"Today a tomb holds Him who holds the creation in the hollow of His hand; a stone covers Him who covered the heavens with glory. Life sleeps and Hades trembles, and Adam is set free from his bonds. Glory to Thy dispensation, whereby Thou hast accomplished all things, granting us an eternal Sabbath, Thy most holy Resurrection from the dead."
"Lament not for me, Mother, as you behold Me in the grave, Whom as a Son you conceived in your womb without seed. For I shall rise and be glorified, and as God, I shall ceaselessly exalt in glory those, who in faith and yearning, magnify you." --from the Ninth Ode of the Canon for Holy and Great Friday Evening	"Life sleeps and Hades trembles." The Mystery of Christ's descent into Hades. "Be astonished, O Heaven, and let the foundations of the earth quake for lo, the One, Who dwells in the highest, is accounted among the dead, and lodges as a stranger in a humble tomb." --from the Eighth Ode of the Canon for Holy and Great Friday Evening	The Anastasis "Arise, O God, and judge the earth; for You shall take all nations to Your inheritance." Christ bursts forth from the tomb! Christ leads the dead from Death on the night of Pascha.
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"O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"

May 4, 2013

Holy Saturday Morning
Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil, 9:00 AM
The readings:
Prophetic readings: Genesis 1:1-13, Jonah 1:1-16, 2:1-11, 3:1-10, and 4:1-11,
Daniel 3:1-23 (including The Prayer of Azariah and The Hymn of the Three Holy Children)
Epistle reading: Romans 6:3-11
Gospel reading: Matthew 28:1-20
Note: The Prayer of Azariah and The Hymn of the Three Holy Children are either not found in most Protestant editions of the Bible
or are included in a section labeled "Apocrypha." However, these sections of the Book of Daniel are included in the Septuagint,
which is the earliest complete translation of the Hebrew Bible in existence.

Observance of the strict fast continues until the
Proclamation of the Resurrection of Christ at midnight tonight.
Orthodox Christians wishing to partake of Holy Communion tonight should fast from food and drink
for at least six hours prior to the Services of the Resurrection at 11:15 PM.

Holy Saturday Evening and the Early Sunday Morning of Holy and Great Pascha
Blessing of the Kulich (A Slavic Pascha tradition), 10:45 PM
Services of the Resurrection, 11:15 PM
Proclamation of the Resurrection of Christ, Midnight
The reading:
Gospel reading: Mark 16:1-8
followed by The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom.
The readings:
Epistle reading: Acts of the Apostles 1:1-8
Gospel reading: John 1:1-17

The late morning of Holy and Great Pascha:
Vespers of Agape, 11:00 AM

The strict fast ends with the proclamation of the Resurrection of Christ at midnight on Holy Saturday.