home Cosmetics How the rite of burial of the Mother of God is performed in Orthodox churches. Royal Hours, Removal and Burial of the Shroud - Friday services that are important not to miss

How the rite of burial of the Mother of God is performed in Orthodox churches. Royal Hours, Removal and Burial of the Shroud - Friday services that are important not to miss

April 6, 2018 Good Friday Holy Week In the temporary church of the icon of the Mother of God “Inexhaustible Chalice” at the Butovo station, vespers were served, at which the removal of the Holy Shroud was performed - depicting the Savior lying in the tomb. On this day we remember the suffering of the Cross and the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. The service was performed by the rector of the temple, Priest Maxim Glukhikh and Deacon Sergius Ong.

Also in the evening, Matins was performed with the rite of burial of the Holy Shroud, combined with a service in honor of the Feast of the Annunciation, which takes place on Holy Saturday!

What is the removal of the Shroud

The term “shroud” appeared in Russian liturgical books at the end of the 16th century. The Shroud is an icon depicting the Savior lying in the tomb. Usually this is a large cloth (piece of fabric) on which the image of the Savior laid in the tomb is written or embroidered. The removal of the Shroud and the Rite of Burial are two of the most important services that take place on Good Friday of Holy Week. Good Friday is the most mournful day in the church calendar for Christians around the world. On this day we remember the suffering of the Cross and the death of Jesus Christ.

Removal of the Shroud

It is performed on Friday afternoon at Vespers on Holy Saturday, at the third hour of Good Friday - at the hour of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross (i.e. the service usually begins at 14.00). The shroud is taken out of the altar and placed in the center of the temple - in the “coffin” - a raised platform decorated with flowers and anointed with incense as a sign of grief over the death of Christ. The Gospel is placed in the middle of the Shroud.

Liturgical features of the burial rite

Matins of Great Saturday with the Rite of Burial is usually served on Friday evening. The shroud in this service is given the role that in other cases the icon of the holiday has.

Matins begins as a funeral service. Funeral troparia are sung and incense is performed. After the singing of the 118th Psalm and the glorification of the Holy Trinity, the temple is illuminated, then the news of the myrrh-bearing women who came to the tomb is proclaimed. This is the first, still quiet, because the Savior is still in the tomb - the good news of the Resurrection of Christ.

During the service, believers perform procession- they carry the Shroud around the temple and sing “Holy God.” The religious procession is accompanied by the ringing of funeral bells.

At the end of the burial ceremony, the Shroud is brought to the royal doors, and then returned to its place in the middle of the temple so that all the clergy and parishioners can bow to it. There she remains until late evening on Holy Saturday.

Only before Easter Matins, during the Midnight Office, is the Shroud taken to the altar and placed on the throne, where it remains until Easter is celebrated.

Iconography of the Shroud

The Shroud is a plate on which the Savior is depicted lying in the tomb. This icon (the Shroud is considered an icon) has traditional iconography.

In the central part of the composition of the Shroud the icon “Position in the Tomb” is depicted. The entire body or just the body of the buried Christ.

The “Position in the Tomb” icon describes the gospel scene of the burial of the crucified Jesus Christ. The body was taken from the cross and wrapped in a shroud, that is, burial shrouds soaked in incense. Then the Savior was placed in a coffin carved into the rock, and a large stone was rolled at the entrance to the cave.

The shroud is made using different techniques. Most often, velvet fabric is used as a basis. For example, Shrouds of the XV-XVII centuries. were made using the facial sewing technique. In the XVIII-XIX centuries. craftsmen combined gold embroidery or relief applique of fabrics with painting. The face and body of Christ were painted using painting techniques. There were also completely picturesque Shrouds.

Along the perimeter of the Shroud, the text of the troparion of Great Saturday is usually embroidered or written: “The noble Joseph took down Your most pure body from the tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud and covered it with odors (option: fragrant scents) in a new tomb, and laid it.”

Traditions of removing the Shroud

In some churches, after the religious procession, the clergy carrying the Shroud stop at the entrance to the temple and raise the Shroud high.

And the believers following them, one after another, go to the temple under the Shroud. A small liturgical cover is usually placed in the middle of the shroud, along with the Gospel. Sometimes the face of Christ depicted on the Shroud is covered with a shroud - in imitation of the rite of priestly burial, which prescribes covering the face of the clergyman lying in the coffin with air (air is a large quadrangular cover that symbolically depicts the shroud with which the body of Christ was entwined).

