Easter celebrates new life It is a happy

Easter celebrates new life. It is a happy time and our Coptic Orthodox church hold special celebration services from the last day of the Great Lent till Easter. Let’s look at ‘The Easter Story. ’

Friday Nissan 8 th “last day of the great lent” During the fasting days , we have repented from all our sins. Sin cause spiritual and physical illness. On Friday Church anoints us with oil for healing our illness. All readings of Friday is about healings.

Lazarus’ Saturday Nissan 9 th On this day Jesus raised Lazarus after being dead for 3 days ! Why ? Jesus is going to a higher stage from healing to raising dead , to raise the disciples’ faith. To prepare the disciples/us to accept His resurrection.

Lazarus’ Saturday Nissan 9 th In the Morning : Liturgy. Evening : Vespers (Miriam offering Jesus the expensive Nardeen) and starting calibrating Palm Sunday.

Jesus and two of his disciples were travelling to Jerusalem for a celebration called Passover. Jesus sent his disciples to fetch a donkey. Then Jesus and his disciples entered Jerusalem. Jesus rode on the donkey.

Palm Sunday Jesus the KING Nissan 10 th

Many people were there. They took palm branches and waved them at Jesus. Some took off their coats and laid them on the road. They were pleased to see Jesus.

In the afternoon Jesus went to the temple. When He got there, he got very upset because some people were using the temple as a market place. Jesus told them that the temple was a place of prayer and he threw them out of the temple.

On Sunday Morning , incense raising with the Palm Sunday Procession The Liturgy , with 4 gospels. The General Funeral Prayer

The next few days Jesus continued to teach both his disciples and the crowds who came to listen. He continued to speak against the wrong people did. Many of the religious leaders didn’t like what Jesus said since they thought he was talking about them. They decided to find a way to kill Jesus.

While Jesus was talking to the people one of his disciples told the other religious leaders that he would help them capture Jesus. The disciple's name was Judas Iscariot. The religious leaders gave Judas thirty pieces of silver to make sure he helped them.

The Last Supper Jesus knew he was going to die , so on Thursday evening he shared a special meal with his friends.

Before the meal , He started washing His disciples’ feet !!! Why ? The Holy God , the King of all kings , the mighty God is sitting at the feet of some normal people washing their feet. Do we learn anything out of this ? Why before the meal “ The Efkharistya ) ?

Jesus took bread and blessed it. He gave it to his disciples and said, “Take this, and eat it. This is My body. ” He told the disciples that he knew one of them would betray him.

After they had eaten the bread Jesus took a cup and said a prayer. He filled the cup with wine. He gave it to them and said, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood, the blood of the promise. It is poured out for many people so that sins are forgiven’

Was it a real body ? Was it a real blood ? Incarnation : God turned the divinity to human body and human blood and united with it. In the Efkharistia : God turned the body and blood with the divinity to bread and wine , but still with the divinity.

When Jesus and his disciples had finished their meal they all walked to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Jesus prayed three times. Each time when he went back to see his disciples they had fallen asleep! He came back the third time and told them to wake up.

John 17 A prayer full with love , the best prayer you could ever hear. The best part of the Bible.

Just then Judas, one of Jesus’ followers, came with a large crowd. He came and kissed Jesus on the cheek. This was a sign to tell the guards who they were to arrest. They came and arrested Jesus. All Jesus’ followers ran away.

The crowd took Jesus to a trial held by the Jewish religious leaders. Many people told lies about Jesus.

The next day they took Jesus to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. They told Pilate that Jesus should die. Pilate finally agreed to allow it. After the soldiers made fun of Jesus, they led Him to Golgotha. That’s where they crucified Him.

They hung Jesus on the cross with nails pounded through his hands and feet. A criminal hung on each side of him. Jesus suffered terribly and many people made fun of him.

They took Jesus down from the cross. Two of Jesus’ friends took him to a tomb one of them had. They buried him there. His friends were very sad.

Early on Easter Sunday morning some of Jesus’ women friends went to the tomb. When they got there the tomb was open and Jesus’ body was not there.

Important question Did Jesus our God die ?

Apocalypse Night • "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. " Rev. 5: 5

Revelation of St. John the Theologian.

• It is the night of crossing from death to life. • All tunes are prayed half sad and half joyful. • All praises reflects on crossing from oppression to rejoicing • Many praises from Old and New Testament. • Lots of joyful Processions.

the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven

Description of the city , it’s foundation , doors , walls.

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Night ends , abouna anoints us with the Apocalypses oil , followed by the liturgy.

Then some women saw an angel who told them, “Don’t be afraid! I know you’re looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is back to life. Go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is alive”

As they started to go and tell Jesus’ disciples they saw Jesus himself. They fell down to worship him. Jesus told the women to go tell his other disciples the good news.

He told the disciples he would be back one day and they must tell people all over the world about him. After Jesus had spoken to his disciples He went up into heaven. This is called ‘The Ascension. ’

Ekhristos Anisty Alithos Anisty