The Third Bridegroom Service of the Matins for Holy Wednesday, April 14, 2025, was held at Kimisis tis Theotokou Church in Brooklyn, New York with Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presiding alongside parish priest V. Rev. Damaskinos V. Ganas. The eloquent poetry of the Hymn of Kassiani, beautifully chanted by the psaltes, is chanted on Holy Tuesday evening each year.
This service invites the faithful to focus their attention on two figures: the sinful woman who anointed the head of Jesus shortly before the passion (Matthew 26:6-13), and Judas, the disciple who betrayed the Lord. The former acknowledged Jesus as Lord, while the latter severed himself from the Master. The one was set free, while the other became a slave. The one inherited the kingdom, while the other fell into perdition. These two people bring before us concerns and issues related to freedom, sin, hell and repentance.
The repentance of the sinful harlot is contrasted with the tragic fall of the chosen disciple. The Triodion makes it clear that Judas perished not simply because he betrayed his Master but because, having fallen into the sin of betrayal, he then refused to believe in the possibility of forgiveness. If we deplore the actions of Judas, we do so not with vindictive self-righteousness but conscious always of our own guilt. In general, all the passages in the Triodion that seem to be directed against the Jews should be understood in this same way. When the Triodion denounces those who rejected Christ and delivered Him to death, we recognize that these words apply not only to others, but to ourselves: for have we not betrayed the Savior many times in our hearts and crucified Him anew? Read more about the Services of the Bridegroom.
In his homily, Archbishop Elpidophoros reminded the parishioners of the significance of the Hymn saying, “As we chant in the Hymn of Kassiani, where it says of the Woman who had fallen into many sins: τὴν σὴν αἰσθομένη Θεότητα, μυροφόρου ἀναλαβοῦσα τάξιν…‘sensing Your Divinity, she took upon herself the rank of a Myrrh-Bearer…’ She sensed the Divinity of the Lord in spite of her sinfulness. She approached the Lord, standing behind Him like a servant. She wept upon His feet and dried them with her hair. And then, taking an alabaster jar of very costly myrrh, she broke the jar, and anointed the feet of the Lord… Her offering was so great, so costly, that the Disciples were offended and asked the Lord: ‘εἰς τί ἡ ἀπώλεια αὓτη – why this waste?’ They even justified their outrage by invoking the cause of the poor. But the Woman remained silent, never uttering a word of defense for her actions. She left her defense to Christ and to Christ alone. What an example she is to every one of us! Thus, while the Disciples berated her for her act of generosity, the Lord rewarded her and commended her ‘good deed.’”
Photo: Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos
