Introduction
to the Divine Liturgy -
by: Father George Papadeas
Reproduced by Permission - Downloads for private use only.
As
a Priest of the Church approaching on four decades, I long have
believed, that the underlying true reason that many Orthodox do not
regularly and conscientiously participate in the Divine Liturgy is, because
of the fact that they never took time to really acquaint themselves with
this Supreme Service instituted by the Lord Himself. Consequently,
each of
these tends to justify his or her absence from the Sunday Pew; and most
of
the excuses center around the lack of knowledge of the Greek used in the
Divine Liturgy.
We really deprive ourselves of the greatest spiritual comfort we could
possibly receive, by not participating in the Divine Liturgy faithfully,
regularly and with true knowledge of its content.
For this reason, aside from publishing the Liturgy bilingually, which has
been done by many, I attempted to give a commentary of the Liturgy in
laymen's language. It is important for your spiritual growth to become
familiar with the Divine Liturgy in its every expression, to live it and
to
be uplifted by it.
The Divine Liturgy concerns itself with all that has to do with our true
life upon this Earth, as well as all the hopes we base in our future life
in Heaven.
We must never forget that in every Divine Liturgy Christ is truly present.
He is the One that offers and is offered. The Liturgy is founded
on the
Scriptures and in all the prayers it quotes directly from the Bible.
Consequently the Liturgy teaches us the fundamentals of our Faith; (i.e.,
the dogma regarding the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation of the Lord and His
work and Sacrifice for our Salvation, His glorious Resurrection, His
Ascension and His place on the right hand of the Father in Heaven, and
His
glorious second Coming to judge the living and the dead.)
The Divine Liturgy is the most eloquent Sermon that could be preached,
and
brings us into complete unity with God through the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist, in which the Faithful receive the very Body and Blood of Christ.
For this reason it is of no benefit if we leave home Sunday morning to
go
to Church simply to hear the Divine Liturgy and witness the proceedings.
The Divine Liturgy is not a performance. It does not want spectators.
It
requests participants, as was the most ancient tradition. Our forefathers
regularly brought the Oblation loaves, the wine, the water, the incense,
the candles, the olive oil as a token of their true participation. More
important than these, was the participation of the Faithful in the
responses and hymns of the Divine Liturgy.
To this life-giving and most inspiring tradition we must return, to
recapture the ageless beauty of the Liturgy.
Learn the meaning of all parts of the Liturgy from the commentary of the
following pages. Participate in the singing and without fail loudly
confess your faith with the Priest during the recitation of the Creed.
Unite yourself in prayer again loudly with the "Our Father, Who art
in
Heaven...", and above all prepare through prayer, fasting and confession
to
receive Holy Communion, as an act of supreme devotion, perhaps on the first
Sunday of every month. Only then will you truly feel uplifted. Our
churching must be absolved from the routine, to which we have condemned
it.
For your greater participation seek out the Hymns of the particular Sunday,
the Epistle reading and the Gospel Lesson. In a separate section
of this
book, I have included the responses and the Hymns set to music by the
renowned composer John Sakellarides, professor of Byzantine Music. While
other music may be used in your Parish, it is well to learn the hymns which
include phonetics. Chant them with your family at home during the
hour of
devotions.
I pray that these thoughts find fertile land in the hearts of all our
constituents.
Father
George Papadeas
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"One is Holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father,
Amen."
A
COMMENTARY ON THE DIVINE LITURGY
The Divine Liturgy is divided into three parts:
1. The "Proskomidi", or preparation
of the Holy Gifts.
(Not visible to the Faithful).
2. The "Liturgy of the Catechumens",
(the
students, or learners of the Faith).
3. The "Liturgy of the Faithful",
(Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.)
Before we offer explanations of these three (3) parts, the "Proskomidi",
the "Liturgy of the Catechumens" and the "Liturgy of the
Faithful", let us
see upon what style a Church is built, how it is divided and what is
contained therein.
The usual shape of a Church is rectangular, in the form of a ship. The
symbolism of the ship is, that the Christians are aboard, with our Lord
Jesus at the helm, ultimately heading for the port of salvation. This
rectangular shape is called a Basilica, whose main feature is the long
rows
of columns, supporting porches. This architecture is the most ancient
in
the Christian Church. The Church traditionally faced East, because:
1. light comes from the East,
2. the Garden of Eden was located in the East,
3. the source of our Christian Faith is from
the East.
Justinian the Great in 532 A.D. brings to light another type of
architecture with the construction of the Saint Sophia Cathedral in
Constantinople. This Cathedral became the prototype of the Eastern
Christian Churches and of many in the West. This style came to be
known as
Byzantine and is characteristicly Greek Orthodox.
The Byzantine Church edifice is built in the form of an equilateral cross,
with a dome crowning in the center. The symbolism of the cross is
that the
Christians are saved through the Blood of our Lord Jesus, who was crucified
for our salvation upon the Cross, and the dome typifies the infinity of
Heaven.
The Church is divided into three main parts:
1. The Narthex or Vestibule.
2. The Church proper, or Nave (from the Greek word
"Naus", meaning
ship.)
3. The Sanctuary.
In each of these parts belonged one of three classes:
1. The Catechumens' (learners of the Christian Faith
not baptized)
place was in the Narthex, as it was also for those Christians going through
Penance.
2. The Faithful Christians occupied the Church proper.
3. The Clergy were the only ones permitted in the
Sanctuary.
The Church proper is separated from the Sanctuary by the Iconostasion,
which has a large central Door, and two smaller doors on either side.
The
Iconostasion is adorned with Holy Icons. Facing the Holy Altar we
see to
the right of the Central Door, the Icon of our Lord Jesus Christ; beside
our Lord is St. John the Baptist and to the right of St. John is the
Archangel Gabriel.
