Holy Week and Pascha Guide

We have gathered daily activities for families to use at home to live Holy Week deeply and meaningfully. This is ideal for families with children ages 3-9. We pray this is helpful to you and your family. -The SMA Team

 

Lazarus Saturday: Here is a great activity packet from Orthodox Pebbles for ages 3-9

 

Flowery Sunday: Make palm branches and organize a procession through your home: read Matthew 21 1:11 as a family, go through your house with a candle and sing hymns of praise. Place your palm branches on your front door or around your home.

 

Holy Monday: Watch the story of Joseph (Genesis Chapters 37-50): Focus on forgiveness and complete this sequencing activity. Begin preparing your Pascha Basket, and learn more here.

 

Holy Tuesday: Read the parable of the 10 virgins, Matthew 25:1-13. Draw the parable, copy the words from the parable, and meditate on what it means for us waiting for Pascha.

 

Holy Wednesday: Read the story of Mary annotating Jesus' feet, John 12:1-8. Focus on cleaning your house in preparation for Pascha and pray for healing in the world. Work on making a basket cover using fabric paint.

 

Holy Thursday: Read the story of Jesus's Last Supper, the institution of the Holy Eucharist, and the Lord's prediction that Peter would deny Him three times. The reading ends as the Lord and his disciples leave for the Mount of Olives (Luke 22:1-39). This is a day of celebration, have a special evening meal as a family.

 

Great and Holy Friday: This is a very solemn day. In addition to fasting, you can wear black, cover up bright decorations, fast from technology, have quiet time to reflect, ...

Print these paper icons from Orthodox Pebble for Good Friday and Pascha

Print, color, sequence the Stations of the Cross

Read John 19:16-37 which recounts the story of our Lord's crucifixion.

Byzantines then focus on Christ's burial, read John 19:38-42 and Matthew 27:57-61 Create a space in your home for a "tomb"; (place a cloth over chairs (see how the sisters at Christ the Bridegroom Monastery made theirs in 2020) or make one out of salt dough, or make a paper tomb and shroud, or using this craft idea) and place an icon of Christ's body there.

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Holy Saturday: This is a day of waiting and anticipation. Finish preparing your Pascha basket, bake some traditional bread, make a tomb craft, dye eggs or learn to pysanki eggs for the next day

This is the day Christ descends to Hades

Read Matthew 20:18-19

Read Matthew 27:62-66

 

Pascha Sunday: Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Read one or all of the Gospel accounts of the Resurrection: Matthew 28:1-10, John 20:1-18,

Luke 24:1-12, Mark 16:1-13

Place a candle in the empty tomb.

Decorate your home, wear your best clothes, enjoy treats from your Pascha basket, light

candles, organize an egg hunt, print egg decoration, make a banner, have a party!

Sing: "Christ is risen from the dead, by death He trampled death (stomp your feet), and to those in the tomb He granted life"; See our video from 2019.

Greet each other with: “Christ is Risen!” and reply “Indeed He is Risen!”

Read St. John Chrysotom's Paschal Homily

Color this image of the Myrrh Bearing Women

 

Bright Monday and Tuesday: Organize a water fight!

A fun tradition in the Byzantine Church is that on Bright Monday, the men of the parish throw water on the women to remember how the apostles did not believe the women when they said Jesus was risen and on Bright Tuesday, the women get their revenge as a sign that they were correct!

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About Sophia Montessori Academy

Sophia Montessori Academy is dedicated to offering children an outstanding education where they can discover the wonder of God through the Byzantine Catholic faith, where they have the opportunity to acquire a strong love for learning, and where they can grow to their full potential through academic excellence and service using the Montessori method of education.

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Sophia Montessori Academy, is dedicated to serving children preschool through high school and families by inspiring a deep love of the Faith, to assist them in becoming problem solvers, critical thinkers, and fearless leaders. This is accomplished through a rigorous academic, classically-based curriculum following Dr. Montessori’s method of education. Our mission is to bring the children into relationship with Christ through a way of life based in Truth, Beauty, and Goodness as we lead them to their full God-given potential.

 

 

Our approach is founded on the reality of Christ as the Good Shepherd. Religious education is fostered specifically through the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and supported through Divine Liturgy and daily prayer.