Holy Thursday
or Passion Thursday ("Strastney Chetver") services recall the Passion
of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The passion ("Strasti") service consists of
the reading of twelve Gospels from the Bible which tell the entire story of the
suffering and hardship of Christ. These Gospels are sung or read along with
prayers and hymns. Bells are rung after
each chapter until the last one. At that time the bells are silenced and are
not rung again until Easter morning. After the bells are silenced, they are
replaced by wooden clappers ("kalatala") which, when struck, sounds
like the nails being driven into the cross. This is done as a sign of grief for
Christ. Sometimes, the services include twelve candle bearers who stand near
the altar. One bearer walks away with his candle at the end of the reading of
each Gospel, to represent the Apostles who denied and deserted Christ.
At the end of
the "Strasti” service in Ukraine,
a lighted candle was carefully carried home by each family. This special candle
was used to burn a cross on the crossbeam of the home and was kept in the home until
the next year. It was the first candle used during the year to begin any and
all religious rituals and was always the candle placed in the hand of anyone
who was dying. Usually, the candle was kept in front of one of the Icons in the
home. |