Preparing Ourselves to Forgiveness
Preparing Ourselves to Forgiveness
By Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
lent
THE GREAT PENITENTIAL CANON OF ST. ANDREW OF CRETE
THE GREAT PENITENTIAL CANON OF ST. ANDREW OF CRETE
The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee
The Gospel reading for this Sunday is Luke 18:10-14. On this and the following two Sundays, the theme is repentance. Repentance is the door through which we enter Lent, the starting-point of our journey to Pascha. And to repent signifies far more than self-pity or futile regret over things done in the past. The Greek term mGreat and Holy Saturday
On this day we celebrate the burial of Christ and His descent into Hades. At Matins, usually held on Friday evening, the service begins with the 'Praises' (Ed. note - also called Lamentations) sung before the Epitaphion in the center of the church. The predominant note at this service is not so much one of mourning as of watchful expectation. For the time being God observes a Sabbath rest in the tomb, but we look forward to the moment when He will rise again, bringing new life and recreating the world:
Great and Holy Friday
On this day we celebrate the sufferings of Christ: the mockery, the crown of thorns, the scourging, the nails, the thirst, the vinegar and gall, the cry of desolation, and all that the Savior endured on the Cross; also the confession of the Good Thief. At the same time, the Passion is not separated from the Resurrection; even on this day of our Lord's deepest self-abasement, we look forward also the revelation of His eternal glory:
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