This year Orthodox Christians worldwide will celebrate Easter on April 27. The Feast of Feasts is celebrated after several weeks of preparation including pre-Lenten Sundays, six weeks of fasting during Great Lent, and Holy Week. Today marks the end of Lent for Orthodox Christians and the beginning of Holy Week, which begins with Palm Sunday.

The liturgical services this week reveal various events during Christ’s time in Jerusalem and allow for personal participation. Palm Sunday calls to mind Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and his reception by the people. Monday and Tuesday focus on Jesus’ teaching to the disciples. On Wednesday, Orthodox Christians remember Judas’ betrayal and the anointment of Christ. Thursday marks the Last Supper. Friday remembers Jesus’ crucifixion and burial, while Saturday is the victory over death, just prior to the Sunday of resurrection.

The Eastern Orthodox churches follow a different calendar than Catholics and Protestants, which observed Holy Week and Easter about a month ago. In the Orthodox tradition, Easter always follows the Jewish observance of Passover, which begins at sundown today.

The Nymphios service is held on the evening of Palm Sunday, which begins Holy Week, and prepares Orthodox believers for services later in the week that commemorate the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.

The title of the Nymphios service refers to the scriptural metaphor of Christ as the bridegroom of the church. The distinctive feature of the service is the procession of an icon - a sacred painting - of Christ dressed in a purple robe and holding a reed, symbols of mockery given to him by the Roman soldiers who crucified him, according to the gospels. It is a dramatic service. The mood changes. The light dims when the icon comes out. Some churches have incense burning.