On Saturday 11 May and Sunday 12 May we had services for the Third Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women.  This Sunday is so named because the appointed reading from the Holy Gospel at Divine Liturgy (Mark 15:43-16:8) gives an account of the service to our Lord Jesus Christ of the Myrrh-Bearing Women and with them Righteous Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.  Amongst the Myrrh-Bearing Women the Orthodox Church includes Mary Magdalene; Mary, the wife of Cleopas; Joanna; Salome, mother of the sons of Zebedee; Susanna; Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus; and Mary, Mother of the Apostle James.  Following the Prayer before the Amvon the prayer at the breaking of the Artos was then read.  In place of a sermon, the parish rector read aloud the Paschal Epistle of Metropolitan Hilarion.  As it was Mothers’ Day, the parish rector congratulated the mothers of the parish and, after wishing them all help from God in their maternal duties, intoned “Many Years” for them.  Flowers were them presented to Matushka Marie on behalf of the parish and pieces of the blessed Artos were given to the faithful as they venerated the Cross.