Parish Events

• The Bridegroom Service on the evenings of Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, and Holy Tuesday helps us reflect on our readiness to meet Christ at His Second Coming, as "the Bridegroom who comes in the middle of the night," while we prepare to commemorate His death for us on the Cross.
• At Holy Unction, on Holy Wednesday evening, we are anointed with sacramental oil for the healing of our souls and bodies, as the completion of our Lenten process of repentance and preparation.
• The Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Holy Thursday morning commemorates Christ's last meal with His disciples and His establishing of the Eucharist as our central act of communion with Him.
• The Service of the Passion on Holy Thursday evening includes twelve readings from the Gospels which describe our Lord's last words to His disciples, His betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion, fixing in our mind the scriptural account of what the Son of God suffered for our salvation.
  
• The Royal Hours on Holy Friday morning (so named because in Constantinople they were attended by the emperor and his court) let us keep vigil at the Cross, recounting the story of the Crucifixion together with Old Testament prophecies, psalms and hymns. After the Hours, we prepare the representation of Christ's tomb, which will hold the Epitaphios, the icon of Christ laid in the tomb.
  
• The Vespers of the Unnailing on Holy Friday afternoon re-enacts the taking down of Christ's body from the Cross.
  
• The Lamentations on Holy Friday evening express our grief at Christ's death, our awe at His condescension, and our hope in His Resurrection, by which He destroyed the power of death. We commemorate His descent into hell by carrying His tomb in procession.
  
• The Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Holy Saturday morning is the beginning of our proclamation of the joy of Christ's victory over sin, death, and the devil.
  
• At the Resurrection Service at midnight our joy reaches its peak as the light of Christ shines out of the darkness.
  
• The Agape Vespers, the Vespers of Love on Easter morning, continues that light and joy, with the Good News of the Risen Christ announced in many languages.
  

Hymn to the
Holy Trinity

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