Plaschanitsa

Here are some personal impressions from Great and Holy Friday evening at St. John Chrysostom's in St. Louis. Picture a darkened church, with the entire congregation in dark clothing, holding candles while standing around the plaschanitsa (epitaphion). Everyone is singing the Lamentations together. When we go outside for the procession, suddenly I am transported to Jordanville. It was there last year at our dear Vladyka Metropolitan Laurus' funeral procession that I first heard the bells sounding broken - the funeral peal. That same peal, five days ago now, accompanied us around the church, as we slowly chanted the "Svyati Boge" until we reentered the church, passing under the bier. Following our Savior, we too enter life only through death. ----- A Worley, April 2009