THE PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY OF HOLY & GOOD FRIDAY

The Stripped Altar of the Orthodox Western Rite on Holy Friday

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West)

INTRODUCTION

Today, the Western Rite Orthodox remember the Reproaches, the traditional lament of the part we all play in the Crucifixion of Christ. These verses very closely mirror the Byzantine Orthros Antiphons and the 12 Passion Gospels, and show a common root of the Orthodox liturgical practice between East and West. 

COLLECT

O God, by the passion of Christ your Son you have conquered death by death and destroyed the ancestral curse to which all mankind had fallen heir. Grant that, though we bear the image of our earthly nature, we may, through sanctification by grace, also show forth the image of our heavenly one; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for all ages of ages. Amen. 

THE REPROACHES

O My people, what have I done to thee? Or wherein have I afflicted thee? Answer Me. Because I led thee out of the land of Egypt, thou hast prepared a Cross for thy Savior.

Because I led thee out through the desert forty years: and fed thee with manna, and brought thee into a land exceeding good, thou has prepared a Cross for thy Savior.

What more ought I to have done for thee, that I have not done? I planted thee, indeed, My most beautiful vineyard: and thou has become exceeding bitter to Me: for in My thirst thou gavest Me vinegar to drink; and with a lance thou hast pierced the side of thy Savior.

For thy sake I scourged Egypt with its firstborn: and thou didst deliver Me up to be scourged.

I led thee out of Egypt having drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea: and thou to the chief priests didst deliver Me.

I opened the sea before thee: and thou with a spear didst open My side.

I went before thee in a pillar of cloud: and thou didst lead Me to the judgment hall of Pilate.

I fed thee with manna in the desert; and thou didst beat Me with blows and scourges.

I gave thee the water of salvation from the rock to drink: and thou didst give Me gall and vinegar.

For thy sake I struck the kings of the Canaanites: and thou didst strike My head with a reed.

I gave thee a royal scepter: and thou didst give My head a crown of thorns.

I exalted thee with great strength: and thou didst hang Me on the gibbet of the Cross.