Week beginning Sunday 9 February 2025

For the first time in some years Greek Orthodox Easter will be observed and celebrated at the same time as the rest of the Christian world on 20 April 2025.

Most Christians follow the Easter dates according to the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced in 1582. 

However the Eastern Orthodox Church, including the Greek Orthodox, still bases its Easter dates on the Julian calendar, which had  been introduced in 45 BC. 

As a result, Greek Easter,  or Orthodox Easter, can vary from the main Easter celebrations in the Western world. 

So therefore they sometimes share Easter and at other times they can even be up to five weeks apart. 

The next time we come together will be in 2028.  

The preparation period leading up to Easter has just begun for Orthodox Christians starting yesterday with the Triodion. 

For us, Easter, or Pascha as we call it, is a whole journey and it evolves over the next two and a half months.

I would like to invite you to accompany me on this spiritual journey  in whatever capacity you see fit for yourself. I just want to share the beauty and richness of what’s ahead and it would magnify my enjoyment and commitment if I know you are there with me. 

So here goes ……… Let me tell you how it all starts . 

The ten weeks preceding Easter are known as the period of the Triodion, based on the  book of triadic canons which are the hymns which were written especially for this period and are chanted by our cantors. 

It started on Sunday 9 February with  the changing of the psaltis’ books to their Triodion books. 

The Triodion, also called the Lenten Triodion, is a liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox churches and contains the prayers and hymns for the period preceding Pascha and for the weeks leading up to the Great Lent fast.

The structured  hymns for weekday Matins services in the Triodion contain only three odes ( elaborately structured poems) and  so are known as “triodes”, after which the Triodion is named. 

The period which the book covers extends from the Sunday of the Publican  and Pharisee to the tenth week before  Pascha and concludes with the Midnight Service on Holy Saturday. 

So now we begin the countdown to Great Lent.

The Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee is the first Sunday of a three-week period prior to the commencement of Great Lent. 

This pre-Lent period is a time of preparation for the spiritual journey of Lent. 

We are given time to draw closer to God through worship, prayer, fasting, and acts of charity, selflessness  and compassion. 

I am sure you have heard of the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee upon which yesterday‘s  message of humility as a key attitude for repentance is based. 

The theme of this parable is repentance and this is the gateway through which we enter Lent, the starting-point of the journey to Pascha.

The Greek word for repentance is “metanoia”, which means  having a change of mind. To truly repent we have to humble ourselves like the Publican who longs for a change of mind to transform his life rather than boasting of his spiritual prowess like the Pharisee who sees himself as perfect. 

It’s this secret of the inward poverty of self of the Publican rather than the self-righteousness of the Pharisee that allows us to have access to God’s grace. 

“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.“( Luke 18:14) 

Our preparation for Lent has to begin with a prayer for humility, which,of course, is the PIN number as it were of true repentance. We have to find and return to the true order of things with a restoration of spiritual strength to guide us in a very difficult and challenging world. 

To be truly hard-core repentant  signifies far more than a self-pitying regret over things done in the past with intent. 

The object of repentance, in whichever way you look at it, is to be renewed, to be transformed in our inward view points and to refresh our relationship with God and with others around us. 

It’s a commitment to change our outlook in all things. 

The downfall of the Pharisee was that he had no desire to change anything because his complacent arrogant self-pride overrode everything. 

The Publican on the other hand, miserable reprobate that he was, found the only way back to goodness was through a change of mindset. 

The icon you see shows the attitude of the two men entering the temple.The Pharisee goes to the top spot where he is the focus of attention and the way he holds his hands shows he is showing off and acting proud. 

Now the Publican enters and keeps a low profile at the back of the temple. His posture indicates that he is humbling himself before God in his petition for mercy.

We also see them as they leave the temple – the Publican is upbeat and grateful as he has been forgiven. But….. the Pharisee slinks off feeling unhappy and unfulfilled as he has not found forgiveness.

Dare I say that’s one message that says it all. 

I hope you keep reading and keep me company over the next ten weeks – there is so much to see and hear and learn on this very special journey. 

Wishing you all an abundance of blessings for the weekend ahead. 

(Text by Pepe Sofianos. Photos: Public domain)