Byzantine Catholic Mission
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Holy Resurrection Byzantine Catholic Mission |
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O ye incorporeal angels who stand before the throne of God, luminous with the brilliance thereof and everlastingly shining with radiance. As secondary luminaries, entreat Christ, that He grant unto our souls peace and great mercy. O immortal messengers of the truly incorruptible Life, ye most blessed ones who received life from the first Life, ye have become holy beholders of the eternal Wisdom, full of light, and reflecting lamps shown forth as is meet. O ye archangels and angels, principalities, thrones, dominions, six-winged seraphim, and divine, many-eyed cherubim, instruments of wisdom, virtues and powers most divine. Pray ye to Christ, that He grant our souls peace and great mercy. Archives:
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HOLY RESURRECTION BYZANTINE CATHOLIC MISSION
Christ is Risen! - Indeed, He is Risen!
WELCOME VISITORS
THOSE WHO ARE FAMILY, RELATIVES, AND FRIENDS TO PARISHONERS; THOSE INQUIRING ABOUT THE BYZANTINE CATHOLIC FAITH; THOSE WHO
HAVE BEEN HERE FOR AWHILE. You enter this holy place of heaven on earth, not as a stranger, but as a guest of God. He is
your Father. Come then, with gratitude in your heart - for there is not one of your needs of which He is not mindful; come
then, with gladness on your lips, offering Him your loving service. May all who love this Home of Faith, rejoice in the power
and love of God ... that His blessings, strength, and love abide within you, both in your coming in and going out.
NEXT DIVINE LITURGY - May 3 (Sat. Evening) at 5:30; Akathist at 5:00
Collection for April 5 - $339.00; Candle Money - $21.00 Father Brendan McAnemey, a Dominican priest with bi-ritual faculties from the Melkite Catholic Church, will be holding an "Art and Spirituality of the Icon Workshop" at The Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Knoxville, May 18-25, 2003. Over the course of the week participants in the workshop will write an icon of Mary with the Child Jesus in the "sweet-kissing" style. No artistic talent is required - only a willingness to learn stillness and prayer through the icon writing techniques. If you would be interested in taking his workshop or need more information call Ann Maxwell at 1-865-856-6108 or Leona Phelps at 1-865-525-3835. These numbers are local to the Knoxville area or you may email Ann at max1aa2@aol.com. The cost for the workshop, all materials furnished is $325 with $100 deposit. There are lectures and slide presentations which are free and open to anyone interested in Byzantine Sacred Art. Ed Klages participated two years ago. After the Liturgy he can show you the icon he painted as well as answer any questions you may have.
Pascha in a Cemetery
In old Russia a service was held every Pascha afternoon in the village cemetery. Having ended the cemetery chapel, the priest
accompanied by acolytes and choir led a procession through the cemetery singing "Christos Voskres" or "Christ is risen."
Stopping by graves where family members stood by in memory of their departed loved ones, the priest greeted each group with
this proclamation, "Christ is risen!" and they replied with the same happy assurance, "Truly, He is risen!"
What a dramatic expression of our Christian faith! To walk through a cemetery on Pascha and sing, "Christ is risen!" Perhaps
we can revive this meaningful custom by visiting the graves of loved ones every Pascha as a family and singing our glorious
Paschal hymn, "Christ is risen."
Pascha and Divine Liturgy
With the arrival of Pascha, several changes take place in the Divine Liturgy. Unless otherwise noted, all these changes
continue until the feast of the Ascension:
1) At the beginning of the Liturgy, after "Blessed is the kingdom..." and before the Litany of Peace, the priest sings the
Paschal Troparion once (Christ is risen from the dead! By death he conquered Death; and to those in the grave He granted
life."), after which the people sing it two more times.
2) There is a special Entrance Hymn after the Little Entrance (Pascha only)
3) Instead of "Holy God, Holy and Mighty..." we sing "All you who have been baptized into Christ..." (Pascha only)
4) There is no kneeling. Instead, we stand during those portions of the Liturgy. (This continues until the evening of
Pentecost Sunday)
5) "It is truly proper..." is replaced with "The angel exclaimed to her..."
6) All prayers after the reception of the Eucharist are replaced with the Paschal Troparion (Christ is risen...); namely, "We
have seen the true light...", "May our lips be filled with Your praise...", and "Blessed be the name of the Lord...".
7) The people's concluding "Glory be to the Father... Lord, have mercy..." is replaced with a recitando "Christ is risen from
the dead... Lord, have mercy..."
8) The concluding prayer of the priest is then "May Christ our true God, risen from the dead, by death conquering death, and
to those in the grave granting life, have mercy on us and save us, through the prayers of His most holy Mother..." (Pascha
only)
Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom
Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Is there anyone who is a grateful
servant? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord! Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their
wages! If any have toiled from the first hour, let them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour, let
him with gratitude join in the Feast! And he that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no
loss. And if any delayed until the ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who arrived only at the
eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, as
well as to him that toiled from the first. To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows. He accepts the works as He
greets the endeavor. The deed He honors and the intention He commends.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! First and last alike receive your reward; rich and poor, rejoice together! Sober
and slothful, celebrate the day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not, rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! Feast royally on it, the calf
is a fatted one. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith. Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!
Let no one grieve at his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and
again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free. He has
destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hades when He descended into it. He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh. Isaiah foretold this
when he said, "You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with. It was in an uproar because it is mocked. It was in an uproar, for it is
destroyed. It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated. It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive. Hell took a body, and
discovered God. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see. O death,
where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?
Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated! Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down! Christ is Risen, and the
angels rejoice! Christ is Risen, and life is liberated! Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead; for Christ
having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!
Christian Greetings
In our tradition, we use different Christian greetings throughout the year. From Pascha to Ascension Thursday, we use the
greeting, "Christ is risen!" and the response is, "Indeed, He is risen!"
THERE SHOULD BE NO KNEELING DURING THE PASCHAL SEASON UNTIL PENTECOST SUNDAY. This regulation is mentioned by the Council of Nicaea, which met in the year 325, and which also set the date for Pascha. Our Father, Saint Basil the Great, explains that this symbolizes our personal resurrection as well as our calling to higher, heavenly things. If you study the icon of the Resurrection of our Savior, you will notice that our Lord is RAISING Adam and Eve to their feet. They and we now stand in the glory of the Resurrected Savior; kneeling furthermore is a sign of penance. Since all signs of penance are removed from the Liturgy during the Easter season, we should likewise refrain from kneeling. We do, of course, sit during times we normally sit at the Liturgy. Furthermore, anytime that the Paschal hymn "CHRIST IS RISEN" is sung, we should not sit. Last updated: 23-Apr-2003 |
