Christos Voskrese !  Voistinnu Voskrese !
Christ is Risen !  Indeed He Risen !
Christos Anesti !  Alithos Anesti !

Our Greetings to each other as followers of Christ

Together We Celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ
We Celebrate Pascha !

CLICK ON any photo in the mosaics below to see the sequence of the Divine Liturgy in slide view

Gallery 1:  Celebration of Resurrection Matins & Divine Liturgy – St Michael Church, Pittston

View of Holy Table, Icon of Christ the High Priest with Saints Peter and Paul.

Gallery 2:   Celebration of Resurrection Matins & Divine Liturgy – St Nicholas Church, Swoyersville

Our hope and trust in Jesus is fulfilled as our Lenten journey and Holy Week ends with Resurrection Matins and the Paschal Divine Liturgy.  

The Burial Shroud that was placed in a symbolic tomb in the church, the “Plashchanitsa” bearing the image of our crucified Lord is now reverently transferred to the holy table, the altar.   It will remain on the altar under the gospel book until the day before Ascension Thursday.

In our local tradition a solemn procession takes place ~ the faithful, priest, deacon, and servers assemble at the front doors of the church.  The beautiful Resurrection Troparion with verses are sung, the church bells are ringing uncessingly, and at the final verse, as the priest sings ” . . . and to those in tombs he granted life,” he strikes the front doors of the church with his hand cross.   In doing so, he represents the breaking of the tomb by Christ.  The gates of heaven are now open.

All the faithful continue to jubilantly sing “Christ is risen from the dead, and by death he trampled death.  And to those in the tombs he granted life!” as they enter the fully brightened nave of the church.  The joy-filled services proceed with exuberant proclaiming “Christ is Risen” repeatedly, and continue into the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

The Paschal (Resurrectional) Divine Liturgy and all liturgies during Bright Week are celebrated with the Royal doors of the icon screen completely open wide.  This demonstrates visually the reality that Christ has victoriously opened the way to our salvation.   Christ’s victory over sin and death unites each of us personally as his followers.   We are also united as a Church in affirming our solid belief in his Divinity as our Savior, and in his glorious Resurrection, “Indeed He has Risen!”