Jesus' preaching in Galilee probably lasted about a year, after which, about 30 AD, he and his disciples set off for Jerusalem on the eve of the Passover.
In the proper sense of the word, the path of Christ on the Passion begins upon His return from Judea to Galilee. The high priests, scribes and Pharisees did not accept the teachings of Christ and, envious of His miracles and success, looked for opportunities to kill.
After the resurrection of the four-day Lazarus by the Savior, six days before Easter, Jesus Christ, surrounded by the people, solemnly, as the son of David and the king of Israel, entered Jerusalem. The people gave Him royal honors. Jesus Christ expelled all merchants from the temple and taught the people in the temple for several days. The Sadducees and some of the Pharisees, worried about his behavior, rumors about his messianic claims, the popularity that Jesus gained among the people, finally, fearing popular unrest and their inevitable consequences - reprisals from the Roman authorities - proceeded to decisive action and achieved his arrest.
On Wednesday, one of His twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, invited the members of the Sanhedrin to secretly betray their Master for thirty pieces of silver.
On Thursday, Jesus Christ, desiring to celebrate the Passover with His disciples, left Bethany for Jerusalem, where His disciples Peter and John prepared a large room for Him. Appearing here in the evening, Jesus Christ showed His disciples the greatest example of humility, washing their feet, which the servants of the Jews usually did. Then, lying down with them, He celebrated the Passover of the Old Testament. After supper, He instituted the New Testament Pascha - the sacrament of the Eucharist, or Communion. During the Easter meal preceding the arrest, or, as it is customary to call it in the Christian tradition, the Last Supper, “Jesus, taking bread, blessed, broke, gave them [the disciples] and said: take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them: and they all drank from it. And he said to them: This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many” (Gospel of Mark 14:22).
The words spoken by Jesus over bread and wine formed the basis of one of the Christian sacraments - the Eucharist (Greek Thanksgiving), or Communion. Most Christian denominations teach that in the process of performing this sacrament, bread and wine are transubstantiated (transformed) into the body and blood of Christ.
After that, Jesus Christ spoke to His disciples for the last time about the Kingdom of God. Then He went to the garden of Gethsemane and, accompanied by three disciples - Peter, James and John, went into the depths of the garden and, falling to the ground, prayed to His Father until bloody sweat that the cup of suffering that was coming to Him would pass.
At this time, a crowd of armed servants of the high priest, led by Judas, burst into the garden. Judas betrayed his Master with a kiss. While the high priest Caiaphas was calling the members of the Sanhedrin, the soldiers took Jesus to the palace of Annas (Ananas); From there He was led to Caiaphas, where His judgment was already held late at night. Although many false witnesses were called, no one could point to such a crime for which Jesus Christ could be sentenced to death. However, the death sentence took place only after Jesus Christ recognized Himself as the Son of God and the Messiah. For this, Christ was formally accused of blasphemy, for which, according to the law, the death penalty followed.
To approve the verdict on Friday morning, the high priest went along with members of the Sanhedrin to the Roman prefect of Judea and Samaria, Pontius Pilate, who held this position from 26 to 36 years. Pilate, according to Philo of Alexandria, was famous for his cruelty and carried out many "executions of persons not condemned by any court."
But Pilate at first did not agree to do this, not seeing in Jesus a guilt worthy of death. Then the Jews began to threaten Pilate with a denunciation of him to Rome, and Pilate approved the death sentence. Jesus Christ was given to the Roman soldiers. At about 12 noon, along with two robbers, Jesus was taken to Golgotha ​​- a small hill on the western side of the Jerusalem wall - and there he was crucified on a cross, on which was nailed a tablet with the accusation on which he was executed. On icons and paintings, you can see this tablet with the inscription: "INTI", which means "Jesus the Nazarene (or Nazirite) King of the Jews." In Latin, the tablet looks like "INRI", that is, "Iesus Nazarenus, rex Iudorum". According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus, being mocked on the cross, said, “Father! Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (23:34).
He uncomplainingly accepted this execution. It was noon. Suddenly the sun went dark, and darkness spread over the earth for three whole hours. After that, Jesus Christ loudly called out to the Father: “My God, My God, why did You leave Me!” Then, seeing that everything had been fulfilled according to the Old Testament prophecies, He exclaimed: “It is finished! My Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” and bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. Terrible signs followed: the veil in the temple was torn in two, the earth shook, the stones disintegrated. Seeing this, even a pagan - a Roman centurion - exclaimed: "Truly He was the Son of God."
Nobody doubted the death of Jesus Christ. Two members of the Sanhedrin, Joseph and Nicodemus, secret disciples of Jesus Christ, received permission from Pilate to remove His body from the cross and buried Joseph in the tomb near Golgotha, in the garden. The members of the Sanhedrin made sure that the body of Jesus Christ was not stolen by His disciples: they sealed the entrance and set up guards. Everything was done hastily, since the Easter holiday began in the evening of that day.
On Sunday (probably April 8th), the third day after His death on the cross, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and left the tomb. After that, an angel descended from heaven rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb. The first witnesses of this event were the soldiers guarding the tomb of Christ. Although the soldiers did not see Jesus Christ risen from the dead, they were eyewitnesses to the fact that when the Angel rolled away the stone, the tomb was already empty. Frightened by the Angel, the soldiers fled. Mary Magdalene and other myrrh-bearing women who went to the tomb
Jesus Christ, even before dawn, in order to anoint the body of their Lord and Teacher, they found the tomb empty and were honored to see the Risen Himself and hear from Him the greeting: “Rejoice!” In addition to Mary Magdalene, Jesus Christ appeared to many of His disciples at different times. Some of them even got to feel His body and make sure that He is not a ghost. For forty days, Jesus Christ talked several times with His disciples, giving them final instructions.
On the fortieth day, Jesus Christ, in full view of all His disciples, ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives. As Christians believe, Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of God the Father, that is, he has one authority with Him.
Secondly, He will come to earth before the end of the world to judge the living and the dead, after which His glorious and eternal Kingdom will begin, in which the righteous will shine like the sun.
Belief in the resurrection of Jesus is attested in the earliest New Testament texts - the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, written two to three decades after the execution of Jesus.

