Divine Liturgy - Akathist Saturday - Rejoice radiant dawn who alone bearest Christ the Sun; rejoice, dwelling place of the Light.  Thou has dispersed the gloom and utterly destroyed the demons of the darkness.”   (A hymn from the Matins canon of Akathist Saturday.)

Parish Confessions - 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.  (Please arrive before 2:30 p.m.)

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - St. Mary of Egypt - The fifth Sunday in Great Lent recalls the memory of Saint Mary of Egypt, the repentant harlot.  Mary tells us, first of all, that no amount of sin and wickedness can keep a person from God if he truly repents.  Saint Mary tells us that it is never too late in life – or in lent – to repent.  Christ will gladly receive all who come to Him even at the eleventh hour of their lives, but their coming must be in serious and sincere repentance.

The fifth Sunday of Great Lent is dedicated to Saint Mary of Egypt.  Saint Mary was a harlot who, having recognized her sinfulness, sought to bring about an essential change in her life.  She ran from her sinfulness and devoted the remainder of her life to placing God’s will above her own.  Mary was only 12 years old when she left her parents and departed to Alexandria where she lived a depraved life for 17 years.  One day, traveling with pilgrims on their way to worship in Jerusalem, she desired to go into the church but sensed an invisible power preventing her entrance.  However, people all around her were entering the church.  Wounded in her heart by this, she decided to change her way of life and reconcile herself to God by means of repentance.  Asking our Lady the Theotokos, if she were allowed to enter the church and worship the Cross, she vowed that she would renounce the world.  Returning once again to the church, she entered easily.  When she had worshipped the Cross, she departed that same day from Jerusalem and for 47 years lived a harsh life alone in the desert and prayed constantly to God.

“O Lord, in Thy displeasure rebuke us not, neither chasten us in Thy wrath, but deal with us according to Thy tenderness, O Physician and Healer of our souls.  Guide us unto the haven of Thy will.  Enlighten the eyes of our hearts unto the knowledge of Thy Truth, and grant unto us that the remainder of the present day and the whole time of our life may be peaceful and sinless, through the intercessions of the Holy Theotokos and of all the saints.”  (Prayer of the Second Antiphon)   

Lazarus Saturday –.  Jesus delays coming to Lazarus to assure his death to accentuate the magnitude of the miracle.  When Mary hears that Jesus has come into town, she runs to Jesus to tell Him of her brother’s death.  And , when told of Lazarus’ death, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35).  He goes to Lazarus’ grave and prays for the bystanders, that they may have the insight to see the glory of God in the miracle.  Jesus then cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”  (John 11:43)  Lazarus came out bound in his graveclothes. 

Great Lent ends on the Friday following the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt.  The next day is Lazarus Saturday which is followed by Palm Sunday.  Because of the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead, Christ was hailed by the people as the long-expected Messiah-King of Israel.  Thus, in fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament, He entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey.  The crowds greeted Him with branches in their hands and called out to Him with shouts of praise:  Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  The Son of David! The King of Israel!  Because of this glorification by the people, the priests and scribes were finally driven to destroy Him and to put Him to death.  The feast of Christ’s triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Palm Sunday, is one of the twelve major feasts of the Church.

Palm Sunday - God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us!  Celebrate the feast and come with gladness!  Let us magnify Christ with palms and branches, singing:  Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!

Great Monday - On His way to Jerusalem Christ cursed the fruitless fig tree, and it withered immediately.  So it may be with us if we continue sinning and remain without the fruits of virtuous life.  While at the Jerusalem temple, Christ drives the money changers and buyers out of the Temple, which must be "The House of Prayer.  (Luke 19, 46)   - Father Kohanik 

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Great Tuesday - Christ taught for the last time at the Jerusalem Temple.   He spoke many parables; answered questions of His enemies; pronounced woe on the Scribes and Pharisees; and foretold the destruction of Jerusalem for the sinfulness of its people.  (Mark 11, 20-33; 12, 13; Matt. 23, 24)

Holy Wednesday - Sacrament of Holy Unction for Orthodox Christians - Christ Foretells His betrayal by Apostle Judas for 30 silver pieces. (Luke 22:1-7)  Our Lord stays quietly again at Bethany, while His enemies, the Jewish leaders are plotting to arrest and kill Him.  - Father Kohanik

