HOLY FRIDAY VESPERS
At 2:00 pm (summer time 3:00 pm) of Holy Friday, the 28th of March/10th of April 2015, the Vespers of Holy Friday was conducted at the Patriarchate in commemoration of the Lord’s Deposition from the Cross by Joseph and Nicodemus and the Myrophorae.
The service was led by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, who descended from the Central Monastery through the stairs of St James Cathedral, wearing a head covering with a veil (epanokalimmavko) and a cross, whilst accompanying Hagiotaphites also wore an epanokalimmavko.
Participating in this devout service was a crowd of faithful occupying the entire area of the Katholikon, and rejoicing as Archimandrite Aristovoulos and Monk Joseph of Mount Athos sang the theological troparion “You who are surrounded by light akin to cloth”.
At the conclusion of the service, the Hagiotaphites proceeded to the Monastery of their repentance, in preparation for the Engomia (Lamentation) procession.
From the Secretariat-General