With the special permissions obtained in Hatay, the Greek Orthodox Churches were able to perform Easter rites on social media live or with the participation of a limited number of church members.
Believers who came to the church in Hatay Antakya due to the Easter, accompanied the mass and prayed.
Easter, which means the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, was celebrated enthusiastically by the Orthodox living in Antakya. The ceremony, which was held with the participation of a limited number of congregation members in Antakya, Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, was the scene of colorful images, even under restrictions. The hymns sung in unison brought the Easter enthusiasm to its peak.
The members of the congregation, who came to the mass held in the Antakya Orthodox Church in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, lit candles and accompanied the prayers and hymns. The Holy Easter Mass was presided over by Church Fathers Jan Delluler and Dimitri Doğum.
Messages of peace were also given during the ritual, during which chapters from the Bible were read and Resurrection Hymns were sung. In the ceremony that continued in the garden of the church, the cries of “Messiah Kam-Christos Anesti-Jesus Resurrected” were sung together.
“Easter is always celebrated with a different enthusiasm in Antakya. In our world where violence and hatred are widespread, it is our greatest wish that people, regardless of their origin, belief and philosophical view, live in brotherhood, share their traditions and customs, and peace and serenity prevail. ” said, Fadi Hurigil, President of the Congregational Foundation of the Antakya Orthodox Church. At the end of the month, while the limited number of congregation members who attended the ceremony celebrated with each other, Easter-specific colored eggs were also distributed.
Sacred Fire Burned Without Crowds in ‘Easter Rite’ in Iskenderun
Due to the ‘Easter’ Festival, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, a very simple ritual was held in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas in Iskenderun, under the shadow of restrictions. While prayers were being said in the ritual that started at 21:00 on Saturday night, along with messages of peace, wishes for the whole world to get rid of the coronavirus as soon as possible were expressed.
In the holy liturgy directed by Yusuf Nicholas Papasoğlu, one of the Fathers of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Iskenderun, the resurrection of Christ from the Netherworld was celebrated with the cries of “Messiah Kam-Christos Anesti-Jesus Resurrected.” The celebrations were, of course, far from their former enthusiasm, as few people were able to attend the service due to restrictions.
The ritual, which started in the church, continued in the churchyard. While Church Father Yusuf Nicholas Papasoğlu and his entourage went out to the courtyard with candles in their hands, Father Papasoğlu also read the Bible here. The hymn ‘Messiah Kam-Hiristos Anesti-Jesus Resurrected’, sung in Arabic and Greek for Easter, was sung enthusiastically many times by the Father and a small number of members of the congregation.
Father Papasoğlu then opened the door of the Church, which he knocked three times to represent the rise of Jesus Christ from his grave, and entered the church, and the singing of the ‘Jesus is Resurrected’ tunes continued for a while inside the church.
Speaking about Easter, Father Yusuf Nicholas Papasoğlu emphasized that the death of Jesus Christ is the beginning of “Eternal Life” for us believers. Papasoğlu also pointed out that we should question whether we are worthy of Christ suffering for us and ultimately being killed on the cross. Papasoğlu also prayed for the whole world to get rid of this disease so that the next holidays can be celebrated with the old enthusiasm.
While Easter is considered one of Christendom’s greatest holidays, it marks the “Resurrection from the Dead” on the third day after our Savior, Christ Jesus, had his last supper with his apostles, his crucifixion, and his sacrifice for all people.
(SAT-7 TURK/İlyas Edip TERBİYELİ/İskenderun)
