Transfiguration
The Feast of the
Transfiguration is one of the twelve Great Feasts
in the liturgical year of the Eastern Orthodox Church and is observed by it on
August 6. The Transfiguration falls during the Dormition Lent,
but fish, wine and oil are allowed to be consumed on this day in recognition of
the feast.
Jesus Christ, in speaking to His disciples, often told them
that He was to go to Jerusalem to receive suffering at the hands of the high
priests and the teachers of the Law, that he was to be killed and to be
resurrected on the third day. The apostles believed that Jesus was the long
awaited Messiah, but they were deeply distressed at the thought of His
suffering and could not bear to hear that He, the Son of God and the Messiah,
would be degraded, would suffer, and would die. The disciples still had earthly
hopes about the glory of the Saviour. They hoped that Jesus would free
To
strengthen their faith for the time when they would see Him suffering and to
take their minds off earthly thoughts, Jesus Christ showed His disciples His
Divine glory. Not long before His suffering, Jesus took three of His disciples
- Peter, James, and John - and led them up a high mountain, Tabor, to pray.
Walking a little distance from them, He began to pray while the exhausted
disciples fell asleep. When they awoke, they saw their Teacher transfigured:
His face shone like the sun, and His clothing was white as snow and glittering
like light. And standing with Jesus were two prophets - Moses and Elijah - who appeared in their heavenly
glory to talk with Jesus about how He would soon fulfil God's purpose by
suffering and dying in
"When
they awakened, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him. And it
came to pass as they departed from Him, Peter said unto Jesus, 'Master, it is
good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for Thee, and
one for Moses, and one for Elijah' - not knowing what he was saying" (Luke
Troparion of the Transfiguration in Tone Seven
You were transfigured on the mount, 0 Christ God, revealing Your glory
to Your disciples as far as they could bear it. Let your everlasting light
shine upon us sinners! Through the prayers of the Theotokos, 0 Giver of Light,
glory to You
Kontakion of the Transfiguration in Tone Seven
On the mountain where You
transfigured, 0 Christ God, and Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they
could see it; so that when they would behold You crucified, they would
understand that Your suffering was voluntary, and would proclaim to the world
that You are truly the Radiance of the Father