THE LAST WEEK OF THE EARTHLY LIFE OF JESUS. IMPORTANT!!! READ DEAR MY! OPEN THE ENTIRE TOPIC. The events of the last week of the Savior's earthly life refer to the Passion of Christ, known in the exposition of the four canonical Gospels. The list below is based on the description of the last days of Christ's earthly life in all four Gospels. The events of the Passion of Christ are remembered throughout Holy Week, gradually preparing the faithful for the feast of Easter. A special place among the Passion of Christ is occupied by the events that took place after the Last Supper: arrest, trial, scourging and execution. The Crucifixion is the climax of the Passion of Christ.

THE ENTRY OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM

Before the Entry into Jerusalem, Christ declared himself as the Messiah to individuals, it is time to do this publicly. It happened on the Sunday before Easter, when crowds of pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem. Jesus sends two disciples for a donkey, sits on it and enters the city. He is greeted with singing by the people, who learned about the entry of Christ, and picks up the hosanna to the son of David, which the apostles proclaimed. This great event serves as a prelude to the sufferings of Christ, endured "for the sake of man and ours for the sake of salvation." SUPPER IN BETHANIA / THE FEET WASHING OF JESUS ​​A SINNER

According to Mark and Matthew, in Bethany, where Jesus and his disciples were invited to the house of Simon the leper, a woman performed an anointing, which symbolized the subsequent suffering and death of Christ. Church tradition distinguishes this anointing from the anointing that was performed by Mary, the sister of the resurrected Lazarus, six days before Easter and even before the Lord entered Jerusalem. The woman who approached the Lord in order to anoint him with precious chrism was a penitent sinner. FEET WASHING FOR STUDENTS

On Thursday morning, the disciples asked Jesus where he would eat the Passover. He said that at the Jerusalem gates they would meet a servant with a jug of water, he would lead them to the house, the owner of which must be informed that Jesus and his disciples would have Passover. When they came to this house for the supper, everyone took off their shoes as usual. There were no slaves to wash the guests' feet, and Jesus did it himself. In embarrassment, the disciples were silent, only Peter allowed himself to be surprised. Jesus explained that this was a lesson in humility, and that they should also treat each other, as shown by their Master. St. Luke reports that at the supper there was a dispute between the disciples, which of them was greater. Probably, this dispute was the reason for showing the disciples a clear example of humility and mutual love by washing their feet. THE LAST SUPPER

At the supper, Christ repeated that one of the disciples would betray him. With fear, everyone asked him: “Is it not me, Lord?”. He asked to divert suspicion from himself, and Judas heard in response: "You said." Soon Judas leaves the supper. Jesus reminded the disciples that where he would soon go they could not go. Peter objected to the teacher that "he would lay down his life for him." However, Christ foretold that he would disown him before the rooster crowed. As a consolation to the disciples, saddened by his imminent departure, Christ established the Eucharist - the main sacrament of the Christian faith. THE PATH TO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND THE PREDICTION OF THE COMING DISCIPLE

After supper, Christ and his disciples went outside the city. Through the hollow of the Kidron stream they came to the Garden of Gethsemane. PRAYER FOR THE BOWL

At the entrance to the garden, Jesus left the disciples. Taking with him only three chosen ones: James, John and Peter, he went to the Mount of Olives. After instructing them not to sleep, he retired to pray. The premonition of death overwhelmed the soul of Jesus, doubts seized him. He, succumbing to his human nature, asked God the Father to carry the Cup of Passion past, but humbly accepted His will. THE KISS OF JUDAS AND THE ARREST OF JESUS

Late on Thursday evening, Jesus descending from the mountain wakes the apostles and tells them that the one who betrayed him is already approaching. Armed servants of the temple and Roman soldiers appear. Judas pointed out to them the place where they could find Jesus. Judas comes out of the crowd and kisses Jesus, giving the guards a signal.

