Paschal cycle
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In the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, the cycle of the moveable feast is built around Pascha, or Easter. The Paschal cycle is comprised of approximately ten weeks before and seven weeks after Pascha. The ten weeks before Pascha are sometimes called the period of the Triodion. This period includes the three weeks preceding Great Lent (the "pre-Lenten period"), the forty days of Lent, and Holy Week. The 50 days following Pascha are called the Pentacostarion. Each week begins with a Sunday with a special commemoration. Other days of the week are also specially commemorated. These are listed below.
For fixed feasts, see Eastern Orthodox Church calendar. For this year's date for Pascha, see Easter. For the method used to calculate this date, see computus.
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[edit] Pre-Lent
- The Publican and the Pharisee: 10th Sunday before Pascha (70 days)
- The Prodigal Son: 9th Sunday before Pascha (63 days)
- The Last Judgment; also, Meat-Fare Sunday (the last day meat is to be eaten): 8th Sunday before Pascha (56 days)
- Sunday of Forgiveness; also, Cheese-Fare Sunday (the last day dairy products, fish, wine, and olive oil are to be consumed): 7th Sunday before Pascha (49 days)
[edit] Great Lent
- Clean Monday, the actual beginning of Great Lent: 48 days before Pascha
- Triumph of Orthodoxy (commemoration of the restoration of icons after the defeat of the iconoclast heresy in 843: 6th Sunday before Pascha and 1st Sunday of Lent(42 days)
- Saint Gregory Palamas: 5th Sunday before Pascha and 2nd Sunday of Lent(35 days)
- Adoration of the Cross: 4th Sunday before Pascha and 3rd Sunday of Lent(28 days)
- Saint John of the Ladder: 3rd Sunday before Pascha and 4th Sunday of Lent(21 days)
- Saint Mary of Egypt: 2nd Sunday before Pascha and 5th Sunday of Lent(14 days)
[edit] Holy Week
- Lazarus Saturday, the beginning of Holy Week: 8 days before Pascha
- Palm Sunday, or the Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem: last Sunday before Pascha: 7 days before Pascha
- Great and Holy Monday: Joseph the stepfather of Jesus, and the withering of the fig tree: 6 days before Pascha
- Great and Holy Tuesday: Parable of the Ten Virgins: 5 days before Pascha
- Great and Holy Wednesday: Anointing of Jesus with myrrh by the woman in the house of Simon the Leper in Bethany; also, the Holy Unction: 4 days before Pascha
- Great and Holy Thursday: The washing of the disciples' feet, the institution of the Holy Eucharist, the "Marvelous Prayer", and the betrayal by Judas Iscariot: 3 days before Pascha
- Great and Holy Friday: The holy, saving and lifegiving Passion of Christ; Joseph of Arimathea: 2 days before Pascha
- Great and Holy Saturday: The Sepulchre of Christ, his descent into Hades to raise up mankind and defeat the powers of death: last day before Pascha
[edit] Great and Holy Pascha
- The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: very late Saturday night (usually midnight)
- Agape Vespers: Proclamation of the Gospel to the four corners of the world, symbolized by the reading of the Gospel in various languages from the four corners of the Church building: Sunday afternoon
[edit] Pentecostarion (Paschaltide)
- Bright Week: Week following Pascha
- Saint Thomas: 1st Sunday after Pascha(7 days)
- The Holy Myrrhbearers: 2nd Sunday after Pascha(14 days)
- The Paralytic: 3rd Sunday after Pascha(21 days)
- The Samaritan Woman (Photini): 4th Sunday after Pascha(28 days)
- The Blind Man: 5th Sunday after Pascha(35 days)
- The Ascension of Jesus Christ: 39 days after Pascha
- The Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council: 6th Sunday after Pascha(42 days)
- Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, and the Christian Church began: 7th Sunday after Pascha(49 days)
- All Saints: 8th Sunday after Pascha(56 days)
