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55-912: Easter Saturday , on the Christian calendar , is the seventh day of Eastertide , being the Saturday of Easter or Bright Week. In the kalendar of Western Christianity it is the last day of Easter Week , sometimes referred to as the Saturday of Easter Week or Saturday in Easter Week . It is the seventh day in the Octave of Easter too. In the liturgy of Eastern Christianity it is the last day of Bright Week , and called Bright Saturday , The Bright and Holy Septave Saturday of Easter Eve , or The Bright and Holy Septave Paschal Artos and Octoechoes Saturday of Iscariot's Byzantine Easter Eve . Easter Saturday

110-706: A day (after 3:00 pm) on all days during Great Fast. - Feasts in the Lenten Season The following feasts are always in the Lenten Season: The weeks of Great Resurrection begin on the Resurrection Sunday and run to the feast of Pentecost . The Church celebrates the Resurrection of our Lord during these seven weeks: Jesus' victory over death, sin, suffering and Satan. The church also commemorates various events that occurred after

165-417: A length of one to three Sundays. Season of Sliba starts on Sunday on or after the feast of the glorious cross and has a length of three to four weeks. The first Sunday of Sliba is always considered as the fourth Sunday of the combined season. The season of Moses always has four weeks. Feast celebrated during the seasons: The following feasts are commemorated in the seasons of Eliyah-Sliba-Moses The weeks of

220-468: A number (such as "the fifth month"). The Babylonian-derived names of the month that are used by Jews are: In Biblical times, the following Jewish religious feasts were celebrated: The Liturgical Calendar of the East Syriac Rite is fixed according to the flow of salvation history. With a focus upon the historical life of Jesus Christ , believers are led to the eschatological fulfillment (i.e.

275-487: A three-year cycle of readings for Sundays and a two-year cycle for weekdays. Adaptations of the revised Roman Rite lectionary were adopted by Protestants, leading to the publication in 1994 of the Revised Common Lectionary for Sundays and major feasts, which is now used by many Protestant denominations, including also Methodists , United , some Reformed , etc. This has led to a greater awareness of

330-679: Is a part of the Paschal cycle , and changes from year to year. Eastern Christianity calculates the date of Easter differently from the West (see Computus for details). In Western Christianity , Easter Saturday is the seventh day of Eastertide, as well as the seventh day in the Octave of Easter . In the Lutheran Churches , the Gospel for Easter Saturday concerns St. John's account of the resurrection of Jesus . In Western Christianity,

385-685: Is a thirteen-day difference between the dates of the Julian and the Revised Julian and Gregorian calendars. Thus, for example, where Christmas is celebrated on December 25 O.S. ( Old Style ), the celebration coincides with January 7 in the Revised Calendar. The computation of the day of Pascha (Easter) is, however, always computed according to a lunar calendar based on the Julian Calendar, even by those churches which observe

440-624: Is a time of harvest for the Church. The fruits of the Church are those of holiness and martyrdom. While the sprouting and infancy of the Church were celebrated in 'the Weeks of the Apostles,' her development in different parts of the world by reflecting the image of the heavenly Kingdom and giving birth to many saints and martyrs are proclaimed during this season. Fridays of this Season are set apart for honoring saints and martyrs. Feast celebrated during

495-445: Is handwritten manuscript named 'Preface to Hudra' written by Rabban Brick-Iso in 14th century. The manuscript mentions that the liturgical year is divided into nine seasons starting from Subara and ends with Qudas Edta. Catholic churches of east-syriac rite maintains the same liturgical calendar until the current date except that many consider 7th and 8th seasons as a single one. The biblical reading and prayers during Mass and Liturgy of

550-399: Is promised to be inherited at the end of earthly life and the church commemorates the exaltic experience of the bliss through various sacraments. While during the season of Moses church meditates upon the end of time and the last judgment . Many at times the season of Moses is regarded as a distinct and separate season from the other two since it has a distinct theme. The season of Eliyah has

605-473: Is so constructed that during each of these fasting seasons, one of the Great Feasts occurs, so that fasting may be tempered with joy. In addition to these fasting seasons, Orthodox Christians fast on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year (and some Orthodox monasteries also observe Monday as a fast day). Certain fixed days are always fast days, even if they fall on a Saturday or Sunday (in which case

