Representation of the Orthodox Church in America
to the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate

News | 04-04-10 Great and Holy Pascha celebrated at St Catherine the Great Martyr Church

At 23.30, on Saturday, April 3, 2010, the eve of the Feast of Feasts – Great and Holy Pascha, when the Holy Church celebrates the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the clergy and faithful of St Catherine the Great Martyr Church gathered together to begin the Paschal Vigil at the parish with the celebration of the Midnight Office before the Burial Shroud of Our Lord.

The service, which was celebrated in nearly complete darkness by one priest, was interrupted by the arrival of the Holy Fire from the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Archimandrite Zacchaeus, parish Dean, met Vladimir Mischenko, the Vice-President of the St Andrew the First Called Foundation, which is responsible for the annual transport of the Holy Fire from Jerusalem to Moscow on the eve of Pascha in the center of the temple, and received the Holy Fire from his hands. After receiving the Holy Fire, Father Zacchaeus brought it into the Altar and the service resumed. During the 9th Ode of the Canon read during the Midnight Office, the Royal Doors were opened and the Burial Shroud was brought into the Sanctuary and placed on the Holy Altar Table.

After the Midnight Office was concluded, the clergy and faithful waited in silence for a few minutes, eagerly anticipating the stroke of midnight when they began singing “Thy Resurrection, O Christ our Savior, the Angels in Heaven sing, enable us on earth, to glorify Thee with purity of heart.” After the third time this beautiful hymn was sung, the Royal Doors were opened and Archimandrite Zacchaeus exited the Sanctuary and distributed the Holy Fire to all present in the temple. Once all received the Holy Flame, the Paschal procession around the church began.

Halfway around the temple, the Dean of St Catherine the Great Martyr Church greeted the First Deputy of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Mr. Alexander P. Torshin, who traveled to the parish immediately after arriving in Moscow from Jerusalem where he, together with the President and senior staff of the St. Andrew the First Called Foundation received the Holy Fire from the hands of the His Beatitude, Patriarch THEOPHILOS of Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

The procession ended in front of the main doors of the church and the Paschal Matins began with the singing of the Paschal Troparion and the joyous greeting, “Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen!” Joyfully processing into the temple the Paschal Matins continued with the Great Litany being intoned by the parish Deacon. During the course of the Paschal Matins, the Catechetical Sermon of St John Chrysostom was read in two languages – English and Russian. The Paschal Divine Liturgy was augmented by the reading of the Resurrectional Gospel completely in three languages – Church Slavonic, English, and Modern Russian by the parish Dean and clergy; and then in portions proclaimed in Latin, Greek, German and Moldovan by parishioners. The Resurrectional Gospel was read in Polish by His Excellency, Mr. Jerzy Bar, the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Russian Federation who was visiting St Catherine Church for the Feast of Pascha.

Also during the Divine Liturgy, the Primatial Paschal Epistles by His Holiness, Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia and also His Beatitude, Metropolitan JONAH of All America and Canada were read.

Following the Paschal Divine Liturgy, Archimandrite Zacchaeus thanked all those who helped prepare for the Great Feast of Pascha by cleaning the temple, preparing the meals, offering donations, decorating the church and equally importantly, offering prayers for the community. Special words of thanks were offered to Ms. Elena Tarasova, the parish choir director, for her efforts in directing during Great Lent and Pascha and helping keep the services in good order and beautifully sung. An icon of St Catherine the Great Martyr and a bouquet of flowers were presented to Ms. Tarasova in gratitude for her selfless labors at the parish.

As people approached the cross for veneration after the service, each received a red Paschal egg and were greeting with the traditional words, “Christ is Risen!” by the parish Dean, Archimandrite Zacchaeus.

More information about the Feast of Feasts can be found at: www.oca.org

Photogallery: Pascha celebrated at St Catherine the Great Martyr Church