But God knows, my lady sisters, that the voices of the faithful who enter to listen to the catechesis are louder—at those things which are said or expounded by the bishop—than when he sits and preaches in church on each particular point that is thus expounded. And when the dismissal of the catechesis has been made, now at the third hour, immediately from there the bishop is led with hymns to the Anastasis, and the dismissal is held at the third hour; and so for three hours a day they are taught throughout seven weeks. In the eighth week of Lent, however, that is, the one which is called the Great Week, there is no longer leisure for them to be taught, so that those things which are described above may be completed. 5.
But when now the seven weeks have passed, there remains that one paschal week, which here they call the Great Week; then the bishop comes in the morning to the major church at the Martyrium. Behind, in the apse beyond the altar, a chair is set for the bishop, and there they go forward one by one, a man with his father (sponsor) or a woman with her mother, and they render back the Creed to the bishop. 6. And when the Creed has been rendered back to the bishop, the bishop addresses them all and says: 'Throughout these seven weeks you have been instructed in all the law of the Scriptures, and you have also heard about the faith; you have also heard about the resurrection of the flesh, and also the whole meaning of the Creed, as far as you, being still catechumens, were able to hear:
but the words which belong to a higher mystery, that is, of baptism itself, you cannot hear because you are still catechumens. And lest you think anything is done without reason, when you have been baptized in the name of God, throughout the eight paschal days, after the dismissal has been made from the church in the Anastasis, you shall hear: for, while you are still catechumens, the more secret mysteries of God cannot be told to you.' 47. 1. But after the days of Easter have come, throughout those eight days, that is, from Easter until the octave, as soon as the dismissal has been made from the church and the people go with hymns to the Anastasis, soon prayer is made, the faithful are blessed, and the bishop stands leaning on the inner rail which is in the cave of the Anastasis, and expounds all the things that are done in baptism. 2.
For at that hour no catechumen approaches the Anastasis; only the neophytes and the faithful who wish to hear the mysteries enter the Anastasis. The doors, moreover, are shut, lest any catechumen should make his way in. And while the bishop discusses and relates each point, so great are the voices of those who applaud that their voices are heard even outside the church. For truly he so unfolds all the mysteries that no one can fail to be moved at the things which he hears thus expounded. 3. And since in that province part of the people knows both Greek and Syriac, another part also Greek by itself, and yet another part only Syriac—therefore, since the bishop, although he knows Syriac, nevertheless always speaks in Greek and never in Syriac:
therefore there always stands a presbyter who, while the bishop speaks in Greek, interprets into Syriac, so that all may hear the things that are expounded. 4. The readings too, whatever are read in church—because it is necessary that they be read in Greek—there always stands one who interprets into Syriac for the sake of the people, so that they may always learn. And indeed, whatever Latins are here, that is, those who know neither Syriac nor Greek, lest they be saddened, it is expounded to them too, because there are other brothers and sisters who are Greek-Latins, who expound it to them in Latin. 5.
But here, above all things, this is very pleasing and very admirable: that always the hymns, the antiphons, the readings, and also the prayers which the bishop says have such utterances as are always suited and fitting both to the day which is being celebrated and to the place in which they are held. 48. 1. Likewise, those days are called the days of the Dedication (encaenia), when the holy church which is at Golgotha, which they call the Martyrium, was consecrated to God; and also the holy church which is at the Anastasis, that is, in that place where the Lord rose again after the Passion—on that day this one too was consecrated to God. Therefore the dedication of these holy churches is celebrated with the highest honor, since the cross of the Lord was found on that same day. 2.
And therefore, for this reason, it was so ordained that when the above-mentioned holy churches were first consecrated, the day should be the one on which the cross of the Lord had been found, so that both might be celebrated together with all joy on the same day. And this is found through the Holy Scriptures, that this is the day of the Dedication on which holy Solomon also, the house of God being completed which he had built, stood before the altar of God and prayed, as it is written in the books of Chronicles. 49. 1. When therefore these days of the Dedication come, they are observed for eight days.
For many days beforehand the crowds begin to gather from all sides, not only of monks or aputactitae from various provinces—that is, both from Mesopotamia and Syria and from Egypt or the Thebaid, where there are very many solitaries (monazontes)—but also from all the various places and provinces; for there is no one who does not strive to be in Jerusalem on that day for so great a joy and for days so honorable; and the laity, both men and women, with faithful heart, on account of the holy day, likewise gather to Jerusalem from all the provinces on those same days. 2. Of bishops, moreover, even when they are few, there are on those days more than forty or fifty in Jerusalem; and with them come many of their clergy.
And (what need of more?) he thinks himself to have incurred the greatest sin who, on those days, has not been present at so great a solemnity—provided, that is, that no adverse necessity has hindered him, which keeps a person back from a good intention. 3. On these days of the Dedication, then, the same adornment of all the churches is used as at Easter or at Epiphany, and likewise on each day the procession goes to the various holy places, as at Easter or Epiphany. For on the first and second day the procession goes to the major church, which is called the Martyrium. Likewise on the third day to Eleona, that is, to the church which is on that very mount from which the Lord ascended into heaven after the Passion, within which church is that cave in which the Lord used to teach the apostles on the Mount of Olives.