On the evening of Holy Friday, May 4, 2024, the Epitaph Service was held at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The canon of Holy Saturday was sung at the beginning of the service until the Patriarch and the High Priest were dressed in their mourning liturgical vestments.
After the 9th Ode, the Patriarchal Entourage left the Catholicon and proceeded to the Horrendous Golgotha, stopping at each Shrine outside the Catholicon for a supplication.
The 7th Gospel of the Holy Passion, recounting the Lord’s Crucifixion (Mat. 27:33-54), was then read, followed by prayer and veneration. The Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem, Dimitrios Angelosopoulos, and Consul Anna Mantika participated in the event, accompanied by the Choir of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Following the narrative, four Archbishops placed the silk corporal symbolizing the body of Christ on the slab of the Holy Deposition, completing three circles around it. The Patriarch then read the Gospel of Deposition according to St. John.
This was followed by a procession around the Holy Sepulchre three times, with the Archbishops carrying the silk corporal. The silk corporal was then placed on the slab of the Holy Sepulchre.
The three stasis of the Epitaph Lamentations began, with the Patriarch and other clergy leading the prayers. The sermon of the day was delivered by Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina.
He spoke about the importance of Christ as the cornerstone of faith and salvation, highlighting His teachings, miracles, and ultimate sacrifice on the Cross for humanity. The Archbishop emphasized the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection in overcoming sin and granting eternal life to believers.
Through His sacrifice and victory over death, Christ offers redemption and the promise of eternal life to all who believe in Him. His death on the Cross was a selfless act of love and mercy, demonstrating the depth of God’s compassion for humanity.
As the Church proclaims on the day of Pentecost, there is no death when we leave the body and depart to the Lord. The transition from sadness to rest and joy is made possible by the Cross of the Lord. Through His life-giving blood, God established the Church, His Body, so that death would have no power over it. The New Testament, signed in His blood, unites all peoples under Christ, offering life and salvation to the world.
Through the Cross, God answered both the Greeks and the Jews, saving all who believe in Him. The Church, founded on His blood, brings together all believers, regardless of background. The Cross is both the glory of Christ and the strength of the persecuted, offering hope and victory in times of struggle.
Today, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem continues to fight for the rights of pilgrims and for peace in the Holy Land. As we mourn and rejoice on this holy day, may the Cross of Christ illuminate the dawn of His Resurrection, bringing joy and health to all. Amen. The Patriarchate return was accompanied by the somber tolling of the bell.
The return to the Patriarchate was done under the mournful bell tolling.
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