It is Holy Thursday – Holy Chrism Consecrated at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Today is Holy Thursday. This evening, in Orthodox churches, the Service of the Twelve Gospels was solemnly read. Following the reading of the Fifth Gospel, the Crucifix of Christ was carried out from the altar and placed at the centre of the church. Tomorrow, on Good Friday, the Epitaphios of Christ—symbolizing His tomb—will be placed in front of it.

Today, April 17, in the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, the Holy Chrism (myrrh) was consecrated. It had been prepared there from Monday until Wednesday. This marks the ninth time the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has performed this rite since gaining autocephaly. The previous consecration of Chrism took place seven years ago.

Early in the morning, metropolitans, bishops, and priests brought out from the narthex of the cathedral eight vessels known as concumens (Chrism vessels). These were filled with the Chrism, which had been continuously prepared for three days. The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil and the consecration of the Chrism were personally officiated by His Holiness Patriarch Daniil of Bulgaria.

+ Daniil, Patriarch of Bulgaria:“Through the Holy Chrism, the grace-giving gifts of the Holy Spirit are imparted... As one hymn says: ‘Let us forgive all for the sake of the Resurrection,’ because the Lord has redeemed us from death. Let us not live by the deeds that lead to death, but rejoice in the Resurrection of Christ and live a renewed life!

At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, the concumens (Chrism vessels) were brought into the altar. Later, they were brought out again, and the priests carried them in a procession around the church. Leading the procession was a vessel known as the Alabaster, which contains Chrism gifted to the Bulgarian Church by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1945. After the procession, the vessels were returned to the altar, opened, and the Chrism was consecrated by the Patriarch.

photos by BTA

According to tradition, a portion of the old Chrism from the Alabaster vessel was poured into each of the new containers as a symbol of continuity with the Mother Church. The consecration concluded with a litany procession, during which the vessels were solemnly transferred from the cathedral to the Holy Synod. There, they will be stored in a special myrotheka (Chrism repository). When needed, the metropolitans will take Chrism to distribute to their dioceses until the next Chrism preparation and consecration.