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Christ is Risen!           [and in response: Truly He is Risen!]\n\nΧριστὸς Ἀνέστη!        [and in response: Ἀληθῶς Ἀνέστη!]\n\n \n\nThis truly is the Day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice together and be glad in it![1] What a blessing to have arrived at the Holy Pascha of the Lord, and especially to celebrate it here at Holy Resurrection in Brookville, after having come through the fire and water of Holy Week.

Fr. John Vlahos and the faithful of St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Shrine Church in Greenlawn, NY welcomed His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America to their community on Holy Saturday morning, May 4, 2024.

My Beloved Christians,\n\nΣιγησάτω πᾶσα σάρξ βροτεία, καὶ στήτω μετὰ φόβου καὶ τρόμου, καὶ μηδὲν γήϊνον ἐν ἑαυτῇ λογιζέσθω.\n\nLet all mortal flesh keep silence, and stand with fear and trembling; and let it take no thought for any earthly thing.[*]\n\nIndeed, my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we keep silence and interior stillness in the presence of this profound mystery, the Sabbath of Rest of our Lord in the Tomb. We hear the ancient prophecies of this day – there are fifteen by tradition – that were used in this Baptismal Liturgy. Today, the Catechumens went down into the Font of Rebirth, just as Christ descended into the grave and beyond, in order to be reborn.

My Beloved Christians,\n\nTonight I ask you to look within yourselves, to look around your life, to look around the world, and ask a single question:\n\n“Can these bones live?” [*]\n\nThe Lord God challenged the holy Prophet Ezekiel with these very words, when He showed him the Valley of Dry Bones. And He challenges us as well.

On Great and Holy Friday evening, May 3, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America joined Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas and the faithful of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero for the Orthros of Holy Saturday. On this evening the faithful join in chanting the Lamentations, the moving hymns of praise to the Lord which describe His ultimate triumph over death.

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros presided over the service of the Great Vespers of the Descent from the Cross on Holy and Great Friday today, Friday, May 3, 2024, at Saint Michael’s Home in Yonkers, New York. 

On Holy Thursday in the Greek Orthodox Church we hear the emotion of the Twelve Gospels as we commemorate the death of Christ on the Cross. On this sacred and solemn day His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America visited St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine Church in Flushing, NY. Presiding priest Paul Palesty, Assistant Priests Aristidis Garinis and Alexander Douvres, Archdeacon Dionysios and Deacon Jeremiah also participated in the service.

My Beloved Christians,\n\nTonight, our service overwhelms our hearts and astonishes our minds, as we contemplate the vision of God crucified in the flesh.\n\nWe stand in awe before the One Who suspended the land in the midst of the waters, and our planet in the midst of the stars, as He hangs upon the Cross for our redemption and eternal life.\n\nWe have listened to the eloquence of the Twelve Gospels, which contain the agonizing details of our Lord’s arrest, trial, and Crucifixion. And we have glorified His condescension, his Humility, and His long-suffering – His μακροθυμία on behalf of us all.