They grab Jesus, and when the apostles try to prevent the guards, Malchus, the servant of the high priest, is wounded. Jesus asks to release the apostles, they run away, only Peter and John secretly follow the guards, who lead away their teacher. JESUS ​​BEFORE THE SANhEDRION (HIGH PRIESTS)

On the night of Good Thursday, Jesus was brought to the Sanhedrin. Christ appeared before Anna. He began to ask Christ about his teachings and his followers. Jesus refused to answer, he claimed that he always preached openly, did not spread any secret teaching and offered to listen to the witnesses of his sermons. Anna did not have the power to pass judgment and sent Christ to Caiaphas. Jesus kept silent. The Sanhedrin, gathered at Caiaphas, condemns Christ to death. THE APOSTLE PETER'S DENIAL

Peter, who followed Jesus to the Sanhedrin, was not allowed into the house. In the hallway, he went to the hearth to warm himself. The servants, one of whom was a relative of Malchus, recognized the disciple of Christ and began to question him. Peter disowns his teacher three times before the rooster crows. JESUS ​​BEFORE PONTIS PILATE

On the morning of Good Friday, Jesus was taken to the praetorium, which was located in the former palace of Herod near the tower of Anthony. It was necessary to get confirmation of the death sentence from Pilate. Pilate was not pleased to be involved in this matter. He retires with Jesus to the praetorium and discusses with him in private. Pilate, after a conversation with the condemned, decided on the occasion of the feast to invite the people to release Jesus. However, the crowd, incited by the high priests, demands to release not Jesus Christ, but Barabbas. Pilate hesitates, but in the end sentences Christ, however, he does not use the wording of the high priests. Pilate washing his hands is a sign that he does not want to interfere in what is happening. THE FLAIGING OF CHRIST

Pilate ordered Jesus to be scourged (usually scourging preceded crucifixion). DISCLAIMER AND CROWNING WITH THORNS

The time is the late morning of Good Friday. The scene is a palace in Jerusalem near the tower of Anthony's castle. To ridicule Jesus, the “King of the Jews,” they put on him a red sackcloth, a crown of thorns, and put a rod in his hands. In this form, he is taken out to the people. Seeing Christ in a purple robe and crown, Pilate, according to John and the weather forecasters, says: "Behold the man." In Matthew, this scene is combined with the "washing of hands." WAY OF THE CROSS (CARRYING THE CROSS)

Jesus is sentenced to a shameful execution by crucifixion along with two thieves. The place of execution was Golgotha, located outside the city. The time is around noon on Good Friday. The place of action is the ascent to Golgotha. The condemned had to carry the cross himself to the place of execution. Forecasters indicate that crying women and Simon of Cyrene followed Christ: since Christ was falling under the weight of the cross, the soldiers forced Simon to help him. RIPING THE ROBES FROM CHRIST AND THE SOLDIERS DRAW THEM INTO THE BONE The soldiers cast lots to share the clothes of Christ. GOLGOTHA - THE CRUCIFICATION OF THE CROSS

According to Jewish custom, wine was offered to those condemned to death. Jesus, having taken a sip of it, refused the drink. Two thieves were crucified on both sides of Christ. Above the head of Jesus, a tablet was affixed to the cross with an inscription in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin: "King of the Jews." After a while, crucified, thirsty, he asked for a drink. One of the soldiers guarding Christ dipped it in a sponge in a mixture of water and vinegar and brought it to his lips on a cane. DEMONITION FROM THE CROSS

To hasten the death of the crucified (it was the eve of Easter Saturday, which should not have been overshadowed by executions), the high priests ordered to break their legs. However, Jesus was already dead. One of the soldiers (in some sources - Longinus) hits Jesus with a spear in the ribs - blood mixed with water flowed from the wound. Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Council of Elders, came to the procurator and asked him for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered the body to be handed over to Joseph. Another worshiper of Jesus, Nicodemus, helped bring the body down from the cross. POSITION IN THE Coffin

The events of the last week of the Savior's earthly life refer to the Passion of Christ, known in the exposition of the four canonical Gospels.