What is the removal of the Shroud

The term “shroud” appeared in Russian liturgical books at the end of the 16th century. The Shroud is an icon depicting the Savior lying in the tomb. Usually this is a large cloth (piece of fabric) on which the image of the Savior laid in the tomb is written or embroidered. Removal of the Shroud and Funeral Rite- these are the two most important services that take place on Good Friday of Holy Week. Good Friday is the most mournful day in the church calendar for Christians around the world. On this day we remember the suffering of the Cross and the death of Jesus Christ.

Removal of the Shroud

Done Friday afternoon at Vespers on Holy Saturday, at the third hour of Good Friday - at the hour of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross (i.e., the service usually begins at 14.00). The shroud is taken out of the altar and placed in the center of the temple - in the “coffin” - a raised platform decorated with flowers and anointed with incense as a sign of grief over the death of Christ. The Gospel is placed in the middle of the Shroud.

Liturgical features of the burial rite

Matins of Great Saturday with the Rite of Burial usually served on Friday evening. The shroud in this service is given the role that in other cases the icon of the holiday has.

During the service, believers make a procession of the cross - they carry the Shroud around the temple and sing “Holy God.” The religious procession is accompanied by the ringing of funeral bells.

Only before Easter Matins, during the Midnight Office, is the Shroud taken to the altar and placed on the throne, where it remains until Easter is celebrated.

Iconography of the Shroud

The Shroud is a plate on which the Savior is depicted lying in the tomb. This icon (the Shroud is considered an icon) has traditional iconography.

In the central part of the composition of the Shroud the icon “Position in the Tomb” is depicted. The entire body or just the body of the buried Christ.

Nowadays you can often see Shrouds made using typographic methods in churches. These are the costs of mass production - handmade it costs expensive.

Traditions of removing the Shroud

In some churches, after the religious procession, the clergy carrying the Shroud stop at the entrance to the temple and raise the Shroud high. And the believers following them, one after another, go to the temple under the Shroud. A small liturgical cover is usually placed in the middle of the shroud, along with the Gospel. Sometimes the face of Christ depicted on the Shroud is covered with a shroud - in imitation of the rite of priestly burial, which prescribes covering the face of the clergyman lying in the coffin with air (air is a large quadrangular cover that symbolically depicts the shroud with which the body of Christ was entwined).

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Or Week Vai. On these days, the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is served, which means that fasting for the service on these days is postponed (although bodily abstinence is not abolished and is even intensified) and non-fasting ringings are performed, in accordance with the regulations of the days celebrated.

At Matins and Liturgy - the bell sounds on the weekday bell.

K – bells for the twelve holidays, that is, bells and holiday bells.

Starting from , the rules of worship change noticeably. The first three days - on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is celebrated, and on Thursday and Saturday - the Liturgy of Basil the Great (there is no liturgy on Friday). At the 3rd, 6th and 9th hour from Monday to Wednesday the Tetroevangelium is read.

These days, changes in the charters of services do not entail changes in the order of calls made. In the Typikon about the bells of the hour there is an indication: “At the hour of the 3rd day the paraecclesiarch strikes the bell, as there is a custom(emphasis mine. – N.Z.), and having gathered in church, we sing the 3rd hour with kathisma and bows.” . The hours on Tuesday and Wednesday follow the same pattern. The ringing here remains the same as during the period of Pentecost, that is, the hourly ringing and double ringing are performed before Vespers for the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

At the end of the reading of the Tetroevangelium as the final stage, the rite of forgiveness is performed, after which it is served in last time this year the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, and from this moment on it is no longer celebrated in the church prostrations. There will be no more Lenten ringings, since from the next morning the festive bells will begin ringing.

Toward morning, “at the 7th hour of the night the paraecclesiarch slanderes.”

In the Charter of the Moscow Kremlin, for this service it was prescribed to ring the “Reut” (at that time it was the Sunday and polyeleos bell), and in the Official of the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral - the large bell. In modern practice, this is the bell of the polyeleos bell.

To the clock in “at the hour of the 3rd day the paraecclesiarch strikes the bell, and we sing the hours together of the 3rd, 6th and 9th...” (the 1st hour is celebrated as part of Matins). For the liturgy in conjunction with Vespers, “at the 8th hour of the day the paraecclesiarch strikes, and having gathered in the church, having blessed the priest, we begin Vespers.”

Currently, the hours, vespers and liturgy are performed together, and it is advisable to ring only before the hours in the form of a bell ringing on a polyeleos bell.

