https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-church-year/holy-thursday
The liturgical celebration of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday is not merely the annual remembrance of the institution of the sacrament of Holy Communion. Indeed the very event of the Passover Meal itself was not merely the last-minute action by the Lord to “institute” the central sacrament of the Christian Faith before His passion and death. On the contrary, the entire mission of Christ, and indeed the very purpose for the creation of the world in the first place, is so that God’s beloved creature, made in His own divine image and likeness, could be in the most intimate communion with Him for eternity, sitting at table with Him, eating and drinking in His unending kingdom. Thus, Christ the Son of God speaks to His apostles at the supper, and to all men who hear His words and believe in Him and the Father who sent Him.
https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-church-year/holy-friday
Matins of Holy Friday are generally celebrated on Thursday night. The main feature of this service is the reading of twelve selections from the Gospels, all of which are accounts of the passion of Christ. The first of these twelve readings is Jn 13.31–18.1. It is Christ’s long discourse with his apostles that ends with the so-called high priestly prayer. The final gospel tells of the sealing of the tomb and the setting of the watch (Mt 27.62–66).
https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/rethinkingsacrifice/2022/08/02/he-bore-our-sins/
The Orthodox understanding of Christ‘s death for us and our atonement.
https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-church-year/holy-Saturday
The Vespers and Matins of the Blessed Sabbath, together with the Divine Liturgy which follows, form a masterpiece of the Orthodox liturgical tradition. These services are not at all a dramatic re-enactment of the historical death and burial of Christ. Neither are they a kind of ritual reproduction of scenes of the Gospel. They are, rather, the deepest spiritual and liturgical penetration into the eternal meaning of the saving events of Christ, viewed and praised already with the full knowledge of their divine significance and power.The Church does not pretend, as it were, that it does not know what will happen with the crucified Jesus. It does not sorrow and mourn over the Lord as if the Church itself were not the very creation which has been produced from his wounded sides and from the depths of his tomb. All through the services the victory of Christ is contemplated and the resurrection is proclaimed. For it is indeed only in the light of the victorious resurrection that the deepest divine and eternal meaning of the events of Christ’s passion and death can be genuinely grasped, adequately appreciated and properly glorified and praised.
In the Orthodox Church the feast of Easter is officially called Pascha, the word which means the Passover. It is the new Passover of the new and everlasting covenant foretold by the prophets of old. It is the eternal Passover from death to life and from earth to heaven. It is the Day of the Lord proclaimed by God’s holy prophets, “the day which the Lord has made” for His judgment over all creation, the day of His final and everlasting victory.
Title | Date | Day | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Episcopal Visit of His Grace Bishop Siluan of the Serbian Diocese | 26 Feb 2023 | Sunday | 3 Augusta Road, New Town TAS, Australia |
Episcopal Blessing of Fr George Morozoff’s chapel in Lonnovale | 05 Feb 2023 | Sunday | 456 Denison Road, Lonnavale TAS, Australia |
House Blessing | 20 Jan 2023 | Friday | To Be Announced |
Cantor and Subdeacon
John (on the right) was recently ordained subdeacon for the parish, he is also the main chanter for services, helped by his wife Katie. John converted to Orthodoxy in England 25 years ago. He has been a member of Greek, Antiochian and Russian parishes in England and Australia. He moved to Tasmania 7 years ago. He has a background in University management.
They keep the church running.
Mara and Milutin came to Tasmania as refugees 30 years ago. They do so many things around the church, from maintaining oil lamps and fixing broken things and organising parish luncheons to reading the prescribed bible verses in Serbian and also being Godparents to many of the parish’s Serbian children.
As a small parish there are many things that need doing. If you can help with any of the following please send us a message.