Resumen de Les vespres del Divendres Sant en la Tradició Litúrgica de Jerusalem i de Constantinoble
This study of the Service of Vespers for Good Friday in the traditional liturgy of Jerusalem and of Constantinople, considers three aspects: a) the structure and, particularly, the readings of this Service; b) the liturgy of the presanctified, and; c) the ceremony of the entombment of Christ. There is a double tradition, completely separate, that finally welded itself to become the celebration which we know today in Byzantine rites. In regard to the readings, in Jerusalem the story of the entombment of Christ was read (Mt 27,57-61), because al1 that relating to the Passion and His death had already been read earlier during the day of Good Friday. On the other hand, Constantinople had a harmonized evangelical reading with everything relating to the Passion, His death and entombment. This is still the current Byzantine reading. The liturgy of presanctified was applicable to Constantinople, like the other days of Lent and Holy Week, whereas in the tradition of Jerusalem it was totally unknown on this day. Following on from the Typikon of St. Sabas, Byzanto-Palestinian, the liturgy of presanctifieds was also omitted from the Byza'ntine rites. The ceremony of Christ's entombment, certainly of Palestinian origin, went through an extensive evolution, often without leaving any trace in liturgical books, until it arrived at the current ceremony in Byzantine rites, and has its place in the Orthros Service of Holy Saturday. Some special cases are also examined, for instance Good Friday in Antioch in the time of St. John Chrysostom, a special ceremony of Typikon of the Anastasis.
