THANK YOU for your interest in our Holy Week Craft Kit! We are very excited to be taking this Christ-centered creative journey together with you. Please scroll down for a tutorial on how to make today’s craft and for additional teaching resources.
At church, on Holy Thursday evening, the Orthros (Matins) service usually takes place in anticipation of the following day. So the theme mentioned on Holy Thursday evening is actually the one relevant to Holy Friday, and it is the Holy Passion of Christ. The following day, Holy Friday, is a day of mourning: Christ is taken down from the Cross and placed inside the Tomb. Some of the readings of Holy Thursday evening are repeated on Holy Friday, together with additional ones.
There is a special icon type in the Orthodox tradition relevant to the commemorations of both Holy Thursday evening and Holy Friday, and it is the Extreme Humility. This icon combines the Holy Passion, the Burial, and the Lamentations. Today’s craft is based on the icon of the Extreme Humility, and we are offering background information at the end of this page to help you discuss it with the children.
THE HOLY PASSION
Flower-framed icon-inspired scene
You will need:
- The printed scene provided in the kit
- About eight sheets of tissue paper, one of them green
- A large piece of poster board or cardboard (a cardboard box piece works fine)
- A pair of scissors
- Glue and/or tape (double-sided tape works best)
HOW TO MAKE THE CRAFT
Make the flowers
Make the flower petal circles
Start with a full sheet of tissue paper. You can stack a few sheets of tissue paper together to make more flowers at the same time. First fold the paper in half. Then fold in half again.
Fold the bottom corner up diagonally to make a triangle. Depending on the original size of your paper, there may or may not be a rectangle protruding at the top edge of the triangle. If there is a rectangle, cut it off so that only the triangle remains.
Fold the triangle in half to make a smaller triangle. Fold in half one more time.
Hold the triangle from the corner and cut off a scalloped design on the free edge.
Unfold the triangle, and your flower petal circles are ready.
Make the leaves
Start with the full sheet of green tissue paper. Fold the paper a few times. Hold the folded paper firmly and cut out the leaves all at once.
Assemble the flowers
Take one or two flower petal circles. Loosely fold in half, then in half again.
Place one or two leaves between the flower petals.
Twist and crimp the paper at the corner to hold everything in place. Open up the petals pressing down at the center with your fingers and your flower is ready!
Complete the craft
The size of the poster board or cardboard has to be larger than the icon, so when the icon is placed on it, there is a generous frame all around. Tape or glue the icon scene on the poster board or cardboard. Then tape the flowers on the frame. We have found that using double-sided tape is the quickest and cleanest way to do it.
ALTERNATIVE FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN
Making the flowers can be too complicated for younger children. You can still make a pretty, flowery-looking frame just by gluing pieces of tissue paper all around the picture.
Ready! The craft can be displayed for both Holy Thursday and Friday.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
BIBLE READING
On Holy Thursday evening, the “Twelve Gospels” are read.
The parts about the Crucifixion are:
Mark 15: 21-32, Matthew 27: 35-54, Luke 23:32-49
The parts about the Burial are:
John 19: 25-37, Mark 15: 43-47, John 19: 38-42, Matthew 27: 62-66
The Extreme Humility icon
Learn about the icon type on which this craft is based.
Extra lesson plan
“Four icons for Pascha”. Includes animation video.
Printable packet
Planner, fact sheets, worksheets, and flashcards.
Digital activities
Animated slideshow and a variety of games.
HANDS-ON TEACHING RESOURCE
Pascha fabric learning set
A colorful fabric learning set made out of soft fleece that is used like a felt board to help explore fundamental Pascha concepts and traditions.
BACKGROUND
- Great and Holy Friday, Greek Orthodox Church of America
- Holy Friday, Orthodox Church in America
This tutorial is part of the HOLY WEEK CRAFT KIT
by Orthodox Pebbles.
Special thanks to Presbytera Destinie of Ascetic Life of Motherhood for exploring our resources with her sweet little children and sharing wonderful photos with us.
Orthodox Pebbles 