Muted Holy Week, Pascha Celebrations in Syria

This year's Holy Week and Paschal commemorations were muted in Syria due to the ongoing political unrest in the country, which opposes the dictatorship of President Bashar al-Assad, but also threatens the security of the country's religious minorities, among them large numbers of Antiochian, Armenian, and Syriac Orthodox Christians. Public processions and celebrations were voluntarily canceled by the leaders of the Orthodox Churches in Syria to avoid worsening the unrest. More here.

Photo of the Day: Catholicos Aram Washing the Feet on Holy Thursday

Catholicos Aram I (Keshishian) of Cilicia washing the feet of a seminarian in Antelias, Lebanon, as part of this past Holy Thursday's services. More here.

Holy Friday

I know I wasn't going to post anything during Holy Week, but after singing the fifteenth antiphon during Holy Friday Matins earlier tonight I couldn't help but think of this rendition of the antiphon in a mixture of English, Greek, and Slavonic by Archbishop Job of blessed memory.

"Today He Who hung the earth upon the waters is hung on the Tree,
The King of the Angels is decked with a crown of thorns.
He Who wraps the heavens in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He Who freed Adam in the Jordan is slapped on the face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is affixed to the Cross with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced by a spear.
We worship Your Passion, O Christ!
Show us also Your glorious Resurrection!"

"By Your word, O Word of God, Lazarus now leaps out of death..."

Joyous feast! St. Lazarus' Saturday has a beautiful significance in and of itself, but its beauty for me comes from its association with baptisms and chrismations :-). It's not always the case, but oftentimes we have too many people being received to baptize and/or chrismate them all on Holy Saturday and consequently many end up being received today.

The feast and its observance at our parish aside, I'm making another pilgrimage back to the Fourth Rome to attend the Holy Week services, visit friends, and celebrate the Lord's Pascha with my church family. I would like to think I'll be too busy praying to post anything here, but it's more likely that I won't be posting anything because I'll be too busy staying up late talking and baking Pascha goodies ;-).

Whatever the reason, I'm taking time off from posting here. I hope and pray it's a peaceful and saving Holy Week for you wherever you may be! "Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord!"

Palestinians Demand Access to Jerusalem During Holy Week, Pascha

Palestinian Arabs from the West Bank are demanding greater access to Jerusalem during Holy Week and Pascha. This year Israel's Passover holidays fall over part of Holy Week and Pascha and as Israel has enforced a military closing off of the West Bank during the Passover holidays for the past several years the West Bank's Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics will be unable to attend the services in the Holy City if the blockade is not lifted. More here.