СВЯТА СУБОТА: Час Mолитовного Очікування

On Holy Saturday (May 4, 2024), His Eminence Archbishop Daniel once again presided over the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Parma, OH, during which numerous faithful of Clevaland Metropolitan area prayerfully gathered to reflect upon the great Mystery of Salvation of the Crucified Savior. The pastor of the cathedral parish family Very Rev. Fr. Michael Hontaruk as well as Protodeacon Ihor Mahlay and Deacon Roman Marchyshak assisted Vladyka Daniel.

On Great and Holy Saturday the Orthodox Church commemorates the burial of Christ and His descent into Hades. It is the day between the Crucifixion of our Lord and His glorious Resurrection. For Orthodox Christians Great Saturday is the day between Jesus' death and His resurrection. It is the day of watchful expectation, in which mourning is being transformed into joy. The day embodies in the fullest possible sense the meaning of joyful-sadness, which has dominated the celebrations of Great Week.

After the Epistle, the choir chants, like a call to the sleeping Christ: 'Arise, O Lord, Judge the earth, for Thou shall have an inheritance among all the nations... As the chanting progresses, the altar vestments as well as all sacred vestments are changed in the temple into the bright snow-white colors. The deacon carries out the Book of the Gospels, and reads the first message of the resurrection from Saint Matthew. Because the Vespers portion of the service belongs to the next day (Pascha) the burial hymns of Saturday are mingled with those of the resurrection, so that this service is already full of the coming Paschal joy.

At the conclusion of the liturgical services the bishop spoke of the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection. “Though we are surrounded by sorrows today, we know that they are temporary and that our unending joy approaches, as the Son prepares to return to renew our fallen nature. Our repentance is not in vain, for the King of Glory hears our cries and grants us His mercy shown on His Cross with the power revealed at His Glorious Resurrection. Therefore, with firm faith and great love, let us all prayerfully prepare to shout together: Christ is Risen!”