To the left of the central Door we see the Icon of the Virgin Mary holding
the Christ Child; next, on the left, is the Icon of the Patron Saint of
the
particular Church; (by recognizing the Saint or Saints in this position
we
establish the name of the Church, without having to be told. In our
Church
in Atlanta, is the Annunciation Icon.) On the left side of this Icon
is
the Icon of the Archangel Michael. To the right or the left of these
six
Icons, which are standard in the Orthodox Church, we add other Icons by
choice, if there is room.
The open space between the Pews and the Iconostasion is called Soleas,
which usually is elevated. In this space all the litanies and processions
and Sacraments are performed.
In the Church proper, or Nave, we notice:
1. Candle and offering tables.
2. Proskynetarion (shrine with Icon which we kiss after
lighting our
candle and before going to our pew.)
3. Pews for the faithful.
4. Pulpit, from which the Deacon reads the Gospel, and the
Sermon is
preached.
5. Cleros. The place on the right where the Chanters
and Readers
stand.
6. The Bishop's Throne, used by the Hierarchy.
The Sanctuary, as we mentioned, is separated from the Church proper by
the
Iconostasion, or Altar Screen. No layman is permitted inside the
Sanctuary
unless he has a special office given to him by the Bishop, such as Acolytes
or Readers.
In the Sanctuary we have in the center the Altar Table upon which we
notice:
1. The "Artoforion", or Tabernacle, in which is
contained the Blessed
Sacrament or Host. This Host is prepared once annually during the
Day of
the institution of the Sacrament, Holy Thursday. The Host, which
is Holy
Communion is deposited in the Artoforion for all emergencies, for people
to
receive when there is no time to celebrate the complete Liturgy. Because
the Lord is fully present in the Tabernacle we must always bless ourselves
and bow every time we cross the middle aisle.
2. The Golden Book of the Gospels, from which the Deacon
or Priest
reads the Gospel Lesson of the day.
3. The Antiminsion, or imprinted Cloth depicting the Burial
of the Lord
and in which are contained Relics of a Saint. This Antiminsion is
unfolded
at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Faithful and without it the Liturgy
cannot be celebrated.
4. The Blessing Cross, which the Priest uses for blessing
the
Congregation.
5. The Prayer Book, from which the Priest reads the Prayers
of the
Divine Liturgy.
6. The Eternal Vigil Light or lamp, which burns olive oil
and is always
lit in front of or on top of the Artoforion.
7. The Candle Sticks which are used for adornment of the
Altar Table.
To the left of the Altar Table, and against, or built into the wall we
notice the PROTHESIS, or OBLATION table, where the Holy Utensils are kept
for preparation of every Liturgy. They are:
1. The Holy Chalice.
2. The Holy Diskarion, or Paten.
3. The Communion spoon.
4. The Lance used to cut the parts of the PROSFORON (oblation
bread).
(The lance reminds us of the spear,
with which the soldier pierced
our Lord's side.)
5. The Cruets, or small bottles containing wine and water.
6. The Communion cloth.
7. The 2 Veils for the Chalice and Paten, as well as the
Cover for
both, called "Aera."
Back of the Altar Table we see the large Crucifix which is used on the
day
of the Passion.
Also we see the "Hexapteryga" or fans representing the six-winged
Angels,
which surround the Glory of God. These with the matching Cross are
used by
the Altar Boys in processions.
The Narthex, which in days of old had a specific function, now is no more
than a vestibule which prepares us for pious entry into the Church. For
practical reasons in many Churches we see the candle-stands and the
offering plates as well as the "proskynetarion" or icon-veneration
stand in
the Narthex.
PREPARATION OF THE CELEBRANT PRIEST
Before the "Orthros" or Matins (morning prayer), the Priest prepares
himself for the Divine Liturgy by special prayers recited outside the
Iconostasion (Altar Screen) before the Royal Doors. After paying
his
respects by kissing the Holy Icons of the Iconostasion, he enters the
Sanctuary through the North Door saying:
"I will enter Thy House, and in Thy fear, I will worship
toward Thy Holy
Temple."
HOLY VESTMENTS
Having entered the Sanctuary, the Priest wears his Vestments. For
each of
the five (5) pieces he recites a special prayer as follows:
1. STICHARION: (The Sticharion is the inner garment,
reaching to the
floor. It signifies the purity of heart, that should be inseparable
from
the Priestly Office.)
"My soul shall exalt in the Lord, for He has endued me with
the robe of
salvation, and with the garment of joy has He clothed me.
He has set a
crown on my head like a bridegroom, and like a bride He
has adorned me
with comeliness." (Isaiah Chapter 61, Verse 10)
2. EPITRACHELION: (The Epitrachelion (stole:
meaning
"on the neck")
signifies the outpouring of Grace from Above on the Priest. It also
symbolizes the Cross carried by our Lord upon His shoulders.)
"Blessed is God, Who pours His grace on His Priests, like
the balm on
the head, that ran down the beard, even Aaron's beard, down
to the
skirts of his garment." (Psalm 133, Verse 2)
3. ZONI: (Belt) The Zoni is worn over the
Sticharion and Epitrachelion.
This girding shows a Priest's readiness for service and the strength he
receives from the Holy Spirit to succeed in his mission.
"Blessed is God Who girds me with strength, and makes my
way perfect."
(Psalm 133, Verse 2)
4. EPIMANIKA: (2 Pieces - Cuffs) The Epimanika
symbolize the creativeness
and omnipotence of God.
