andreirosu2006.12.30 [23:25]
This is a picture from St Nicholas Church (in Bucharest) taken on the Good Friday prior to the service of Burial of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. At Vespers service on the same day, which takes place in the morning (as an exception), the priest brings in the middle of the church from the altar a painting representing the burial of Jesus Christ (Holy Epitaph). On this painting the Holy Gospel and the Holy Cross are put over. Faitful come to the church all day bringing flowers, bow in front of the painting and of the cross, and pass under the table on which the Holy Epitaph is placed. The meaning of this gesture is that faitful bury themselves together with Christ (as the epitaph represents the tumb of our Lord) in order to resurect with Him on the thrird day. After all faithfull have bowed in front of the Holy Epitaph the Matins service begins (in the evening) where the service of burial is sang by all followed by surrounding of the church with the epitaph.