On the same day in the evening, matins is served in churches with the reading of the 12 Gospels. It is called “Following the holy and saving passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Typikon states: “At the 2nd hour of the night the paraecclesiarch slanderes.” Following the example of the Kremlin and Novgorod charters, on this day, before the start of the service, the bell is ringing on a festive bell. In addition, the festive bell is struck before the start of each Gospel reading as many times as readable Gospel: before the first reading - one blow, before the second - two blows, and so on until the twelfth. “After reading the 12th Gospel, after 12 blows, the ringing immediately,” is stated in the Educational Charter of Archpriest Konstantin Nikolsky.

There are no bells ringing at the end of the service, but in many churches there are ringing ringings, as worshipers carry the so-called “Thursday fire” to their homes. Whether or not to perform trezvon in this place should be checked with the rector of the temple.

In the Typikon for the royal clock it is prescribed: “The ringing of two is one long.” In the Moscow Kremlin they rang the “Reut” for this service, in Optina Pustyn they rang the polyeleos bell, and in the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral they rang the “prayer service.” In the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, both old and modern, a rare gospel service is performed at the Sunday bell.

In this case, it is also advisable for bell ringers to discuss the type of ringing for the clock with the rector of the temple.

At Vespers, at which the Shroud is taken out, the gospel is announced with a rare ringing of the festive bell. At the moment the Shroud is taken out of the altar, each bell, from large to small, is rung once. Upon placing the Shroud in the middle of the temple, a short peal is rung.

The Typikon states: “At the 10th hour of the day he slanders great things, and having gathered in church, we begin Vespers.” It should be noted here that in the Typikon the removal of the Shroud is described in the rite of Saturday Matins, moreover, there is no talk at all about the chime, therefore we can find instructions regarding the chimes only in more modern rites, where the rite of the removal of the Shroud is performed at Vespers. For example, in the Educational Charter of Archpriest Konstantin Nikolsky it is stated: “Each bell is struck once especially... on Good Friday before the carrying of the Shroud, during the singing of “The One Clotheing You” and at Matins on Holy Saturday during the singing of the Great Doxology before the carrying of the Shroud near the church.”

In the evening service (Matins of Holy Saturday), when the funeral rite is performed, ending with a procession with the Shroud around the church, the good news is also rung before the start of the service in a large bell and then at the procession - ringing once in each bell from large to small. Upon placing the Shroud in the center of the temple, a peal is rung.

From this moment, according to the currently established tradition, it is not customary to ring any bells until the Midnight Office, that is, until the bell ringing for the Easter service - “Let all human flesh be silent...”

Nevertheless, we consider it appropriate to quote from the Typikon regarding ringing.

“To the holy and. At the 7th hour of the night the paraecclesiarch strikes the heavy and great one, and having gathered in church, we sing Matins according to custom.

On Holy and Great Saturday evening. About the hour of the 10th day he slanders great things.”

Before the Midnight Office (actually before the Night Office) Easter service): “And we took the blessing from the abbot, and so it came out and struck the beat.”

Currently, there is a rare ringing of the gospel on the holiday bell.

Short review

, (morning and afternoon): The bells are the same as on Lent.

: at matins (actually on Wednesday evening) - the bell rings the polyeleos bell.

: for the hours, vespers and liturgy - the bell rings the polyeleos bell.

To follow the Passion of the Lord, the gospel is sounded on the festive bell; in the Gospels, the festive bell is struck before the beginning of the readings. After reading the 12th Gospel, the ringing bell rings. At the end of the service, the trezvon rings (if the abbot blesses).

: to the royal clock - a rare gospel signal on the Sunday bell.

For Vespers (removal of the Shroud) the bell rings with a rare ringing of the festive bell. During the removal of the Shroud, a single stroke of each bell is rung from large to small. Upon placing the Shroud, there is a short peal.

At matins the big bell rings the bell. During the procession with the Shroud around the church there is a chime (the same as during the day). Upon placing the Shroud, there is a short peal.

: In the morning and afternoon, according to established tradition, no bells are made.

For the Midnight Office (around 11:00–11:30 pm) there is a rare ringing of the gospel bell.

Good Friday, which falls on April 26 in 2019, is a day of suffering and sorrow. Worship that takes place in Orthodox churches, is entirely devoted to the memory of the tragic events that occurred about two thousand years ago.

To emphasize the peculiarity of this day, liturgy is not served in churches: it is believed that it has already been performed by Christ on the Cross. Instead they are performed Royal Clock– in the church, in front of the Cross, psalms and Gospels about the passion of Christ are read.