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660-591: Is symbolic of penitence, a reminder that sin separates the individual from God. There is also a curtain or veil , scored to remind that in the Temple in Jerusalem , behind the Holy Doors which is opened and closed at specific times during the services. While the veil is always open whenever the Holy Doors are opened, sometimes when the Holy Doors are closed, the rubrics call for the veil to be opened. The curtain

715-584: Is the day preceding the Second Sunday of Easter (also known as St. Thomas Sunday or Divine Mercy Sunday). The term "Easter Saturday" is also used colloquially to refer to Holy Saturday a.k.a. Easter Eve – a week before the religious holiday of Easter Saturday, probably because of references to the Easter weekend. Many people, especially religious authorities, regard this alternative meaning as inaccurate, but it remains in common Australian usage. The use of

770-400: Is the week of the resurrection of Christ. Feasts celebrated during the period: The following feasts are always in the season of resurrection: Weeks of apostles ( Slihe ) starts on the feast of Pentecost , fiftieth day of the Resurrection Sunday . During these days the church commemorates the inauguration of church and the acts of apostles and church fathers through which the foundation of

825-528: Is usually more plainly decorated. Alternatively a sliding panel depicting "Christ the Great High Priest " may take place of the doors and curtain and certain churches may have no physical barrier at all. Only the higher clergy ( bishops , priests , and deacons) are permitted to go through the Holy Doors, and even they may only pass through them when it is prescribed by the liturgical rubrics. During Bright Week (the week following Easter Sunday),

880-603: The Annunciation in the form of a diptych (the Theotokos on the right door, and the Archangel Gabriel on the left), either alone or with the four Evangelists . Other icons may be used also. The doors may be intricately carved and gilded, and are almost always topped by a cross. Theologically the Holy Doors represent the gates of Jerusalem , through which Christ entered on Palm Sunday . They also represent

935-497: The Antiochian Orthodox Church all use the term "Royal Doors". In Russia, they are sometimes called the "Red Gates", red being synonymous with beautiful. Whatever its name, a typical gate consists of two hinged doors. Often they will be only half-height, but sometimes they go almost all the way to the top of the opening. The doors themselves are made of wood or metal and usually have painted on them an icon of

990-519: The Gregorian calendar , and on calculations of the date of full moon different from those used in the West (see computus for further details). The date of Pascha is central to the entire ecclesiastical year, determining not only the date for the beginning of Great Lent and Pentecost, but affecting the cycle of moveable feasts , of scriptural readings and the Octoechos (texts chanted according to

1045-761: The Julian Calendar in calculating their ecclesiastical feasts, but many (including the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Greece), while preserving the Julian calculation for feasts on the Paschal Cycle, have adopted the Revised Julian Calendar (at present coinciding with the Gregorian Calendar ) to calculate those feasts which are fixed according to the calendar date. Between 1900 and 2100, there

1100-611: The hymns from the Octoechos . On Bright Friday, the Resurrection hymns from the Octoechos are taken from Tone Eight . Before the dismissal of Matins a crucession ( procession headed by the cross ) takes place, going three times around the outside of the temple (church building), while chanting the Paschal Canon (in parish churches , this crucession often takes place after the Divine Liturgy ). On this day,

1155-577: The 5th and the first week of the Triodion (the week following the 17th Sunday before Pentecost). The greatest feast is Pascha. Easter for both East and West is calculated as the first Sunday after the full moon that falls on or after March 21 (nominally the day of the vernal equinox ), but the Orthodox calculations are based on the Julian calendar , whose March 21 corresponds at present with April 3 of

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1210-611: The Artos: “O Lord Jesus Christ our God, the angelic Bread, the Bread of life eternal, Who came down from heaven and nourished us on these brightest days with the spiritual food of Thy divine benefactions for the sake of Thy three-day saving Resurrection, also now look down, we humbly pray Thee, upon our prayers and thanksgivings, and as Thou didst bless the five loaves in the wilderness, do now bless this bread, that all who eat of it may be granted corporal and spiritual blessings and health, through

