Study Unit: Transfiguration

The following unit of study is planned for a one-week program of approximately 3 hour's duration. Lessons are provided for four "class" days, with one day being allotted to the celebration of the feast-day itself. No significant changes need be made to allow for the timing of the feast, i.e. whether it falls at the beginning, middle/or end of the week.
SESSION ONE
In advance: Collect magazines that contain nature subjects, such as field and stream, flower magazines or catalogs, natural history or science magazines for young people, etc., art supplies: crayons, paint, colored paper, shelf paper; and several dictionaries (preferably at different levels of comprehension).
Gather together as a group (if the group is very large, it may be divided into two age levels). Talk about summer as one of the seasons of the year. How do we know when it's summer? What are some of the signs of summer? Of fall? Of winter? Of spring? Note changes in animal, plants, temperature, light and darkness, as well as more subtle changes in temperate climates.
Put the following words on the chalkboard or on a large piece of paper; have the older children check their meanings in dictionaries:

• change
• transform
• transfigure
• metamorphosis (point out that this is the Greek word for "transfiguration")

Discuss the meanings of the words in the light of the changes noted in nature. Ask for any other examples from life that illustrate the meanings of these words.
Divide into two groups. Take the younger children for a nature walk. Look for examples of things that undergo change or transformation, e.g. seeds, eggs, dandelions, etc. Divide the older group of children into pairs and send them outside to find samples of things that undergo change or transformation. Have them come back after 20-30 minutes to show and report on their findings.
When both groups have returned, make one or more large collages on the shelf paper, illustrating the meanings of the words discussed earlier.
Note that the feast of the Transfiguration will be celebrated during this week. Ask the students if anyone can recall the story of the event. Briefly note that the event focuses on the transfiguration of Jesus - His change in appearance when He revealed His glory to His disciples. (The details of the story will be covered in the next session.)
Practice singing the troparion and kontakion for the feast of the Transfiguration.
TROPARION
Thou wast transfigured on the Mount, O Christ God,
revealing Thy glory to Thy disciples as far as they could bear it.
Let Thine everlasting light shine upon us sinners!
Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of Light, glory to Thee!
If your sessions are longer, you may check the local library in advance for science films that illustrate the concept of transformation in nature.
SESSION TWO
Today's session will focus on the biblical events that are celebrated on the feast of the Transfiguration. Have Bibles available for the older children, and Bible story books for the younger children that contain the following events:

• Jesus reveals His Glory to His disciples(Matt. 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36)
• God appears to Moses in a cloud (Exo. 24:12-18)
• God reveals himself to Moses (Exo. 33:1123, 34:4-6, 8)
• God reveals himself to Elijah (1 Kings 19:39, 11-13, 15-16)

Read together the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17:1-9. Have the children list the important elements of the story on the chalkboard: (Include the following in their own words)

• Jesus changed in appearance, i.e. His face shown as the sun, His garment became white as light.
• Moses and Elijah appeared beside Jesus Peter's words: "It is good for us to be here."
• Bright cloud and voice - "This is my beloved Son . . ."
• Disciples fell on their faces, were afraid Jesus spoke . . . was alone
• "Tell no one until the Son of Man is risen."

Bring out the icon of the Transfiguration. Have the children identify the elements in the story as they see them in the icon.
Put the following words on the chalkboard and discuss them, with the help of dictionaries:

• reveal, revelation
• show
• manifest, manifestation
• appear, appearance

Divide into three groups. Assign one of the Old Testament readings or stories to each group. Read (or listen to) the story together. Identify the most important parts of the story which tell about an appearance or manifestation of God. Decide how to dramatize or tell the story in a creative way to the other two groups. Practice the dramatizations and then present them to the entire group. When all the presentations have been made, ask the students why these stories have been chosen to be read in church on the eve of the feast of Transfiguration.
Practice singing the troparion and kontakion of the feast. Add the festal antiphons. Note during the rehearsal the words which most obviously speak about the events that have been discussed thus far.
If there is additional time, ask the children if they remember and can tell the class any other stories from the Bible which tell of a manifestation of God.