In churches three times - at Matins, at the Great Hours and at Great Vespers - the story of the life and death of Jesus is read. At Good Friday services, clergy wear black vestments.

Removal of the Shroud on Good Friday of Holy Week

At Vespers, which begins earlier than usual on this day, the canon “On the Crucifixion of the Lord” is sung, then on Good Friday follows the removal of the shroud through the Royal Doors. Before lifting the shroud from the throne, the clergyman bows to the ground three times. This ritual is performed at the third hour of the day, at the hour of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

The Shroud is a plat (piece of fabric) on which is depicted full height Jesus Christ lying in the tomb.

The Most Holy Theotokos is also depicted falling at the tomb, standing next to Her are John the Theologian, the myrrh-bearing women and the secret disciples of Christ - Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.

Along the edges of the shroud the text of the troparion of Great Saturday is embroidered or written: “The noble Joseph took down your most pure body from the tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud and covered it with fragrances in a new tomb, and laid it.”

The shroud is placed on a special elevation in the center of the temple. The “coffin” is decorated with flowers as a sign of sorrow for Jesus Christ and the place is anointed with incense. The Gospel is placed in the center of the shroud.

The shroud in this service is assigned a role that in other cases is performed by the icon of the holiday. The removal of the shroud on Good Friday completes the cycle of services for that day.

On Friday evening, Matins is celebrated, which already refers to the day of Holy Saturday. At the church service, funeral troparia are sung and incense is performed.

Then a procession of the cross takes place around the temple with the shroud, which is carried by the clergy or senior parishioners to the four corners. Believers sing “Holy God.”

The removal of the shroud is accompanied by the ringing of funeral bells. At the end of the burial ceremony, she is brought to the Royal Doors, and then returned to her place in the middle of the temple.

On Good Friday, before the removal of the shroud, believers observe strict fasting, completely abstaining from food. After this, drinking water and bread in small quantities is allowed.

After the ritual of removing the shroud, at the end of Great Vespers, Little Compline is held. Then believers can venerate the shroud.

This shrine is considered miraculous: there is a belief that if you venerate it, you can be cured of many diseases. She remains lying in the center of the temple for three incomplete days (until Easter). Then she is brought back into the altar.

There is no Liturgy on Good Friday, because on this day the Lord Himself sacrificed Himself, - the Royal Hours are celebrated with special psalms, parimies, reading of the Apostle and GospelI.

8:00 - Royal hours.

There is no Liturgy on Good Friday, because on this day the Lord Himself sacrificed Himself.

14:00 - The rite of removing the Shroud of our Lord Jesus Christ.

16:30 - The rite of burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. Procession. Worship of St. Shroud.

On this day:

(1 Cor 1, 18-2,2 2. Matt. 27, 1-38. Luke 23, 39-43. Matt. 27, 39-54. John 19, 31-37. Matt. 27, 55- 61)

Memories of arrest, trial, beating, desecration, execution and death on the cross Savior.

Good Friday- the most terrible day in the history of mankind. On this day, it seemed, the ultimate triumph of evil, human envy and ingratitude took place: Christ, the incarnate Creator of the world, the Messiah awaited for so many centuries, was rejected by His people, subjected to terrible mockery, unjustly condemned and betrayed to the most painful and shameful thing that has ever been existed, executions.

stills from the film "The Passion of the Christ"

Then, on a hard, rough wooden cross, after many hours of suffering, the incarnate Son of God died in the flesh. Then, from that cross, the disciples, who had previously been secret, but now, in the face of what had happened, opened up without fear, Joseph and Nicodemus took down the body. It was too late for the funeral: the body was taken to a nearby cave in the Garden of Gethsemane, laid on a slab, as was customary then, wrapped in a shroud, covering the face with a scarf, and the entrance to the cave was blocked with a stone - and that was as if that was all. But there was more darkness and horror around this death than we can imagine. The earth shook, the sun darkened, the whole creation was shaken by the death of the Creator. And for the disciples, for the women who were not afraid to stand at a distance during the crucifixion and dying of the Savior, for the Mother of God this day was darker and more terrible than death itself. Then Friday was the last day. Nothing is visible behind this day, the next day was supposed to be the same as the previous one, and therefore the darkness and gloom and horror of this Friday will never be experienced by anyone, will never be comprehended by anyone as they were for the Virgin Mary and for the disciples of Christ . Endless days began.

I cannot convey anything to you if you don’t feel it yourself, if you yourself don’t stand, if you yourself don’t put aside all everyday concerns and listen and participate. Such a grace-filled thing happens in the church with people: when the Gospel is read, the Lord gives those listening real participation in these great holy events.

