Holy Monday or Great and Holy Monday (Greek: Μεγάλη Δευτέρα, Megale Deutera) is the Monday of Holy Week, which is the week before Easter. Death and Resurrection of Jesus. It is the third day of Holy Week in Eastern Christianity, after Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, and the second day of Holy Week in Western Christianity, after Palm Sunday.
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Eastern Christianity ...
The four Gospels are divided and read in their entirety at the Little Hours (Third Hour, Sixth Hour and Ninth Hour) during the course of the first three days of Holy Week, halting at John 13:31. There are various methods of dividing the Gospels, but the most common is:
- Holy and Great Monday
- Third Hour—The first half of Matthew
- Sixth Hour—The second half of Matthew
- Ninth Hour—The first half of Mark
At the Sixth Hour there is a reading from the Book of Ezekiel 1:1-20
At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, some of the stichera from the previous night's Matins (Lauds and the Aposticha) are repeated at Lord, I have cried (see Vespers). There are two Old Testament readings: Exodus 1:1-20 and Job 1:1-12. There is no Epistle reading, but there is a Gospel reading from Matthew 24:3-35.
