Australian and New Zealand Diocese (ROCOR)

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PASCHAL EPISTLE
of His Eminence Hilarion,
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York,
First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia

Right Reverend Brother and Fellow Pastors, Right Honorable Fathers,
Brethren and Sisters Beloved in the Lord,

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Today, in churches full to overflowing with throngs of people, songs of praise and thanksgiving are being offered up to God. Celebrating and rejoicing, we welcome the Savior’s triumphant Resurrection from the tomb with gladsome spiritual hymns. In the spirit of spiritual joy I hasten, through this epistle, to visit all of you and mystically to express to all the pious members of our Russian Church Abroad the paschal greeting.

“Truly He is risen!” I declare spiritually to you all the heartfelt Paschal greeting! (more…)

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ПАСХАЛЬНОЕ ПОСЛАНИЕ
Высокопреосвященнейшего
ИЛАРИОНА,
Митрополита Восточно-Американского и Нью-Йоркского,
Первоиерарха Русской Зарубежной Церкви.

Преосвященные собратья-архипастыри, досточтимые отцы,
возлюбленные о Господе братия и сестры,

ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕСЕ!

Сегодня в церквах, переполненных множеством народа, воссылается благодарственное и хвалебное пение Богу. Празднуя и ликовствуя, мы встречаем радостными духовными гимнами победоносное Воскресение Спасителя из гроба. С чувством духовной радости спешу через сие послание посетить всех вас и мысленно выразить всей благочестивой Полноте нашей Русской Зарубежной Церкви – Пасхальное приветствие.

«Воистину Воскресе!» – душевно возглашаю всем вам и всем откликающимся на сердечные Пасхальные приветствия.

Да даст Господь Церкви Своей, в Свете Своего Восстания, мир, укрепление веры и возрастающую надежду на умножение любви!

Истоком этой необычайной радости, которую мы испытываем ныне, является сам факт Воскресения Христова – этого величайшего чуда в истории мира, рассеявшего мрак человеческой обреченности. Следует отметить, что внезапное и великое воодушевление в исповедании веры во Христа Воскресшего возникло в испуганных и подавленных распятием Спасителя Его учениках-апостолах. Они, а за ними и множество мучеников пошли на страдания и смерть за Христа Умершего и Воскресшего. Несмотря на страшные гонения и преследования, Первенствующая Христианская Церковь росла и укреплялась, ибо в глазах апостолов и их последователей был виден свет победы Добра и Жизни над злом и смертью. Это последнее психологическое обстоятельство убедительно и неоспоримо дает основание вере в Христа Воскресшего. (more…)

DIVINE LITURGY

Acts 1:1-8

1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (more…)

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HOLY AND GREAT SATURDAY

VESPERS

Reading 1. Genesis 1:1-13

In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth. But the earth was unsightly and unfurnished and darkness was over the deep, and the Spirit of God moved over the water. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good, and God divided between the light and the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night, and there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water, and let it be a division between water and water, and it was so. And God made the firmament, and God divided between the water which was under the firmament and the water which was above the firmament. And God called the firmament Heaven, and God saw that it was good, and there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, Let the water which is under the heaven be collected into one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was so. And the water which was under the heaven was collected into its places, and the dry land appeared. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gatherings of the waters he called Seas, and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the herb of grass bearing seed according to its kind and according to its likeness, and the fruit-tree bearing fruit whose seed in it, according to its kind on the earth, and it was so. And the earth brought forth the herb of grass bearing seed according to its kind and according to its likeness, and the fruit tree bearing fruit whose seed is in it, according to its kind on the earth, and God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. (more…)

HOLY AND GREAT FRIDAY

Troparion, tone 4: Thou hast redeemed us from the curse of the Law by Thy precious Blood. By being nailed to the Cross and pierced with the Spear, Thou hast poured immortality on mankind. O our Saviour, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, tone 8: Come, let us all praise Him Who was crucified for us. For Him it was Whom Mary beheld on the Tree, and said: Even though Thou endurest the cross, Thou art my Son and my God.

Troparia, tone 2: (Vespers and Saturday Matins) Noble Joseph took Thy immaculate Body down from the tree, wrapped It in a clean shroud and spices, and having embalmed It, laid It in a new sepulchre. But on the third day Thou didst rise, O Lord, granting to the world great mercy.

The Angel stood by the tomb and cried to the Myrrh-bearing women: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself free from corruption. (more…)

A copy of the readings from the service of the Twelve Gospels is available here.

HOLY AND GREAT THURSDAY

Troparion, tone 8: When Thy glorious Disciples were enlightened at the supper by the feet washing, then the impious Judas was darkened with the disease of avarice, and he delivered Thee, the Just Judge, to the lawless judges. See, O lover of money, this man through money came to hang himself. Flee the insatiable desire which dared to do such things to the Master. O Lord, Who art good towards all, glory to Thee.

Konlakion, tone 2: Having taken bread in his hand, the traitor secretly stretches it out, and takes a price for Him Who with His own hands made man. And Judas remained an incorrigible slave and liar. (more…)

Cultural Infusion has collaborated with the newly opened Mel-bourne Recital Centre to present a Russian Easter Vigil on Easter Saturday as part of festival Walk to the Field of Stars – A Musi-cal Pilgrimage that celebrates the music of the Christian Holy Week and Jewish Passover. David Barmby, Melbourne Recital Centre Artistic Administrator says that “The Festival has been designed not so much as a festival of sacred music from around the world, but as an opportunity. (more…)