Holy Week In The Eastern Orthodox Tradition

Contemporary worship renewalists in the West have become increasingly interested in the worship content and style of the Eastern Orthodox church. The article below suggests what Western Christians may learn from Eastern worship. Perhaps more than any other Christian church at the present moment, Orthodox Christians celebrate the crown of the liturgical cycle, Pascha, the day of Resurrection, with intensive participation and joy, coupled with an awesome sense of the holiness of God. So it seemed to me when, for the first time, at about thirty years of age, I experienced Holy Week in an Orthodox church. I brought to the service a background of varied Christian experience, both liturgical and nonliturgical as regards the frequent celebration of the Eucharist. The dean of the cathedral was a mature and radiant Christian, Fr. Sergei Glagolev, also a conservatory-trained composer and seminary teacher of liturgical music. His singing, combined with that of the talented deacon, had blessed…