Celebrating Holy Week

Photo Credit: FrDavid.wordpress.com

Most of us, unlike the iconographer Vladimir Grygorenko, have trouble being fully immersed in the celebration of Christ’s passion and resurrection. Christ literally surrounds him every day at work. This year it's a little more difficult for each of us. We are not able to stand in our beautiful church building, in the presence of icons, incense and each other. Fortunately, we live our lives under a much larger roof. We live under the dome of the heavens. Christ, the Pantocrator (ruler of the heavens) is above us all day and every day and we are members of His Church.

it’s a privilege to live as Christians all day and every day knowing that we are always in HIS presence. The reward is the joy of Christ today and forever. Archbishop Dmitri, of blessed memory, used to point out that without Christ’s resurrection the world has no meaning. Holy Pascha is almost upon us. Here are some things you can do during Holy Week-

. In a spirit of repentance, actively pursue your prayer life at home including praying for others.

. Watch, not as a spectator but as a participant, the services on the internet.

. Contact your fellow Orthodox parishioners and wish them a blessed Pascha.

. Contact your non-Orthodox relatives and friends and wish them a blessed Easter.

. If you are blessed to have relatives who are children, you can reach out to them with the story of Pascha.

Resources: 

http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/diognetus-lightfoot.html

https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-church-year/holy-week

The service schedule for our parish is posted on our website: https://sspeterpaulaz.org

In order to view the live-stream services at Sts. Peter and Paul:

1) go to our parish Facebook page (Saints Peter and Paul Eastern Orthodox Church – OCA) and look for the link; or 2) visit our parish website (above) and click the Facebook icon located at the top right and bottom right of the home page.

You are also encouraged to follow the additional services live-streamed from Holy Trinity Cathedral, San Francisco). The schedule can be found on the Cathedral website: https://holy-trinity.org  

Live-stream. Click the Facebook icon located at the top right of the home page to be connected. His Eminence Archbishop BENJAMIN, the Bishop of our Diocese, will serve assisted by Archpriest Kirill Sokolov, Cathedral Dean.

Quoting from His Grace, Bishop DANIEL in this morning's email:

“We will remain in our homes behind closed doors, believing that hope is on the horizon.  Then, after a while, when it’s safe for all people, when it is the most loving choice, we will come out, gathering together, shouting and singing the good news that God brings life even out of death, that love has the final say.  This year, we might have the closest taste we have had yet of what that first Pascha was really like.”

In Christ’s enduring love,

Father David