(Wearing first Epimanika - right cuff)
"Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength. Thy
right hand, O
Lord, hast shattered the enemy, and through the multitude
of Thy glory
Thou hast crushed Thine adversaries." (Exodus
Chapter 15, Verses 6-7)
(Wearing second Epimanika - left cuff)
"Thy hands have made me and moulded me; given me understanding,
and I
will learn Thy Commandments." (Psalm 119, Verse
73)
5. PHELONION: (Chasuble - The outer vestment in
form of cape) The
Phelonion signifies the crimson Robe, which our Lord Jesus wore.
"Let Thy Priest be clothed with righteousness; and let Thy
Saints shout
for joy, always, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.
Amen"
(Psalm 132, Verse 9)
Preparing to wear each of these parts of his Vestments, the Priest blesses
them with the sign of the cross and kisses them. He then washes his
hands
to signify his cleanliness, reciting:
"I will wash my hands among the innocent, and so will I go
round Thine
Altar, O Lord." (Psalm 26, Verse 6)
Thus he is prepared for the Divine Liturgy.
Part
I.
The PROSKOMIDI, or OFFICE of the OBLATION
The Priest, fully vested proceeds to the Table of Preparation called
"PROTHESIS" of "PROSKOMIDI." The Prothesis Table
is always located inside
the Sanctuary and usually on the wall to the left of the Altar Table.
The
PROSKOMIDI is the preparation of the Holy Gifts, the Bread and Wine for
the
Divine Liturgy. (The Prothesis depicts the birthplace of our Lord
Jesus.)
The Priest, using a Lance (signifying the lance used by the guard to pierce
our Lord's side when on the Cross), cuts the center square of the PROSFORON
(bread) or Oblation Loaf, and recites the Prophet Isaiah's words:
"He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb
before the
shearer is dumb, He opens not his mouth. In his humiliation
justice
was denied Him. Who shall declare His generation?
For His life is
raised from the earth." (Isaiah, Chapter 53,
Verses 7-8)
[The Priest elevates the "Prosforon" or Oblation Loaf
to commence the
"Proskomidi". In his right hand he holds the Lance.]
Placing the square, face down on the DISKARION (Platen, Dish), the Priest
carves crosswise without cutting the segments through and says:
"Sacrified is the Lamb of God, the Son of the Father, Who
takes away the
sin of the world for the life of the world and for its salvation."
(John, Chapter 1, Verse 29; I John, Chapter 2, Verse
2)
As a reminder of how a soldier pierced His side, the Priest thrusts the
lance into the face of the square of bread reciting:
"And one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and
immediately
there came out blood and water. And he who saw it
(Saint John) bore
witness and his witness is true." (John, Chapter
19, Verses 34-35)
Saying this, the Priest pours into the Holy Chalice wine and water, since
the Bible states that blood and water ran down His side when He was pierced
by the spear of a soldier. The Priest blesses the Chalice and recites:
"Blessed is the union of the Holy, now and for ever, and
from all Ages
to all Ages."
A triangular form of bread, is then carved from the left side to the
square, and placed on the left of the "AMNOS" OR Host on the
DISKARION
(Paten). This is in honor and memory of the blessed Mother of God,
and
ever-Virgin Mary. The prophetic words recited are:
"On Thy right hand stood the Queen, arrayed in gold in wrought
with many
colors." (Psalm 45, Verse 9)
From the right to the opening of the center of the Bread 9 pieces are
removed and placed on the right of the Host on the DISKARION. Those
are in
honor and memory of:
1) the Archangels and Bodiless Powers,
2) Saint John the Baptist and the Prophets,
3) the Apostles,
4) the Holy Fathers and Prelates,
5) the Holy Martyrs,
6) the Holy, God-bearing Fathers and Mothers,
7) the wonder-working and unmercenary Doctors (Anargyroi),
8) Saints Joachim and Anna,
9) Saint John the Chrysostom or Saint Basil the Great,
depending on whose Liturgy is being celebrated on the particular day.
Cutting other smaller particles of bread, the Priest prays for and
commemorates the Orthodox Patriarchs Bishops and Rulers, and all names
of
the living, given to the Priest by the faithful.
Then he prays for the departed rulers and clergy and any names of our
beloved submitted to him.
Lastly, he removes a small piece for himself, begging for the forgiveness
of his sins. All these particles are placed below the Host on the
Diskarion.
The Priest then uses the Censer saying:
"To Thee, O Lord, we offer incense as a scent of spiritual
fragrance;
accept it at Thy Heavenly Altar and send down upon us in
return, the
Grace of the Holy Spirit."
Taking the ASTERISK, shaped in a cross, which will protect the pieces of
bread from the veil used to cover the Diskarion, the Priest places it on
the Diskarion saying:
"And the star came and stood over the place where the young
child was."
(Matthew, Chapter 2, Verse 9)
(The Asterisk symbolizes the star.)
Placing the veil (Kalymma) over the DISKARION on top of the ASTERISK, the
Priest says:
"The Lord hath reigned, He hath clothed Himself with majesty;
the Lord
hath clothed Himself with might, and hath girded Himself."
(Psalm 93, Verse 1)
Placing the second veil over the Chalice, he says:
"Thy virtue hath covered the Heavens, O Christ, and the earth
is full of
Thy praise."
After this, the Priest takes the large veil called "AERA" and
places it
over both the DISKARION and CHALICE and recites:
"Shelter us in the shelter of Thy wings; drive away from
us every enemy
and foe; make our life peaceful; O Lord, have mercy on us
and on Thy
world, and save our souls, for Thou art good and lovest
mankind."
The Priest continues with the Prayer:
"Blessed is our God, Who has thus willed, now and for ever,
and from all
Ages to all Ages."
"For this Holy Oblation let us pray to the Lord. Lord
have mercy."