1265-640: The Fixed Cycle, and some follow the Moveable (Paschal) Cycle. Most of those on the Fixed Cycle have a period of preparation called a Forefeast , and a period of celebration afterward, similar to the Western Octave , called an Afterfeast. Great Feasts on the Paschal Cycle do not have Forefeasts. The lengths of Forefeasts and Afterfeasts vary, according to the feast. Note: In Eastern practice, should this feast fall during Holy Week or on Pascha itself,

1320-553: The Holy Doors When a bishop serves the Divine Liturgy, the Holy Doors and veil are left open for the entire service (except during the communion of the clergy). The bishop will always pass through the Holy Doors, even at times when priests or deacons cannot. If the rubrics call for the Holy Doors to be closed, they will be opened for him to pass through, and then immediately closed again. In addition to referring to

1375-566: The Holy Doors and veil remain open the entire week. During this time, the open doors symbolize the open Tomb of Christ. The Epitaphios (icon representing the burial shroud of Christ) is visible on top of the Holy Table (altar table) through the open Holy Doors as a witness of the Resurrection. During Bright Week, the clergy, who would normally use the Deacons Doors to go in and out of the sanctuary, will always enter and exit through

1430-840: The Holy Doors, because Christ passes through these gates during the Great Entrance at the Divine Liturgy (and most especially during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts ). More properly, however, these doors should be called the "Beautiful Gate", and in Greek this is the only term used, although the official English sites of the Ecumenical Patriarchate , the Orthodox Church in America and

1485-465: The Hours vary according to different seasons in the liturgical calendar. The various seasons of the liturgical calendar of Syro-Malabar Church and Chaldean Catholic Church are given below. Weeks of Annunciation ( Subara ) is the first season of the liturgical year. The liturgical year begins with the commemoration of biblical events leading to the annunciation and birth of Jesus as expected savior in

1540-677: The Jewish feast of Hanukkah. However, the season was officially instituted by Patriarch Isho-Yahb III of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (647–657) by separating it from the season of Moses. Feasts celebrated during the season: The liturgical year in the Eastern Orthodox Church is characterized by alternating fasts and feasts , and is in many ways similar to the Catholic year. However, Church New Year ( Indiction ) traditionally begins on September 1 ( Old Style or New Style ), rather than

1595-601: The Paschal Artos , a large loaf of leavened bread which was blessed at the end of the Paschal Vigil on Pascha (early Easter Sunday morning), is broken and distributed to the faithful. This may either be done at the end of the Divine Liturgy, and given out along with the antidoron , or it may be broken at trapeza (refectory) before the festal meal. According to the Supplemental Book of Needs ,

1650-512: The Revised Calendar. There are four fasting seasons during the year: The most important fast is Great Lent which is an intense time of fasting, almsgiving and prayer, extending for forty days prior to Palm Sunday and Holy Week , as a preparation for Pascha . The Nativity Fast (Winter Lent) is a time of preparation for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Christmas), but whereas Advent in

1705-566: The West lasts only four weeks, Nativity Fast lasts a full forty days. The Apostles' Fast is variable in length, lasting anywhere from eight days to six weeks, in preparation for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul ( June 29 ). The Dormition Fast lasts for two weeks from August 1 to August 14 in preparation for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos ( August 15 ). The liturgical year

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1760-584: The beginning of Great Fast. The word denha in Syriac means sunrise. Church considers the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan as the first historical event in which the Trinity was revealed to humankind in the person of Jesus Christ. Thus the season commemorates the manifestation or revelation of Jesus and Trinity to the world. During the season the church celebrates the feasts of Saints in connection with

1815-520: The beginning of the Ninth Hour . The Vespers (or All-Night Vigil , depending upon local usage) on Saturday night is chanted in the normal manner, rather than the Paschal manner. However, the Paschal troparion "Christ is risen..." is read (or chanted, if a Vigil) three times at the beginning. That Vespers is the beginning of Thomas Sunday . Because the date of Pascha is moveable, Bright Saturday

