Holy Monday

Holy Monday or Great and Holy Monday is the Monday of Holy Week, which precedes the commemoration of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.

Western Christianity

In the Roman Catholic Church, the Gospel lesson at Mass tells of the Anointing of Jesus at Bethany ( and ), and false accusation (]

The day begins liturgically with Vespers on Palm Sunday night, repeating some of the same stichera (hymns) from the night before. At Small Compline a Triode (Canon composed of three Odes), written by St. Andrew of Crete is chanted.

The Matins service for Monday through Wednesday of Holy Week is known as the Bridegroom Service or Bridegroom Prayer, because of their theme of Christ as the Bridegroom of the Church, a theme movingly expressed in the troparion that is solemnly chanted during them. On these days, an icon of "Christ the Bridegroom" is placed on an analogion in the center of the temple, portraying Jesus wearing the purple robe of mockery and crowned with a crown of thorns (see Instruments of the Passion). The Matins Gospel read on this day is from the Gospel of Matthew

At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, some of the stichera from the previous night's Matins (Lauds and the Aposticha) are repeated at "Lord, I have cried" (see Vespers). There are two Old Testament readings: .

References

External links

* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=21 Great and Holy Monday] Orthodox icon and synaxarion
* [http://catholicism.about.com/od/lentenreadings/qt/Reading_MoHW.htm Scriptural Reading for the Monday of Holy Week] from the Office of Readings (Roman Catholic)
* [http://www.textweek.com/festivals/monday.htm Monday in Holy Week] Online liturgical resources