Holy Saturday

Well, "Christos Almost Anesti" today and what a day it has been. Last night's service of Lamentations what absolutely amazing! After the beautiful funeral service last night Holy Saturday always feels strange, one hand there is a sense of sadness with the image of Christ hanging on the cross still fresh in my mind but also a real sense of joy knowing that he tasted death just long enough to descend into Hades and bring life to the righteous who had fallen asleep. In the back on my mind all day there has been a simmering rush of excitement for tonight's events, knowing that in a few short hours the church will be buzzing with people eagerly taking their standing spots and holding their white candles wait for the service to start. The smell of meat and cheese and everything good cooking in the oven will be wafting through the air and kids as young as newborns still awake at 11pm excited to witness Pascha...

This morning started out with the Liturgy of St. Basil where we celebrate Christ's victory over death by sprinkling, rather tossing, bay leaves which are the ancient symbol of victory throughout the sanctuary. I forgot how much I love the aftermath of what the santuary looks like covered in bay leaves it brings a part of nature inside. I also love that these leaves symbolize Christ as the ultimate Victor on the cross and not the victim. In this service we also sing one of my favorite hymns "All who have been baptised have put on Christ" and read the beautiful passage from Romans 6:3-11 which always inevitably is a powerful reminder of my own baptism and the overwhelming love that God has for us.

It was strange to come out of the service and then have to rush home and change into my sundress and cap and gown and hurry up to school to graduate. When I got to school all my friends from my Masters program were so excited and happy to be done and graduating whereas I was almost annoyed to have to be there on my Holy Saturday. The excitement I felt was not about graduating and being done with my Masters it was for Pascha. I wasn't in any way prepared to don my cap and gown and sit through a ceromony and then be congratulated by all these friends and family it was so strange to even be there. I wished that I could have brought my Mp3 player and listened to St. Vlad's Pascha CD during all the speeches. Luckily, the ceremony was relatively short and sweet and after a few pictures with the fam I was done. I am sure the fact that I am graduated and actually have my Masters degree to hang on my wall, (although who really does that? I squished mine in between my books on my bookshelf next to my bachelors and my high school diploma) will finally hit me on Monday when I wake up without an alarm and realize I have nowhere that I have to be...

Right now I am happily listening to my St. Vlad's CD and making Pascha cards for my friends two endeavors that couldn't be more suitable to pass the time until service tonight. (o: