Feast eve

Annunciation feast

Fooled by the weather again. It looked so promising with the hot weather the past 2 days ... and then today it dropped by 10 degrees. The wind is blustery and extremely cold ... and it should rain tonight. Winter clothes are back ... blankets are back ... woollen beanies are back. The worst part is the sandstorm is still blowing so it's a double pronged attack. Many people are sniffling and coughing because of this strange mixture of weather.

This afternoon I went to the Holy Sepulchre and joined in chanting solemn vespers for the feast of the Annunciation. There was incensing in the Empty Tomb as well because of the solemnity. And the organ was played. Very grand.

Solemn procession to the Tomb

It just occurred to me that Holy Week starts in 3 days! Wow ... I'm hardly prepared for it. The Jewish Passover coincides with Palm Sunday and the last day of the jewish feast coincides with Holy Saturday. I hope there'll be no lockdown. Anyway it won't bother me as I'm not inoculated so I can't join in church celebrations with more than 20 people.

Anyway I prayed for you all inside the Empty Tomb. May Easter bring a new beginning for everyone ... beginning with the end of the pandemic. We pray for it everyday at vespers.