Bring the Paschal Joy to All of Creation
From at least the time of the Patristic Fathers of the Church until now, on Tuesday of St. Thomas week (known as the Day of Rejoicing), a natural extension of the Paschal joy of the Church has been expressed in the custom of Orthodox Christians to gather to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, following which a Memorial Litia is served, at which Koliva is offered in remembrance of those who have fallen asleep in the hope of the Resurrection to eternal life. In addition to this, the clergy and the faithful visit the graves of the departed faithful, not to “bless the graves”, but, like the Prophet Ezekiel, to proclaim once again for those who lie in the graves (as well as for us who remain), that Christ is Risen, in order to “…lead (us) His people up from the graves….” This is the reason that we as Orthodox Christians still gather at the graves of our departed faithful, we proclaim that “Christ is Risen, and life reigns!”
The very early years after our forebearers began arriving in Canada, they showed great reverence for their reposed loved ones, holding to the traditions they brought with them. They would hold the Tuesday of St. Thomas week as a sacred day, even if a priest was not nearby, they would still bring the Paschal joy to the graves, singing Christ is Risen…, having picnics upon the graves, sharing in that same agape that Christ shared with His apostles after His Resurrection. These traditions continue to this day, believers visit the graves of their beloved, bringing with them to the grave the ‘Paschal foods’: pasky (breads), pyrizhky (stuffed buns) and other non-fasting foods, blurring the line between the living and the reposed, and sharing in that paschal joy, for we are all alive in Christ. It is our responsibility to proclaim the Risen Lord to all of humanity, with the fervor that arose with the shattering of the gates of hades.
The PDF is available for free download under the Service Booklets tab on the website, and below, along with other publications.
Please follow this link to see the most recently uploaded service booklet.
