Bulgarian Orthodox church marks the start of the Holy Week

In 2023, Orthodox Church in Bulgaria marks the start of the Holy Week on 10th of April, Holy Monday.

This is the last week before Easter and commemorates the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, his sufferings, crucifixion death and burial.

Traditionally Holy Week for many Christians is an occasion to reflect on their sins, feat performed by the Savior and his sacrifice.

Holy Week is the last week of Lent.

According to the Orthodox calendar, every day of the week is great. So every year Orthodox Christians await the Holy Week with humility to feed their faith, strengthen peace and protect unity. In this week, the Savior redeems human sins through suffering, pain and love, and shows it through resurrection.

On Holy Monday, upon entering the Jerusalem temple, Jesus drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, accusing them of turning the house of prayer into a den of thieves. So Jesus spent Holy Tuesday in giving moral guidance, and according to the church canon, the day is destined for humility.

Holy Wednesday is the day Judas arranged with the local authorities to betray Christ for 30 pieces of silver.

Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. At the Last Supper, Christ lays out the model for the Holy Communion. When the supper was over, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Subsequently, he passed a cup filled with wine, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Holy Thursday is the day which children wait for eagerly, because the Easter eggs are painted. The tradition on this day is to get up very early and go and watch which hen will be the first one to lay an egg. This is the first egg to be coloured, usually in red. Before the paint dries, the egg was rubbed on the children's cheeks and foreheads for good health. In the Orthodox Church, those who cannot dye their eggs on Thursday are allowed to do it on Saturday.

Good Friday is the day on which Jesus Christ was crucified and is dedicated to his suffering.

Holy Saturday commemorates the day that Jesus Christ lay in his tomb prior to his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

On Holy Saturday, people visit the graves of their departed family and friends and share painted eggs and bread.

At midnight on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, people gather at the church and usually take Easter eggs and breads to be blessed by the priests.

The priest announces three times ‘Christ is Risen!’ and the congregation replies ‘Indeed he has risen’’. After a special sequence of services, the clergy blesses the breads and eggs brought by the people.

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