The Plaščanítsa (Greek: Επιτάφιος, epitaphios; Slavonic: Плащаница, plaščanítsa; Arabic: نعش, naash) is an icon embroidered and often richly adorned on a large cloth, representing a burial shroud. The plaščanitsa is used on the last two days of Holy Week in the Byzantine rite, as part of the ceremonies marking the death and resurrection of Christ.
Near the end of Matins, a solemn procession with the plaščanítsa is held, with bells ringing the funeral toll, commemorating the burial procession of Christ. In Slavic churches, the plaščanítsa is carried out of the altar in procession with candles and incense while the choir sings ‘The Noble Joseph’ (Благообрáзный Іóсифъ) and is placed in the prepared tomb (Slavonic: гробница, grobnítsa) in the middle of the church where it remains until Nocturns (Slavonic: полýнощница, polúnoščnitsa) at the Paschal Vigil on Great Saturday night.
During the last Ode of the Canon, at the words, “weep not for me, O Mother, for I shall arise…”, the priest and deacon dramatically raise the plaščanítsa, representing the dead body of Chris, from the tomb and carry it into the sanctuary, laying it upon the Holy Table, where it will remain throughout the Paschal season as a reminder of the burial cloth left in the empty tomb (John 20:5).
Plaščanitsa in Poustinia Chapel
Until my enrollment in Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Seminary, I primarily attended parishes of Carpatho-Rusyn heritage. In the “good ol’ days” from the youngest to the eldest, virtually everyone who still had semi-workable knees approached the tomb on their knees, most crawling from the very back of the nave all the way to the tomb. I used to love to watch the old Baba’s (grandmothers) upon entering the church, falling down on their knees and and walking on their knees up the center aisle and around the tomb three times while singing “Претерпѣвый за нас страсти*…” Sadly, most of the Baba’s are gone, and it’s rare to witness such acts of piety anymore.
Parishioners volunteered to sign up for a shift standing watch at the tomb, ensuring someone was always present for the entire period that the plaščanítsa lay in the tomb. The church doors were left unlocked since there were always tomb guards standing at the foot of the tomb before the Royal Doors. My preferred time to “stand guard” was in the middle of the night, usually between 2:00 am and 3:00 am.
During Bright Week (Easter Week), the Royal Doors of the sanctuary remain open as a symbol of the empty tomb of Christ. The plaščanítsa is clearly visible through the open doors, and thus symbolizes the winding sheet left in the tomb after the resurrection. At the end of Bright Week, the Holy Doors are closed, but the plaščanítsa remains on the Holy Table for forty (40) days, as a reminder of Jesus’ physical appearances to his disciples from the time of his Resurrection until his Ascension into heaven.
* “Having endured the passion for us…”
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