PRAYER
OF THE PROTHESIS
"O God our God, Who has sent the Heavenly Bread, the Food
of the whole
world, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, as our Saviour, Redeemer
and
Benefactor to bless and sanctify us, bless Thou this offering
and
accept it on Thy Heavenly Altar. Remember those who
have offered it,
and those for whom it is offered, as Thou art good and the
lover of
all, and keep us uncondemned in the celebration of Thy Divine
Mysteries; for sanctified and glorified is Thy most honourable
and
majestic Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit;
now and for ever and from all Ages to all Ages. Amen."
CLOSING
PRAYER OF THE PROTHESIS
"Glory to Thee, O Christ our God and our Hope, Glory to Thee.
May He,
Who was born in a cave and lay in a manger for our salvation,
Christ
our true God, through the intercessions of His all-immaculate
and
all-blameless Mother and of all the Saints, have mercy on
us and save
us, for as much as He is good and loveth mankind."
"Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord, Jesus Christ,
our God,
have mercy on us and save us. Amen."
---- Here ends the PROTHESIS ----
The PROTHESIS or preparation, although not seen by the Faithful, is the
FIRST part of the Divine Liturgy. The visible part of the Liturgy
commences with the "Liturgy of the Catechumens" as we shall see.
Part II.
The Liturgy of the Catechumens
The Priest fully vested and having prepared the Proskomidi comes before
the
Holy Altar and during the Great Doxology he recites certain preparatory
prayers before commencing the Divine Liturgy.
When the Doxology has been sung, the Priest blesses himself, and bows very
deeply repeating three times:
"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will
toward men."
and twice he says:
"O Lord, open Thou our lips, and my mouth shall proclaim
Thy praise."
Then taking the Golden Book of the Gospels he raises it and making with
it
the sign of the cross he chants the opening words of the Divine Liturgy:
"Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy
Spirit, now and for ever, and from all Ages to all Ages."
The Choir responds readily, "Amen." Yes, so be it,
-- may God truly
reign over us to all eternity.
After the Divine Liturgy has commenced with the glorification of the Holy
Trinity, the Deacon, and in his absence the Priest, chants 9 petitions,
each a separate beautiful and meaningful prayer.
In answer to all these petitions, the Faithful, represented by the Choir,
respond with the "Kyrie Eleison", meaning "Lord, have mercy."
Before the first petition, the Priest calls the people to pray by saying:
"In peace, let us beseech the Lord."
Peace is an absolute pre-requisite for the full and complete appreciation
of the Divine Liturgy. Without peace of mind and heart we are not
worthy
to stand before the Altar of God, to beg forgiveness and offer our thanks.
As we know, our Lord, after His resurrection, appeared before His Apostles,
saying: "Peace be unto you." (John, Chapter 20, Verse 21)
In the fifth (5th) Chapter of Matthew, Verses 23-24, our Lord commands,
that if we come before the Altar to offer our gift and remember that we
are
not at peace with someone, we should leave the gift at the Altar, return
and make our peace with our fellow man, then come to the Altar, present
the
gift, and only then will it be acceptable and beneficial to us.
Thus, with a complete serenity of heart and mind we must attend the Divine
Liturgy; only then do our prayers have meaning. With this peace the
Priest
recites the first petition
1. "For the Peace from above, and for the salvation of our
souls, let us
beseech the Lord."
Realizing that:
a.) no prayer is acceptable without peace,
b.) our Lord came to establish peace and reunite man with God,
c.) every good gift and every perfect gift is from above (James
1:19),
we pray for "Peace from above," and after having received this
peace, we
pray for "the salvation of our souls."
2. "For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being
of the Holy
Churches of God, and for the union of
all, let us beseech the
Lord."
We pray:
a.) For the peace of the world so troubled with strife and wars;
for God
to grant the leaders of nations a true
sense of justice and love.
b.) For the stability of the Church, to stand fast on the pure
faith as
interpreted by the seven Ecumenical Councils.
c.) For the union of all Churches and peoples, which would establish
a
Kingdom of God on earth and become as
our Lord prophesied:
"One fold, with One Shepherd." (John, Chapter 10, Verse 16)
3. "For this Holy Temple, and for those who enter it with
faith,
reverence and the fear of God, let us
beseech the Lord."
God can be worshipped anywhere, but His presence is felt more in His House,
the Church, which He established, where all of us united in true
brotherhood gather to partake in the table of love. We pray then,
that God
preserves this Church and all Churches, as well as protect and guide all
those that enter the Church with faith, REVERENCE, love and respect of
God.
4. "For our Archbishop (name which today is: Iakovos), for
the venerable
Priesthood of the Diaconate in Christ,
for all the clergy and the
laity, let us beseech the Lord."
Saint Paul in the Epistle to Hebrews, Chapter 13, Verse 17, states:
"Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves:
for they
watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that
they may do
it with joy, and not with grief."
The faithful are enjoined to pray for the welfare of our Archbishop, of
all
the Priests and Deacons; in short for all the Clergy and the Christians,
who adhere to the teachings of the Church. In this petition we recognize
the existing ranks in the Clergy:
a.) the Bishop,
b.) the Priest,
c.) the Deacon.
5. "For the President of our Country, for those in Civil
Authority, for
Our Armed Forces, and for all the American
Nation, let us beseech
the Lord."
Our great Country was founded on the moral precepts of our Lord; our
President is a God-fearing man praying to God for guidance and aid in his
difficult tasks; For these then, we pray to God, and for all the
people
under their jurisdiction.
6. "For this city and for every city and country, and for
the faithful
who dwell therein, let us beseech the
Lord."
We pray not only for the welfare of our city, but on a general scale, based
on our love for all mankind, we pray for all the cities and lands and for
the faithful people that dwell in them.
