Christ is risen! Hristos a Inviat! Khristos voskrese! Kriste aghdga! Christos anesti!
It is with great joy that I convey to you the blessings of the risen Lord! Blessed Pascha to all! “This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it!” I pray for each of you that this Bright Week (Renewal Week) may be a time of rejoicing together in Christ as we celebrate the Feast of Feasts, Christ’s victory over sin and death on our behalf, His love outpoured and manifested in His gift of new life in Him. May we each keep what we have fought hard to learn through the Fast even as we forego all fasting this week. It was a great joy and blessing to journey with you through Holy Week to our Lord’s Passion, burial, and glorious resurrection!
The Church gives us this week special prayers to pray called the “Paschal Hours.” You can read them or download them here on our website, so you can use them alone and with your families. The Paschal Hours are prayed morning and evening in place of our regular daily prayers throughout Bright Week.
After Bright Week and throughout the Paschal season, the Trisagion is replaced with praying the troparion of the Feast, “Christ is risen from the dead,” 3 times, then continuing with Morning and Evening Prayers as usual.
I encourage you to join us this Holy Saturday for the special Paschal Vespers on the Eve of Thomas Sunday. I look forward to our worshiping together again next weekend!
With love and joy in the risen Lord,
Fr. Robert+
