“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16)
Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate – The Church of Alexandria

St. Mary & St. Athanasius Coptic Orthodox Church
Reaching out to Somerset and Hunterdon Counties in NJ

The Annual Feast of the Resurrection

When the Sunday for the Feast of the Resurrection is determined, the Sunday before that is declared Hosanna Sunday. Then, the Church sets aside the seven weeks prior and the seven weeks after. The week in the middle is the Paschal Week of our Savior.

The seven weeks prior are a part of the Great Fast. The seven weeks after are the Holy 50 Days, or also known as the “Days of Pentecost”.

During the Great Fast, after the Church brings to memory our Lord’s teaching of how to fast, then the seven Sundays are as such:
1. The Kingdom of God is where your treasure is.
2. The Temptations
3. The Prodigal Son
4. The Samaritan Woman
5. The Man Paralyzed for 38 years.
6. The Blind Man
7. Hosanna Sunday

After the Sunday of the Resurrection,

The seven Sundays after are as such:
• 1st Sunday: The Lord Jesus is our Faith and our Recovery from doubt [John 20:19-31]
• 2nd Sunday: The Lord Jesus is the Bread of our life [John 6:35-45]
3rd Sunday: The Lord Jesus is the Water of our life [John 4: 1-42]
• 4th Sunday: The Lord Jesus is the Light of our life [John 12:35-50]
• 5th Sunday: The Lord Jesus is our Way of life [John 14:1-11]
• 6th Sunday: The Lord Jesus is the Conqueror of the world [John 16:23-33]
• 7th Sunday: The Lord Jesus is the Sender of the Holy Spirit [John 15:26-16:15].

During the Holy 50 Days, we live the resurrection. What is “living the resurrection”? Christ having resurrected, He has now become for us the following…
• The LIFE of us all
• The SALVATION of us all
• The HOPE of us all
• The HEALING of us all
• The RESURRECTION of us all