7. "For seasonable weather, for the abundance of the fruits
of the
earth, and for peaceful times, let us
beseech the Lord."
Man is composed of Body and Soul. We pray for our spiritual welfare
which
is most important, but we also ask our Lord to grant us many bountiful
gifts to feed and clothe our body. Our Lord in His prayer, which
sets the
pattern for prayers, states: "GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD."
We pray
then that the weather will be seasonable, in order that the cultivated
earth may give forth rich fruits. For all these and peaceful times
we pray
to the Lord.
8. "For those at sea, and those who travel by land or by
air, for the
sick and suffering, for captives and for
their salvation, let us
beseech the Lord."
In this most meaningful petition we truthfully express our unselfishness
and brotherhood. We Pray:
a.) That those sailing on the seas will not be endangered by stormy
seas.
b.) That those who travel on land or in the air will safely reach
their
destination.
c.) That those being tried by various illnesses will recover and
regain
their health.
d.) That those who toil and are burdened will duly be relieved.
e.) That those who are captives and enslaved to hostile nations
will
soon be free to return to their country.
f.) For all these and the salvation of their souls, we pray to
the Lord.
9. "For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger
and
necessity, let us beseech the Lord."
Life is full of trials and tribulations, dangers and needs. These,
oftentimes are permitted by God and put us to the test. Other times
they
are the results of our sins and misdemeanors; so we pray to God to please
exempt us from all these afflictions.
In answer to all these petitions the people respond, as we said, with Kyrie
Eleison (Lord have mercy.) Let us then get into the habit, in a low
whisper, to follow the choir and repeat the Kyrie Eleison. Only through
acquiring this habit will we be able to be more alert during the Divine
Liturgy. Let us become conscientious Christians, followers, and
participants of the Divine Service.
After the nine Petitions, through which we pray for various things
entreating the Lord in PEACE, and having the Faithful, represented by the
choir, respond with the KYRIE ELEISON (LORD HAVE MERCY), the Priest prays:
"Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O
God, by Thy
Grace."
Everything we have received, or is given, or will be given to us by God,
comes through His Grace, as a gift to the faithful. This Grace comes
from
God's infinite Goodness and from the supreme sacrifice of our Lord made
upon the Cross; through His Blood our sins are washed away.
With this Grace, then, we pray to God to receive us as His true Children,
to save us, to have mercy on our souls, and to guard us physically and
spiritually against all dangers.
The Prayer which we hear many times throughout the Divine Liturgy follows:
"Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed and glorified
Lady, Mother
of God and Ever Virgin Mary, with all the Saints,
let us commend
ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ,
our God."
We are reminded in this prayer of the noble attributes of Saint Mary, the
Mother of God. She is accorded the following adjectives.
1. Panagia: meaning All-Holy; possessing every virtue and
holiness.
2. Immaculate: she was pure and undefiled, cleansed of all
sin.
3. Most-Blessed: of all the mortals she was most blessed
because she
was chosen by God to become the vessel
through which the Word of God
would receive human flesh.
4. Glorious: because she gave birth to the Saviour, the
glorious Lord.
5. Despina, Lady: because she is our Lady and mother.
6. Theotokos: because she did not give birth to a common
man, but
supernaturally gave birth to our Lord
Jesus Christ.
7. Ever-Virgin: because even though she gave birth, she
was still a
virgin until the end of her earthly life.
The Virgin Mary then, is a prime example for her many virtues: for her
patience, enduring the sufferings of her innocent Son; for her love and
devotion to God. We are mindful of all this, as we are of the innumerable
Saints, who again gave us so many noble and life-giving examples, who shed
their blood to nourish the roots of the tree of Christianity. The
Theotokos and the Saints being closer to God pray for us when we ask them
to, in our prayers.
Just as the Theotokos and the Saints devoted their being and their lives
to
God, in similar manner, we are reminded in this prayer, that:
"We and all others should devote ourselves wholeheartedly
to Christ our
God."
In answer to this beautiful prayer, the Choir responds:
"To Thee, O Lord."
To you, O Lord, we commend ourselves; we pledge ourselves to become sincere
and conscientious Christians; to follow and give noble examples; to
practice all the teachings You have given us. We will glorify You
in words
as well as in deeds.
The Petitions which we offer in Peace, the remembrance of the Theotokos
and
the Saints and pledging ourselves to our Lord, end with the glorification
of the Holy Trinity, as follows:
"For to Thee belong all glory, honour, and worship,
to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and for ever,
and from all
Ages to all Ages."
We hereby ascribe, as it is our duty, all glory, honor and worship to the
Father, Who created Heaven and Earth, all things visible and invisible;
to
the Son, Who became Incarnate, sacrificed Himself for our sins and
instituted the Christian Religion; and to the Holy Spirit, Who is the
overseer of the Church and guides it to render it infallible.
The Choir responds to this with "Amen." So be it. (Again
we repeat the
importance that: in a whispering tone the people should answer in
concert
with the Choir. Only then can we become part of the proceedings and
appreciate what is transpiring.)
We then hear the Antiphons. These hymns are called Antiphons, because
in
the Ancient Church there were two Choirs, one on the right and the other
on
the left in the Nave. The first would sing the hymn, which would
then be
repeated by the second Choir.
(Editor's Note: I feel that the Antiphonal Choirs
ought to become a
part of the Church again, on the strength that it adds to the beauty and
sanctity of the Divine Liturgy.)
1st ANTIPHON:
"By the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour,
save us."
We all feel that many times we are not worthy to amply lift up our heads
and pray to God. Therefore we ask the Mother Mary to intercede for
us and
pray for us, because She, being close to her Son and God, would speak in
our behalf. This is the meaning of the first Antiphon; that through
her
intercessions we may be saved.
