Saturday, April 30

Great and Holy Saturday...

 
 

 We've spent the day preparing for Pascha:  last minute shopping, baking Greek Pascha bread and pound cake, mixing up Cheese Pascha, decorating the kulich that Baba Katherine made for us, and getting the house tidied and cleaned.  The little ones are all tucked in their beds having a snooze before the midnight Liturgy now and Father John is wrapping up  a few little things in the church.  I've had my bath and all of our special clothes are ironed and ready for tonight.  It's almost time!


Thursday, April 28

Great and Holy Thursday...

 
 

Today he who suspended the earth upon the waters is suspended on a tree.
A Crown of thorns is placed on the head of the King of angels.
He who wore a false purple robe covered the heavens with clouds.
He is smitten who, in the Jordan, delivered Adam.
The Bridegroom of the Church is fastened with nails, and the son of the Virgin is pierced with a spear.
Thy sufferings we adore, O Christ!
Thy sufferings we adore, O Christ!
Thy sufferings we adore, O Christ!
Make us to behold thy glorious Resurrection.

The Twelve Gospels...










Wednesday, April 27

Great and Holy Wednesday...










Church Painting: Day Twenty...

 
 

The napkin in the Nave and on the Altar walls is finished!  We are going to be taking a break from painting for Pascha and will resume at some point in May.  When we return to work, all that will need to be done in the border in the choir loft and some detailed designs on the cross on the ceiling, the napkins, and inside the window frames.  I am s happy with how the church has turned out.  It has been such a joy to attend services in our little chapel this Holy Week!

Monday, April 25

Church Painting: Day Eighteen + Great and Holy Monday...

 

We're in the final stretch of the first part of our church painting project and it seems fitting that we are pushing ourselves to the limit in the last week before Pascha.  I cannot even imagine how joyful we will be at the midnight service in our beautifully painted chapel.  

Merona is working on the red lines at the bottom of the last few napkins as I type this.  Our hope is to be finished with one wall of the church (done!) and the stairway to the choir loft by the time we go to bed tonight.  There is still a lot of napkin left to do:  the altar and three more walls in the vestibule and nave of the church.  We're hoping to be complete this phase of painting by Wednesday night.  

I am trying to get as much accomplished in the house that I can early in the week.  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will have a more intense service schedule before the service schedule and that will make it hard to get much done.  For now, I am quickly cleaning each room in the house, making lists of things to buy at the grocery store, and tackling all those little things I need to finish before Pascha.  I cannot wait for the Feast of Feasts!

Sunday, April 24

Palm Sunday...







By raising Lazarus from the dead before Thy passion, 
Thou didst confirm the universal resurrection, O Christ God! 
Like the children with the branches of victory, we cry out to Thee, O Vanquisher of Death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!

Saturday, April 23

As Many as Have Been Baptized into Christ...






Lazarus Saturday is a traditional day for Baptisms in the Orthodox Church and we were very happy to be able to attend one at our little church.  At the same time, but in a different state, my sister's beloved boyfriend, Justin, was being baptized, too!  We were so sorry to not be there, but I have heard that it was beautiful!  I can't wait to see him and congratulate him in person!  What a happy day!

Friday, April 22

Church Painting: Day Seventeen...

 
 
 

  Progress on the church is still being made, even though it's not as obvious.  The inside of the windows was painted ochre and a thin maroon border was adding along the outside of the window frame.  We also worked on the decorative border and the napkin in the altar.  We're down to the wire for the first part of this project.  Only two and a half more days to work until after Bright Week!
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