The Orthodox Christians on April 10 entered Great and Holy Week or Passion Week, which is the strictest fasting period of Lent. It marks the culmination of the sufferings of Jesus Christ and his Apostles, as well as the spiritual sufferings of Eastern Christians. The following 7 days represent the most special week of the Church year.
This week marks the most sacred time in Jesus’s life. It starts with his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where a hopeful crowd laid palm fronds on the ground before him, marking ‘Palm Sunday’. On ‘Holy Monday’, there are celebrated other passionate activities of Jesus Christ, such as the cursing of the fig tree, cleansing of the temple, and the anointing of Jesus at Bethany.
‘Holy Tuesday’ is said to be the approximate day Jesus gave predictions of his death, and on ‘Holy Wednesday’ Judas’s betrayal of Jesus is remembered. The week comes to a climax on ‘Maundy Thursday’, where “The Last Supper” is commemorated.
This was also when Jesus predicted the events that will lead up to his death — his betrayal, the Denial of Peter, and his death and resurrection. ‘Good Friday’ follows to mark the crucifixion and death of Jesus, and the week finally ends with ‘Easter Sunday’.
The last liturgical service is held on Holy Saturday morning and the Resurrection service starts at 12 midnight. The faithful go to church to take a part of the Holy Fire brought from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. The Holy Light will be taken from the God’s Birth Cathedral located in central Chisinau to churches all over Moldova.
The Orthodox Christians this year celebrate Easter, which is the most important holiday of the Christian Church calendar, on April 16.