The events of the Passion of Christ are remembered throughout Holy Week, gradually preparing the faithful for the feast of Easter. A special place among the Passion of Christ is occupied by the events that took place after the Last Supper: arrest, trial, scourging and execution. The Crucifixion is the climax of the Passion of Christ.

Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem

Before the Entry into Jerusalem, Christ declared himself as the Messiah to individuals, it is time to do this publicly. It happened on the Sunday before Easter, when crowds of pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem. Jesus sends two disciples for a donkey, sits on it and enters the city. He is greeted with singing by the people, who learned about the entry of Christ, and picks up the hosanna to the son of David, which the apostles proclaimed. This great event serves as a prelude to the sufferings of Christ, endured "for the sake of man and ours for the sake of salvation."

Supper in Bethany / Washing of the feet of Jesus by a sinner

According to Mark and Matthew, in Bethany, where Jesus and his disciples were invited to the house of Simon the leper, a woman performed an anointing, which symbolized the subsequent suffering and death of Christ. Church tradition distinguishes this anointing from the anointing that was performed by Mary, the sister of the resurrected Lazarus, six days before Easter and even before the Lord entered Jerusalem. The woman who approached the Lord in order to anoint him with precious chrism was a penitent sinner.

Washing the feet of the disciples

On Thursday morning, the disciples asked Jesus where he would eat the Passover. He said that at the Jerusalem gates they would meet a servant with a jug of water, he would lead them to the house, the owner of which must be informed that Jesus and his disciples would have Passover. When they came to this house for the supper, everyone took off their shoes as usual. There were no slaves to wash the guests' feet, and Jesus did it himself. In embarrassment, the disciples were silent, only Peter allowed himself to be surprised. Jesus explained that this was a lesson in humility, and that they should also treat each other, as shown by their Master. St. Luke reports that at the supper there was a dispute between the disciples, which of them was greater. Probably, this dispute was the reason for showing the disciples a clear example of humility and mutual love by washing their feet.

Last Supper

At the supper, Christ repeated that one of the disciples would betray him. With fear, everyone asked him: "Is it not me, Lord?". He asked to divert suspicion from himself, and Judas heard in response: "You said". Soon Judas leaves the supper. Jesus reminded the disciples that where he would soon go they could not go. Peter objected to the teacher that "he would lay down his life for him." However, Christ foretold that he would disown him before the rooster crowed. As a consolation to the disciples, saddened by his imminent departure, Christ established the Eucharist - the main sacrament of the Christian faith.

The path to the Garden of Gethsemane and the prediction of the coming renunciation of the disciples

After supper, Christ and his disciples went outside the city. Through the hollow of the Kidron stream they came to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Prayer for a cup

At the entrance to the garden, Jesus left the disciples. Taking with him only three chosen ones: James, John and Peter, he went to the Mount of Olives. After instructing them not to sleep, he retired to pray. The premonition of death overwhelmed the soul of Jesus, doubts seized him. He, succumbing to his human nature, asked God the Father to carry the Cup of Passion past, but humbly accepted His will.

Kiss of Judas and Arrest of Jesus

Late on Thursday evening, Jesus descending from the mountain wakes the apostles and tells them that the one who betrayed him is already approaching. Armed servants of the temple and Roman soldiers appear. Judas pointed out to them the place where they could find Jesus. Judas comes out of the crowd and kisses Jesus, giving the guards a signal.

They grab Jesus, and when the apostles try to prevent the guards, Malchus, the servant of the high priest, is wounded. Jesus asks to release the apostles, they run away, only Peter and John secretly follow the guards, who lead away their teacher.

Jesus before the Sanhedrin (high priests)

On the night of Good Thursday, Jesus was brought to the Sanhedrin. Christ appeared before Anna. He began to ask Christ about his teachings and his followers. Jesus refused to answer, he claimed that he always preached openly, did not spread any secret teaching and offered to listen to the witnesses of his sermons. Anna did not have the power to pass judgment and sent Christ to Caiaphas. Jesus kept silent. The Sanhedrin, gathered at Caiaphas, condemns Christ to death.

Renunciation of the Apostle Peter

Peter, who followed Jesus to the Sanhedrin, was not allowed into the house. In the hallway, he went to the hearth to warm himself. The servants, one of whom was a relative of Malchus, recognized the disciple of Christ and began to question him. Peter disowns his teacher three times before the rooster crows.

