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Easter Celebration & Schedule of Services


Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Please view the flyer for Easter celebration with reservation portion for the banquet. I kindly ask you to send in your reservations as soon as possible. Here bellow is the Schedule of services:

Also, please plan on coming & attending the Annual meeting on Palm Sunday April 21st!

THE SERVICES OF HOLY WEEK

Since the early days of the Church, there has been a cycle of services celebrated during Holy Week and Pascha.

April 20th Lazarus Saturday Div. Liturgy at 9:00 AM

Vespers service and vrbica at 5 PM Please bring children @ 4:45 PM for procession with Vrbica and Bells

April 21st – CVETI ENTRANCE OF OUR LORD INTO JERUSALEM:Divine Liturgy at 10:00am: This liturgy heralds the end of the Great Fast and the beginning of Holy Week as Christ triumphantly enters into Jerusalem. The tradition, as the tropar states and the icon shows, is for a procession of palms led by the children. So begins our journey into Holy Week. During Holy Week, we fast from meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, fish, wine and oil.

April 21st – Bridegroom Matins at following Annual meeting pm:Known in the Church as The End, the imagery here is about the Last Judgment. It relates the deep anguish of Christ as He prepares for His Passion. The services tell us to be ever vigilant for we do not know when God will come. These services are a triumph of the eschatological (last days) imagery in the Church.

April 22nd – VelikiPonedeqak Great and Holy Monday Presanctified Liturgy at 10:00am:
The readings from Exodus during these services tell of the Passover which precedes the Passover (Pascha) of Christ.

April 22nd – Bridegroom Matins at 7:00 pm.

April 23rd – VelikiUtorak Great and Holy Tuesday Presanctified Liturgy at 10:00 am

April 23rd – Bridegroom Matins at 7:00 pm

April 24th – VelikaSreda Great and Holy Wednesday Presanctified Liturgy at 10:00 am

April 24th – VelikaSreda Great and Holy Wednesday Holy Unction at 7pm, at St. Steven Serbian Orthodox Cathedral at 1621 West Garvey Ave., in Alhambra. For Holy Unction there should be more priests serving, therefore, all of us Serbian priests gather together at the Cathedral to perform this Holy Sacrament for all the Faithful. This service relates to the event when the harlot anoints Christ and is forgiven. On this day we customarily anoint the people with Holy Oil as a sign of healing and remission of sins.

April 25th – Veliki ^etvrtak Great and Holy Thursday: Holy Vespers Liturgy of Holy Thursday at 10:00am: This solemn Liturgy commemorates the First Eucharist also known as Red Thursday. The darkness of the week is broken slightly because of the importance of the Eucharistic event. Traditionally the priest prepares the reserve sacrament of the year. The passion of Christ is now close.

April 25th – Veliki ^etvrtak – Great and Holy Thursday Matins of Holy Friday Thursday evening at 7:00pm. The service, commonly known as “The Twelve Gospels”as the Church, remembers the betrayal and crucifixion of Christ by reading the twelve Gospel accounts. A climatic point of Holy Week emphasizing the reality of actions.

April 26th – VelikiPetak – Great and Holy Friday Royal Hours at 10:00am: Known as Royal because there is a Gospel reading and the Emperor would attend this service. It recounts the entire Gospel and Passion of Jesus Christ.

April 26th – Veliki Petak – Great and Holy Friday Vespers at 4:00pm: Remembering the crucifixion and death of Christ. There is a solemn procession as the burial shroud (plashtanica) is brought out to the people. Christ is laid in the tomb and our vigil of the Resurrection begins.

April 26th – Like every year, please bring children for coloring of eggs from 5 – 7 PM

April 26th – Veliki Petak – Great and Holy Friday Matins of Holy Saturday on Friday evening at 7:00pm: Known as the Praises of the Lamentations, the service begins the Sabbath as Christ lays in rest in the tomb. Often seen as a funeral service for Christ, in fact it is a commemoration of the law and love of God towards His people.

April 27th – Velika Subota – Great and Holy Saturday and The Annuciation Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday at 10:00am: The death of Christ is linked with the creative acts of God. It is here that Christ descends into Hell and breaks the doors. The service inaugurates the paschal celebration as the service is bright and uplifting. The tomb is revealed as a place of life.

April 27th – VelikaSubota Vaskrsno jutrewe- Great and Holy Saturday:The Services of the Great and Holy Pascha Saturday evening starting at 11:30pm: The Joy of Joys, Holiday of Holidays, celebrating Christ’s Resurrection. The service begins with nocturn anticipating the Resurrection. The procession follows at midnight announcing the Resurrection to the world. We then celebrate the Paschal matins.Baskets will be blessed after Ruserrecional Matins on Pascha night and again following Divine Liturgy on Sunday.

April 28th – “VASKRSEWE HRISTOVO” – PASCHA CELEBRATION, Divine Liturgy at 10:00am at Parish Center, 2148 Michelson Dr., Irvine. This is the Great and Joyous Liturgy celebrating the Pascha of our Lord.The Parish celebrates the Resurrection with a feast and events for the children and adults. Banquet will be held after the Divine Liturgy at St. Mark Antiochian Church. See the detailed information later in this Newsletter. Serbian Music and entertainment will be provided by Paganini Orchestra.

April 29th – Vaskrsni ponedeqak -Bright Week. The Divine Liturgy will be held at 10:00 am.

April 30th – Vaskrsni utorak -Bright Week (on Tuesday -no Liturgy here – there will be Liturgy @ the Monastery in Escondido) and on Monday, April 16th, the Divine Liturgy will be held at 10:00 am.

Also, dear Brothers and Sisters: One Serbian Lady is looking for a domestic job to take care of an elderly person or children. If you know of anyone who needs such a worker please let me know.

Wishing you all a blessed remainder of Holy Great Lent,

With love in Christ,

Fr. Blasko


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