The Great and Holy Week

A Journey of Repentance and Prayer from the Darkness of Sin to the Joy of the Resurrection

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Here comes the Great Week or the Passion Week, and our East is still wounded and suffering, waiting for a resurrection that will save it from its sorrows. The people of the region are preparing for the Feast of Feasts and the Season of Seasons, eagerly awaiting the joy of the Resurrection with hearts full of faith and hope. They have nothing but this hope in the Lord Jesus, from Whom they draw all their strength and determination amidst the challenges that surround them.

However, no challenges are invincible before the power of Prayers, through which the faithful walk in a journey of Lent and reflection, culminating in one of the Holiest Christian Seasons: The Great Week. How Great this week is, carrying in its Liturgy Prayers and traditions that guide the faithful from the sea of sins to the harbor of salvation, from the darkness of days to the joy of the Resurrection.

The celebrations of the "Great and Holy Week" or "Passion Week" embody the most significant salvific events through which the Lord of all creation redeemed us by His death and Resurrection. It is a week that strengthens the faithful and urges them to examine themselves, deepen their repentance, and enhance their faith in preparation for Christ’s Resurrection.

The Harbor of Salvation

This week begins with the "Arrival at the Harbor" Rite in the Maronite Church, the "Nahira" Rite in the Syriac Church, the "Ten Virgins" Rite in the Chaldean Church, and the "Bridegroom Prayer" in the Orthodox Church.

This Rite is considered a heavenly bridge that moves the faithful from the journey of Lent to the journey of Passion Week. The harbor is, first and foremost, Christ, and then the Church, which derives its legitimacy, authority, role, and mission from Him. This Rite is celebrated on the evening of Palm Sunday, marking the Arrival of the Bridegroom as mentioned in the Parable of the "Wise Virgins," which encourages vigilance, Prayer, and the accumulation of "oil" that lights the path of the faithful and guides them to meet Christ.

The Bridegroom Prayer in the Orthodox Church also derives its name from the Parable of the Virgins, where Christ speaks about a Spiritual Wedding in which the Bridegroom, representing Christ, comes at midnight, and some virgins are waiting for Him with lamps, while others are not ready and are left outside the wedding feast, as described in Matthew 25:1-13.

This Prayer is held on the evenings of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of the Holy Week, and its readings focus on three models that call the faithful to repentance and inner preparation to meet Christ: Joseph and the barren fig tree, the Ten Virgins, and the Sinful Woman.

Healing of the Soul and Body

On the Holy Wednesday, the faithful continue their salvific journey with their Prayers and participation in the Liturgical Rites, where the "Candlelight Rite" or the blessing of Holy oil is celebrated. During this Service, the foreheads of the faithful are anointed with the Holy oil, and the Priest marks the sign of the cross on them, laying his hand on their heads for the forgiveness of sins and the healing of bodily diseases, "for the forgiveness of sins, the remission of transgressions, and the health of soul and body." This Rite is linked to the Sacrament of the Anointing of the sick or Holy oil, which is used to anoint the sick in hope of healing the soul and body.

Unfathomable Love

The Holy Thursday brings the faithful to the Paschal Mystery, reminding them of Jesus' last hours with His disciples, His betrayal, and His trial by the Jewish and Roman authorities. The Prayers focus on the Lord's unfathomable love and highlight several events, including the Last Supper with His disciples, the Washing of the Disciples’ Feet, the Lord’s Prayer at Gethsemane, and the Betrayal by Judas.

This day is also called Maundy Thursday, the Thursday of the Paschal Mystery, the Thursday of the Covenant, and the Thursday of the Foot Washing. The Liturgies during this day vary according to different Church traditions. It is celebrated through the consecration of Holy oils, the sanctification of the Chrism, the washing of the feet of twelve people representing the Twelve Apostles, as well as the celebration of the Eucharist and the service of reading the Twelve Gospels of the Passion. In some popular traditions, the faithful visit several Churches to prostrate before the exposed Eucharist, visiting seven Churches as a symbol of the stations Jesus passed through on His way from the Garden of Gethsemane to Golgotha.

From Suffering to Resurrection

The next station in the journey of the Great Week is the Good Friday, where the Prayers and hymns focus on sorrow, suffering, death, and the glorification of Christ’s body and His death for the salvation of humanity. In Catholic Churches, the hymns center around the theme of sorrow, while in Orthodox Churches, the hymns emphasize the glorification of Christ’s suffering and the salvation of humanity. According to popular traditions, flowers are picked on this day, and the faithful head to the Church to place them in a small coffin symbolizing Christ’s Burial. Women wear black, and the Church bells toll in mourning to establish the Rite of Christ's Burial.

Liturgically, each Church has its own Rites and Prayers. For example, the Maronite Church celebrates the "Signing of the Chalice" Rite, a simple communion Rite that was traditionally celebrated during the Great Lent, and afterward, the Church is emptied of the Eucharist. This includes the Rite of the Veneration of the Cross and the reading of the four Gospels with a procession of the coffin and prostrations before the Cross. The faithful then approach the cross for a blessing before it is placed in the prepared tomb inside the Church, adorned with flowers.

In the Orthodox Church, the "Royal Hours" Service is read on the morning of Good Friday, followed by the Vespers Service, which is also called the "Burial" or "Descent from the Cross." In the evening, the Service of the Burial of Christ is held, commemorating "the Burial of the Divine Body and the descent of our Lord and Savior into hell." This service includes Psalms, the chanting of a "Canon" consisting of nine odes focused on the Burial, and hymns dedicated to Good Friday.

The Great Week ends on the Holy Saturday, the eve of Easter, where the faithful raise their Prayers with great joy, affirming that the light of Christ has illuminated the darkness of hell, "Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance"

All nations are waiting for Your Eternal Light, O Lord… this Light that grants them safety and comfort through the warmth of Your tenderness and love, hoping that Your Glorious Resurrection will be the beginning of the resurrection of our East, which longs for a dignified life crowned with peace and justice.