HOLY METROPOLIS OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX
OLD CALENDAR CHURCH OF AMERICA
Cathedral of Saint Markella
22-68 26 Street * Astoria, NY 11105
718-932-1592
April 28, 2005
ANNOUNCEMENT
Re: Fifty Years of Greek Orthodox Pascha (Easter) in NYC
The Greek Orthodox Church is in the midst of Great and Holy Week. The entire
week’s Divine Services are dedicated to celebrating Christ’s Passion, which
culminates at midnight Saturday night at the service of the Holy and
Glorious Resurrection.
The services of the Greek Orthodox Church are the most ancient in
Christendom. The Greek Orthodox Church is the historic church of the New Testament, and
predates all the Western churches, including the Latin Church. Many of it
rubrics actually date from the time of the Holy Apostles including it’s use of
the Julian (Old) Calendar.
This Good Friday, the Tomb of Christ (Epitaphios) will be carried in
procession through the streets of New York City just as was done exactly fifty years
ago in 1955, and every year since. The Cathedral of St. Markella was the
first Greek Orthodox Church in America to bring this tradition to the New World.
The Greek Orthodox Church reckons the date of Pascha according to the canons
of the Council of Nicea (A.D.325), which stipulate that the Pascha
(Passover) of the Jews must occur before the Christian Pascha can take place. This is
a Holy Tradition that is still adhered to only in the various Orthodox
Churches.
The Holy Metropolis invites the entire New York City community to come to
the Cathedral of St. Markella in Astoria, Queens, to celebrate these most
mournful, and yet, most joyous of Holy Days together with His Eminence
Metropolitan Archbishop Pavlos, and with all the clergy and laity of the Cathedral.
As is the annual tradition, the Cathedral invites the entire New York
community to come and enjoy a Paschal feast outside the church during the entire
day of Pascha Sunday. Traditional Greek Paschal cuisine, including roast lamb,
will be available courtesy of the Holy Metropolis.
Kalo Pascha!