HOLY WEEK 2024: LIVE STREAM PASCHA

May 05, 2024

HOLY WEEK 2024: LIVE STREAM PASCHA - VESPERS OF LOVE

Today, Holy Saturday, we continue yesterday's semi live liturgies from the Holy Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Neos Kosmos, Athens with the service of St. Basil the Great and the commemoration of Christ's Harrowing of Hades, liberating Adam, Eve and other worthy historical figures from the clutches of death (poem by Jonathan Jackson). The event is also called The First Resurrection. Even though Western denominations have underemphasized or even denied this cosmic event for reasons best known to themselves, it holds the key to the very essence of Christian cosmology: 2024 years ago the nature of the world metaphysically changed overnight. Let that sink in for a second. For the explanation and more we refer you to our page "Eastern Orthodox Dogma on Sin, Death and Resurrection" (link). The relevant Bible passages are 1 Peter 4:6-19, Ephesians 4:9, Matthew 12, 40, Acts 24, 2-31, Collosians 1:18.

May 4, 2024 A.M. Kabarnos: Resurrection of the Lord. Service of St. Basil the Great at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, Neos Kosmos, Athens.

The Service of St. Basil the Great comes from the ancient liturgical tradition of the Church of Constantinople and was its primary Paschal service. The hymn "Arise O God" (video) from the Psalms was the original primary Paschal hymn before "Christ is risen"(video) came to take its place. Its place as the ancient Constantinopolitan Paschal celebration is what gives the service such a bright and resurrectional character (more on Orthodox Wiki).

After sunset hymns are being sung, the second of which is exclusively sung on this day. After the Resurrection Service the lights are switched off and the nation awaits the light from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (website).

May 4, 2024 E4 TV: Ceremony of the Patriarch of Jerusalem bringing forth the Holy Light from the Sepulchre.

The Holy Fire -- a foretaste of the Resurrection -- emerged at 17:28 from the Holy Sepulchre by the Patriarch of Jerusalem as a gift of the Orthodox Church to the world. The Uncreated Light shines from the Holy Tomb and is symbolized in the lighted candles.

The ceremony has its origins in the early years of the Church when the liturgical practices of the Church were developed and it is one of the most ancient experiences in the Orthodox tradition.

The Holy Light has an estimated time of arrival around 19:30 EEST at Athens International Airport. By 23:30 the Holy Light is expected to have been distributed to every outpost in the territory of Greece and Cyprus. After lighting individual lampades (decorated candles) a final procession takes place outside the church.