The most mournful period in the church calendar is the days of Holy Week. A week before Easter, the Church recalls the last events of Christ's earthly life, preceding His death on the cross and burial.
Great Monday
In the first days of Holy Week, the Church recalls the Savior's conversations with the disciples. The Gospel of this day reads two parables told by Christ. Both symbolically depict the people of Israel, who rejected the prophets, and then rejected Christ. The parable of the wicked winegrowers tells of the workers who planned not to give the owner the fruits of his vineyard. They beat and drove away his servants sent for the harvest, and then they killed the son of the owner, who came with exhortations.
In another parable about the barren fig tree, Christ gives the image of a tree cursed by God for being sterile. In addition to the image of the people who did not accept the Messiah, these parables allegorically depict a person's soul, closed to God and not wanting to bear fruit to Him.
At the Monday service, the Church also refers to the Old Testament image of the Prophet Joseph, who was sold into slavery by the brothers, envying his beauty and the gift of providence. However, being in Egypt and being a slave, he was able to rise and save the people from many troubles. This Old Testament hero is also a type of Christ, betrayed by loved ones and crucified by people whose minds were darkened by sin, but who conquered death and saved the world.
Great Tuesday
Promotional video:
The Gospel parables of Tuesday are devoted to the theme of the Second Coming. So, in the parable of the ten virgins, Christ reminds us that you need to be ready to meet with God - you need to cleanse your soul and conscience, so as not to be taken by surprise. In another parable, about talents (monetary unit), it is told about three servants who, having received coins from the owner, disposed of them in different ways. Two servants invested them in the business and increased the wealth of the master, for which they were rewarded, and the third, reproaching the owner, did not work and buried the coins in the ground for their safety. The master, angry, gave his coins to the most industrious servant.
This parable says that the Lord endows all people without exception with a certain talent, called to serve the increase of God's love in the world. The size and uniqueness of these gifts is different for everyone, but a person is called to find a way to use them for good.
Great Wednesday
The Gospel readings of this day remind us of an episode of the betrayal of the Savior by Judas. The story begins with the meal in the house of Simon the Leper. A woman came to this house and anointed the head of Christ with ointment - this was in those days a manifestation of great respect, a kind of sacrifice, for ointment was very expensive.
Therefore, the discontent of the students who complained about her extravagance was natural. However, Christ, seeing the woman's heart and His further destiny, said that she was doing good and thus preparing Him for burial. At this time, Judas Iscariot, dissatisfied with such an explanation, went to the chief priests and agreed with them that he would give out the Teacher for 30 silver coins.
Maundy Thursday
It is on this day that the events of the Last Supper take place and after it - a terrible night in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Lord washes the feet of the disciples, showing by His example that only a respectful, not arrogant attitude towards each other is truly pleasing to God and worthy for a person.
Having made a meal with the disciples, marking the Eucharist, Christ pointed to His traitor and warned of the temptations that await the disciples in the coming days. After the supper, He withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane and fervently prayed to the Father, asking him to strengthen Him and the disciples, grieving over the torments that He had to endure. The fear that Christ experienced can be judged from the text of the Gospel: “… He fell on His face, prayed and said: My Father! if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; however, not as I want, but as You”(Matt. 26:39).
Soon Judas appeared in the garden, accompanied by armed servants of the high priests, in order to take Jesus to trial. Only a few disciples secretly followed Christ, while others fled in fear.
On this day, at the evening service in churches, 12 passages from the Gospel are read, narrating about these events.
Good Friday
Good Friday is the day of the crucifixion and death of Christ. At the service of this day, the Gospel is read, which describes the trial of Pilate and the execution of Jesus, His suffering, removal from the cross and burial.
Great Saturday
Great Saturday is a day of mournful silence, the eve of Easter. In the services of this day, the burial of the Savior is remembered, which took place in the evening after the crucifixion. A man who did not spare his own tomb for Christ, a certain Joseph of Arimathea, secretly came to Pilate and asked permission to take the Body of Christ.
Together with Nicodemus (also a secret disciple of Jesus from among the Pharisees), according to the custom accepted among the Jews, they smeared the Savior's Body with fragrant ointment and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, after which they placed Him in the Tomb that was carved into the rock, and blocked the entrance with a stone.
When Saturday came, the high priests demanded from Pilate that he put guards at the Tomb, fearing that the disciples might steal the Body of Christ and declare that He had risen, as promised. However, the promise came true and Christ, having resurrected on the third day, soon appeared to the apostles.
Reflecting on the Resurrection of the God-Man, Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh wrote: “He calls us to raise our eyes in order to see what a person is, what our greatness is, to which we are called. This is what, in the end, incarnation, life, Holy Week, the cross, the life-giving tomb, the descent into hell and the Resurrection of Christ tell us about: about man, about what man means to God and how potentially great man is."
Natalia Danilina