SSAB - April 3, 2026

Good day and Good Friday! Or Great Friday as they say in the Ukrainian-Greek Orthodox faith. First time here for Easter since before the pandemic.
Off to Starbucks in the morning (using up my points), the city seems pretty open.
Off to church for the afternoon service! Very different from when I was a kid.-All in English except for one song-New shroud-No clackers-Cross with thorns was there, but the boulder was not-No altar boys except for a few men picked from the congregation to carry the shroud.-Very few kids in general -We did walk outside on the sidewalk. Mom did not.
Fasted most of the day! Coffee, water and… collagen? Then realized I had collagen in the morning and that is made up of cow skin. Oops.
What’s the plan this weekend?
Two songs are:Troparion 2Straladane Mate
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Hope you have a great one!!
00:00 Good Friday Morning00:37 Back to Beijing Plans01:56 Great Friday Explained02:45 Church Then and Now04:16 Adult Baptism Ritual05:35 Fasting Slip Up07:29 Fasting and Nutrition09:16 Procession and New Shroud11:48 Sermon and Crooked Cross15:17 Hymns Language and Demographics18:33 No Clackers New Traditions19:47 Service Timing Recap20:12 Priest Style and Faith Questions21:52 Bible Origins and Lost Texts23:27 History Notes on Jesus24:39 Good Friday Shroud Rituals25:32 Growing Up in Church26:51 Who Shows Up Now27:58 Mortality and Gratitude28:31 City Open on Holiday30:50 Calendar Confusion Easter Dates33:43 Photos as Cultural Memory34:42 Travel Plans and Money Talk35:28 Wrap Up and Easter Wishes37:06 Explaining the Two Songs44:01 Final Sign Off