I just want to read the release, that is, last words the priest, when he bows to his parishioners, such wonderful words

Term "shroud" appeared in Russian liturgical books at the end of the 16th century. The Shroud is an icon depicting the Savior lying in the tomb. Usually this is a large cloth (piece of fabric) on which the image of the Savior laid in the tomb is written or embroidered.Removal of the Shroud and Funeral Rite - these are the two most important services that take place on Good Friday of Holy Week. Good Friday

The Vespers of Good Friday ends the reading of the book of Job. The service of this day is permeated with a kind of contemplative numbness, a deliberate restraint of feelings and images. We don’t ask for anything, we don’t shed tears from ourselves, we don’t lament about our own. Today everything is about Him, everything is His, everything is by Him.

Long-suffering Job, who sued God for his misfortunes, finally received

In the morning the Royal Hours are read. They are so named because at each Hour there is a…

Vespers begins as usual. However, the chants and lyrics we hear seem to burn. I don't think so Orthodox worship more poignant texts than the texts of these days. I remember that when I watched the sensational film “The Passion of the Christ” I caught myself thinking: the intensity of the experience

Given over to execution, Christ suffered a lot before execution. The Savior was mocked, beaten and ridiculed by the Roman soldiers who were to accompany Him to the place of execution. Having placed a crown of thorns on the Lord’s head, its thorns digging into the flesh, and giving Him a heavy cross - an instrument of execution, they set out on the path to Golgotha. Golgotha or the place of execution was a hill to the west of Jerusalem, which could be reached through the city's Gate of Judgment. This is the path the Savior took, eventually passing it for all people.

Such executions sometimes lasted several days. To speed it up, the person was not simply tied to the cross, as in most cases, but was nailed. Forged faceted nails were driven between the radial bones of the arm, next to the wrist. On its way, the nail met a nerve ganglion, through which the nerve endings go to the hand and control it. The nail interrupts this nerve node. In itself, touching an exposed nerve is a terrible pain, but here all these nerves are broken

I saw you off today

To Golgotha, to the cross...

She stood quietly under the fig tree -

There were no places nearby.

I tried to touch you

For You to heal.

I came with the Samaritan woman to the well,

So that you can give me something to drink.

I stretched out my dry soul,

May she come to life.

Waiting with Zacchaeus for dinner,

I paid off all my debts.

And now You have given me wounds

Kiss and cry

With the Virgin Mary and John

Stand on Golgotha.

I buried you today -

You let me...

There is nothing more terrible than Your grave

Among all the graves.

All human flesh fell silent -

The Lord himself is silent.

But hope is like a thin candle

It's burning in my heart.

I'll come here early tomorrow

Carrying aromas,

With myrrh-bearing wives

Not fearing, but loving.

You will illuminate me with light

And the sadness will melt away.

I will follow you at dawn -

I don't feel sorry for myself.

You will teach me humility and holy love,

So that we won't be separated again

Never with you.

(Galina Kremenova, Kherson)

Christ's death on the cross took place according to the Gospel at 9 o'clock (about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, our time). Therefore, in the afternoon in churches, when the troparion is sung: “Blessed Joseph, from the tree I took down Your most pure Body...”, the clergy lift the Shroud (i.e., the image of Christ lying in the tomb) from the Throne, as if from Golgotha, and carry it out her from the altar to the middle of the temple in the presentation of lamps (all those praying stand with lighted candles) and with incense. The shroud is placed on a specially prepared table (tomb), which will be located in the middle of the temple for three (incomplete) days, thereby reminiscent of the three-day stay of Jesus Christ in the tomb.

Then, at the ceremony of removing the Shroud, the canon “Lamentation of the Mother of God” is read. "Woe is me, my child, woe is me, my dear those are mine,” the Church mournfully exclaims on behalf of Holy Mother of God, contemplating the horror of the Holy Days.

The charter prescribes that it should be done privately, so those who did not get into the service, be sure to read this canon, amazing in depth.

“Eternal life, how do you die?” - the Ever-Virgin asks His Son and God in bewilderment. Thousands, thousands of mothers can recognize this cry - but Her cry is more terrible than any cry: She buried not only Her Son, but every hope for the victory of God, every hope for eternal life. Many, probably, looked at Christ, many, probably, were ashamed and afraid and did not look into the face of the Mother. With what horror in our souls should we stand in the face of the Mother, Whom we have deprived by murder... Stand before Her face, stand and look into the eyes of the Virgin Mary!.. Listen, listen to this cry! Say: Mother, I am guilty - albeit among others - of the death of Your Son; I am guilty - You intercede. If You forgive, no one will judge us or destroy us... But if You do not forgive, then Your word will be stronger than any word in our defense...

