Epitaphios (liturgical)
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The Epitaphios (
The Epitaphios is also a common short form of the Epitáphios Thrēnos, the "Lamentation upon the Grave" in Greek,[citation needed] which is a major part of the service of the Matins of Holy Saturday (now typically performed the evening of Good Friday).
Some Oriental Orthodox Churches also the tradition of the epitaphios,[citation needed], e.g., the Armenian Orthodox have . Their celebration on this day is called T'aghman Kark (Rite of the Burial).[citation needed]
It also exists in painted or mosaic form, on wall or panel.
Etymology
The word Epitáphios is composite, from the Greek ἐπί, epí, "on" or "upon", and τάφος, táphos, "grave" or "tomb". In Greek the word has, inter alia, the meaning of both the English epitaph and the liturgical one presented here, the latter having been acquired during the Christian period.[1][2]
Iconography
The icon depicts Christ after he has been
The image may be embroidered or painted on fabric or some other substrate, which is then mounted in a wide cloth border (burgundy is the most common colour) often edged in gold fringe. Some cloths are missing the corners of the border, to allow them to sit neatly on the holy table. Usually, the troparion of Holy Saturday is embroidered in gold letters around the edges of the icon:
- The Noble Joseph, taking down Thy most pure Body from the Tree, did wrap it in clean linen with sweet spices, and he laid it in a new tomb.
In the Late
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1599, Benaki Museum
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Ankara, 17th century, Benaki Museum)
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Epitaph of Gllavenica commissioned by Gjergj Arianiti, 1373
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Viktor Vasnetsov, 1896
Liturgical use
The Epitaphios is used on the last two days of
Vespers on Great Friday
The Deposition from the Cross. Prior to the Apokathelosis, Vespers on the afternoon of Great Friday, the priest and deacon will place the Epitaphios on the Holy Table. The priest may also anoint the Epitaphios with perfumed oil. A chalice veil and the Gospel Book is placed on top of the Epitaphios. This may be either the large Gospel Book that otherwise lies on the Holy table, or it may be a small one.
During the reading of the Gospel lesson (a concatenation compiled from selections of all four Gospels) which recounts the death and burial of Christ, an icon depicting the soma (corpus) of Christ is taken down from a cross which has been set up in the middle of the church. The soma is wrapped in a white cloth and taken into the sanctuary.
Near the end of the service, the priest and deacon, accompanied by
The faithful continue to visit the tomb and venerate the Epitaphios throughout the afternoon and evening, until
The priest may hear
Matins on Great Saturday
The Burial of Christ. During Matins, Lamentations (Greek: Ἐπιτάφιος Θρῆνος, Epitaphios Thrēnos, "Epitaphic Lamentation"; or Ἐγκώμια, Enkōmia, "praises") are sung before the Epitaphios as at the tomb of Christ, while all hold lighted candles. The verses of these Lamentations are interspersed between the verses of Psalm 118 (the chanting of this psalm forms a major part of the Orthodox funeral service as well as being a usual part of Saturday Matins). The Lamentations are divided into three sections called stáses, each commonly known by its first phrase; in Greek these are:
- First stasis: Ἡ ζωὴ ἐν τάφῳ, He zoe en taphoi, "Life in (the) tomb" or "Life in (the) grave".
- Second stasis: Ἄξιον ἐστί, Axion esti, "Worthy, it is" or "It is Truly Meet".
- Third stasis: Αἱ γενεαὶ πᾶσαι, Hai geneai pasai, "All the generations" or "Every generation".[5]
At the beginning of each stásis, the priest or deacon will perform a censing. In the Greek use, at the third and final stásis, the priest will sprinkle rosewater on the Epitaphios and the congregation, symbolising the anointing of Christ's body with spices.
Near the end of Matins, during the
In many towns where more than one parishes exist, the processions often converge to a single spot, e.g. a square, where they temporarily stop and a common Triságion is sung before they resume their routes. This is notably done on the
At the end of the procession, the Epitaphios is brought back to the church. Sometimes, after the clergy carry the Epitaphios in, they will stop just inside the entrance to the church, and hold the Epitaphios above the door, so that all who enter the church will pass under it (symbolically entering into the grave with Christ) and then kiss the Gospel Book. In Greek churches, the Epitaphios is then brought directly to the sanctuary, where it remains on the Holy Table until
Liturgy on Holy Saturday
The
In some places, the entire Liturgy takes place around the Epitaphios, with it serving as the
Midnight Office of Pascha
During the
Paschal season
During
At the end of Bright Week, the Holy Doors are closed, but the Epitaphios remains on the Holy Table for 40 days, as a reminder of Jesus' physical
Epitaphios of the Theotokos
An Epitaphios of the
The Rite of the "Burial of the Theotokos" began in Jerusalem, and from there it was carried to Russia, where it was used in the
See also
- Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (14th Station of the Cross)
- Santo Entierro, a sculpted version used in the Philippines
Notes
- Perseus Project.
- ^ "Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek, s.v. επιτάφιος" (in Greek). Center for the Greek Language.
- ^ (John 19:38–42)
- ISBN 0-85331-324-5
- ^ Side by side Greek text, approximate modern Greek pronunciation/transliteration and (free) English translation of the Encomia: "The Lamentations before the Holy Sepulchre" (PDF). www.newbyz.org.
External links
- Media related to Epitaphios at Wikimedia Commons
- Elaborately embroidered Epitaphios, 1682, originally from Ankyra (Ankara); now at Benaki Museum, Athens
- Images of the Epitaphios in use Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine
- Epitaphios lying on the Holy Table during Paschal Season
- Text of the Burial Service of the Theotokos, with image of the Epitaphios of the Theotokos and service in which it is employed
- Epitaphios of the Theotokos
- Epitaphios of the Theotokos used in Jerusalem
- Photos of Epitaphios in Athens