Great and Holy Pascha ~ 2016

Mr. Husband and I made it to Pascha!

I am so grateful!

Thank you everyone for your prayers!

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Christ is Risen!

Truly, He is Risen! 

Great and Holy Pascha

The day the whole earth longs for!

Great and Holy Pascha

"Holy Week comes to an end at sunset of Great and Holy Saturday, as the Church prepares to celebrate her most ancient and preeminent festival, Pascha, the feast of feasts. The time of preparation will give way to a time of fulfillment. The glorious and resplendent light emanating from the empty Tomb will dispel the darkness. Christ, risen from the dead, cracks the fortress of death and takes "captivity captive" (Psalm 67:19). All the limitations of our createdness are torn asunder. Death is swallowed up in victory and life is liberated. "For as by a man came death, by a man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (I Corinthians 15:21-22). Pascha is the dawn of the new and unending day. The Resurrection constitutes the most radical and decisive deliverance of humankind."  see here for source and more information!

Services:

Midnight - Paschal Matins & Liturgy; Paschal Trapeza

2:00 Agape Vespers

A Beautiful Video of Paschal Joy

Pascha Meal at Home this past Sunday evening

Pascha Table,

with Red and White Rushnyk,

Grandma's dishes, cheese, nuts, salad,

cheese Pascha, two pots of tea, Pascha bread,

water, chocolate chip cookies, 

candles and our best silver.

My Sister got me this wooden red egg from Romania

for this past Christmas.

 We had lots of wonderful goodies!

The Rum-Kokos are from a dear Romania friend 

in Ottawa that I saved for Pascha...

This was our candle from our Pascha basket last year.

I decided I will save each candle for one year

and then light it on Pascha/Sunday night at home

when we have our simple Paschal basket meal at home.

I used our wedding reception votive candles for 

icon lampadas...

It is so wonderful to continue the Paschal

celebrations at home!

*

Mr. Husband and I are looking forward to enjoying 

things from our basket over the coming weeks!

*

Christ is Risen!!

Truly, He is Risen!

Great and Holy Pascha ~ Christ is Risen!!!

 

Reading from the Book of Acts

before the Paschal services proper... 

The Shroud to be taken in soon...

The Cross is empty...

The anticipation grows...

Soon the Cross will be seen with with the Resurrection!

Christ's grave clothes will be found folded

and His Body not there

for HE IS RISEN!

All the candles were put out, all lights dimmed 

before...

*

The Priest comes out singing

The Light that has overtaken night...

and everyone's candles are lit

and we go out in procession!

When one returns all the lights are on

and PASCHA is here!

Christ is Risen!

Christ is Risen, 

trampling down death by death

and those in the tombs bestowing life!

Our Lord is Risen!

The Saints Rejoice!

It was a beautiful liturgy...

A lot of us were tired but also feeling

the joy of Pascha...

*

Bright Week is upon us and the joy of the

Resurrection of Christ cannot be beat! 

The Priest greets us with the Resurrection of Christ

at the end of liturgy

and red eggs given out to everyone...

*

Christ is Risen!!!

Pascha and Strait up Chocolate Chip Cookies

I've made my Pascha cookies for at least 3 or 4 Paschas.

Thank God I could make them this year!  

I did just simple strait up chocolate chip cookies.

Ones I've been making for church things for over 10 years.

My Betty Crocker Cookbook is my go to recipe for this!

{I never use the nuts that are optional}.

I often have a big basket full of cookies...

in Ottawa the kids would all find me for these

and then some adults too :)

The cookies pictured above are with Trader Joe Chocolate chips,

which I had not used before.

We plan on having a Pascha basket for the normal things

(cheese, a bottle of wine, Pascha bread and Pascha cheese)

and another basket for the Pascha Cookies!

*

Blessed Pascha everyone!

Christ is Risen! 

He is Risen Indeed!

Christ is Risen! Joyous Pascha!

Christ is Risen!
The world rejoices!
Christ is Risen!
Death is not our captor!
Christ is Risen!
Nothing, no NOTHING, can separate us from Christ's love!
Christ is Risen!
In Holy Pascha we are never alone but all together!
Christ is Risen!
We have the hope of Christ's mercy and a heavenly home!
Christ is Risen!
We have His words of promise of the land where no sorrow is!
Christ is Risen!
All evil is defeated!
Christ is Risen!
Our hearts rejoice!

We had a beautiful first Pascha as a married couple!

Mr. Husband's basket has the Doritos :)
Dutch cheese, the Pascha bread and cheese,
A red and white Rushnyk
from my Ukrainian family for our Pascha basket.  

Wonderfully died eggs!

Our hope of eternal life with Christ!
Oh, how wonderful heaven is!
Pascha is a day outside of days!
Heaven comes to join us on this most
Holy Day!

Our true and sure hope
is in Christ and
His Resurrection!

Blessed St. George's Day today!
Bright and Holy Monday!

We had a beautiful Pascha day!
Mr. Husband and I wore traditional
white embroidered shirts
for Pascha day at Agape vespers...
The shirts were a beautiful wedding gift to us
from one of my dear friends from my
parish in Ottawa.

Wooden Pascha Ukrainian Pansky eggs.
*
I put the Pascha Rushnyk on the
table with white table cloth for Pascha.

This egg is real and a gift from
the Matriarch of my Ottawa Parish a few
Paschas ago;
it is one of my beloved treasures,
esp. as it is from this family.
I made the Pascha icon a few Pascha's ago
and it was blessed by my Ottawa spiritual father.

Icons of Christ's Resurrection
and the icon of Bright Friday
and Paschal festal clear lampadas for the feast!

 

The tall candles in the candle holders were
a thoughtful Christmas gift
from a new and dear church friend here in NJ!
I knew right away I would save them for Pascha.
We were given the bread and cheese Pascha from
a caring parishioner here in NJ.

It was such a joy to make a simple
Pascha meal and table for
Mr. Husband and I last night!
*
We stayed in a hotel suite from Holy Wednesday-Pascha
so we did not have to make long car trips daily.
I made it to Pascha by God's mercy.
*
I am tired,
have either allergies or a cold
and am thankful that it is Bright Monday and
that Mr. Husband and I can rest in the joyous light of
Christ's Pascha!
*
Of course I missed my Ottawa Parish ~
but I was able to pray for many in the Parish on
Pascha and that was a real blessing.
And I am thankful for a joyous Pascha with Mr. Husband!
Our first as a married couple!
A year ago Pascha we were engaged to be married
and now we are here,
almost 7 months as newlyweds!
*
Christ is Risen!
Truly He is Risen!!!