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The Great & Holy Wednesday

Troparion

Though I have outdone the harlot in sin, yet I have

offered You no shower of tears. Rather, I fall before

You fervently kissing Your spotless feet, praying

silently that, as Master, You will remit my debts as I cry: "Savior, free me from the foulness of my deeds!"

Fasting Guidelines

Holy Wednesday Family Activities

1) Participate in the services with your children and family. Read the "theme" gospel lessons before coming to services and pay attention to the hymns being chanted.

 

2) Reflect on Christ's supreme sacrifice and His victory over death. Speak with your children about Christ's second coming. Jesus reminds us during the first three days of Holy Week, as was done on many occasions during Lent, that we must be watchful and repent while there is still time.

 

3) Use the Troparion and the Kontakion hymns as prayers before lunch and dinner.

 

4) Prepare yourself and your children to receive the Sacraments of Holy Confession, Holy Oil and Holy Communion.

 

THE GREAT AND HOLY WEDNESDAY

Τη Αγία και Μεγάλη Τετάρτη, της αλειψάσης τον Κύριον μύρω πόρνης γυναικός μνείαν ποιείσθαι οι θειότατοι πατέρες εθέσπισαν, ότι προ του σωτηρίου πάθους μικρόν τούτο γέγονε.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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GOSPEL READINGS

 

Gospel Readings:

1) John 12:17-50

2) Matthew 26:6-16

 

GOSPEL 1

   ¹⁷The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

   ¹⁸For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.

   ¹⁹The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

   ²⁰And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:

   ²¹The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

   ²²Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

   ²³And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

   ²⁴Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

   ²⁵He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

   ²⁶If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

   ²⁷Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

   ²⁸Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

   ²⁹The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

   ³⁰Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

   ³¹Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

   ³²And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

   ³³This he said, signifying what death he should die.

   ³⁴The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

   ³⁵Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

   ³⁶While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

   ³⁷But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

   ³⁸That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

   ³⁹Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

   ⁴⁰He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

   ⁴¹These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

   ⁴²Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

   ⁴³For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

   ⁴⁴Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

   ⁴⁵And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

   ⁴⁶I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

   ⁴⁷And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

   ⁴⁸He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

   ⁴⁹For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

   ⁵⁰And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

 

GOSPEL 2

   ⁶Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

   ⁷There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

   ⁸But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

   ⁹For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

   ¹⁰When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

   ¹¹For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

   ¹²For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

   ¹³Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

   ¹⁴Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

   ¹⁵And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

   ¹⁶And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.