† GREAT FRIDAY • THE CRUCIFIXION OF OUR LORD GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST • St. Theodore Trichinás, • St. Athanásios of Metéora • Fast day •

AFTERNOON

commemorates the supreme sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. The priest unnails Christ from the Crucifix, wraps His Body in white linen, and places It on the altar symbolizing His burial by Joseph of Arimathea. 

EVENING 

includes the Hymn of the Lamentations which are chanted to reflect our sorrow, to proclaim Christ's descent to Hades, and to herald His expected Resurrection. 

GREAT SATURDAY MORNING

commemorates the Blessed Sabbath as a day of waiting and strict fasting. The Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil is celebrated as we anticipate Christ's victory over death in Hades and His Glorious Resurrection. 

GREAT SATURDAY EVENING

we sing the Paschal Orthros service. As midnight approaches, in a darkened church, we begin the Resurrection service. 

KEYNOTES

The following events are remembered; the washing of the disciples’ feet, the Holy Eucharist at the Mystical Supper, the betrayal of Christ by Judas and the Crucifixion of our Lord. We are reminded of these events in the reading of the 12 Gospels and during which the Procession with the Cross occurs with the chanting of the troparion, "Today is suspended upon a tree, He Who suspended the earth over the waters.." 

We commemorate the suffering of Christ; the mockery, the crown of thorns, the scourging, the nails, the thirst, the vinegar and gall, the confession of the thief. We process with the Epitaphion (rectangular material on which is painted or embroidered the body of Christ laid out for burial) from the Bema (Altar) to the center of the church where it is placed on the Koubouklion (a stand) and venerated by the faithful. Then begin the Enkomia (Praises) which are sung before the Epitaphion. It should be noted that the Koubouklion, in which is placed the Epitaphion, does NOT represent the tomb of Christ but the place where he was laid to be anointed. The flowers that decorate the Koubouklion represent the spices brought by the Myrrh-bearing women.  At the end of the Praises we carry the Epitaphion in procession outside and around the church (weather permitting) while singing "Holy God...". On this day we abstain completely from food or as advised by your confessor (with the exception of those who are pregnant or nursing, the aged and the sick).

The next morning we serve Vespers with the Divine Liturgy of Pascha, after which we all gather in the Narthex to softly sing "Christ is risen...". Following Liturgy and Artoklasia (Blessing of Loaves) we partake of wine, loaves and fruit. Although this service was previously held late in the day and after which the faithful remained in the church, it is now celebrated in the morning and we return to the church and begin the reading the Apostolos (the Acts of the Apostles), when applicable, until close to midnight and the lights of the church are extinguished. All wait for the priest to come out from the Bema with the Paschal candle, which symbolizes the light of the risen Christ, and we begin the Resurrection Service and Divine Liturgy.