Easter still a week
away for Orthodox

---

By Mary Adamski
madamski@starbulletin.com

As Western Christians celebrate the religion's greatest holiday tomorrow, Orthodox Christians will mark Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week leading to the April 27 celebration of Easter which they call Great Pascha.

Christian leaders agreed at Fourth Century council in Nicaea to establish Easter as the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. The difference in timing is linked to the fact that churches of the Eastern Christian tradition continue to use the Julian Calendar, created by Julius Caesar in the first century. The Western tradition diverged once the calendar created by Pope Gregory in 1582 came into common use.

By the time Orthodox Christians reach their Easter feasting, they will have observed a strict fast -- no meat, fish, dairy products, oil, wine -- for the month of Lent, a practice that has been eased or dropped in Western churches.

Orthodox Easter services begin late next Saturday night, and are followed by early morning dinner to break the long fast.

The services planned are all open to the public. They include:

Sts. Constantine & Helen Cathedral of the Pacific, 930 Lunalilo St., 521-7220.

>> Palm Sunday begins with Great Vespers at 5 p.m. today. Tomorrow 9 a.m. Matins, 10 a.m. Liturgy, 7 p.m. Bridegroom Service.

"Bridegroom" reflects Christ's words to his disciples that they should prepare for his coming as a wedding party awaits the groom, said the Rev. Nicholas Gamvas, cathedral dean. An icon of Christ is carried in procession and the scriptural readings are about his passion and suffering before death.

>> Monday and Tuesday. 7 p.m. Bridegroom Service.

>> Holy Wednesday. The 9 a.m. Pre-Sanctified Liturgy, in which the faithful receive communion that was consecrated the previous Sunday, follows the tradition of early Christians who met in the catacombs, hiding from persecution. The 6 p.m. Holy Unction involves anointing with oil for healing.

>> Holy Thursday services commemorate Christ's last supper with his disciples. A 9 a.m. Nipter service, when the priest and church members wash the feet of members, will be followed by 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, remembering Christ's establishment of the Eucharist. At 6 p.m. The Passion of Christ will be read from the gospels.

>> Holy Friday, Great Hours referring to the hours leading to Christ's death, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Apokathelosis, marking Christ's body being taken from the cross. At 7 p.m., Lamentations and Burial Service. Sunday School children will be on retreat from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

>> Holy Saturday, 9 a.m. liturgy of St. Basil the Great.

>> The Great and Holy Pascha begins with an 11:15 p.m. Matins next Saturday.

A midnight Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom will celebrate Christ's Resurrection.

>> April 27. Noon Agape Vespers will be followed by the Agape picnic featuring roast lamb. Tickets are $15 at the door.

The Agape Vespers at the Greek cathedral spotlights the diversity of Orthodox Christianity, Gamvas said. The Gospel proclamation will be read in languages represented in the congregation, a total of 13 including Korean, Japanese and Hawaiian as well as European tongues.

St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church, 521-4711.

>> Palm Sunday and Pascha service will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Regina Pacis Convent chapel, 1120 5th Ave.

>> Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday services will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 539 Kapahulu Ave.

>> Covenant Thursday. 8:30 a.m. service at Regina Pacis, 6 p.m. Pascha Service at St. Mark's.
>> Great Friday will be observed from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Regina Pacis. The Apocalypse Vigil from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. at St. Mark's includes reading aloud the Book of Revelations.

>> Easter. The Holy Resurrection Liturgy will be from 7:30 p.m. next Saturday, to 1 a.m. April 27, at St. Mark's. Dinner will follow.

Russian Orthodox Community of Hawaii, 931 Hausten St., Room 101, 947-9093.

>> Holy Monday. 6:15 p.m. Bridegroom Matins.

>> Holy Wednesday. 6:15 p.m. Holy Unction anointing.

>> Holy Thursday. 9:30 a.m. Vesperal Liturgy. 6:15 p.m. Matins of 12 Gospels.

>> Great and Holy Friday. 9:30 a.m. Royal Hours and Vespers. 6 p.m. Lamentations Matins.

>> Easter. Resurrection service begins next Saturday at 10:45 p.m.

>> Easter Sunday (April 27) 11 a.m. Agape Vespers.

Click for online
calendars and events.