Holy Monday

Holy Monday April 14, Corfu

Sunny with some clouds 23 °C

The bell tower of Saint Spyridon

The Gospel that is read on Sunday's Vesper is from 

Matthew 21(18-22) :

In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry.

And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. The he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the tree withered at once.

When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?"

Jesus answered them, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, "Be lifted up and thrown down into the sea", it will be done.

Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive."

Bible Browser

Vespers during the Holy Week

You might have noticed that I gave you the gospel of Holy Monday, that was read on the evening of Palm Sunday. The day used to start at the end of the previous one and not on the morning of the next. Confused? Let's just say that the Vesper of the one evening is actually the Mattins of the next. 

On the evening of Holy Monday, I finally went to church. I went to the church where my father sings and stayed for the Vesper. It is amazing, to read from the books they do and read who says what and when. It is a strong narrative, that takes you back in time. Every day you are prepared for the events on that Jewish Easter, that changed our history for ever. 

The Vesper on Monday, that is actually the Mattin of Tuesday, is a beautiful parable about the ten Virgins. We will read that parable together on my next post.