Jesus before Pontius Pilate

On the morning of Good Friday, Jesus was taken to the praetorium, which was located in the former palace of Herod near the tower of Anthony. It was necessary to get confirmation of the death sentence from Pilate. Pilate was not pleased to be involved in this matter. He retires with Jesus to the praetorium and discusses with him in private. Pilate, after a conversation with the condemned, decided on the occasion of the feast to invite the people to release Jesus. However, the crowd, incited by the high priests, demands to release not Jesus Christ, but Barabbas. Pilate hesitates, but in the end sentences Christ, however, he does not use the wording of the high priests. Pilate washing his hands is a sign that he does not want to interfere in what is happening.

Flagellation of Christ

Pilate ordered Jesus to be scourged (usually scourging preceded crucifixion).

Reproach and crowning with thorns

The time is the late morning of Good Friday. The scene is a palace in Jerusalem near the tower of Anthony's castle. To ridicule Jesus, the “King of the Jews,” they put on him a red sackcloth, a crown of thorns, and put a rod in his hands. In this form, he is taken out to the people. Seeing Christ in a purple robe and crown, Pilate, according to John and the weather forecasters, says: "Behold the man." In Matthew, this scene is combined with the "washing of hands."

Way of the Cross (Carrying the Cross)

Jesus is sentenced to a shameful execution by crucifixion along with two thieves. The place of execution was Golgotha, located outside the city. The time is around noon on Good Friday. The place of action is the ascent to Golgotha. The condemned had to carry the cross himself to the place of execution. Forecasters indicate that crying women and Simon of Cyrene followed Christ: since Christ was falling under the weight of the cross, the soldiers forced Simon to help him.

Ripping off Christ's clothes and playing them with dice by the soldiers

The soldiers cast lots to share Christ's garment.

Golgotha ​​- Crucifixion of Christ

According to Jewish custom, wine was offered to those condemned to death. Jesus, having taken a sip of it, refused the drink. Two thieves were crucified on both sides of Christ. Above the head of Jesus, a tablet was affixed to the cross with an inscription in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin: "King of the Jews." After a while, crucified, thirsty, he asked for a drink. One of the soldiers guarding Christ dipped it in a sponge in a mixture of water and vinegar and brought it to his lips on a cane.

Descent from the Cross

To hasten the death of the crucified (it was the eve of Easter Saturday, which should not have been overshadowed by executions), the high priests ordered to break their legs. However, Jesus was already dead. One of the soldiers (in some sources - Longinus) hits Jesus with a spear in the ribs - blood mixed with water flowed from the wound. Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Council of Elders, came to the procurator and asked him for the body of Jesus. Pilate ordered the body to be handed over to Joseph. Another worshiper of Jesus, Nicodemus, helped bring the body down from the cross.

Position in the coffin

Nicodemus, brought the scents. Together with Joseph, he prepared the body of Jesus for burial by wrapping it in a shroud of myrrh and aloes. At the same time, Galilean wives were present, who mourned Christ.

Descent into hell

In the New Testament, this is only reported by the Apostle Peter: Christ, in order to bring us to God, once suffered for our sins ... having been put to death in the flesh, but revived by the spirit, by which He and the spirits in prison, having descended, preached. ().

Resurrection of Jesus Christ

On the first day after Saturday, in the morning, women with peace came to the tomb of the resurrected Jesus to anoint his body. Shortly before their appearance, an earthquake occurs, and an angel descends from heaven. He rolls away the stone from the tomb of Christ to show them that it is empty. The angel tells the wives that Christ has risen, "... the inaccessible to any look and incomprehensible has happened."

In fact, the Passion of Christ ends with His death and the ensuing mourning and burial of the body of Jesus. In itself, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the next cycle of the story of Jesus, also consisting of several episodes. However, there is still an opinion that "the descent into hell represents the limit of Christ's humiliation and at the same time the beginning of His glory."

IN Orthodox Church this is the most important week of the whole year, dedicated to the last days of Christ's earthly life, His sufferings, crucifixion, death on the cross, burial. Holy Week is no longer Great Lent: it ended on Friday of the sixth week, but fasting these days is observed especially strict and the spiritual life of an Orthodox person is most intense and deep.

The services of Holy Week are especially majestic and solemn, the hymns are especially beautiful and touching, the services of Passion Week are not only the saddest, but also the most beautiful services of the entire church year.

In Passion Week, all days are called Great: because of the great remembrances committed by the Church.

On the first three days of Holy Week, the Church prepares the faithful for heartfelt participation in the Savior's suffering on the Cross.

