Changes

While little is recorded of the development of the celebrations of the Holy Week during the early years of the Church, it apparently had very early origins. By the fourth century the celebration of the week appears well-founded and to be similar to our celebrations today. The pilgrim [[Egeria]] to Jerusalem in the latter part of the fourth century described the events of the week after the services of the Saturday of Lazarus, "...began the week of the Pasch, which they called here the '''Great Week'''", noting the procession commemorating Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first day of the week. It is during this week that we remember Christ's Passion and Crucifixion.

[[Lazarus Saturday]] concludes [[Great Lent]]. This celebration remembers Christ's raising of Lazarus from the dead and the promise of universal [[resurrection]] for all. Lazarus Saturday provides a bridge to Holy Week during which the Church services remember Christ's last week before his crucifixion and resurrection, his [[passion]]. During this week the [[Matins]] services for the upcoming day are celebrated the evening before, and Vespers is celebrated in the morning. This anticipation of the Church's services gives the faithful a sense that the world is in travail, upside-down, because of the passion our Lord endured for our salvation. Although this practice is unusual, it is canonical in accordance with the ancient definition that the day is from sunset to sunset. [[Image:Palm_Sunday.jpg|left|thumb|Icon of Christ's entry into Jerusalem]][[Image:extremehumilityBridegroom.jpg|right|thumb|The "Extreme Humility" icon of Christthe Bridegroom]]