BRIEF GUIDE – Holy Week and Holy Resurrection – 2020

THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX METROPOLIA OF THE AMERICAS

A BRIEF GUIDE for the faithful regarding the Services during Holy Week and The Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ in year of our salvation 2020

1. Given the conditions placed on us by the present regulations during this emergency situation, the services during this period, including Palm Sunday, the Bridegroom Services during Holy Week, Holy Thursday, and Great Friday, as well as the Feast of the Resurrection, will be celebrated in the Churches only by the clergy, without the presence of the faithful. The Services will be able to be followed/listened on-line, through links on the Metropolia’s site: (www.biserica.tv), or on the various parish sites: (the complete listing is available at: https://mitropolia.us/index.php/ro/938-parohiile-care-transmit-in-direct-sfanta-liturghie-din-mitropolia-ortodoxa-romana-a-celor-doua-americi).

2. The faithful will receive from the parish priest (through social media: whatsapp, e-mail, and Facebook), the written texts for the services of Holy Thursday (the 12 Gospels), Great Friday (the Lamentations), and the Resurrection Service, as well as the corresponding icons, so that they might read and follow these at home, according to the typicon, especially for those who do not have access to on-line technology that would allow them to follow the services that way.

3. For practical reasons, namely the restrictions on gatherings that differ from state to state, the Resurrection Service will be held this year like the other services, without the faithful present. During the daytime on Saturday, 18 April and Sunday, 19 April, the ,,Paști” will be distributed. In those places where it is possible, and is not prohibited to distribute the Paști (the blessed Bread sprinkled with Holy Water and the wine), the faithful may receive this from the parish to which they belong. The Paști this year will be blessed on Holy Thursday, 16 April, at the Divine Liturgy, and packaged in a clean sealed bag. The persons preparing it will wear protective facial masks and gloves. Eggs and other „sweets” WILL NOT BE DISTRIBUTED. Faithful who are not able to come and receive these should contact their parish priest.

4. The faithful have the blessing on the night of Pascha to light, in their HOMES, at midnight, a candle from their house, while they follow the online Resurrection service from their local parish.

5. Given that conditions do not allow that traditional baskets with foods for Pascha to be brought to the Church to be blessed by the priest on the Feast of the Resurrection, the faithful have the blessing to sprinkle their baskets with Holy Water, in the sign of the Cross, saying: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and then singing Christ is Risen from the dead!, three times.

6. We remind the faithful that during this whole period of the Feast of the Resurrection (until the eve of the Ascension), before one sits for a meal, we either sing or say the troparion: Christ is Risen from the dead.

7. During Bright Week, the faithful are urged to sing Christ is Risen from the dead and greet one another with: Christ is Risen — Truly He is Risen during the whole period of the Feast of the Resurrection (until the eve of the Ascension)!

His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, and all the clergy of the Metropolia assure you of their supplication to our Savior Jesus Christ, His Mother, and all the saints, for the strengthening of the faith, and the protection again every sickness and infirmity. We wish you a blessed Holy Week and a Paschal celebration with health and hope in Christ, Risen from the Dead!