On Great Monday, the Church remembers the Old Testament Patriarch Joseph the Beautiful. Joseph, the beloved son of the patriarch Jacob and Rachel, was sold by the envious brothers for twenty pieces of silver to Egypt, telling his father that wild beasts had torn him to pieces. In Egypt, he was bought by the courtier Potiphar, whose wife tempted Joseph, but he remained chaste (the event is depicted on the icon). Thanks to the wisdom given to him by God, Joseph soon rose to prominence in the court of Pharaoh, managed to prevent famine in this country, so that one day his brothers came to him to buy bread. They did not recognize the brother they had sold, but he accepted them, was generous, did not reproach them with a word for the old evil. Joseph, sold for twenty pieces of silver, became a type of Christ, valued by the traitor at thirty pieces of silver. His chastity, gentleness and willingness to forgive also resemble the features of the Face of Christ. Finally, the story of his imaginary death and meeting with his relatives clearly points to the death and Resurrection of the Savior.

IN Monday of Holy Week The patriarch makes prayers at the beginning of the rite of chrismation. The rite of chrismation takes place only once a year and only on Holy Week, the primate of the Church heads the rite of chrismation. Miro is brewed for three days: on Maundy Monday until the evening, all of Maundy Tuesday and the morning of Maundy Wednesday. All this time, the priests take turns reading the Holy Gospel, and the deacons stir with oars. The consecration of the world is performed by His Holiness the Patriarch on Maundy Thursday at the Divine Liturgy. The consecration takes place after the Eucharistic Canon with the Holy Doors open.

Miro is a special mixture of vegetable oils, fragrant herbs and fragrant resins (50 substances in total). In the Old Testament, the Tabernacle, high priests, prophets and kings were anointed with it. The myrrh-bearing women went to the tomb of Jesus with such peace. Chrism is anointed during the performance of the Sacrament of Chrismation: baptism, in cases where non-Orthodox Christians join Orthodoxy. Miro is also used to consecrate new thrones in churches.

IN Maundy Tuesday Christ came to the temple in Jerusalem and taught a lot in the temple and outside the temple, the chief priests and elders, hearing His parables and understanding what He was saying, tried to seize Him and kill Him. But they did not openly dare to attack Him, being afraid of the people who revered Him as a prophet.

IN Great Wednesday I remember the sinful wife who washed with her tears and anointed the feet of the Savior with precious ointment when He was at the supper in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, and thereby prepared Christ for burial. Here Judas decided to betray Christ to the Jewish elders for 30 pieces of silver (an amount sufficient at the then prices to acquire a small plot of land even in the vicinity of Jerusalem).

These days, Patriarch Alexy II reminds the flock, “We must remember the lessons of Great Lent. Chief among them is moral purity, humility of mind, when we do not exalt ourselves, but in our hearts we keep humility before God. The Patriarch calls despondency one of the main sins. “How often it seems to us that life's trials are unbearable for us, and we fall into despondency, but the Lord does not send the cross beyond our strength”, “we must try to overcome the sins we are used to, see our shortcomings and not condemn our neighbors.” “Only then,” says His Holiness, “the special Paschal joy will come.”

“We are already approaching the very Passion of the Lord. The Lord can forgive everything, purify everything, heal everything. Only two barriers can stand between us and Him. love is the loss of hope in Him, it is the fear that God may not have enough love for us ... Peter denied Christ; Judas betrayed Him. Both could share the same fate: either both be saved or both perish. But Peter miraculously retained confidence that the Lord, who knows our hearts, knows that, despite his renunciation, cowardice, fear, oaths, he retained love for Him - a love that now tore his soul with pain and shame, but love. Judas betrayed Christ, and when he saw the result of his action, he lost all hope; it seemed to him that God could no longer forgive him, that Christ would turn away from him just as he himself had turned away from his Savior, and he left... Let us draw near to Christ as a harlot: with all our sin, and at the same time responding with all our soul, with all our strength, with all our weakness to the holiness of the Lord, let us believe in His compassion, in His love, let us believe in His faith in us, and let us hope with such a hope that nothing can be broken, because God is faithful and His promise is clear to us: He did not come to judge the world, but to save the world ... ". Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh

The Orthodox are trying to make every effort to attend all the services performed in the temple, starting from the evening of Great Wednesday, believers know that without Passion Week it is impossible to fully experience the joy of the Resurrection of Christ.

On Great Wednesday, at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is said for the last time with three great prostrations. On Wednesday evening, the Lenten Divine Service ends, the sounds of weeping and lamentations of the sinful soul fall silent in hymns, and days of another weeping come - weeping from the contemplation of the horrific torments and sufferings on the Cross of the Son of God Himself.

At the evening service, the Sacrament of Confession is performed: on this day, all Orthodox confess.

IN Thursday of Holy Week the most important gospel event is remembered in the service: the Last Supper, at which Christ established the New Testament sacrament Holy Communion (Eucharist). "Jesus took bread, and having blessed it, broke it, and giving it to the disciples, he said: Take, eat: this is My Body. And, taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said: Drink everything from it, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, poured out for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28). As the Church teaches, a Christian, taking Holy Communion - the Body and Blood of the Lord, is mysteriously united with Christ: in every particle of Communion, the whole Christ is contained. On Maundy Thursday of the Holy Mysteries of Christ all Orthodox take communion.

