Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center Feasts of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha - Fesakh - Hajmeh - Celebration First Day - Matins

Great and Holy Week or Pascha Cycle
Liturgical Service	of what Liturgical Day	Held on what Calendar Day	Time held
Vespers Blessing the new light, Procession of Triumph, The first proclamation of the Resurrection, Divine Liturgy of Our Father among the Saints Basil	of Holy and Glorious Pascha	on Great and Holy Saturday	morning
Matins Hajmeh; Paschal Orthros; Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Blessing of Holy Artos (Pascha eggs and bread)	of Holy and Glorious Pascha	on Great and Holy Saturday	evening / night
		on Holy and Glorious Pascha	morning
Vespers Agape	of Bright Monday	on Holy and Glorious Pascha	afternoon

Matins is the Taking of the New Light, Procession with the New Light, Hajmeh, Paschal Orthros, Divine Liturgy, Blessing of Holy Artos of Pascha, which is celebrated on Great and Holy Saturday evening / night

Taking of the New Light
Procession with the New Light
Hajmeh or Procession of Haste or Breaking Down the Gates of Hades
Paschal Orthros
Divine Liturgy of the Resurrection
Blessing of Holy Artos (Pascha eggs and bread)

Taking of the New Light and Procession with the New Light

In the darkened church, the priest comes out from the Holy Doors holding his lighted Paschal candle and solemnly sings, "Come and take light from the Light that never fades; come and glorify Christ who is risen from the dead!" All the people come forward and light their candles from the priest's candle.

Readings are Apostolos: Romans 6:3-12 and First Gospel: Matthew 28:1-20

Taking of the New Light and Procession with the New Light

The priest and the people form a procession with the new light. As the light is passed to more people, the light gradually pushes back the darkness of the church and eventually defeats it completely. The Resurrection is proclaimed in song and triumphant procession.
The church blazes in light and joy -- Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!

Hajmeh or Procession of Haste or Breaking Down the Gates of Hades

The priest and the people go out of the church to the front door. There a table is prepared for the Holy Gospel. The priest and the altar servers come out of the church to the table.
The priest incenses the Holy Gospel. The priest reads Gospel of St Mark (16:1-8), the Gospel of the Resurrection.
Then, the priest holds his Paschal candle and the censer and sings the Troparion of Pascha for the first time--"Christ is risen from the dead and by His death He has trampled upon death and has given life to those who are in the tombs" / Al-Maseehu qama min bayn il-amwat wa wati almawta bil mawt wa wa hab al-ah-yat lil-lazeena filqubour! / Christos Anesti ek nekron thanato than aton pateesas keh thees en dees mnimassi zo-een kharisamenos! The priest sings very majestically.
The people repeat the Troparion two more times.
The people repeat the Troparion after every verse the priest chants as he incenses the four directions and the people.
Then, the Resurrection Litany is said.
Then, the priest knocks on the door of the church, announcing that "the King of Glory shall come in!" After the third knock, the doors of the church open. The church is ablaze with light. Everyone rushes into the Church singing he Paschal Canon of St John of Damascus: "Today is the day of the Resurrection! O nations, be joyful, for this Passover is the Passover of the Lord, in that Christ made us pass from death to life, and from earth to heaven!" Rushes because the myrrh-bearing women, who discovered the empty tomb, rushed to tell the disciples that Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ had risen.

More Information
"The Hajmeh Ceremony Explained" by the Rt. Rev. Philip Raczka, Sophia , April 2006, p. 27.as an Adobe .pdf file or as a Word .doc file

Paschal Orthros / Martins

The Liturgical Service of Orthros / Martins of Pascha begins. Hymns of praise to the Resurrection are chanted.

Divine Liturgy of the Resurrection

The Liturgical Service of Orthros / Martins leads into the Divine Liturgy of the Resurrection. The Divine Liturgy of Our Father among the Saints Basil is celebrated. The Liturgy of the Resurrection has special verses and repeated singing of "Christ is risen!" "He is truly risen!" / "Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam!" / "Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!"

Trisagion Hymn is the Baptismal Hymn:
"All of you who have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia! or
As many as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia!
Antom ol-ladheen bli-Maseeh i'tamadtom al-Maseeh qad labistom, Allilouia!
Ossi ees Christon evaptisthiteh, Christon enedheesasthen, Allilouia!"< /p>

Apostolos

The Apostolos of the Divine Liturgy is Acts 1:1-9< /p>

Gospel

The Gospel of the Divine Liturgy is John 1:1-17
"In the beginning was the Word . . . "

After the priest reads the Gospel and before he begins the Homily

The priest, carrying the Pascha candle, comes to the center of the Solea, and faces thePeople.
The priest raises the Paschal candle and greets the people 3 times with the people responding each time.
The first time, the priest faces the people.
The second time, the priest turns slightly to his left side
The third time, the priest turns slightly to his right side.
Priest greets: "Christ is risen!" "He is truly risen!" or "Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam!" or "Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!"
People respond: "Christ is risen!" "He is truly risen!" or "Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam!" or "Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!"

Homily

According to tradition, the Pascha Homily of Our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople is said during every Pascha Divine Liturgy.