During the singing of this Antiphon, which is sung 3 times, the Priest
within the Altar recites the following prayer:
"O Lord our God, whose dominion is inconceivable, and
whose glory is
incomprehensible; whose mercy is infinite, and whose
love toward
mankind is ineffable, do Thou Thyself, O Master, in
Thy tender
compassion look upon us, and upon this Holy Temple,
and grant us and
those who pray with us, Thine abundant mercies and
compassions."
Note: This silent prayer is actually the beginning of and should
precede
the prayer for the glorification of the Holy Trinity. It should be
recited
when the Petitions are being said by the Deacon. If there is no Deacon
serving, the Priest says the Petitions and consequently with the free time
he has during the singing of the Antiphons he recites this prayer.
After the 1st Antiphon the Priest intones:
"Again and again, in peace, let us beseech the Lord."
Choir:
"Lord, have mercy."
The Priest repeats the prayers said before the 1st Antiphon:
"Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O
God, by Thy
Grace."
"Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed and glorified
Lady, Mother
of God and Ever Virgin Mary, with all the Saints,
let us commend
ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ,
our God."
Choir:
"To Thee, O Lord."
PRAYER OF 2nd ANTIPHON
"O Master, Lord our God, save Thy people and bless
Thine inheritance;
protect the whole body of Thy Church, and sanctify
those, who love
the beauty of Thy Temple. Do Thou endow them
with Thy Divine Power,
and forsake not us, who have set our hope in Thee."
"(Audibly) For Thine is the dominion, and Thine
is the Kingdom and the
power and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy
Spirit, now and for ever and from all Ages to all
Ages.
Amen"
2nd ANTIPHON:
"O Son of God, who didst rise from the dead, save us,
who sing unto
Thee: Alleluia."
Having all our hopes in the Grace of our Lord, who was risen from the dead,
that He will save us, we sing in His praise Alleluia. "Alleluia"
is a
Hebrew word, which the Christian Church adopted, and which means:
"Praise be unto God."
The second Antiphon having been sung twice, the Choir immediately sings:
3rd ANTIPHON:
"O Only-Begotten Son and Word of God, Who being immortal
yet didst
deign for our salvation to be incarnate through the
most
Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change
didst
become Man; and was crucified, O Christ our God, trampling
down death by death; Thou, Who art One of the Holy
Trinity, and
art glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
save us."
This poetic masterpiece is said to have been composed about fourteen
hundred (1,400) years ago by the great Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who
also built the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople. This 3rd
Antiphon
in theological terms explains the supernatural Birth of our Lord, defines
His two distinct Natures and declares that He is the second person of the
Holy Trinity. This hymn then tells us:
1. That Jesus is the Only-Begotten Son and Word of
God.
2. That He is immortal.
3. That He came for the salvation of the human race.
4. That He pre-existed with the Father.
5. That He is immortal.
6. That He received His complete Human Nature from
our Holy Lady the
Ever-Virgin Mary.
7. That His Divine Nature did not change in the least
after having
received the human flesh. In
one person as human eyes saw Him, He
was perfect God and He was perfect
man; two distinct Natures.
8. That He was crucified and shed His Blood to cleanse
our sins.
9. Through His death and resurrection, death was trampled,
and
defeated.
10. That He is glorified together with the Father and the
Holy Spirit.
Having all this in mind, we pray that He save us.
The prayer which the Priest says within the Altar at this time is:
"Thou, Who hast given us grace at this time with one
accord to make
our common supplications unto Thee and dost promise
that when
two or three are gathered together in Thy Name, Thou
wilt grant their
petitions, fulfill now, O Lord, the petitions of Thy
servants, as may
be most expedient for them; granting us in this world
knowledge of
Thy Truth, and in the world to come life everlasting."
The prayer above is based on the promise of our Lord who said, "that
where
two or three are gathered in my name, I am there amongst them, too".
(Open
your Bible to Matthew, Chapter 18, Verse 20.)
After this Hymn the Priest and the Choir respectively chant:
"Again and again, in peace let us beseech the Lord."
"Lord, have mercy."
"Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O
God, by Thy
Grace."
"Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed and glorified
Lady, Mother
of God and Ever Virgin Mary, with all the Saints,
let us commend
ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ,
our God."
Choir:
"To Thee, O Lord."
"For Thou, O God, art good and lovest mankind, and
to Thee we ascribe
glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and
for ever and from all Ages to all Ages. Amen."
Up to now there has been no movement on the part of the Priest. He
has
chanted and recited his prayers standing in front of the Holy Altar of
God,
without moving from his position.
In the ancient Christian Churches there was a separate room or vault, which
contained all the valuables that were to be used in the Church during the
Services. Amongst these valuables, of course, was the Book of the
Gospels
"Evangelion." This room or vault, was known as the "Skevofilakion",
a
composite Greek word meaning the guarding-pace of the implements or
articles.
After the singing of the Antiphons, the time is rapidly approaching when
the Gospel will be read. Therefore in the ancient Church, the Priest,
the
Deacon and the Altar Boys would go to the "Skevofilakion", and
the Deacon
(in his absence the Priest) would take the Evangelion, and holding it at
head-height, preceded by the Altar Boys, brought it into the Church. He
would pause in the space before the Sanctuary (Soleas), chant a hymn (as
we
shall see), proceed up the Sanctuary Steps, and place the Evangelion upon
the Holy Altar.
Today we do not have a separate "Skevofilakion." Consequently
the
Evangelion is always on the Altar. In order that the Church may preserve
all these historic and symbolic meanings the procession still takes place,
from the Sanctuary, outside the Sanctuary and back into the Sanctuary.
This procession is known as:
THE
LITTLE ENTRANCE
The Little Entrance brings to mind our Lord's coming to the Earth, and
being amongst His people, to whom He preached the message of salvation.
