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

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

Vespers is the Lighting of the New Fire, Blessing the New Light, The first proclamation of the Resurrection, Procession of the New Light, and Procession of Triumph, which is celebrated on Great and Holy Saturday morning.

Lighting of the New Fire
Blessing the New Light
First proclamation of the Resurrection
Procession of the New Light
Procession of Triumph

Lighting of the New Fire, Blessing the New Light, and First proclamation of the Resurrection

The services begin with the church in darkness. The reason is that the because the Light of the World lies dead in the tomb. The darkness symbolizes the despair and defeat experienced before the dawn of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ's victory over the enemy of our salvation.

The priest goes behind the Holy Table, chants the Prayer of the New Light, and lights the new fire (a single candle), from which all the candles in the church will be lit. He steps forward into the Holy Doors and proclaims: "The light of Christ enlightens all people. Blessed be God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, who enlightens and sanctifies our souls and bodies at all times, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."
The new fire (a single candle) represents the victory of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ over death. The victory of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world, over (the defeat) of the Prince of Darkness. Lighting the new fire signifies the rebirth of the Light of the World (Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ).

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.
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!

Apostolos

Romans 6:3-12 - Our belief, that we who are united to Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ in baptism will be raised to new life through His resurrection, is proclaimed in the reading.

Procession of Triumph

After the reading of the Epistle, the Procession of Triumph happens. As the choir sings the Hymn of Triumph "Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem" with the verse "Arise O God, and judge the earth, for You shall inherit all nations," while the priest goes around the inside of the church strewing laurel leaves, the historic symbols of victory, and rose petals as symbols of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ's victory over death.

Gospel

St Matthew 28:1-20 After the Procession of Triumph, the priest reads the Gospel.

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 Cycle

From Holy and Glorious Pascha to Great Feast of Pentecost, Sunday is the first day of the Liturical week. In the remainder of the year, Sunday is the last day of the Liturgical week.

Pascha Cycle

Pascha is the center and height of the Pascha Cycle. Pascha is between Great and Holy Saturday and Bright Monday or New Monday

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
Web URL address: Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center or https://www.mliles.com/melkite/
E-mail: mliles@mliles.com or mliles@mliles.com

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is an unofficial Melkite Greek Catholic Web site and has not been reviewed or approved by any Melkite clergy person.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center contains a range of World Wide Web sites on Melkite faith, belief, practice, history, etc. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center does not endorse any World Wide Web site nor takes any responsibility for the contents of any World Wide Web site. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center offers these links with the understanding that Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center can not vouch for any of the contents on each site. Listing a site does not indicate acceptance nor endorsement of the doctrines / ideas / theology of the World Wide Web site. Please remember that Web sites will change their content and their location. It is the user's responsibility to decide whether or not the content on a particular World Wide Web site is appropriate.

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.

This site copyright©2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014,2015,2016,2017,2018,2019,2020 Martha Liles. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 19:25:04, CDT
The current date and time is: Friday, February 21, 2025, 16:02:49, CST or Friday, February 21, 2025, 22:02:49, GMT