QUESTIONS CONCERNING FORGIVENESS SUNDAY

  Cheesefare

Sunday of Forgiveness

The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise

Forgiving Each Other

- The clergy will prostrate toward the faithful saying "Forgive me a sinner".

- Everyone should then approach the priests, receive a blessing and make a prostration.

- Then everyone should form a line after taking a blessing and, one by one, prostrate to each other, saying, “Forgive me a sinner.” Those who cannot or should not prostrate may just bow to each person


QUESTIONS CONCERNING FORGIVENESS SUNDAY

1. QUESTION
Why is Forgiveness Sunday so called?

"Forgiveness Sunday", the Sunday before Great Lent, received this name from the pious Orthodox Christian custom at Vespers of asking each other's forgiveness for discourtesy and disrespect. We do so, since in the forthcoming fast we will approach the Holy Mystery of Repentance and ask the Lord to forgive our sins, which forgiveness will be granted us only if we ourselves forgive each other. "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (St. Matt. 6.14, 15)" (From a sermon by St Patriarch Tikhon, when he was Bishop of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. 1901.

2. QUESTION
What event is commemorated on Forgiveness Sunday?

On the last Sunday before Great Lent begins, we remember the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise. Adam was banished from Paradise through disobedience / and cast out from delight, / beguiled by Eve who was beguiled by Satan. / Naked he sat outside the garden, lamenting 'Woe is me!' / Therefore let us all make haste to accept the season of the Fast / and hearken to the teaching of the Gospel, / that we may gain Christ's mercy / and receive once more a dwelling-place in Paradise. (from the Lord I have cried, 6th tone, Forgiveness Sunday)

3. QUESTION
The last weekend before Great Lent is the last time we do several things that are not done again until after Great Lent (or even well after Pascha) such as...?

1) Forgiveness Sunday is the last day in which we eat fish, (with the exception of Annunciation and Palm Sunday) milk, cheese, eggs and other dairy products until Pascha.
2) It is also the last Sunday we will serve St. John Chrysostomos's liturgy until Palm Sunday (which, by the way, is not considered to be in Great Lent). During the holy fast, St Basil's liturgy is served on Sundays.
3) The Orthros service for this weekend is the last time the theologically rich and penitent singing of "By the Waters of Babylon" psalm until next year. It is only sung in church the three Sundays that precede Great Lent.

4. QUESTION
Fasting is discussed in the services on Forgiveness Sunday, and all the days of Great Lent. What most important kind of fasting is stressed over and over?

The services of the church and the fathers stress over and over that our physical fast from food is useless if we do not also strive to "fast" from our attachments and iniquities. Fasting from food is an important aid to the help purify the soul, and to gain in virtue.

The season of the virtues now has come / and the Judge is at the door. / Let us not hold back with darkened face, / but let us keep the Fast, / offering tears, contrition and almsgiving; / and let us cry: / 'Our sins are more in number than the sand of the sea; / but, Deliverer of all, forgive each one of us, // that we may receive an incorruptible crown.' (Sessional Hymns after the 1st Psalter Reading)

The arena of the virtues has been opened. / Let all who wish to struggle for the prize now enter, / girding ourselves for the noble contest of the Fast; / for those that strive lawfully are justly crowned. / Taking up the armor of the Cross, / let us make war against the enemy. / Let us have as our invincible rampart the Faith, / prayer as our breastplate, and as our helmet almsgiving; / and as our sword / let us use fasting that cuts away all evil from our heart. / If we do this, we shall receive the true crown // from Christ the King of all at the Day of Judgment. (Praises)

Adam was driven out of Paradise, / because in disobedience he had eaten food; / but Moses was granted the vision of God, / because he had cleansed the eyes of his soul by fasting. / If then we long to dwell in Paradise, / let us abstain from all needless food; / and if we desire to see God, / let us like Moses fast for forty days. / With sincerity let us persevere in prayer and intercession; / let us still the passions of our soul; / let us subdue the rebellious instincts of the flesh. / With light step let us set out upon the path to heaven, / where the choirs of angels with never-silent voice / sing the praises of the undivided Trinity; / and there we shall behold the surpassing beauty of the Master. / O Son of God, Giver of Life, / in Thee we set our hope: / count us worthy of a place there with the angelic hosts, / at the intercessions of the Mother who bore Thee, O Christ, / of the apostles and the martyrs // and of all the saints.' (Praises)

5. QUESTION
What is commemorated on the first Sunday of Great Lent?

On the first Sunday of Great Lent we celebrate the "Triumph of Orthodoxy".

6. QUESTION
What is the fasting typicon (instructions) for the first week, and all the days in the Lenten season?

During all of Great Lent, we eat no animal products. We abstain from all flesh meat, fish (except for the feast of the Annunciation, since this is such a joyful feast of the Mother of God, and on Palm Sunday), milk, cheese and other milk products, eggs, olive oil and wine on all weekdays (Monday through and including Friday). On the weekends (Saturday and Sunday), wine and olive oil are permitted.

7. QUESTION
During Great Lent, we read the long and rich canon of St Andrew of Crete. When and in which services?

The first 4 evening of Great Lent (Clean Monday through Clean Thursday), we serve Great Compline, and a portion of the Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete. During Orthros for the 5th Thursday of Great Lent, (served Wednesday evening), we read the life of St. Mary of Egypt, and chant the Great Canon in its entirety.

8. QUESTION
Describe the dialogue in the Great canon. Who is speaking? Who is being spoken to?

The Great Canon is a one way dialogue of St Andrew speaking to his soul. We would do well to put ourselves in his (St. Andrew’s) place when the canon is being chanted. Yes, listen carefully with your heart and open your mind. Fix it on the words and apply them to yourself. In doing so, also recognize with awe the wisdom of the holy fathers and know that our Lord spoke to them and inspired them directly. If you do, the passion of Christ will be instilled in you from that moment on and it will remain with you until the Resurrection. You will experience joy as did those who knew Him and saw Him having risen from the dead!

9. QUESTION
Describe in general terms the content of the Great Canon.

The Great canon is a dialogue between St Andrew of Crete and his soul. He brings to bear many examples of the righteous and the unrighteous from the Old and New Testaments in order to show himself good and bad examples, make himself ashamed of his sins, and spur himself to repentance. There is also significant mystical theology and similarities that the saint illuminates in the midst of his lamentations.

10. QUESTION
What are the essential virtues that are a necessity for salvation that shine forth brightly in the words of the Great Canon?

Humility, and with it, self-knowledge. Hope in God, because of knowledge of WHO HE IS.