Dear Brothers and Sisters,
One of the most moving services of Great Lent is the Vespers of Great and Holy Friday, when the Holy Shroud is brought out to the center of the church. It is a moment filled with silence, prayer, and deep spiritual reflection. The Shroud is not merely a cloth — it is the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, taken down from the Cross and laid in the tomb. In that solemn hour, we become witnesses to the awe-inspiring and sacred events when God Himself willingly accepted death for our salvation.
The Holy Shroud is a visible symbol of the Tomb of Christ. We approach it with reverence, to venerate, to pray, and to silently reflect. In those quiet minutes, each of us brings to the tomb of Christ our sorrows, our gratitude, our hopes, and our love. It is a time of deep closeness with the Savior, Who suffered and died for each one of us.
According to tradition, we strive to adorn the Shroud with fresh flowers — as an offering of love, and a sign that we wish to bring the Lord the very best we have. These flowers are like silent prayers and fragrant tears, offered with love and hope as we await the Bright Resurrection.
We invite you to take part in this sacred offering by donating toward the flowers.
To do so, please speak with Sister Marina at the church. You may also make a donation online, indicating that it is for the flowers for the Holy Shroud.
May each of us find in these holy days a place in our heart for silence, for prayer, and for living faith. And may our Holy Shroud be beautifully adorned — for before it we bow, as if before the very Tomb of Christ.
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
Palm Sunday
Who did not meet the Lord when He, as a king, triumphantly entered into Jerusalem; and who did not cry out then, Hosanna to the Son of David! (Matt. 21:15)? But only four days passed, and the same crowd with the same tongues cried, Crucify Him, crucify Him! (John 19:6). An amazing change! But why should we be surprised? Do we not do the very same thing, when upon receiving the holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of the Lord, we barely leave the church before forgetting everything—both our reverence and God’s mercy toward us. We give ourselves over as before to self-pleasing deeds—at first small and then also large. Perhaps even before four days have passed, although we do not cry, “Crucify Him!” we will crucify the Lord within ourselves. The Lord sees all of this, and suffers. Glory to Thy longsuffering, O Lord!
St. Theophan the Recluse
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