SESSION THREE
The focus of this lesson is on light. You may wish to check the public library for films on the subject.
When the children arrive, select the first third of the arrivals and have them wait in another room. After the class has assembled, bring the others in (preferably through another door, or so the rest can't see who they are) and have them participate in the following activity. (In advance) Hang a white sheet from the ceiling. Darken the room and shine a floodlight from in back of the sheet, pointed towards the sheet. Have each of the ,'mystery" children stand, one at a time, between the light and the sheet- face forward, then in profile. Let the class try to identify them. After all have been silouetted, then turn on the lights and lower the sheet. See how many were correctly identified.
Discuss the importance of light for seeing. What would the world be like if there were no sun, no light? Would it be possible to live in a world withoutany light? What is the effect on plants if there is no light?
Tell or read the story of the Blind Man (John 9:1-41). Discuss the story. What part did they like best? How
did the blind man receive his sight? How did his parents react when they found out? How did the other people react? What did Jesus mean when he said, "I'm the light of the world"? (If the group is divided, have the older students read John 1:1-14) Look up the following words and discuss their relation to the selections from John's gospel.

• light
• illumine, illuminate
• enlighten

Examine the story of the Transfiguration of Christ in all three synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Pick out the passages that speak of light or refer to it in some way. Look for references to light in the troparion, kontakion and the other festal verses.
Review the following passages from the Bible. Let the students divide into pairs or small groups and choose a passage to illustrate in a poster. (Older students may wish to design a banner made from felt or burlap, instead of a poster.)

• Gen. 1:1-5 Creation . . . light
• Ps. 104:1-2 . . . "Thou art clothed with honor and majesty, who coverest thyself with light as with a garment."
• Ps. 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my savior; whom shall I fear?"
• Ps. 89:15 "Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance . . ."

• Ps. 90:8 "Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance." Ps. 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
• John 1:4-5 "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it."

• John 3:19ff. "And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil . . .
• John 8:12 " . . . I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Supplies of crayons, marking pens, paint, colored paper, picture magazines (Time, Life, etc.) and white oak tag or light-weight poster board or railroad board should be available for the posters. Colored scraps of felt, large pieces of burlap, and white glue and yarn should be available for banners.
SESSION FOUR
(or, the session for the day immediately preceding the day of the feast of Transfiguration)
Divide the class into two groups: younger students and older students for this session.
Younger Students:
Review (or if it is the first day, draw materials from Session One) the concept of transformation or transfiguration. Relate the concept to the manner in which bread and wine are made, i.e. wheat/flour plus yeast and other ingredients becomes bread; grapes & sugar (natural or added) becomes wine after fermentation. Note that any food we eat is changed into our own flesh and blood, which is how we are able to grow. When we receive holy communion, the bread and wine not only become part of our bodies, but make us part of the Body and Blood of Christ.
Spend the remaining part of the time making the prosfora for the Divine Liturgy. When making the dough, you may wish to make a small amount without yeast, so that the students can compare and see what yeast does to make bread.
Older Students:
Examine the stikhira and aposticha verses for the feast to see what they say about Moses and Elijah, and about the crucifixion of Christ. (For guides in interpreting the texts, see pp. 131-135 in WORSHIP: An Elementary Handbook on the Orthodox Faith, by Father Thomas Hopko).
Practice singing the stikhira and aposticha verses for the Vesper service. Review other music needed for the feast.
Prepare baskets of grapes and other fruit or vegetables for distribution to the shut-ins after the Divine Liturgy. Decorate the church with flowers and other greens, set up tables for the blessing of the fruit, and complete any other preparations necessary forthe feast. (Some of the students may be needed to help the younger children prepare the prosfora.)
ON THE FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION
The summer feast can in many ways become a special feast day for children, one they will look forward to celebrating each year. The priest may wish to perform the proskomedia in their presence so that they can offer commemorations directly as he cuts the breads that they have made and offered. Having learned the special verses of the feast, the students may sing either parts or all of the service on this day. Non-singers can assist in the altar or assist people in bringing their baskets of fruit to the tables where they will be blessed.
After the service, a picnic lunch and perhaps a presentation for the parents of what they have learned would be an appropriate way to celebrate the day. Later, (or, if the distance is not great, this can be done immediately after Liturgy), the food baskets can be distributed to the shut-ins. Greeting cards made by the younger children can accompany the baskets that are delivered.