This miraculous sign, therefore, served as an expression of the power and majesty of the death of Jesus Christ.
St. Innocent of Kherson
Without the Lord and His grace, even Paradise is not Paradise, but with the Lord and His grace, even hell is not hell.
On Great Friday were accomplished, and the Church commemorates, the holy, saving, and terrible sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who voluntarily endured all this for our sake.
Hieromonk Methodius (Kapustin)
Fathers, brothers and sisters, why do we all need to feel all this again today? Because before the feast we must understand thoroughly what forced the Lord to accept death. And the answer is our sins, our human sins.
Hieromonk Philaret (Trunin)
The most important event during the Last Supper was the institution by Christ of the sacrament of the Eucharist as a grace-filling means of uniting the faithful with God.
After the washing of the feet, Jesus Christ first celebrated the Passover according to the law of Moses, and then instituted the new Passover—the great Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist.
In the divine service of Great Wednesday the Church glorifies the sinful woman and condemns and curses the love of money and the betrayal of Judas.
St. Constantin Sârbu
Judas had long harbored the intent to betray Christ. The Lord’s terrifying warnings did not touch his heart.
The Church selected for the edification of the faithful on this day primarily the parable of the ten virgins.
Hieromonk Ignaty (Shestakov)
Today we commemorate the deliverance of the human race from the power of the devil and sin.
In the divine service of Great Monday the Holy Church invites the faithful to accompany Christ, to be crucified with Him, to die for Him to the pleasures of life, so that we may live with Him.
Priest D. V. Dementiev
Holy Week, or Passion Week, is the name given to the last week before Pascha, dedicated to the remembrance of the final days of the earthly life of the Savior, of His sufferings, crucifixion, death on the Cross, and burial.
Hieromonk Seraphim (Panich)
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem is the entry of the Lord into our souls.
Tatiana Perets
A pretty customs officer took out my bottle of holy water and threw it quickly into a garbage can... And, again, the whole world vanished and time stood still.
The raising of Lazarus so enraged the scribes and chief priests that they determined to kill not only the One who had raised him, but also the one who had been raised.
Igumen Damascene (Orlovsky)
"Believe firmly and without wavering; always pray fervently, believing that the Lord will hear you; do not be afraid of anything in the world except for the Lord and your conscience guided by Him."
Klim Palekha
He had no experience in construction, he didn’t have the charisma to attract benefactors, and we still don’t even know his exact date of birth or last name. But it was him whom the Lord vouchsafed to lay the holy foundation; it was him—a simple gardener with a kind heart—whom He chose to revive the Optina Hermitage.
Archimandrite Ilya (Reyzmir)
The path of the Cross of Christ is our path as well.
In the Canon are gathered and set forth all the exhortations to fasting and repentance, and the Holy Church now repeats it in full in order to breathe new strength into us for the successful completion of the Fast.
Sts. Andrew of Crete and Mary of Egypt are great teachers of repentance, and the example of both shows that repentance is vital for everyone. There is no one who does not need it.
