Holy Week - April 14 - 19, 2025

During Holy Week, Father Aleksey held services every day, including the twelve Passion Gospels on Holy Thursday, and the Matins of Holy Saturday on Good Friday.

View from the choir loft, with Fr. Aleksey wearing a black vestment and standing in front of a lecturn while facing the iconostas. His lecturn sits in front of the center table, both of which are covered in purple cloths. There's a large candle holder, with at least a dozen candles on it between the lecturn and table. The carpeting is red, and a few parishioners in pews are visible on the left and right edges of the frame. This photo was taken from a position located above the left-hand-side pews, almost looking over Fr. Aleksey's left shoulder.

View from the choir loft, with Fr. Aleksey wearing a black vestment and standing in front of a lecturn while facing the iconostas. His lecturn sits in front of the center table, both of which are covered in purple cloths. There's a large candle holder, with at least a dozen candles on it between the lecturn and table. The carpeting is red, and a few parishioners in pews are visible on the left and right edges of the frame. This photo was taken from directly behind Fr. Aleksey.

Father Aleksey is standing in the archway of the open Royal Doors with his head down as he reads from a book. He is facing the congregation, and there are flowers and a wooden cross in the lower left corner. The cross appears to be about two feet tall.

Four men outside, carrying the Epitaphios (a large, embroidered and often richly adorned cloth, bearing an image of the dead body of Christ) in a procession around the church. The view is from behind the men, and Fr. Aleksey is walking in the middle, under the Epitaphios, but at the moment, is mostly between the two men in back. The man at the front left is only slightly visible.

Procession of parishioners walking under the Epitaphios as they re-enter the church, at the end of the procession. Part of one of the wooden doors is visible in the upper right, and neighborhood houses and cars fill the background.

More parishioners are walking under the Epitaphios as they re-enter the church, at the end of the procession. Part of one of the wooden doors is visible in the upper right, and neighborhood houses and cars fill the background.

More parishioners are walking under the Epitaphios as they re-enter the church, at the end of the procession. Part of one of the wooden doors is visible in the upper right, and neighborhood houses and cars fill the background.

More parishioners are walking under the Epitaphios as they re-enter the church, at the end of the procession. Part of one of the wooden doors is visible in the upper right, and neighborhood houses and cars fill the background. A man along the right edge of the frame is carrying a large, wooden cross. It's the same cross that was on the center table in an earlier photo, and it appears to be a bit taller than two feet. Perhaps three?

Four men re-entering the church as they carry the Epitaphios (as mentioned earlier, it's a large, embroidered and often richly adorned cloth, bearing an image of the dead body of Christ). Fr. Aleksey is holding a large bible and is standing beneath the Epitaphios. He and the man located at front left are looking up to verify that the Epitaphios will clear the doorway, while the man at front right glances at the camera.

The four men and Fr. Aleksey are placing the Epitaphios back onto the tomb, which is located where the center table normally sits. The tomb is surrounded by flowers. Part of another person in a white shirt is visible in the lower right corner.

Wearing a black vestment, Fr. Aleksey stands at the front left corner of the tomb, and he's facing the congregation. Some pews are seen in the lower left portion of the frame with two people seated. There's also a video camera on a tripod in front of Fr. Aleksey; the camera is live-streaming the service. There are flowers around the tomb, and a large wooden cross (about three feet tall?) at the back of the flowers.

A close-up of the tomb, surrounded by flowers, with a large wooden cross behind the flowers. The iconostasis i picture in the background, and there are purple curtains across the archway of, and behind, the closed Royal Doors.

View of the tomb from the left side of the church. Fr. Aleksey is standing in front of the tomb, facing left, towards the iconostas, and he's reading from a prayer book. Light is streaming into the church through the stained glass windows in the background.

A medium shot of Fr. Aleksey standing in front of the tomb. His head is down as he looks at a bible in his hands, and he's facing the congregation. He's now wearing a white vestment. Some pews and a video camera on a tripod appear in the lower left, and the iconostas is in the background. Flowers surround the tomb, and there's a large wooden cross behind the flowers. This photo is much brighter than the others.

Another medium shot of Fr. Aleksey standing in front of the tomb, but this one was taken from the choir. He's facing the congregation and holding the Royal Gifts and he has his head down in prayer. He's wearing a white vestment, and a man in a green shirt is standing about five feet in front of him and is holding a candle. Some pews and a video camera on a tripod appear in the lower left, and a tall cross and part of a pew are along the right edge, with the iconostas is in the background. Flowers surround the tomb, and there's a large wooden cross behind the flowers. This photo is also very bright, and there are beams of light streaming from the chandelier at the top, about a third of the way in, and leading to the middle left of the frame.

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