At the liturgy in cathedrals during the hierarchal service, a touching rite of washing the feet is performed, which resurrects in memory the immeasurable humility of the Savior, who washed the feet of His disciples before the Last Supper. The bishop washes the feet of the 12 priests sitting on both sides of the place prepared in front of the pulpit, representing the disciples of the Lord who have gathered for the supper, and wipes them with a ribbon (a long cloth).

On Maundy Thursday preparations for Easter begin. To the question of how to properly prepare for the Feast, Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy, Candidate of Theology, Deacon Andrey Kuraev, answers as follows: “One poem by Boris Pasternak says: “People have cleaning before the holiday, aside from this crowd, I wash Your Most Pure Feet with peace from a bucket”. I think that it is really better to prepare for the holiday away from the crowd. Do not strive to prepare the table tastier, do the tidying up in the house. Maundy Thursday is not Maundy Thursday because on this day they make a bath or wash furniture from dust, but because people come, confess and take communion. Great Saturday is by no means just a time of pre-holiday fuss, but this is a time of secret silence about the mystery of God, who descended into hell for us. And, of course, Good Friday is again not the time for trips to the cemetery or buying vodka, but this is the time when a Christian, if possible, should spend the whole day in the temple, contemplating Christ, His suffering, remembering that, in general, It was not the Romans and not the ancient Jews who hammered nails into the hands of Christ, but the sins of each of us."

Day Great heel dedicated to the memory of condemnation to death The Passion and Death of the Savior. In the divine service of this day, the Church, as it were, stands at the foot of the Cross of Christ. At Matins of the Great Heel (it is served on Thursday evening), the 12 Gospels of the Holy Passion are read - 12 passages from the New Testament, which tell about the betrayal of Judas, the trial of Christ and the Crucifixion of Christ.

On Good Friday morning, the Royal Hours are served. There is no liturgy on this day - out of reverence for the Calvary sacrifice, brought on the day of the Great Heel by the Son of God Himself. This is a day of strict fasting (no food is eaten until the shroud is taken out) and great sorrow.

At the end of Vespers on Good Friday, the rite of taking out the Shroud of Christ is performed - an icon depicting His position in the tomb, after which the canon is read about the crucifixion of the Lord and the cry of the Most Holy Theotokos, then the faithful venerate the Shroud.

IN Great Saturday The Church commemorates the burial of Jesus Christ, the stay of His body in the tomb, the descent of the soul into hell to proclaim victory over death there and the deliverance of souls who with faith awaited His coming, and the introduction of the prudent thief into paradise. At the end of the Liturgy of Holy Saturday, the Paschal troparion is sung.

The Last Days of the Earthly Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ Innokenty of Kherson

Chapter XXVII: The Last Events at the Cross of Jesus

The chief priests ask Pilate to shorten the lives of the crucified for the sake of the coming Sabbath. - Breaking the legs of the crucified. - Jesus Christ's legs are not broken because of His death. - One of the warriors pierces His rib. - Outflow of blood and water. - Testimony about this John, - For what it is especially expressive. - Fulfillment in this event of two prophecies.

While some were more or less repentant, others were stubborn, the terrible day was approaching evening, which, being important already because it was the end of the first day of Easter, was made even more sacred by the fact that Saturday was intended for them, according to the Jews, the queen of holidays (John 19:31). For the numerous celebrating people, who used to walk along the walls of the city and gather on the hills surrounding it, it would be very unpleasant if the crucified and the next day remained on the crosses in the middle of Golgotha, very close to the gates of Jerusalem. In addition, the law would have been violated, which commanded that executed criminals be buried before sunset. The high priests felt this indecency and decided to shorten the life of the crucified, so that their bodies could be committed to the earth before the Sabbath. Since the execution, now completed, depended on the procurator in everything, his consent was also necessary to shorten the life of the crucified. The chief priests were not ashamed to ask Pilate again about this deed, which was more fitting for the executioners of the people than for the first servants of the God of Israel. This shame was rewarded with malicious pleasure to inflict new torments on the crucified Jesus (the high priests went to Pilate before His death) and to have His dead body in their hands. There is no doubt that they would have buried Him together with the villains in some disgusting place, and perhaps they would have completely deprived Him of burial in order to make it an object of universal contempt, because the Jews did not abhor anything so much as unburied dead.

Pilate, without any objection, agreed to the request of the high priests, which, according to Jewish and Roman customs, was completely just. New soldiers were sent to carry out the order. St. John was still at the cross of Jesus when they came to Golgotha. His story will now serve as the only source of our story.

