PASCHA MARKED THIS WEEKEND ST. INNOCENT EASTERN ORTHODOX EASTER SERVICES PLANNED.Byline: HOLLY J. ANDRES Staff Writer TARZANA - The pageantry of an Eastern Orthodox service will be even more heartfelt by Eastern Orthodox Christians This is primarily a list of notable people who contributed to the history of Eastern Orthodox Christianity's theology or culture. However it is also for people whose Eastern Orthodox identity is an important part of their notability. who attend Holy Saturday Holy Saturday n. The Saturday before Easter. Noun 1. Holy Saturday - the Saturday before Easter; the last day of Lent Christian holy day - a religious holiday for Christians services this morning and Easter services just before midnight tonight. Eastern Orthodox Easter, also known as Pascha, falls on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox vernal equinox: see equinox. - this year, March 20 - and, most importantly Adv. 1. most importantly - above and beyond all other consideration; "above all, you must be independent" above all, most especially , after the Jewish observance of Passover has ended. Christians celebrating Easter this weekend include members of Orthodox churches established in areas including Jerusalem, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Georgia, Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Cyprus, Poland and the Czech and Slovak republics. The congregation at St. Innocent Orthodox Church in Tarzana, affiliated with the Orthodox Church in America The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church in North America. Its current primate is Metropolitan Herman (Swaiko), who was elected in 2002. The Church's headquarters are located in Syosset, New York. , will be among an estimated 4 million Eastern Orthodox Christians in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. celebrating Jesus' resurrection this weekend. ``The message of Easter is the whole reason why Jesus Christ came into the world. It gives us the full meaning to everything that Jesus did,'' said the Very Rev. Nicolas Boldireff from St. Innocent Orthodox Church. ``It shows us we can rise again.'' Boldireff said newcomers to an Eastern Orthodox Easter service likely will be struck by its uniqueness. Among the impressions are the smell of pine and rose incense, a choir and clergy chanting during the entire service, children carrying icons in a procession, the custom of the faithful of standing during the service and the symbolism of one altar candle's light being passed from parishioner to parishioner until the darkened dark·en v. dark·ened, dark·en·ing, dark·ens v.tr. 1. a. To make dark or darker. b. To give a darker hue to. 2. To fill with sadness; make gloomy. 3. church sanctuary is aglow. ``During Lent, there is a feverish activity for putting your soul together. We `make up' with people. There is even a day, `Forgiveness Sunday,' that comes before Palm Sunday,'' said Walter Zmed, a 22-year parishioner at St. Innocent Orthodox Church. ``We not only clean up our houses but we clean up our minds before Easter. Our fast - we don't eat meat or dairy products during Lent - is very important. We give up eating certain foods and we try to give up bad habits,'' he said. Dyeing eggs red and eating lamb and special pastries for Easter are some Eastern Orthodox traditions. The Holy Saturday service this morning will use readings from the Old Testament on prophesies about conquering death. Jesus in the tomb and his descent into Hades Hades (hā`dēz), in Greek and Roman religion and mythology. 1 The ruler of the underworld: see Pluto. 2 The world of the dead, ruled by Pluto and Persephone, located either underground or in the far west beyond the , where he finds and resurrects Adam, will be the centerpiece of the service. Boldireff will bless Easter baskets - which can include sausages, dyed eggs, wine, a sweet yeast bread called kulich and a molded sweet cheese called paskha Paskha means "Easter" in Russian and some other Slavic languages, and can mean:
``The reason for the almost-midnight Easter service is because we want to celebrate the resurrection of Christ at the earliest possible moment,'' said Bernard Wilson, a subdeacon sub·dea·con n. 1. A cleric ranking just below a deacon. 2. A cleric who acts as assistant to the deacon at High Mass and normally reads the Epistle at the Eucharist. Noun 1. and chairman of the Parish Council at St. Innocent Orthodox Church, where he has been a member for 22 years. ``It is an elaborate and joyful service. We'll read part of the Gospel, John: 1-17, in different languages - French, Russian, English, Romanian, Spanish, German, Latin and Irish Gaelic,'' he said. St. Innocent Orthodox Church is an English-speaking parish with Slavic influences, said Wilson, a retired chief of Los Angeles International Airport “LAX” redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation). “KLAX” redirects here. For other uses, see KLAX (disambiguation). Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX Police. Throughout the Easter service, Boldireff will chant ``Christ is risen'' in various languages and parishioners have made it a tradition to reply, ``Indeed he is risen'' in the various languages of their ancestors. Boldireff said many people might be confused about the beliefs and customs of the Eastern Orthodox Community. But he pointed out that there hasn't been an Ecumenical Council meeting since the year 787. ``Our living tradition has been unaltered for centuries,'' said Boldireff. ``We're the biggest-kept secret.'' Holy Saturday service, 9:30 a.m.-noon today. Easter service, 11:30 p.m. today-3 a.m. Sunday. Vespers vespers (vĕs`pərz) [Lat.,=evening], in the Christian Church, principal evening office. In the Roman rite, vespers have consisted since the 6th cent. of a few prayers, five psalms, a lesson, the Magnificat, and an antiphon. service, noon Sunday. St. Innocent Orthodox Church, 5657 Lindley Ave., Tarzana. Call (818) 881-1123. holly.andres(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3708 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) The Very Rev. Nicolas Boldireff stands in St. Innocent Orthodox Church in Tarzana, whose congregation will celebrate Eastern Orthodox Easter this weekend. Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer |
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