We are pleased to announce the Passia Service Book is now BACK IN PRINT!
This beautiful service book, compiled and edited by Deacon Nectarios Yangson, Guardian of the Wonderworking Iveron Icon, is published by the Orthodox Hawaiian Iveron Icon Association (OHIIA), with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan HILARION of New York.
The Passia Service or “The Divine Passion of Christ” is the most recent service to arise in the ancient Eastern Orthodox Church. The Passia (Greek for "suffering") was compiled in the 17th century by the Blessed Peter (Mogila), Metropolitan of Kiev.
Since it’s introduction, it has become one of the most beloved Orthodox Lenten services all throughout the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Passia reminds us of the bountiful sufferings of Our Lord Jesus Christ during his trial, torture and execution on the Cross. During the service, we hear several heart-wrenching chants from the services of Great and Holy Friday. We are reminded of Our Lord’s suffering and death in the hymns, “Come let us bless Joseph of eternal memory...” and “Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the Cross...” are chanted during the veneration of the Holy Cross. At the reading of the Gospel, during the prokeimenon, we are reminded of the Lord’s mockery by the soldiers, “They parted my garments amongst them, and for my raiment they cast lots.” These beautiful hymns of the Church lead us toward both the physical and inward Golgotha, reminding us of Our Lord’s Crucifixion in the flesh, and our own spiritual crucifixion.
The Passia service, occurs four times each year pertaining to the number of Evangelists, it is celebrated on the second, third, fourth, and fifth Sunday evenings of Great Lent. Older customs prescribe the Passia to be celebrated with Compline on Fridays of Great Lent, as celebrated at Novo Diveevo. The original structure of this service was in it’s form very simplified, yet due to the piety of the faithful, the Gospels along with an Akathist to the Passion of Christ were later added.
We present this humble undertaking with love and aloha.
Binding is stitched so as to lay flat, inner pages are printed on glossy archival print paper. Trim size is 5.5 x 8.5, with 72 pages. $15.