ΧΡΙΣΤΟc ΑΝΕΣΤΗ

[akritas]

Από Καρδιάς,
Ευχόμαι
σε Μέλη, Φίλους και Μη
Ο Αναστάς Κύριος
Να χαρίζει Υγεία, Ειρήνη, Ευσέβεια, Αγάπη προς Ολους

[Makedonia25]

Episis.. Kalo Pasha se olous!

[Foti66]

Kalo Pasha paidia! Etoimaste ta arnakia!

[zefs]

This is how Pascha starts?


Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy Land Theofilos III (center) leads the Palm Sunday procession at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem on Sunday. (AP)


haretz.com




Last update - 23:37 20/04/2008


Armenian, Greek worshippers come to blows at Jesus' tomb

By The Associated Press

Tags: Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Dozens of Greek and Armenian priests and worshippers exchanged blows in Christianity's holiest shrine on Palm Sunday, and pummeled police with palm fronds when they tried to break up the brawl.

The fight is part of a growing rivalry over religious rights at Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulcher, built over the site where tradition says Jesus was buried and resurrected.

A fist-fight broke out after Armenian clergy kicked out a Greek priest from their midst, pushed him to the ground and kicked him, according to witnesses.
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Two Armenian worshippers were briefly detained by police. Scores of Armenian supporters staged a protest outside the police station during the questioning of the two, beating drums and chanting.

The Holy Sepulcher is shared by several Christian denominations according to a centuries-old arrangement known as the status quo.

Each denomination jealously guards its share of the basilica, and fights over rights of worship at the church have intensified in recent years, particularly between the Armenians and Greeks.

The Eastern Orthodox churches, including the Armenians and Greek Orthodox, follow a different calendar than Western Christians and began Easter Week observances on Sunday.

Father Pakrad, an Armenian priest, said the presence of the Greek priest during the Armenian observances violated the status quo. Our priests entered the tomb. "They kicked the Greek monk out of the Edicule," he said.

Pakrad accused the Greek Orthodox of trying to step on the Armenians' rights. "We are the weak ones, persecuted by them for many centuries."

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch in the Holy Land, Theofilos III, told The Associated Press "the Armenians are pushing to change the rules, and try to challenge was he said is the dominance of his church in the Holy Land."

"This behavior is criminal and unacceptable by all means," he said. "They wanted to trespass on the status quo concerning the order that regulates the services between the various communities."

Last year, pre-Christmas cleaning in the Church of the Nativity turned ugly when robed Greek Orthodox and Armenian priests went at each other with brooms and tones. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem - built over Jesus' traditional birth grotto - also falls under the status quo arrangement.

The status quo divides the Holy Sepulcher among the Armenians, Roman Catholics and the Greek Orthodox who have the largest share. The Coptic, Ethiopian Orthodox and Syrian Orthodox churches also have duties to maintain specific areas.

[edessa]

Very depressing to hear that. Hopefully the priests will realise how important this week is and stop bickering. Kali anastasi se olous who have the honour of being orthodox

[golden_earrings]

Shame on those who feel it nec. to start things like this....to just "kick [someone] out of the way"...

Kali Anastasi kai Kali Megali Evthomatha to all!

[Morphesau]

Καλη Ανασταση σε όλους σας και χρόνια πολλα.

[zefs]

Photographer documents Greek Orthodox Easter in new book

By Theresa Juva • The Journal News • April 26, 2008



Photographer John N. Thomas of White Plains credits the rediscovery of his childhood religion with helping him to lose 50 pounds and quit smoking in his 30s.


A decade later, his transformative experience has culminated in a collection of photographs that capture the spirit, tradition and community of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Taken at the Greek Orthodox Church of Our Savior near the Rye-Harrison border, the photos in "Sacred Light: Following the Paschal Journey" document Holy Week, a somber time when the Greek Orthodox commemorate Christ's final days before his resurrection.

"I tried to put into pictures what I personally experienced, felt, studied and understood, and take something that is very ancient and noble and bring it up to speed in 2008," the 41-year-old said. "I wanted to make it cool for young people, and interesting."

Greek Orthodox Easter will be celebrated tomorrow.

Thomas, who works as a commercial photographer in tourism, began taking religious photos after he was asked to shoot pictures for the Web site of St. Basil Academy, a Greek Orthodox orphanage in Garrison.

He decided to create the book, which was published in January, when he also was asked to shoot photos of the Church of Our Savior. He chose to photograph Holy Week because it is the most important time in the church calendar, Thomas explained.

"It's very traditional," he said of the rituals and ceremonies performed. "It's very Byzantine and old world. It's very engaging, interactive and moving. What we are called to do as Orthodox Christians is to experience what Christ went through."

The photos feature silhouettes and light to illustrate fluctuating moods during Holy Week. The visual chronology shows parishioners receiving palm branches in a bright church - light that is replaced by darkness several pages later when parishioners hover over flickering candles.

"It didn't matter who they were or what their faces were, they are another continuous being," Thomas said of the shadowed faces. "I was depicting another human being in the eyes of Christ as an icon. If you are a person of faith, you have to believe you are an icon. We're all icons of the creation. We're all the same. There's an impersonal aspect as you move through the pictures."

But personal expression has a place in some of the photos, Thomas said. One of his favorites shows an older woman walking into the church on Holy Saturday with a candle in hand.

Thomas said her face shows "her unshakable faith."

He said the most important message of the book is that, despite living in a fast-paced and ever-changing world, people can find comfort in the endurance of faith.

"The one thing that would benefit everyone is the benefit of knowing that the church isn't going anywhere, and is still there if you are interested," he said.

Sacred Light can be purchased at www.goarch.org or Barnes & Noble.

[zefs]

Happy Anastasi to all the Aussies...

[kostas68]

Happy Easter to all of you,Greeks or not!Happy Easter to all the orthodox people!
Kalo Pascha kai kali Anastasi se olous!