So after the Saturday morning liturgy - and baptisms and chrismations - we had a lovely (Lenten) luncheon at the parish hall. I had no idea the congratulations, hugs, well wishes, and even gifts we would be receiving. It was all so sweet and touching. At 3:00 we took our turn reading scripture over Christ's body. (Immediately following the Friday afternoon service where Christ's body is laid at the front of the church, a round the clock vigil begins with readings from Psalms and Acts. Parishioners sign up in 30 minute to 1 hour increments of time with breaks for various services. This continues up to Pascha.) We got home around 4:30 and I proceeded to begin baking about 6 dozen parmesan dinner rolls as well as a cake for the banquet that would take place after the Pascha Liturgy. This is the feast when we break our fast and it is as difficult as you can imagine to bake with the foods you are not yet allowed to eat and restrain yourself as the smell fills every square inch of your home. Brutal.
At 11:00pm we roused the kids enough to get them into the car and headed back to church. After some brief litanies every light in the church goes out and everyone lights the candles they are holding in their hands. The clergy and the choir then lead the way as we all head out into the night and process around the church singing something I can not recall at this moment. When we return to the closed doors of the darkened church, the gospel accounts of the women at the tomb are read and then Fr. George pounds on the door 3 times saying something that once again escapes me at this moment. When the doors open, the 'empty tomb' is all at once full of light and we go in full of joy and celebration. The change in mood is just remarkable and honestly I get choked up whenever I think of it. At that point the liturgy begins and goes on with random interjections from the priest of "Christ is Risen!" and the wholehearted response from the people that "Indeed He is Risen!" And usually 3 or 4 more languages follow.
It's usually around 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning when things wrap up and the feast begins. Fried chicken, ham, lamb, various cheesy side dishes and of course Amy's now famous 5 m&m salad. There is wine and laughter and more hugs and cards and gifts and the baskets! Oh my, the baskets. I do regret that I did not take my camera with me because the whole event truly is a sight to behold. Folks out grilling in the dead of night for one. But one of my favorites is always the tables full of Pascha baskets full of all sorts of things that have been given up throughout Lent and now brought to be blessed by the priest. Our godparents put together one big family basket for us and let me tell you, you have never had an Easter basket like this. Icons for 3 of us, toys for the kids, all sorts of chocolates and various candies, a large block of cheddar cheese, deli ham, a bottle of wine, kulich (a traditional Pascha sweet bread) and when was the last time you received whiskey for Easter? It was beautiful and so thoughtful and I really, really wish I had gotten a photo of it since it was disassembled in no time.
We arrived home around 4:30am. The kids - who slept in their Sunday school room for all of the Liturgy and were only awake for the food part of the night - slept in all the way until about 7:00. Yikes. The Easter bunny almost didn't get those baskets on the table in time and did have to make a return visit to hide the eggs while Dad was sleeping and the kids and I were having breakfast at Grandma and Grandpa's hotel. (Did I mention that my in-laws were also here for all the goings-on? Fortunately we all get along quite well and it was a treat to have them here.)
So it was a marathon of a day and night, but I wouldn't change a thing. It was beautiful, it was emotional, it was exhausting, and it was exhilirating. And I will never be the same again.
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