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Holy Week Resources
Holy Week Service Book – Follow during live stream services
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Holy and Great Week in the Domestic Church for Melkites
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Holy Week Passport – print on both sides of paper to create a booklet. Color the icon and do an activity as we go through each day. Uses a stamp or sticker on the inside cover to show that you have “traveled” that day.
Understanding the Icons for Holy Week
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Last Friday of Great Lent
Attend or watch the live stream of Lazarus Great Vespers on Friday Evening at 6:00 pm
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Display the icon of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (if you don’t have one print one!)
Lazarus Saturday
Podcast - Story of Lazarus for younger children
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Lazarus Arise - Read the story of Lazarus and discuss with your family
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The Raising of Lazarus from Orthodox Pebbles
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Palm Sunday
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Celebrating a Palm Sunday Procession in the Domestic Church
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Palm Sunday Procession in the Domestic Church Service
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Go for a walk and find branches to use as “symbols for victory” to hold during the Palm Sunday Liturgy or use the Palms if you were able to pick up at church. Decorate a candle to carry in the procession.
Make palm crosses - Palm Cross Tutorial
Display the icon Palm Sunday (if you don’t have one print one!)
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Audio recording of Hosanna in Tone 3
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Attend or watch the live stream of Palm Sunday Liturgy at 10:30 am.
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In the afternoon display an icon of The Bridegroom (if you don’t have one print one!)
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Allow your children to process with the Bridegroom icon and put it in a place of honor for the Bridegroom Services.
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Attend or watch the live stream of the Bridegroom Service at 6:00 pm.
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The Troparion of the Bridegroom - 8th Tone
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Holy Monday
On this day we commemorate the story of the Ten Virgins and recognize Jesus as the Bridegroom. We also remember Joseph, son of Jacob, whose brothers sold him to the Egyptians, but who remained pure and faithful to God. He is a prototype of Christ, persecuted by his own people and delivered by them to foreigners, but raised up by God to be King and Master of all nations. The third lesson of the day is the curse of the fig tree condemned by Christ because it bore no fruit. So shall we be condemned if we do not bear the fruits of penance, humility and renouncement to illicit worldly pleasures.
Audio book for kids - Parable of the Ten Virgins
Podcast for adults – Father Tom Hopko
The Troparion of the Bridegroom - 8th Tone
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Attend or watch the live stream of the Bridegroom Service at 6:00 pm.
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Holy Tuesday
The Bridegroom service for today tells us about the woman, St. Kassiani, who anointed Christ’s feet with oil. She acknowledged her sinfulness and poured out expensive oil to anoint the master before his death.
St. Kassiani
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Listen carefully to the hymn of St.Kassiani and sing along (music begins on page 135 in the Holy Week service book)
O Lord, The woman who had fallen into many sins perceives your divinity. She fulfills the duty of a myrrh-bearer. She brings myrrh to you before your burial, lamenting, she says: Woe to me! My nights are an insane passion of lust, gloomy and moonless, filled with sinful desires. Accept the flow of my tears, You who draw from the clouds the waters of the sea, and incline to the groanings, the groanings of my heart you who bowed down the heavens by your ineffable self-emptying. I shall kiss your pure feet, and wipe them again with the hair of my head, those feet whose sound Eve heard at dusk in Paradise and hid herself for fear. Who can search out the multitude of my sins and the depth of your judgements?
Attend or watch the live stream of the Bridegroom Service at 6:00 pm.
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Today is a good day to start planning your Pascha basket! Bring your baskets to the Resurrection Liturgy for a blessing, it is a wonderful tradition. Your basket can be traditional or simply full of the things you have missed during the fast. If you’ve never done one, this is a great year to start.
Holy Wednesday
Brief read about Holy Wednesday
Attend or watch the live steam of the Anointing service at 6:00 pm
Father will be available to anoint you after the service on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There will also be oil available to take home.
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Holy Thursday
Display an icon of the Last Supper (or print one).
To celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, make prosphora as a family.
Attend or watch the live stream of Vespers/Liturgy of St. Basil at 5:00 pm
Attend or watch the live stream Office of Passion and Crucifixion of Christ at 7:00 pm
The Passion service is a long service that includes the Twelve Gospel readings. Be especially patient with your children and easy on yourself here! There is a lot to see in the service.
Watch the candles that are extinguished after each Gospel reading! If you are live streaming at home, light your own candles and let your children blow them out after each Gospel reading. For little ones, use LED candles. You will need twelve!
After the Fifth Gospel Reading, kneel while the priest processes the icon of Christ and nails Jesus to the Cross.
Holy Friday
Icons for today are the crucifixion or the Extreme Humility icon.
Today is traditionally a day of fasting and self-reflection. We hear the very last moments of Christ’s life. Many people will fast from technology (recreational), television, etc. Have some time of solitude.
Attend or live stream the Royal Hours at 9:00 am and noon.
Attend or watch the Descent from the cross and burial vespers at 3:00 pm
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Wrap your Icon of Christ in a white towel or sheet and place in your icon corner, with fresh flowers if you can.
We traditionally decorate the tomb of Christ together today. We decorate his tomb for the same reason we leave flowers at the grave of those we love. If possible, visit the cemetery and pray for the salvation of their souls. Take flowers if you can, if not remember your prayers are the most beautiful gift.
For your little ones, consider making a tomb. A couple of examples are below. Be creative, use fresh flowers if you can to decorate your tomb.
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Attend or watch the live stream of the Funeral of Christ at 7:00 pm.
Process your tomb around your home if you made one! These beautiful traditions are holy because of our hearts and our efforts. Whether it is a custom made wooden bier or a homemade tomb, the Lord knows that we are worshiping Him from our hearts.
Use holy water to sprinkle your tomb –add a little Rose water(myrrh) if you can.
Ointment bearing women came to Your tomb, O Lord, to sprinkle your body with myrrh. Burial dirge – Part three
Listen to the hymns tonight and hear how they have changed from the afternoon to evening. This afternoon we were mourning with a grave sound, and tonight we are already hoping in the resurrection. The tones are bright!
Holy Saturday
Dye red eggs
For red egg dye you can find it on Amazon. You can also purchase egg wraps from Amazon or Legacy Icons.
Learn about the Miracle of the Red egg!
You may buy the book on Amazon - The Miracle of the Red Egg by Elizabeth Crispina Johnson and/or listen to the book Podcast - Miracle of the Red Egg
The icon for today is the Resurrection. Those who have cared for children especially will note the way Christ is grabbing the wrists of Adam and Eve! They can neither pull away nor be snatched from His hands!
Prepare for Pascha! Finish your baking and cooking while remembering the joy of the morning and feasting in the Resurrection.
Decorate a candle for tonight’s resurrection service! Death has been defeated, but the Earth awaits the Good News!
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Attend or watch the live stream of the Blessing of the New Light and Liturgy of St. Basil at 5:00 pm.
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Pascha
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Attend or watch the live stream of the Hasmi, Orthros and the Resurrection Liturgy beginning at 10:00 pm.
Bring your Pascha baskets for a blessing.
Listen to the Paschal homily of St. John Chrysostom (Follow along on page 609 of the Holy Week Service book) . At this particular time, we feel the sting of death while we grieve and battle together with the world. But the sting of death is temporary because Christ has Risen! Hope has been restored!
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Break your fast with the precious body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Enjoy a Paschal meal together at home and look forward to when we can gather after Liturgy for our Paschal breakfast!
Sunday -Pascha
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Greet each other with “Christ is Risen!” and replying “He is Truly Risen!”
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Podcasts of some beautiful Pascha books for children
Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen!
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