Judas’ betrayal of the Lord for thirty pieces of silver.
 
 
crucifixion.jpg
 
Tomorrow Evening - 12 Passion Gospels, 6 pm
In this service we read twelve gospel passages recalling Christ’s final words to His disciples on Thursday night, His betrayal by Judas, His trial before the High Priest, His trial before the Roman governor, His scourging and mockery, and His Crucifixion.
 
Friday Afternoon - Vespers with the Taking Down from the Cross, 4 pm
This service recalls the Crucifixion and death of Christ, and His holy body being taken down from the Cross, anointed for burial, and being laid in the tomb by His disciples. (Fasting potluck supper follows the service.)
 
 
Lamentation.jpg
 
Friday evening - Matins with the Lamentations, 7 pm
In this service we sing the burial hymns before the tomb of our Lord, and process around the church carrying the icon of Christ in the tomb. We ponder the mystery that He who is Life itself and who gives Life to all, now is lying in the grave.
 
(All night vigil reading psalms at the tomb - see sign up sheet in church.)
 
Saturday morning - Divine Liturgy of the Blessed Sabbath, 10 am
As the Lord observes the “sabbath rest” in the tomb with His body, and as His soul descends to Hades to bring light and salvation to those held captive there, we have the Vesperal Liturgy with 13 Old Testament readings, each expressing in some way our faith in Christ’s resurrection and saving us through the water of baptism.
 
 
resurrection.jpg
 
Saturday night - HOLY PASCHA, beginning at 11:30 pm
Christ our Savior breaks the bonds of Hades and rises from the tomb, and we celebrate the Resurrection of our Savior and His triumph over death!
(Pascha baskets will be blessed after the service in the hall.)
 
Sunday afternoon - Agape Vespers (Vespers of Love), 1 pm
Our celebration of Christs Resurrection continues with this special Vespers service, with the reading of the Gospel in various languages, followed by a potluck picnic and egg hunt.
 

 

The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”   

For more information on the OCA, please click here:  OCA website

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St. Cyril of Jerusalem Orthodox Church  

Mailing Address:    P. O. Box 133234, Spring TX 77393

Physical address:  9000 Hwy 242, The Woodlands, TX 77385

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