An integral part of our Sunday School program over the past 15 years is the Holy Friday Retreat. This year approximately 120 children spent the day attending services with their parents and teachers, had an inter-active session with Father Emmanuel, broke down into small group lessons, sang hymns, and enjoyed crafts. They watched as the Kouvouklion was lovingly transformed from a plain wooden structure upon arrival to the beautifully decorated funeral bier of Jesus Christ by dismissal. They approached the Cross of Christ with great solemnity to lay a flower at His Feet. It was very moving to watch the very young, too small to kiss our Lord, be lifted up by older children. At the end of the Service of the Descent from the Cross, they reverenced the Epitafios and passed beneath it. Those who were old enough also participated in the evening Lamentations Service which was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos.
Rev. Emmanuel Pratsinakis
Saint Thomas Greek Orthodox Church
615 Mercer Street
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002
Voice: (856) 665-1731
For more on our parish life please visit us at: stthomasgoc.org/