On Pascha day, at 3PM, the joyful Paschal service of Vespers was served.  This is already vespers for Bright Monday. A distinguishing feature of this service is the reading of the Gospel by the bishop, towards the people, while the priests are gathered below the amvon, with deacons supporting the Gospel.

On April 28, 2019, the first day of Holy Pascha, His Eminence, Archbishop Alypy, reposed in the Lord.  Thus ended the heavy cross born by Vladyka for many years, after a tragic accident, after which he became an invalid. 

It has been commented that in a certain cathedral of our Russian Church Abroad Pascha is quite glorious, but in the monastery it shines forth with great warmth, if somewhat more humble.  Perhaps this is due to the concentrated prayer and relative ascetic labors of conducting the full typicon of Great Lenten services with the ensuing atmosphere of great spiritual concentration and repentance.  Even so, the monastery services on Pascha and Bright Week are very joyous and for Pascha the singing is quite glorious and joyful.

After six weeks of Great Lent, followed by the celebration of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, the monastery entered upon Holy Week.  This is perhaps the most solemn period of time in the monastery of the whole year. There are spiritually uplifting services throughout the day as we move forward to the Lord’s Passion.  

On April 18, Thursday of the 6th Week of Great Lent, in the evening after Great Compline, our abbot, Bishop Luke of Syracuse, performed the mystery of the tonsure to the Little Schema.  This was truly a feast of the monastery as three of our rassaphore monks were tonsured into the angelic state.