Orthodox Christians enter Holy Week
https://www.ipn.md/en/orthodox-christians-enter-holy-week-7967_975071.html
The Orthodox Christians entered Holy Week, which is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. It commemorates the last week of the earthly life of Jesus Christ culminating in his crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday, Info-Prim Neo reports.
Holy Week or Great and Holy Week includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) and Good Friday, and lasts from Palm Sunday until but not including Easter Sunday, as Easter Sunday is the first day of the new season of The Great Fifty Days.
Fasting during Great and Holy Week is very strict. Dairy products and meat products are strictly forbidden. On most days, no alcoholic beverages are permitted and no oil is used in the cooking. Friday and Saturday are observed as strict fast days, meaning that nothing should be eaten on those days.
However, fasting is always adjusted to the needs of the individual, and those who are very young, ill or elderly are not expected to fast as strictly. Those who are able to, may receive the blessing of their spiritual father to observe an even stricter fast, whereby they eat only two meals that week: one on Wednesday night and one after Divine Liturgy on Thursday.
The days between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday are known as Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday. The Gospels of these days recount events which occurred on the corresponding days between Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and his Last Supper.
Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper of Christ and his Eleven Apostles and the institution of the Eucharist and the Mass. Celebration of this Mass marks the beginning of the Sacred Paschal Triduum that concludes with the Easter Vigil.
On Good Friday, the Church mourns for Christ’s death, reveres the Cross, and marvels at his life for his obedience until death.
Holy Saturday is a day of silence and prayer which commemorates the dead Christ in the tomb. No Mass is celebrated. The celebration of Easter may begin after sundown on what is therefore liturgically Easter Sunday. Candles are lit at the Resurrection Service and the faithful sing Jesus has Risen from the dead.
