Synaxarion: Great and Holy Saturday

Of all the days the Holy and Great Forty Day Fast is the most distinguished, but more than the Holy Forty Day Fast the Holy and Great Passion Week is exalted, and more than the days of Holy Week Great and Holy Saturday is the most exalted. This week is called great not because these days or hours are more exalted but because the great, portentous and extraordinary deeds of our Savior were accomplished during this week, but especially on this day.

Pascha Encyclical of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej and all the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church

The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Pascha, 2019

+IRINEJ

By the Grace of God

Orthodox Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch, with all the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church to all the clergy, monastics, and all the sons and daughters of our Holy Church: grace, mercy and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, with the joyous Paschal greeting:

The Palm Sunday in the Cathedral church in Belgrade

His Holiness Irinej, the Serbian Patriarch, celebrated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Cathedral church of the Holy Archangel Micahel in Belgrade on the Feast day of the Entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, 21 April 2019.

The Patriarch was concelebrated by the abbot of the monastery of Rajinovac, archimandrite Serafim (Kuzic), arhimandrite Nikifor (Milovic) from the Diocese of Budimlje-Niksic, Montenegro, and by many priests and deacons.

The Patron Saint-day of Serbian Patriarch Irinej

The highest representatives of the Serbian people attend the celebration of the Patriarch’s Patron Saint-day of the Serbian Patriarch Irinej.

His Holiness Irinej, the Serbian Patriarch, received President of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Aleksandar Vucic, and Chairman of the Presidency of the Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Milorad Dodik, at the Serbian Patriarchate in Belgrade on the occasion of Saint Lazarus Saturday, the Patron Saint-day (Slava) of His Holiness, on 20 April 2019.

St. Lazarus Saturday in the Cathedral church of Belgrade

On St. Lazarus Saturday, 20 April 2019,  His Holiness Patriarch Irinej officiated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the Cathedral church of Holy Archangel Michael in Belgrade.

The prayerful celebration of St. Lazarus Saturday – the Patron Saint-day (slava) of Serbian Patriarch Irinej, began with the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in Belgrade’s Cathedral Church by His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, with the concelebration of His Grace Bishop Stefan of Remesiana and in the prayerful presence of His Grace Bishop Lavrentije of Sabac.

Jesus' Entry into Jerusalem - Palm Sunday

On the Sunday before Pascha, the Holy Church celebrates the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem. Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead (John 12:1). While tarrying there, in the house of Lazarus, many of those who had accompanied Him on the way from Jericho managed to reach Jerusalem and spread the tidings that Christ the Savior was coming there for the Feast of the Passover, and had stopped for a while in Bethany. Hearing this news, Christ's enemies, the scribes and Pharisees came to Bethany, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, Whom He had raised from the dead (John 12:9).