On the evening of Holy Thursday, April 4/17, the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), together with the clergy of the Mission, celebrated the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Monastery of St. Mary Magdalene in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the presence of a large crowd of pilgrims, the 12 Gospels were read, and touching hymns were heard performed by the choir of the monastery sisters - Today hangs on the tree: - To Thee I sing in the Morning: - The Wise Thief: and others. After the service the clergy, the abbess of the monastery, Mother Elizabeth (Smelic), with the sisters of the convent and the pilgrims, went in procession to the Garden of Gethsemane and then along the Way of the Cross to the Gates of Judgment which are underneath the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky, which is next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
On Friday morning, the Chief of the Mission celebrated the Royal Hours and Vespers with the Bringing Out of the Holy Shroud in the Church of Sts. Lazarus, Martha, and Mary in Bethany.
At 1:00 p.m. in the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives, the Bringing Out of the Holy Shroud took place. The clergy of the monastery assisted the Chief of the Mission at this touching service. After the Holy Shroud was brought out, Fr. Roman delivered a sermon on the theme of the Wise Thief. How, at the last minute, seeing the holiness and feeling the divine love of the innocent crucified Savior, he glorified Him as God and received salvation. After the service, Compline was served with the canon “The Lamentation of the Mother of God.”
On Friday morning, the Chief of the Mission celebrated the Royal Hours and Vespers with the Bringing Out of the Holy Shroud in the Church of Sts. Lazarus, Martha, and Mary in Bethany.
At 1:00 p.m. in the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives, the Bringing Out of the Holy Shroud took place. The clergy of the monastery assisted the Chief of the Mission at this touching service. After the Holy Shroud was brought out, Fr. Roman delivered a sermon on the theme of the Wise Thief. How, at the last minute, seeing the holiness and feeling the divine love of the innocent crucified Savior, he glorified Him as God and received salvation. After the service, Compline was served with the canon “The Lamentation of the Mother of God.”
