For the first time ever in our area, weeklong Orthodox Christian Holy Week and Pascha (Easter) services will be offered this year, April 15-April 24. The Bucknell Orthodox Christian community rejoices in helping to support and participate in this worship and celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord and God Jesus Christ, and welcomes all on campus and in the community to join us for one or more of these cross-cultural events. These also are opportunities to engage with a minority and international tradition of spirituality at Bucknell and locally. From candle-light processions to chanting to iconographic art and an experiential re-enactment of the biblical accounts of the week of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection after, this offers “different” non-Western views of Easter from ancient Christian traditions, as known in Orthodox lands of the Middle East, Africa, Slavic regions, and in diasporic and convert communities globally.

Services will be at St. John Russian Orthodox Mission Church, meeting downtown at the Lewisburg Club, 131 Market St. (alley entrance), except on Holy Wednesday (April 20) in Rooke Chapel on campus. They will mainly be in English but will include other languages. The Orthodox icon of the Resurrection below depicts the resurrected Jesus Christ raising up Adam and Eve from Hades together with others. The services culminate on Easter night at midnight in the joyous cry in many languages: “Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!” The schedule follows below.

Fri. April 15
Vespers for Lazarus Saturday 6:30 p.m.
Sat. April 16
Lazarus Saturday Divine Liturgy 10 a.m.
Vespers, 5 p.m. Sat. April 16
Sun., April 17
Holy Sunday (Palm Sunday)
Divine Liturgy, 10 a.m.
Bridegroom Matins, 3 p.m.
Tues. April 19
Bridegroom Matins, 6:30 p.m.
Wed. April 20
Holy Wednesday campus service, Bucknell Hall on the Bucknell campus, 7 p.m.
Thurs. April 21
Matins of the Gospels, 6:30 p.m.
Fri. April 22
Royal Hours, 9 a.m.
Vespers with Placing of the Shroud, 3 p.m.
Lamentations 7 p.m.
Sat. April 23
Holy Saturday Liturgy, 9:30 a.m.
Pascha services, 11 p.m. to approx. 2 a.m. followed by feast
Sun. April 24
Agape Vespers, 2 p.m.

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Please note that there will be no weekly community Bible Study on April 17 and April 24 due to services. Services will continue to include prayers for peace in Ukraine and collections for those affected by the war there.

For more information, please contact the faculty adviser to the Bucknell Orthodox Christian community, Prof./Deacon Paul Siewers, asiewers@bucknell.edu.

With best wishes for the season!