Every year, as the Great Lent closes, the Christian world anticipates the news about the victory of light over the forces of darkness, the Resurrection of Christ. The run-up to the great event begins on St. Lazarus Saturday when Christ resurrected his dead friend Lazarus. For this reason chants performed on this day hymn the Son of God as Resurrection and Life. Having heard about this great wonder, the Israelis welcomed Him in Jerusalem as the Messiah. His route was covered with palm twigs and He was exhilaratingly accepted as a king with the words, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Unfortunately, the crowd failed to see in Him the light of the world having taken a human appearance, but simply a political leader. The same crowd would a few days later spit on Him with disgust and with the words, “Crucify him!” Despite the gentleness and humility He emanated and the love with which he embraced everybody, He was nailed to the Cross like the most dangerous of criminals, along with two thieves. And it was then that Jesus – hurt by human spite – prayed for His enemies: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” The skies darkened, the earth quaked from His suffering but the crowd could still not see in Him the Son of God. It was only the thief crucified next to Him who recognized Him. "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" The thief was alone realizing how the whole universe suffered with the Creator who had seen His Son crucified and humiliated. Therefore he was the only one who saw Heaven apart from Jesus.
The great essence of Christ’s teaching is in fact universal forgiveness: “For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost”. The meaning of Christ’s suffering on the cross is the redemption of our sins. On Good Friday the Church urges the faithful to recall the Messiah’s voluntary sacrifice and His universally forgiving love; to turn to the suffering of their fellows because every single pain is a particle of Christ’s suffering on the cross. And just like in times of anguish people cannot eat and drink even water, on Good Friday the faithful do not take any food or water. In this way they express their empathy with the horrible events of the Messiah’s death on the Cross. On the morning of Good Friday before church service a symbolical grave of Jesus Christ is arranged in the center of the church covered with the Shroud (the cloth used to cover Christ’s body after He was taken down from the Cross). The Gospel, the Cross and white flowers are laid over the Shroud. After the service, Orthodox Christians come to Christ’s symbolical grave, bow to the image of the Messiah embroidered on the Shroud, kiss it, as well as the Gospel and the Cross, lay flowers, bend and go under the symbolical grave. Then they bow to the icons of the Holy Virgin and St. John the Theologian and after they kiss them, leave the church. Many carry out this ritual for the sake of sound health, prosperity and as a precaution against evil. In reality, however, the faithful do all this in a bid to express their admiration and gratitude to Christ who sacrificed Himself for the sake of Mankind. During this ritual the priest gives out to the faithful geranium symbolizing his blessing and spiritual support. This plant denotes the great hope for the forthcoming joyous event – Resurrection.
English version: Daniela Konstantinova