Both criminals, crucified with Jesus, were still alive, so the soldiers immediately broke their legs. Another thing presented itself to them when they approached Jesus Christ: a complete absence of movement and breathing, closed eyes, drooping head testified that He had already died. The Roman soldiers did not dare to torture the lifeless body and kill the dead. Only one of them, probably wanting to make sure of death, hit Jesus Christ in the side with a spear. Since there was no movement and no reaction of the nerves at this blow, and since the blow itself was (probably) strong and deadly, there was no longer any doubt either for the enemies or for the friends of Jesus that He really died. The ulcer, however, immediately bled out blood and water, or a liquid similar to water, which is usually found in the human body. Such an outflow of blood and the words spoken by Jesus Christ after the Resurrection of Thomas: “Bring your hand and put it in My side” (John 20, 27) show that the wound was deep, and the outflow of water-like moisture allows us to think that Jesus Christ was pierced in the left side, in the atrium. Since a dead body, no matter how much it is wounded, never oozes blood, some of the Fathers of the Church divinely believed that blood and water flowed from the body of Jesus Christ by the direct power of God in commemoration of the sacrament of the Eucharist.

St. John, recounting this event as an eyewitness, expresses himself with particular force and stops the reader's preliminary attention with the following words: And the one who saw (John) testified, and truly is his testimony; and the news that he speaks the truth, that you have faith"(John 19, 35).

What is the purpose of this remark? What does the evangelist want to assure his readers of? Why did the piercing of the body of Jesus on the cross with a spear and the outflow of blood and water from it need to be indicated with such expressiveness?

To explain this, even in antiquity it was believed that the thought and remark of the evangelist were directed against the heretic docets, who, considering the human body to be the product of an evil inclination, argued that Jesus Christ (in their opinion, one of the aeons) took on Himself not a true human body, but only one (ethereal) ghost of him, which, although he was nailed to the cross, did not endure any suffering. Therefore, John, as an eyewitness, wanted to assure his readers, in a warning against docets, that the body of Jesus Christ, both during His life and after His death, was completely similar to the actual human body, consisting of flesh and blood. This opinion is confirmed not only by history (for the heresy of the docets appeared in the first century and existed precisely in Asia Minor, where the Gospel of John was written), but also some places in the epistles of John, which are also very noticeably directed against docetism (1 John 4, 1– 3). It could also happen, as some suggest, that at the time of the writing of the Gospel of John there were people who doubted the reality of the death of Jesus Christ: either because He did not stay long on the cross and did not suffer the breaking of the legs, or because of the prejudice borrowed from the Jews that death is not conformable with the dignity of the Messiah. To lead such people out of error, John's story about the piercing of Jesus' rib with a spear served as a very powerful tool, which was supposed to convince the most unbelieving that the Son of God, out of obedience to the Father, humbled Himself not only to the cross, but also to the death of the cross.

But regardless of these motives and goals, St. John could not but stop his and everyone's attention on the event we are considering, just because in it, as he himself notes, two important predictions of the Old Testament about the Messiah were fulfilled. The first of them read: the bone will not break from it, other: they will look at nan, his same probodosha.

The first of these predictions, made by Moses (Ex. 12:10), referred specifically to the Passover lamb, which the Israelites were to bake whole, without crushing or breaking a single bone in it. According to St. John, the paschal lamb was in this respect a pre-ordained representation of the true Lamb of God, now slain at Golgotha, in whom also not a single bone was broken. Without delving into the nature of the Old Testament types, of which many were fulfilled over Jesus Christ during His suffering and which, around the time of the coming of Christ, were noticed by the Jewish rabbis themselves, we will only say that the non-breaking of the bones, which is completely unnecessary in the Paschal lamb, was not only very decent, but also necessary for the true Lamb of God - Jesus Christ. St. John had to dwell on this all the more because he heard John the Baptist call Him the Lamb of God, and that the death of Jesus Christ followed on the day of Passover, when the Paschal lamb was slaughtered.

The second prediction is taken from the prophetic vision of Zechariah (Zechariah 12:10), who, describing the future deliverance of the Jewish people from the disasters surrounding them, says that at that time the repentant Israelites will look with weeping at the One whom they previously hated, offended and pierced. From the prophecy of Zechariah it is not clear who exactly was or will be pierced by the unfaithful Jews, before whom they will later repent. But the whole description is such that when reading his thoughts, one involuntarily stops at Jesus Christ perforated on the cross, especially since the history of the Jewish people does not represent a person to whom the words of the prophet could at least with a small probability be attributed.

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Section Six The Last Days of the Earthly Life of the Lord Jesus