Having then no "Skevofilakion", the Priest kissing the Book of
the Gospels,
takes it from the Altar Table, proceeds around, and preceded by the Altar
Boys exits from the Northern door, comes to the center of the Soleas and
pauses, having recited the following prayer:
"O Master, Lord our God, Who hast appointed in Heaven
legions and Hosts
of Angels and Archangels for the service of Thy Glory,
grant that with
our entrance there may be an entrance of Holy Angels
serving with us
and glorifying Thy goodness; for to Thee are due all
glory, honour,
and worship; to the Father, and to the Son, and to
the Holy Spirit;
now and for ever and from all Ages to all Ages.
Amen."
Facing the Sanctuary, the Priest blesses and says:
"Blessed is the Entrance of Thy Saints: always, now
and for ever and
from all Ages to all Ages. Amen."
Slightly raising the Evangelion, he chants:
"Wisdom! Stand and attend!
The Golden Book of the Gospels contains the Wisdom of God and all His
Divine Truths. Let us all then stand in attention to receive the
Lord.
The Hymn of the Little Entrance is chanted by the Priest:
"Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ.
O Son of God, Who
didst rise from the dead; save us, who sing to Thee:
Alleluia."
The Priest then enters the Sanctuary, places the Holy Book (Evangelion)
on
the Altar, and taking the Censer, he censes the Altar, the Holy Icons and
the faithful, to fill the Church with the fragrance of the incense and
remind us that our prayers should rise up into Heaven, just as the smoke
does from the incense.
During this time the Priest and the Choir chant:
1. The Hymn of the Day (Apolytikion)
2. The Hymn of the Church
3. The Kontakion (Hymn)
After the Little Entrance the Priest chants:
"Let us beseech the Lord."
Choir:
"Lord, have mercy."
Priest:
"For Thou our God art Holy, and to Thee we ascribe
glory, to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now
and for ever, and
from all Ages to all Ages. Amen."
Choir:
"Amen."
Within the Sanctuary and in front of the Altar the Priest says the
following prayer:
Priest:
"O Holy God, Who restest among Thy Saints and art glorified
by the
Cherubim and praised by the Seraphim with Thrice-holy
Voice, and
worshipped by all the Host of Heaven; Thou Who hast
brought all
things out of nothingness into being; Thou Who hast
created man
in Thine Image and Likeness, and hast adorned him
with all Thy
favours; Thou Who givest to the suppliant wisdom and
prudence and
dost not neglect the sinner, but hast set forth the
way of
repentance unto salvation; Thou Who has accounted
us, Thy humble
and unworthy servants, worthy to stand at this time
before the
glory of Thy Holy Altar and to bring to Thee meet
adoration and
praise; do Thou, Master, accept, even from the mouth
of us sinners,
the Thrice-holy Hymn and visit us in Thy Righteousness;
forgive us
all our transgressions, voluntary and involuntary,
sanctify our
souls and bodies and grant that we may worship Thee
in holiness
all the days of our life; through the intercessions
of Thy
Holy Mother and all the Saints, who from the beginning
of time
have pleased Thee; for Thou, our God, art Holy and
to Thee we
ascribe glory, to the Father and to the Son and to
the Holy Ghost,
now and for ever and from all Ages to all Ages.
Amen."
Choir:
"Amen."
The Choir chants the TRISAGION HYMN, Trisagion meaning
thrice-Holy:
Choir:
"Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal, have
mercy upon
us. (Thrice)."
"Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy
Ghost.
Both now and for ever and from all Ages to all Ages.
Amen."
"Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us."
With this prayer of the Trisagion we are reminded:
1. Of God's Holiness, Glory, Omnipotence and infinite Goodness.
2. That God lives in the hearts of the faithful.
a.) "If a man love me, he will keep my
words: and my Father will love
him, and we will
come unto him, and make our abode with him."
(John, Chapter
14, Verse 23)
b.) "Ye are the temple of the living God;
as God hath said, I will
dwell in them,
and walk in them; and I will be their God, and
they shall be
my people." (II Corinthians, Chapter 6, Verse 16)
3. That God is glorified and His praises are sung incessantly
by the
Holy Angels, the Seraphim and the Cherubim,
and all the Angelic and
Heavenly Powers.
4. That God with His infinite Power and Wisdom has created
everything
out of nothing.
5. That God created man in His own image, with all the power
to become
a likeness of Him.
6. That God grants wisdom to those who ask Him for it.
7. That God does not shun the sinners, but asks them to
repent and
return to salvation.
The Priest, recognizing that God has permitted him and the faithful to
stand before His Holy Altar and ascribe to Him the worship and glory that
is due Him, prays:
1. That from the mouths of us sinners, God will receive
the Hymn of the
Trisagion.
2. That in His benevolence He will visit us and grant us
His many
gifts.
3. That God will remit all our sins, whether voluntarily
or
involuntarily committed.
4. That God will purify and sanctify our soul and body.
5. That He will enable us to worship Him with pure hearts
all the days
of our life.
All these requests are made to God, through the prayers and intercessions
of the Theotokos and all the Saints, who through the ages have pleased
God.
After this prayer, the Priest leaves the front of the Altar Table and moves
toward the left, directly facing the "Prothesis." He repeats
the words of
praise that the Jews sang upon the triumphant entry of Jesus in Jerusalem.
Priest:
"Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord."
Just as our Lord Jesus was glorified by the people of Jerusalem and a
little later was crucified upon the Cross and shed His blood for us, the
Priest repeats these words of praise, because a little later in the Divine
Liturgy the great sacrifice upon the Cross will take place again for our
benefit.
Our Lord though was not only crucified, but also arose in glory from the
dead and ascended into Heaven to sit on the right hand of the Father.