Then the clergy and all those praying bow before the Shroud and kiss the wounds of the Lord depicted on it - His pierced ribs, arms and legs. And in this remaining a short time let us delve into this death with our souls, because all this horror is based on one thing: SIN, and each of us is responsible for this terrible Good Friday. Therefore, when we venerate the sacred Shroud, we will do it with trepidation. He died for you alone: let everyone understand this! - and let us listen to this Cry, the cry of the whole earth, the cry of hope that has been torn, and thank God for the salvation that is given to us so easily and which we pass by so indifferently, while it was given at such a terrible price to God, and the Mother of God, and the disciples .

Every person who truly lives the life of the Church knows the horror and homelessness of this day. This day is also terrible because it mercilessly poses the question to everyone: Where would I be then, on that day? terrible night? And the answer to it is disappointing: even the apostles, who said that they were ready to die for Christ, and really thought that they would die for Him, all fled, even Peter, the most firm and zealous among them, three times in the face of, if you look at, the most insignificant danger, he denied from your Teacher.

The path to death is terrible for every person, and Jesus was truly a man, but, moreover, for Christ it was especially difficult. We must think about this: it always - or often - seems to us that it was easy for Him to give His life, being God who became man. But our Savior Christ dies as a man: not with His immortal Divinity, but with His human, living, truly human body!”

“The sun saw something it had never seen,” says Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov), “and, unable to bear what it saw, it hid its rays, just as a man closes his eyes at a sight unbearable to him: it was clothed in deep darkness, expressing with darkness a sadness as deep as death is bitter.” ". The earth shook and shook under the event that happened on it. The Old Testament Church tore its magnificent veil to pieces; so the most precious clothes are tormented and not spared in an inevitable, decisive disaster. And all the people who came to this spectacle, seeing what was happening, returned, beating their chests "

Then the temple is plunged into darkness. The sounds of repentance grow and engulf those praying. Everyone is presented in this harsh darkness to the judgment of his conscience, left alone with it, and the voice of the repentant lines either condemns what he has done, or bitterly reproaches him for it. All ages of people stand in the dark before God eternal life; freezes, suddenly hearing the sounds of eternal truth, youth. The whole church stands and confesses to God in silence, and outside the window, the reflections of the green lights of the lamps go off into the deep darkness of the sky, as if there, in the firmament, they find their firm presence. This is all that was experienced the day before - the repentant singing, and the darkness of the temple, and the green lights trembling outside the window in the darkness of the sky - all this fills with an unprecedented breadth of experiences. There is no liturgy on Good Friday, since on this day the Lord Himself sacrificed Himself, and the Royal Hours are celebrated. This is a day of especially strict fasting. There is a pious tradition of not eating any food on Good Friday until the end of the rite of removing the Shroud (that is, until approximately three o’clock in the afternoon), and then eating only bread and water. (read 1 Cor 1, 18-2,2 2. Matt. 27, 1-38. Luke 23, 39-43. Matt. 27, 39-54. John 19, 31-37. Matt. 27, 55 -61)

And on Friday evening, Matins of Great Saturday is celebrated (day after church calendar begin in the evening) with the rite of burial of the Shroud. The evening service is of a funeral nature. This is the burial of Christ Himself. Like at a funeral service, everyone in the church stands with lit candles. At the beginning of Matins, the seventeenth kathisma is read - part of the Psalter, which is usually read during funeral services for the dead or at memorial services.

“The original hymn, I will sing a funeral hymn to You; by Your burial I opened the doors of my life, and put death to death and hell,” - this is how the canon of Holy Saturday begins. This is also a cry for the buried Christ, but it sounds more and more powerfully new topic- anticipation of the Resurrection, anticipation of Easter. “Don’t cry for Me, Mother, see me in the grave... I will rise and be glorified,” the choir sings. And they read the Sunday Gospel about the appearance of angels at the burial place of the Crucified Christ, about how the myrrh-bearing women did not find Jesus where he was buried. There is just over a day left until Easter...

Matins of Great Saturday ends with a quiet religious procession with the Shroud and candles. When the procession goes around the temple, everyone sings the funeral song “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us...” And only a few hours separate this procession from the next one, which takes place on Sunday midnight, already Easter.