Fruits of Repentance: Holy Monday and the withering of the fig tree
Being frightened by the punishment of the fig tree, which withered because it did not bear fruit, O brethren, let us bring worthy fruits of repentance to Christ, who grants us His great mercy. - Aposticha of Holy Monday Orthros The Withering of the Fig Tree The observance of Holy Monday begins and ends in the evening of Palm Sunday with the Nymphios service-- the service of Bridegroom Orthros. For the duration of Holy Week, each liturgical day is pushed back by one. The Vesperal Presanctified Liturgy and Bridegroom Orthros that are celebrated on Holy Monday actually belong to Holy Tuesday, the Orthros of the 12 Passion Gospels that is celebrated in the evening on Holy Thursday actually belongs to Holy Friday, and so on. It is often said that this is an expression of our eagerness to arrive at Holy Pascha. It is likely that this liturgical time-shifting began during the period of the tourkokratia when Orthodox Christians were under the oppression of the Ottoman ...