സീറോ മലബാർ സഭയിലെ വലിയ ശനിയാഴ്ച (Great Sunday of the Resurrection of Our Lord in the East Syriac TraditionThe final day of the Pasch)
The final day of the Paschal celebration is the feast of Pasch of Resurrection. For this feast the title given in the Hudra is “the Great Sunday of our Lord’s Resurrection”. Today’s celebrations, which begin with the solemn Ramsa on the Great Saturday evening, are centred on the event of the Resurrection of our Lord. This day consists of two major celebrations. The first of the two sets of celebration are the Paschal Vigil of Resurrection, which is celebrated on Saturday evening in conjunction with the solemn Ramsa and followed the Rite of Washing the Altar, the Rite of Baptism, the Rite of Pardon and the Resurrection Sunday vigil Holy Qurbana. The second set of today’s celebration begins in the early morning at 3 o’clock and consists of an abridged nocturnal vigil celebration of the day, the special celebration of the Rite of celebrating the Peace of the Resurrection and finally the Resurrection Sunday Holy Qurbana.
At the sun-set begins the Resurrection Sunday vigil Qurbana. One of the most important characteristic elements of the Easter Sunday vigil in the East Syriac liturgy is the “Order of Celebrating the Peace of Resurrection” (Taksa d-Hugayya d-Slama d-Qyamta).
Both the editions present the following rubrics at the beginning of the celebration: “Early in the morning, the Presbyters and deacons and the Bishop, if he is present, enter the sanctuary vested according to their rank accompanied by the Sleeva, Ewangelion, the palm branches, thurible and candles and they begin “Abun d-ba-Smayya” (Our Father in heaven) [as that of] Lord’s major feasts.”
The symbolic proclamation of the Resurrection of the Lord, the procession with the “Risen Lord”, and finally the confession of faith in the Risen Lord are the main liturgical celebrations of this day. The Onyata of the Peace Celebration is accompanied by the symbolic proclamation of the Resurrection of the Lord and then the procession confessing faith in the Risen Lord.
At the beginning of the Anthem of the Peace celebration, the procession starts. This procession, as in the case of the procession on the Friday of Passion, is noted for its three phases. At the beginning of the first grouping of the anthem, the Bishop together with the other ministers (priests and deacons) proceed to the sepulchre of the Lord, where the body of Christ (Sleeva) was solemnly buried following the Onita d-Basaliqe of the Saturday Ramsa on the Friday evening. Now the main celebrant lifts up the same Sleeva, symbolizing “Body of Christ”, which is beautifully decorated with the flowers and aromatic spices, out of the sepulchre as a symbolic liturgical action of our Lord’s Resurrection. The symbolic presentation of our Lord’s Resurrection is presented through the lifting up of the Sleeva that is decorated before the liturgical function begins. This Sleeva is then solemnly brought in the form of a minor procession to the madbha, erected on it and then incensed, which is in itself the liturgical gesture of adoration paid to the glorious Sleeva. Through this liturgical rite the Church proclaims the Resurrection of the Lord. During the singing of the second grouping of the anthem, there take place the second phase of the procession with the glorious, illuminated, victorious and adorned Sleeva. Both editions furnish us with the following information: “They come out from the sanctuary (beth qudsa), carrying with them the Sleeva, the Ewangelion, and so forth [the palm branches, thurible and candles]”. And they recite the first surayya at the door of the sanctuary. At the beginning of the third grouping of the anthem, the qula anthem, the rubrics specify that as they are in the Hykla with the Sleeva, the Ewangelion, the palm branches, thurible and candles and they move to the bet slota or to the place from which peace is imparted; they begin the Qala. The third stage of the procession, against the background of the Qala anthem, is an act of faith by the worshipping community in the Risen Lord. Finally, the glorious Sleeva is crowned on the Bet Slota. Generally, the procession moves within the church; but sometimes it goes out of the church, and if so, it moves around the church and return to the Bet Slota among the Chaldeans. Bet Slota is probably the summer chapel which is situated outside the church where there is an altar for the Sleeva and for the Ewangelion. Among the Marthoma Nazranies of India, almost always this procession goes out of the church and moves around the big granite Sleeva erected in the churchyard. On this occasion, this granite Sleeva is exceptionally illumined with small lighted oil-lamps. During this solemn Resurrection-procession, the Bishop or the president of the liturgical assembly carries in his hands the glorious Sleeva, the Sleeva specially decorated and lifted up out of the sepulchre. The Archdeacon carries in his hands the Ewangelion, which is also specially decorated. It was also a custom to venerate and kiss this Sleeva and the Ewangelion during the procession. Whether it moves within the church or it goes out of it, at its conclusion it reaches the Bet Slota. The adorned glorious Sleeva and the decorated Ewangelion are then solemnly deposited on the table in the ‘Bet Slota or the place from which peace is imparted’.
There is a similarity between the Resurrection-procession and the procession and veneration of Sleeva during the Onita d-Qanke in the East Syriac Qurbana. The Peace Celebration points to some kind of similarity with the Onita d-Qanke, the procession, the veneration of the Sleeva and the Resurrection Anthem, called ‘Laku Mara’.
The final part of the Peace Celebration is held in the Bet Slota in the presence of the Risen Lord, represented in the crowned Sleeva. The most important rite is the exchange of peace. When the Deacons announce to give peace to one another in the love of Christ, the entire assembly show reverence to the Sleeva and to the Ewangelion and then each one of them gives peace to others in the assembly, saying: “Resurrection of our Lord (Breviarium adds: with you)”. The one who receives it, replies: “Resurrection (Qyamta), Life (Hayye) and Renewal (Hudata) be with you” (“Qyamta w-Hayye w-Hudata”). The exchange of Peace is followed by the singing of the Sogyata (dialogue hymn) by two deacons. Both the editions name this singing as Malpanuta, which means to instruct. The Malpanuta is followed by a series of Blessings (Burkata), consisting of nineteen Benedictions. The Peace celebration is concluded with the general blessing, called Burkata Gawanata. The last liturgical rite is the Easter Qurbana, which in principle follows directly upon the Peace Celebration, beginning with Psalmody.
The structure and content of the processions on the Friday of Passion and on the Great Sunday of Resurrection confirm the fact that theologically they form one and the single procession. This is because they proclaim the Christ’s saving mystery of the Pasch, the Death, the Burial and the Resurrection. The original unitary mystery of Pasch is celebrated at two different moments, but both interrelated and inseparable. Both the different moments highlight the mystery of Christ’s Pasch through his Crucifixion and Resurrection. This means that the original single day celebration of the Pasch is extended into the three days of Paschal celebrations. Hence, we may regard these two processions as the paschal procession in its strict sense, constituting the central procession in the entire liturgical year and the source of inspiration for the rest of liturgical processions. The processions during the Paschal Triduum highlight the popular character of liturgy as well as the means of an effective catechesis to plunge into the mystery that is celebrated.
Comments