Holy Thursday - Vespers and Divine Liturgy - Christ washes His disciples' feet, by this example teaching them humility and brotherly love.  (Matt. 26, 17-25)  After that He had His Last, the Mystic, Supper with His disciples, at which He institutes the Sacrament of Eucharistical Communion (Matt. 26, 17-31) for the remission of their and our sins (Luke 22, 19: Matt. 26, 26-28; Mark 14, 22-24; 1 Cor 2, 23-26).  During the Mystic Supper, Christ comforts His disciples, promising to send to their assistance the Holy Ghost;  He commands them to love one another.   Immediately after the "Mystic Supper", Christ and His disciples "had sung a hymn"  (Matt. 26, 30) and went out into Gethsemane Garden, where He prayed, giving His disciples a command, which should be always present in the minds of His followers:  "Watch ye and pray, lest you enter into temptation."  (Mark 14, 37-38)  - Father Kohanik

Good Friday Matins and 12 Passion Gospels - On Great Thursday, the Biblical story of Christ's betrayal, His Passion and death upon the Cross is given in 12 Passion gospel readings.  While praying at the Garden to His Heavenly Father, Christ was in agony.  Apostle Judas betrayed Him for the second time, now with a kiss.  Christ is taken by His enemies; is forsaken by all His disciples; led before the Jewish high Priest; is denied three times by Apostle Peter, and is condemned to death ( Matt. 25, 48 to end). 

Holy Friday - Vespers and Placing Shroud in Center of Church - "All creation was changed by fear when it saw Thee hanging on the Cross, O Christ!  The sun was darkened, and the foundations of the earth were shaken.  All things suffered with the Creator of all.  O Lord, who didst willlingly endure this for us,  glory to Thee!" 

Holy Saturday Matins and Burial Service - Joseph of Arimathea, with secret disciples of Christ, Nicodemus, took His Body from the Cross, and lay it in a new tomb belonging to Joseph.  - Father Kohanik

Holy Saturday - Vespers and Divine Liturgy - The Church proclaims that Christ has "trampled death by death."  It means that even before the Resurrection, an event takes place, in  which the sorrow is not simply replaced by joy, but is itself transformed into joy.  Great Saturday is precisely this day of transformation, the day when victory grows from inside the defeat, when before the Resurrection, we are given to contemplate the death of death itself...And all this is expressed, and even more, all this really takes place every year in this marvelous morning service, in this liturgical commemoration which becomes for us a saving and transforming present.  - The Very Rev. Alexander Schmemann

General Confession and Blessing of Baskets.

Nocturnes and Resurrection Matins - "Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those who hate Him flee from before His face!"

RESURRECTION  OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST - "God be bountiful to us and bless us!  Show the light of Thy countenance upon us and have mercy on us!  O Son of God who arose from the dead, save us who sing to Thee  Alleluia!"

Social and Blessing of Baskets - "Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!"

Bright Monday - Divine Liturgy - "This is the day which the Lord has made!  Let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Bright Tuesday - Divine Liturgy - "Arise, O Lord, and go to Thy resting place, Thou and the ark of Thy might.   The Lord swore to David a sure oath from which He will not turn back.  (Alleluia Verses #8)

Bright Wednesday - Deanery Paschal Vespers at Paramus - "Rejoice, O Pure Virgin!  Again I say:  Rejoice!  Your Son is Risen from His three days in the tomb!  With Himself He has raised all the dead!  Rejoice, all ye people!"

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - St. Thomas Sunday - "Thomas touched Thy life-giving side with an eager hand, O Christ God, when Thou didst come to Thy apostles through closed doors.  He cried out with all:  Thou art my Lord and my God!"

St. Thomas Sunday - Divine Liturgy - "Thomas touched Thy life-giving side with an eager hand, O Christ God, when Thou didst come to Thy apostles through closed doors.  He cried out with all:  Thou art  my Lord and my God!"

Cemetery Blessings at East Ridgelawn - "Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!"

Great Vespers for Sunday Divine Liturgy - Holy Myrrhbearing Women - "The angel came to the myrrhbearing women at the tomb and said:  Myrrh is meet for the dead; but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption!  So proclaim:  The Lord is Risen, granting the world great mercy."

Divine Liturgy - Holy Myrrhbearing Women -  "The angel came to the myrrhbearing women at the tomb and said:  Myrrh is meet for the dead; but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption!  So proclaim:  The Lord is Risen, granting the world great mercy."