This year Orthodox and heterodox (that's the rest of us) have Easter on the same weekend, unfortunately. These "overlap" years are the most stressful and I always feel like a headless chook, running around from one thing to the next.
Since I have been going to the Antiochian Orthodox church, I decided to go to their Easter services. Since I am not becoming Orthodox, this is probably my only chance to hear it all in English. Actually it was lovely, if very long.
My favourite part is the lighting of the candles at "the light of the world has come back into the world" at midnight on Saturday. There were other interesting parts too, when everyone leaves the church and has to knock to come back in. The person inside asks three times "Who is the King of the World?" and the priest and congregation affirm three times that it is Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, before we are all allowed into the church again.
After the Saturday night service there was lots of food, including Easter Eggs! I wasn't the only one hanging out for some chocolate. It was all very symbolic, picturesque and moving, probably all the more so since I know now that I will not be joining.
1 comment:
Decided to check your blog since we never talk anymore, and found so many new entries! First, let me congratulate you on your having conceived. May God grant him/her many years. Second, I take it from this entry that you are not going to the catechism classes at the Antiochian Church now? That's ok, but I had just assumed that you were.
Third, I just wanted to point out that the "knocking on the door" part of the service is quite interesting. This is a re-enactment of Christ's descent into Hades, into the abyss and darkness that had held the souls of all mankind from Adam down to Christ's own life. Innumerable angels accompany Him as He stands before the very gates of Hades. This is foretold by King David in the Psalms. In fact, the Psalms have the script of what happens. The Archangel Michael, commander of the heavenly hosts, knocks upon the noetic gates of Hades: "Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of Glory shall enter in." From inside Hades and the Devil begin to shudder-- "Who is this King of Glory?" they ask. The hosts of heaven resoundingly reply: "The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in war." Again, Michael knocks: "Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up ye everlasting gates!" Unable to withstand the awesome presence of Christ, Hades pitifully cries out again: "Who is this King of Glory?" fearful of the answer which it now knows. "The LORD of Hosts, He is the King of Glory." Hades bars and gates are shattered, and Christ rescues the souls of all the righteous who had awaited His Coming.
This event is called in the ancient English tradition, "The Harrowing of Hell," and is recorded in several ancient Christian documents, among them the "Acts of Pilate" and the "Gospel of Nicodemos." St. Peter refers to it in one of his epistles where he speaks of the Lord's descent and preaching to the souls in prison.
This is what is said and done at the Orthodox Paschal service... the only service I know in all of Christendom that conveys this spiritual aspect of Christ's death. This is reflected also in one of the hymns of this season: "In the grave bodily, but in Hades with Thy soul as God; in Paradise with the thief, and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit was Thou who fillest all things, O Christ the Inexpressible."
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