1870-507: The calendar back into agreement with the solar cycle) like the present-day Jewish calendar of Hillel II , or lunar , such as the Hijri calendar . The first month of the Hebrew year was called אביב (Aviv), evidently adopted by Moses from Ipip as the eleventh month of the non-lunar Egyptian calendar , meaning the month of green ears of grain. Having to occur at the appropriate time in

1925-504: The church was laid. Church meditates on the virtues of the early church: fellowship, breaking of bread and sharing of wealth, and the fruits and gifts of Holy Spirit . The spread of the church all over the world as well as her growth is also remembered during this season. Feast celebrated during the season: The following feasts are commemorated in the season of Slihe Along the weeks of Qaita maturity and fruitfulness of church are commemorated. The Syriac word Qaita means "summer" and it

1980-470: The dedication of the church is the last liturgical season in the East Syriac rite. It consists of four weeks and ends on the Saturday before Sunday between November 27 and December 3. The theme of the season is that the church is presented by Christ as his eternal bride before his father at the heavenly bride chamber. The period has its origin in the feast of the dedication of the church of Sephelcure or

2035-603: The earliest day Easter Saturday can fall on is March 28 (as in 1818 and 2285). The latest date this can occur is May 1 (as in 1943 and 2038) Liturgical year God Schools Relations with: The liturgical year , also called the church year , Christian year , ecclesiastical calendar , or kalendar , consists of the cycle of liturgical days and seasons that determines when feast days , including celebrations of saints , are to be observed, and which portions of scripture are to be read. Distinct liturgical colours may be used in connection with different seasons of

2090-527: The eight ecclesiastical modes) throughout the year. There are also a number of lesser feasts throughout the year that are based upon the date of Pascha. The moveable cycle begins on the Zacchaeus Sunday (the first Sunday in preparation for Great Lent or the 33rd Sunday after Pentecost as it is known), though the cycle of the Octoechos continues until Palm Sunday. The date of Pascha affects the following liturgical seasons: Some of these feasts follow

2145-592: The entrance to the Heavenly Jerusalem. In the Russian practice , there are detailed rules as to when the doors are to be opened during Vespers , Matins , and the Divine Liturgy. When the gates are opened, it represents moments when God is especially present to his people, such as during the reading of the Gospel , or when the faithful are receiving Holy Communion . Most of the time the doors are closed. This

2200-689: The fast is lessened somewhat, but not abrogated altogether); these are: The Decollation of St. John the Baptist , the Exaltation of the Cross and the day before the Epiphany (January 5). There are several fast-free periods, when it is forbidden to fast, even on Wednesday and Friday. These are: the week following Pascha, the week following Pentecost , the period from the Nativity of Christ until January

2255-480: The feast of the Annunciation is not transferred to another day. In fact, the conjunction of the feasts of the Annunciation and Pascha ( dipli Paschalia , Greek : διπλή Πασχαλιά ) is considered an extremely festive event. Some additional feasts are observed as though they were Great Feasts: Holy Doors The term Royal Doors (Greek: Ωραία Πύλη : Slavonic: Tsárskiya Vratá ) is commonly used to describe

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2310-671: The first Sunday of Advent. It includes both feasts on the Fixed Cycle and the Paschal Cycle (or Moveable Cycle). The most important feast day by far is the Feast of Pascha (Easter) – the Feast of Feasts. Then the Twelve Great Feasts , which commemorate various significant events in the lives of Jesus Christ and of the Theotokos ( Virgin Mary ). The majority of Orthodox Christians (Russians, in particular) follow

2365-731: The fracturing of the Artos is done in this way: "After the Divine Liturgy, the Artos is carried, as is customary, to the Trapeza and "Christ is risen..." is sung three times, with reverences , and after "Our Father" has been said, and having blessed the food as usual, the Deacon says: "Let us pray to the Lord", and the Brethren respond "Lord, have mercy" , the Priest says the following prayer over

2420-471: The grace and compassion of Thy love for mankind. For Thou art our sanctification, and unto Thee do we send up glory, together with Thine Unoriginate Father, and Thine All-holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. The Brethren: Amen. Having fractured the Artos as is customary, he distributes it to everyone before the meal" The Holy Doors in the iconostasis , which have remained open all of Bright Week are closed on this day before

