PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, FROM THE HEART OF THE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITOL OF THE WORLD, HERE IN HOLLYWOOD, AS PART OF OUR EASTER HOLIDAY SPECIAL. YOU’RE LISTENING TO IDOU O NUMFIOS ERXETAI, BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM COMETH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, CHANTED BY PETER GAITANOS. YOU ALSO WILL BE LISTENING TO AN ACCOUNT OF THE JOURNEY THROUGH HOLYWEEK FROM A NARRATIVE WRITTEN BY REV. GEORGE MASTRANTONIS OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA, READ BY YOURS TRULY, IN WHICH HE EXPLAINS IN THIS DAILY DESCRIPTIVE LOG FOR THE UNINTIATED LAYMEN, THE TRUE VALUE OF THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD FOR THE BETTER.

-15). At the end of the service, the priest anoints the people with Holy Oil, the visible carrier of the Grace of God. The Orthros of Thursday morning is sung by anticipation on Wednesday evening. In many Orthodox churches, however, this service is sung at its designated Thursday morning time, before the Vespers and Divine Liturgy. Jesus drew His last breath of freedom on this Thursday night. Christ knew all the incidents which were about to take place and called to Him His Apostles in order to institute the Holy Eucharist for them and for the Church forever. Good Friday celebrates the holy, saving, and awesome Passion of Christ. To take away our sins, Christ willingly endured the spittings, scourgings, buffetings, scorn, mocking, and the purple robe; the reed, sponge, vinegar, nails, spear, and, above all, the Cross and Death. According to the Hebrew custom, the "Royal Hours," four in number, are read at this time. These services consist of hymns, psalms, and readings from the Old and New Testaments, all related prophetically and ethically to the Person of Christ. The Vespers of Friday afternoon are a continuation of the Royal Hours. During this service, the removal of the Body of Christ from the Cross is commemorated with a sense of mourning for the terrible events which took place. It consists of psalms, hymns, and readings dealing with the death of Christ, in contrast to His divinity, and in expectation of His Resurrection. One of the hymns relates: "He who holds all things is raised up on the Cross and all creation laments to see Him hang naked on the Tree." The thoughtful and well-written Odes, sung by the choir, compare the Compassion of God and the cruelty of man, the Might of God and the moral weakness of man. The Odes picture all Creation trembling when witnessing its (continued)