The final week of Great and Holy Lent, known to us Orthodox Christians
as Holy Week, is a time of deep prayer and contemplation of the Passion
of Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ – the one week of the year when
we truly cast the cares of this world from our minds and focus on our
spiritual wellbeing. At St Sava’s Monastery near Canberra, Australia’s
capital, the Serbian Orthodox community made this a Holy Week and
Paschal Celebration to remember.

Starting with matins of Great and Holy Friday, sung on the evening of
Holy Thursday in anticipation of the Lord’s Passion, the Monastery
overflowed with an air of holiness. Fathers Seraphim and Nikola lead the
service, relating to the faithful the Twelve Passion Gospel readings,
playing out the final hours of Our Lord in harrowing detail both in
Serbian and English.


Great and Holy Friday, the one day of the year when the Divine Liturgy
is never served as the Lord Himself was the sacrifice, passed with the
Serbs of Canberra observing the day with solemnity, prayer and fasting,
preparing for the matins of Great and Holy Saturday sung on Friday
evening in anticipation of the Lord’s Glorious Resurrection. Awaiting
them in the middle of the church’s nave was the Grave of Our Lord,
meticulously adorned with countless flowers of all sizes and colours,
and rows of candles and vigil lamps; a fitting tomb for Him Who created us
and sacrificed Himself so that we may gain eternal life. Over 200 people
joined in the three-hour long service, with Fathers Seraphim and Nikola
again leading the congregation in prayer. Most notable was the large
number of young people, yearning for a dose of the Faith of their
ancestors, staying the length of the whole service, and receiving
anointment with Holy Oil from the hand of Father Seraphim upon
venerating Our Lord’s Most Holy Burial Shroud (plastanica).