HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!
OBSERVANCE OF LAZARUS SATURDAY
ST. NICHOLAS SERBIAN EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH
OBERLIN-STEELTON, PA
March 27, 2010
Lazarus Saturday Troparion
By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion,
You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with palms of victory,
We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death; Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!
Lazarus Saturday Kontakion
Christ - the Joy, the Truth, and the Light of All, the Life of the World and the Resurrection - has appeared in his goodness to those on earth. He has become the Image of our resurrection, granting divine forgiveness to all.
Steelton, PA - The Scripture readings make clear that the people of Jerusalem eagerly awaited the arrival of Jesus Christ and when He entered the city, He was greeted with much singing, joy, and reverence. Palms and other branches and even clothes were strewn in His path as a sign of their respect for Him and their anticipation of His delivering them from oppression. Notably, children were a large part of this enthusiastic procession as they sang, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!” Indeed, that same spiritual joy is still experienced today in Orthodox Christian churches around the world as we observe Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday. We are prepared to endure the sorrow of Holy Week because, unlike the people of Christ’s time, we know we will then experience His joyful resurrection.
At St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in Oberlin-Steelton, there was great anticipation on the eve of Lazarus Saturday as the Great Lent was brought to a formal close. It is also on this special occasion that our children reach the age when they learn, in more concrete ways, the meaning of repentance and the joyful sorrow of our Lenten journey. Under the supportive guidance of their Church School teacher, Andrea Gunther, eight students had been preparing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Confession for the first time. The students – David Christ, Anastasija Gligorevic, Dejana Krstic, Anastasia Mitrovic, Stefan Nikolic, Stefan Stojanovic, Zeljana Turnatas, and Sara Turantas – had a final orientation with the Very Reverend Stavrofor Srboljub Jockovich before meeting individually with him to make their first confession. The children listened to Fr. Srboljub discuss the importance of repentance through the parables of Zaccheus, the Tax Collector, the Publican and the Pharisee and the Prodigal Son.
The prospects of a special Lazarus Saturday were evident as soon as we gathered for the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. We celebrated Christ’s bold promise of the heavenly kingdom when He raised his friend, Lazarus, from the tomb. In place of the Thrice-Holy Hymn, we sang the special baptismal hymn, “As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ!” remembering this Liturgy as one in which Christians historically were baptized.
With Fr. Srboljub and con-celebrants V. Rev. Daniel Ressetar, Priest Emeritus, Christ the Savior Orthodox Church in Harrisburg and Fr. Patrick Burns, priest of Holy Annunciation Macedonian-Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Steelton, leading the way, the altar servers, Church School teachers and students, the stewards of the Church and their extended families and friends made the traditional procession around the church. The excitement was palpable as they sang, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” and rang small bells tied to the pussy willow and palm branches --all emblematic of the crowds that greeted Christ upon His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and of His victory over death. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, everyone moved to the Church social hall where the Mothers’ Club hosted a time of fellowship.
The following day, Palm Sunday, Fr. Srboljub presented the Church School children who made their 1st Holy Confession with a beautiful triptych icon in recognition of this important step in the life of an Orthodox Christian. The children, their families and kumovi and all the stewards of St. Nicholas Church were now prepared to move forward to the inevitable sorrow of Christ’s Passion and the resounding glory of His resurrection. Through the Great Lent we have grown in His Spirit and by His Grace and are now ready to follow Him to His promised Kingdom.