<Lent>
27. (2) Here is what is done on each day of these weeks. On Sundays the bishop reads the Gospel of the Lord's resurrection at first cockcrow, as he does on every Sunday throughout the year. Then, till daybreak, they do everything as they would on an ordinary Sunday at the Anastasis and the Cross. (3) In the morning they assemble (as they do every Sunday) in the Great Church called the Martyrium on Golgotha Behind the Cross, and do what it is usual to do on a Sunday. After the dismissal in this church they go singing, as they do every Sunday, to the Anastasis, and it is after eleven o'clock by the time they have finished.
<Palm Sunday>
30. (1) The next day, Sunday, is the beginning of the Easter week or, as they call it here, "The Great Week". On this Sunday they do everything as usual at the Anastasis and the Cross from cock-crow to daybreak, and then as usual assemble in the Great Church known as the Martyrium because it is on Golgotha behind the Cross, where the Lord was put to death. (2) When the service in the Great Church has taken place in the usual way, before the dismissal, the archdeacon makes this announcement: "During this week, starting tomorrow, let us meet at three in the afternoon at the Martyrium" (that is, in the Great Church). And he makes another announcement: "At one o'clock today let us be ready on the Eleona." (3) After the dismissal in the Great Church, the Martyrium, the bishop is taken with singing to the Anastasis. They do in the Anastasis the things which usually follow the Sunday dismissal in the Martyrium, and then everyone goes home and eats a quick meal, so as to be ready by one o'clock at the Eleona church on the Mount of Olives, the place of the cave where the Lord used to teach.
<Holy Monday>
32. (1) On Monday, the next day, they do the same as in the rest of Lent from cock-crow till morning at the Anastasis, at nine o'clock, and at midday. At three o'clock everyone meets in the Great Church, the Martyrium, and there they spend some time singing hymns and antiphons, with readings appropriate to the place and the day and prayers in between. (2) This goes on till seven in the evening, and at seven Lucernare is held there. The dismissal at the Martyrium thus takes place in the night, and then the bishop is taken with hymns to the Anastasis.
<Holy Tuesday>
33. (1) Tuesday is the same as Monday, but with one addition. Late at night, after the dismissal in the Martyrium, when they have gone to the Anastasis and had their second dismissal there, everyone goes out, late though it is, to the church which is on Mount Eleona.
<Holy Wednesday>
34. Wednesday is exactly like Monday and Tuesday from cockcrow and through the day,Atbut at night, after the dismissal in the Martyrium, the bishop, when he is taken with singing to the Anastasis, goes straight into the cave of the Anastasis and stands inside the screen.
<Holy Thursday>
35. (1) Thursday is like the other days from cock-crow till morning in the Anastasis, at nine o'clock, and at midday. But it is the custom to assemble earlier than on ordinary days in the afternoon at the Martyrium, in fact at two o'clock, since the dismissal has to take place sooner. The assembled people have the service; on that day the Offering is made in the Martyrium, and the dismissal takes place at about four in the afternoon. Before the dismissal the archdeacon makes this announcement: "Let us meet torught at seven o'clock in the church on the Eleona. There is a great effort ahead of us tonight!" (2) After the dismissal at the Martyrium they go Behind the Cross, where they have one hymn and a prayer. - - -
<Good Friday>
37. (8) After the dismissal Before the Cross, they go directly into the Great Church, the Martyrium, and do what is usual during this week between three o'clock and evening. After the dismissal they leave the Martyrium for the Anastasis.
<Holy Saturday>
38. (1) The following day is the Saturday, and they have normal services at nine o'clock and midday. But at three they stop keeping Saturday because they are preparing for the paschal vigil in the Great Church, the Martyrium. They keep their paschal vigil like us, but there is one addition. As soon as the "infants" have been baptized and clothed, and left the font, they are led with the bishop straight to the Anastasis. (2) The bishop goes inside the screen and after one hymn says a prayer for them. Then he returns with them to the church, where all the people are keeping the vigil in the usual way. They do all the things to which we are accustomed, and, when the Offering has been made, they have the dismissal. After their dismissal in the Great Church they at once go with singing to the Anastasis.
<Octave>
39. (1) The eight days of Easter they celebrate till a late hour, like us, and up to the eighth day of Easter they follow the same order as people do everywhere else. The arrangements and decorations for the eight days of Easter are like those for the season of Epiphany in the Great Church, and also in the Anastasis, At the Cross, on the Eleona, at Bethlehem, the Lazarium, and elsewhere. (2) On the first Sunday, Easter Day itself, they assemble in the Great Church, the Martyrium, and similarly on the Monday and Tuesday; and when they have had the dismissal, there they always go with singing from the Martyrium to the Anastasis. But on the Wednesday they assemble on the Eleona, on the Thursday in the Anastasis, on the Friday on Sion, on the Saturday Before the Cross, and on the eighth day, the Sunday, they assemble once more in the Great Church, the Martyrium.
<Eastertide>
41. From Easter till Pentecost (the Fiftieth Day after) not a single person fasts, n even if he is an a potactite. Throughout the season they have the usual services from cock-crow to morning at the Anastasis, and also at midday and Lucernare, assembling on Sundays in the Great Church, the Martyrium, and afterwards going with singing to the Anastasis. No one is fasting on Wednesdays or Fridays, so on those days they assemble on Sion, but in the morning, and the service takes place in the usual way.
<Pentecost>
43. (2) In the morning the people all assemble in their usual way in the Great Church, the Martyrium, and have sermons from the presbyters and then the bishop, and the Offering is duly made in the way which is usual on a Sunday, except that the dismissal at the Martyrium is earlier, taking place before nine o'clock, and straight after the dismissal in the Martyrium all the people, every single one, take the bishop with singing to Sion, where they arrive in time for nine o'clock. - - - (6) By the time they get (to church on Eleona) it is after four, and they have Lucernare. The prayer is said, the catechumens are blessed, and then the faithful, and they go out. All the people, every single one of them, go down with their bishop, singing hymns and antiphons suitable to that day, and so, very gradually, they make their way to the Martyrium. (7) Even when they arrive at the city gate, it is already night, and the people are brought hundreds of church lamps to help them. It is quite a way from the gate to the Great Church, the Martyrium, and they arrive there at about eight at night, going very slowly all the way so that the walk does not make the people tired. The great doors which face the market are opened, and the bishop and all the people enter the Martyrium singing. Inside the, church they have hymns and a prayer, and the catechumens are blessed, then the faithful. Then they set off once more with singing to the Anastasis.
(transl. Wilkinson)
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