Pascha Celebrated in Whitby

In recent days, parishioners of the Saint Arsenije of Srem Church in Whitby prayerfully marked the Holy Days of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ.

First, on Holy Thursday, April 17, Protopresbyter Milos Puric served the Holy Liturgy in the morning as well as the Great Vigil with the reading of the Matins of the Twelve Passion Gospels in the evening. A day later, on Good Friday, April 18, an evening service was served with the carrying of the shroud and a procession around the church, as well as the Lamentations of Good Friday. It was poignant but necessary to commemorate the Passion of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, which He voluntarily accepted for our sake. On Holy Saturday, an Easter workshop for children was also held in the church hall.

Then, a day later, on April 20, the most joyful and brightest Christian holiday – Pascha – was celebrated with great joy of the heart. The Holy Liturgy was served by the former long-time parish priest of this church, retired Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Milutin Veljko, with the concelebration of Protopresbyter Milos Puric.

Fr. Milos gave a fitting sermon on the importance of this holiday above all holidays. Among other things, Fr. Milos said: “When He was resurrected, the Lord told all of us who believe in Him that we too will one day be resurrected like Him. And that is why, dear brothers and sisters, from that Pascha 2000 and more years ago until today, we Christians believe that death does not exist and we believe that we will be eternally alive and that we will be resurrected after death just as Christ was resurrected. We believe that all of our departed loved ones are alive and more alive today in Heaven than we are here and we believe that they celebrate the feast of the Resurrection of Christ even more festively than we do here on Earth. Therefore, rejoice and be glad today. Have joy, have love, be happy and celebrate with your loved ones.”

At the initiative of the Mala Gospojina Circle of Serbian Sisters, funds were gathered through selfless and generous donations for the construction of a wood-carved Tomb of Christ, installed and consecrated in February of this year, so that the parishioners of the church marked the Holy Days of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ with even more dignity and prayer having before them the symbol of the Resurrection – the Tomb of Christ.