17 Baramudah 1746
Readings for Holy Pascha
The Holy Pascha Week of our Good Saviour
Holy Thursday of the Holy Pascha Week
Season Pascha Week
Tune : Attribis
Strict Abstinence
Thursday Morning
Theme of the Hours :
+ Preparation for Passover.
First hour of the day of Holy Thursday
Exodus 17:8-16Third hour of the day of Holy Thursday
Exodus 32:30-33:5Sixth hour of the day of Holy Thursday
Jeremiah 7:2-15Ninth hour of the day of Holy Thursday
Genesis 22:1-19The Liturgy of the_Water
Theme of the Liturgy : + Jesus washes the feet of his disciples..
Genesis 18:1-23The Liturgy
Theme of the Liturgy : : God's new covenant with mankind.
1 Corinthians 11:23-34Eleventh hour of the day of Holy Thursday
Isaiah 52:13-53:12Friday Eve
Theme of the Hours :
+ Jesus declares that He will be betrayed
+ Jesus warns Peter of his denial
+ Jesus last ceremony to His disciples
+ Jesus last prayer
+ Judas betrays Jesus to the priests
+ Peter Cuts the slaves ear
The First Hour of Friday Eve
Jeremiah 8:17-9:6Third hour of the eve of Holy Friday
Ezekiel 36:16-26Sixth hour of the eve of Holy Friday
Ezekiel 22:23-28Ninth hour of the eve of Holy Friday
Jeremiah 9:7-11Eleventh hour of the eve of Holy Friday
Isaiah 27:11-28:15Synaxarium
Day 17 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Baramudah.
May God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins are forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers. Amen.
The Seventeenth Day of the Blessed Month of Baramudah
Martyrdom of St.James the Apostle, the Brother of St.John the Apostle
On this day, St. James the Apostle, the son of Zebedee, and the brother of St. John, the Apostle, was martyred. After he had preached the Gospel in Judea and Samaria, he went to Spain. He preached the Gospel there, and its people believed in the Lord Christ. He returned to Jerusalem and pursued his ministry. He always advised his flock to give alms to the poor, the needy, and the weak. They accused him before Herod who called him and asked him: "Are you the one that instigating the people not to give the taxes to Caesar but to give it to the poor and the churches?" Then he smote him with the sword, cutting off his head, and St. James received the crown of martyrdom. Clement of Alexandria, from the fathers of the second century, said: "The soldier that seized the Saint, when he saw his courage, he realized that there must be a better life and asked the Saint for his forgiveness. Then the soldier confessed Christianity and received the crown of martyrdom (Acts 12:1-2) along with the Apostle in the year 44 A.D." Because Herod saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. So when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. (Acts 12:3-4) So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. (Acts 12:21-23) As of the body of St. James, the believers took it, shrouded it, and buried it by the Temple. It was said that the body of St. James was translated to Spain, where James the elder considered to be its Apostle.
May His prayers be with us and Glory be to our God forever. Amen.