2475-421: The heavenly bliss) through this special arrangement of liturgical seasons. The liturgical year is divided into 8 seasons of approximately 7 weeks each but adjusted to fit the solar calendar. The arrangement of the Seasons in the Liturgical Year is based on seven central events on celebrations of the Salvation History. They are: One of the oldest available records mentioning the liturgical cycle of east-syriac rite

2530-413: The home. In churches that follow the liturgical year, the scripture passages for each Sunday (and even each day of the year in some traditions) are specified in a lectionary . After the Protestant Reformation , Anglicans and Lutherans continued to follow the lectionary of the Roman Rite . Following a decision of the Second Vatican Council , the Catholic Church revised that lectionary in 1969, adopting

2585-519: The liturgical year. The dates of the festivals vary somewhat among the different churches, although the sequence and logic is largely the same. The liturgical cycle divides the year into a series of seasons, each with their own mood, theological emphases, and modes of prayer , which can be signified by different ways of decorating churches, colours of paraments and vestments for clergy, scriptural readings, themes for preaching and even different traditions and practices often observed personally or in

2640-437: The manifestation of the Lord. Feasts celebrated during the period During these weeks the faithful meditate over the 40-day fast of Jesus and the culmination of his public life in passion, death and burial. The season begins 50 days before Easter on Peturta Sunday and comprises the whole period of Great Lent and culminates on Resurrection Sunday . Word Peturta in Syriac means "looking back" or "reconciliation". Faithful enter

2695-417: The old testament. The season begins on the Sunday just before the first of December and ends with the feast of Epiphany that is the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus . The faithful practice abstinence during December 1–25 in preparation for Christmas; this period is called "25 days Lent". Feasts celebrated during this season Weeks of Epiphany begins on the Sunday closest to the feast of Epiphany and runs to

2750-415: The resurrection of Christ, such as the visits of Jesus to the Apostles and the ascension of Jesus. According to eastern Christianity, the Feast of Resurrection is the most important and the greatest feast in a liturgical year. Therefore, the season commemorating the resurrection of Christ is also of prime importance in the church liturgy. The first week of the season is celebrated as the 'Week of weeks' as it

2805-399: The season: The following feasts are commemorated in the season of Qaita The name of the seasons of Eliyah-Sliba-Moses takes their origin from the feast of the transfiguration of Jesus . And the seasons revolve around the exaltation of the cross on the feast of the glorious cross on September 14. During the seasons of Eliyah and Sliba church reminds the faithful of the heavenly bliss which

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2860-425: The spring, it thus was originally part of a tropical calendar . At about the time of the Babylonian exile , when using the Babylonian civil calendar, the Jews adopted the term ניסן ( Nisan ) as the name for the month, based on the Babylonian name Nisanu. Thomas J Talley says that the adoption of the Babylonian term occurred even before the exile. In the earlier calendar, most of the months were simply called by

2915-407: The term "Bright Saturday" avoids this confusion by clearly referring to the Saturday 6 days after Easter Sunday. In the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite , this day is known as "Bright Saturday", and is the last day of Bright Week . All of the services for Pascha (Easter) are repeated every day of Bright Week (Easter Week), except for

2970-409: The traditional Christian year among Protestants, especially among mainline denominations. Scholars are not in agreement about whether the calendars used by the Jews before the Babylonian exile were solar (based on the return of the same relative position between the Sun and the Earth), lunisolar (based on months that corresponded to the cycle of the moon, with periodic additional months to bring

3025-649: The weeks of Great Fast, celebrating the memory of all the Faithful Departed on the last Friday of Denha. According to the ecclesial tradition, the weeks of Great Fast is also an occasion to keep up the memory of the beloved Departed through special prayers, renunciation, almsgiving, and so on and thus prepare oneself for a good death and resurrection in Jesus Christ. During the fast faithful of Syro Malabar Church do not use meat, fish, egg, many dairy products, and most favorite food items, and avoid sexual contacts on all days including Sundays and Feast days. Before European colonization, Indian Nasranis used to have food only once

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