At the end of the Liturgy

After the Apotysis, the priest, carrying the Pascha candle, comes to the center of the Solea, and faces thePeople.
The priest raises the Paschal candle and greets the people 3 times with the people responding each time. The first time, he faces the People; the second time he turns slightly to his left side; the third time, slightly to his right side.
Priest greets: "Christ is risen!" "He is truly risen!" or "Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam!" or "Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!"
People respond: "Christ is risen!" "He is truly risen!" or "Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam!" or "Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!"

The priest states and the people respond:
Priest says: "Glory to His resurrection on the third day!"
People respond, "We glorify His resurrection on the third day!"

Blessing of Holy Artos (Pascha eggs and bread)

After Divine Liturgy

Everyone comes forward to kiss the cross, to venerate the ikon of the Resurrection, and to receive a piece of the blessed bread, a flower, and an egg.

The people greet each other with the Pascha eggs. They greet by cracking their eggs and saying the Pascal greeting.
"Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen!
Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam! or Al Massihu Qam! Haqqan Qam! or Al Meseeh Kam! Hak'an Kam!
Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!"

The people take the Pascha eggs and bread home to continue their Pascha celebration.

Troparion

TROPARION (TONE 5)

Christ is risen from the dead, and by His death He has trampled upon death and has given life to those who are in the tombs! or Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and upon those in the Tombs bestowing life! Al-Maseehu qama min bayn il-amwat wa wati almawta bil mawt wa wa hab al-ah-yat lil-lazeena filqubour! or Al Masih kam min baynil amwat, wa wati-al mawt bil mawt, wa wahabal hayat lil-lazina fil kooboor! Christos Anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton batissas, ke tis endis mnimassi, zo-in kharrissa menos! or Christos Anesti ek nekron, thanato thanaton patesas, kai tis en tis mnemasi, zoeen charisamenos! or Christos Anesti ek nekron, thana to thanaton patisas, ketis en tis mnimasi, zo in charisamenos! or Christos Anesti ek nekron thanato than aton pateesas keh thees en dees mnimassi zo-een kharisamenos! Christos Voskrese iz mertvych, smertiyu smert' poprav, i sushym vo grobyech, zhivot darovav!

TROPARION (TONE 1)
After the stone was sealed by the Jews, and while the soldiers were watching Your spotless body, You rose, O Savior, on the third day, bestowing life on the world. Therefore the heavenly powers cried out to You, O Giver of Life: "Glory to your resurrection, O Christ, glory to your Kingdom, glory to your Economy, O You who alone are the Lover of All People."

TROPARION (TONE 2)
When You descended to death, O Immortal Life, You put Hades to death by the splendor of Your Divinity. And when You raised the dead from below the earth, all the Heavenly Powers cried out to You, "O Giver of Life, Christ our God, glory to You!"

TROPARION (TONE 5)
Let us, 0 faithful, praise and worship the Word, co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit. Born of the Virgin for our salvation, He was pleased to be lifted in the flesh upon the Cross and to endure death, and to raise the dead by His glorious Resurrection."

Each Sunday and its weekdays have a different tone. The tones are in numberical success beginning with tone 1 on the First Sunday after Holy and Glorious Pascha - Thomas Sunday or New Sunday or Bright Sunday.

Resurrectional Troparia

Resurrectional Troparia Melkite Greek Catholic Church Eparchy of Newton

Images

Images of Pascha: Glorious and Holy Easter Sunday Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Eparchy of Newton, (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States)
Images of the Pascha Liturgy Continued 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)

Liturgical Service on Web

Greek Catholic, Melkite Al-Bushra

Hymns on Web

Chantez au Seigneur un Chant Chantez au Seigneur un Chant Chantez au Seigneur un Chant Nouveau St Jean Chrysostome Brussels, Belgium

Pascal Greeting, Pascal Troparion, Feasting, the Doors and Curtains of the Ikonostasis are Open, Paschal Candle from the Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha until the beginning of the Vespers of the Great Feast of the Ascension into Heaven of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ.

For the Forty Days from the Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha (Feasts of Feasts) to the Great Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate the Holy and Glorious Resurrection of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ from the dead. By His death He has trampled upon death and given life to the world. By breaking down the gates of Hades, He has opened Heaven to all.

We greet each other by saying "Christ is risen! He is truly risen!" or "Al Masiah Qaam! Haqqan Qaam! / Al Massihu Qam! Haqqan Qam!" or "Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!".

Also, we say "Glory to His Resurrection on the Third Day! We glorify His Resurrection on the Third Day!".

Finally, we sing the Troparion of Pascha repeatedly in the Divine Liturgy ("Christ is risen from the dead and by His death He has trampled upon death, and has given life to those who are in the tombs!"),

We feast for Forty Days! We do not fast, not even on Fridays. Fasting is forbidden.

The doors and curtains of the ikonostasis remain open. This action is to symbolize how Christ's Resurrection has opened Heaven.

The Paschal Candle, the first one lit by the New Light of Pascha, burns brightly on the Holy Table.

Standing from the Feast of Feasts Holy and Glorious Pascha until the Great Feast of Pentecost

We stand! We do not kneel. Kneeling is forbidden until the beginning of the Vespers of the Great Feast of Pentecost.

These prayers ask the Lord Jesus Christ to send the Holy Spirit also upon us, to empower us to do His will in all aspects of our lives. They are called the "Kneeling Prayers" because they mark the first time we kneel after the 50-day celebration of the Resurrection.

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
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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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