Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center Holy and Glorious Pascha Preparation - Great and Holy Wednesday

Great and Holy Week or Pascha Cycle
Liturgical Service	of what Liturgical Day	Held on what Calendar Day	Time held
Vespers Pre-Sanctified Liturgy	of Great and Holy Wednesday	on Great and Holy Tuesday	morning
Matins Bridegroom Service	of Great and Holy Wednesday	on Great and Holy Tuesday	evening
Vespers Pre-Sanctified Liturgy	of Great and Holy Thursday	on Great and Holy Wednesday	morning
Matins Service of Forgiveness and Service of Anointing with Holy Oil	of Great and Holy Thursday	on Great and Holy Wednesday	evening

Great and Holy Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

Jesus teaches in the temple, which we remember in the readings and chants of the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy and the Bridegroom Service. The Pre-Sanctified Liturgy and Holy Communion comprise Vespers, the evening prayer, which is moved forward to the morning. The Bridegroom Service with the The Troparion of the Bridegroom comprises Matins, the morning prayer, which is moved forward to the evening of the day before.

Matins is the the Bridegroom Service of Great and Holy Tuesday, which is celebrated on Great and Holy Monday evening

of Great Holy Wednesday is celebrated on Great and Holy Tuesday evening

Jesus teaches in the temple, which we remember in the readings and chants of the Bridegroom Service.
We commemorate the story of the Mary Magdalen who washed the Lord's feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
The example of the adulteress who, once she met the Lord, realized the gravity of her sins, fell down before Him and washed His feet with her tears and precious perfumes. The hymns this morning urge us to imitate the sinful women by confessing our sins and turning away from them. Holy Anointing in remembrance of this tremendous act of love brought about by one who was sinful, the Church brings forth for us on this night the holy oils, and celebrates the Sacrament of Anointing for health of body, mind and spirit.
Also, the deceit of Judas is mentioned.

The troparion sung recalls the Gospel story of the servants waiting all night for the bridegroom to come. We understand that the Bridegroom for whom we are waiting is the Messiah.

The Troparion of the Bridegroom
Behold, the Bridegroom is coming in the middle of the night: blessed is the servant He shall find awake. But the one He shall find neglectful will not be worthy of Him. Beware, there-fore, O my soul! Do not fall into deep slumber, lest you be delivered to death and the door of the kingdom be closed on you. Watch instead, and cry out: "Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O God! Through the intercession of the angels, have mercy on us."

Liturgical Text

English Bridegroom Text The Melkite Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand, a Microsoft Word .doc file

Liturgical Service on Web

Greek Catholic, Melkite Al-Bushra

Traditions

Traditions of Great Lent and Holy Week Melkite Greek Catholic Church Eparchy of Newton

Images

Images of Great and Holy Wednesday Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Eparchy of Newton, (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States)
Images of Holy Week Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Eparchy of Newton, (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States)

Pascha Cycle

Great and Holy Wednesday is between Great and Holy Tuesday and Great and Holy Thursday.

How to determine when Great and Holy Wednesday occurs

Great Lent is Forty Days. A count back from the date of Pascha is made.

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
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E-mail: mliles@mliles.com or mliles@mliles.com

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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Last Updated: Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 19:25:24, CDT
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