The
Priest bowing before the invisible throne of God says:
"Blessed art Thou on the throne of glory in Thy Kingdom,
Who sittest
upon the Cherubim, always, now and for ever, and unto
the ages of
ages. Amen."
The Priest returns to the front of the Altar Table and prepares to ask
the
people to focus all their attention on the reading of the Holy Scriptures,
first the Epistle lesson, and then the Gospel excerpt from one of the four
Gospels.
Priest:
"Louder."
Choir:
"Holy God, Holy and Strong, Holy and Immortal, have
mercy upon us."
The Liturgy of the Catechumens at this point is well under way. We
have
sung the praises of our God and have glorified Him with various Hymns.
Now, after the singing of the "Trisagion" (Thrice-Holy) we arrive
at the
point to hear excerpts from the New Testament.
The reading from the New Testament is most important. It is the most
ancient practice in the Church. It transmits to us the Holy Word
of God,
and reminds us of our obligation to read and search the Scriptures and
practice its commandments.
After the "Trisagion" the Priest stands outside the Royal Doors,
and facing
the people, he reminds them that the hour has arrived for the Epistle and
Gospel reading; he requests their attention by saying:
Priest:
"Let us attend."
Priest:
"Wisdom."
Reader:
"The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (or, from
Paul's
Epistle to...or, from the other Epistle to...)."
Priest:
"Let us attend."
The Reader reads the specific Reading of the Day. During this reading,
in some churches, the Priest censes the Holy Table crosswise, and the
Sanctuary. At the end of the reading, the Priest faces the people
and
says:
Priest:
"Peace be to thee, thou that readest."
The Choir singing the praises of God for the wonderful wisdom He has given
us through His words, sings:
Choir:
"Alleluia." (3 Times)
We now prepare to hear the Gospel lesson. While the Choir is singing
the
"ALLELUIA" the Priest beseeches God to send His light to illuminate
our
hearts. The prayer is inaudible and reads thus:
"Shine in our hearts, O Master, Who lovest mankind, the pure
light of
Thy Divine Knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind to the
understanding of Thy Gospel teachings; implant in us also
the fear of
Thy blessed commandments, that trampling down all desires
of the flesh,
we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living, both thinking
and doing
the things which are well-pleasing unto Thee; for Thou art
the
illumination of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God,
and unto Thee
we ascribe glory, together with Thine Eternal Father, and
Thine
All-Holy, Good, and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever,
and from all
Ages to all Ages. Amen."
The Priest, after the Epistle lesson, exits from the Sanctuary and facing
the congregation says:
"Wisdom! Rise! Let us hear the Holy Gospel.
Peace be with you."
The word of God cannot do any good to minds and hearts that are troubled
and weighted down with sins unforgiven; therefore the Priest prays that
peace will come to the hearts of the faithful Christians and blesses them
saying: "Peace be with you." The Choir, representing
the faithful,
responds and expresses its wish that peace should also come to the Priest's
heart, and answers:
"And with Thy Spirit."
When the Priest says:
"The reading from the Holy Gospel according to (Matthew,
or Mark, or
Luke, or John.) Let us attend.
the Choir at this time and after the reading resounds with:
"Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee."
The proper thing, if we are to follow the practice of the ancient Church,
is to have the sermon follow the reading of the Holy Gospel, because it
is
usually based on the Gospel lesson. The people having just heard
the
Gospel, have it fresh in their minds whereby the sermon would have a fuller
meaning. But today, in most of our Churches, for various practical
reasons
it is heard at the end of the Divine Liturgy.
Thus, we now come to the close of the 2nd Part of the Divine Liturgy, known
as the "Liturgy of the Catechumens")
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IC [] XC
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NI [] KA
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Part
III.
LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL
In Part I, we have learned of the preparation of the Holy Gifts to be
presented and transubstantiated into the real Body and Blood of our
Saviour in the last part of the Liturgy.
Part II, commencing with the words, "Blessed be the Kingdom of the
Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and for ever, and from all
Ages
to all Ages. Amen.", called the Liturgy of the Catechumens,
ends as we
have seen with the reading of the Holy Gospel. At this point, the
unbaptized or Catechumens (learners of the Faith) were compelled to exit
from the Church and only the baptized Faithful Christians remained until
the end of the Divine Liturgy as we know it today.
The Liturgy of the Faithful, the third and last part of the Divine Liturgy,
commences with the "Great Entrance", while the Choir chants the "Cherubic
Hymn."
In our Liturgy today, after the reading of the Holy Gospel, we do not
usually hear the many petitions that belong to the Liturgy of the
Catechumens, and the prayers of dismissal of these persons from the
Service. These have been long ago omitted in many cases, because
today we
do not normally have Catechumens, all persons having been baptized in their
infancy.
[editor's note: We will have a special supplement to this preface,
which
will contain a commentary on the full Liturgy of the Catechumens which
the
editor feels is absolutely necessary to the Evangelistic efforts of the
Orthodox Church in the process of transforming lost souls to their
salvation.]
THE
GREAT ENTRANCE
This title is given to the second procession commencing from the sanctuary,
to distinguish it from the Little Entrance, during which the Priest brought
out the Golden Book of the Gospels before the people, signifying in this
maner the coming of our Lord to this Earth, ministering and teaching the
people the new life.
During the "Great Entrance" we prepare ourselves to receive the "King
of
all", our Lord Jesus Christ. His work having been finished upon
this
earth, He now prepares to offer Himself "a ransom for all" (I
Timothy,
Chapter 2, Verse 6). He will soon make the supreme sacrifice in order
that
His Precious Blood will wash away the sins of mankind. This Great
Sacrifice is the crowning point of the "Liturgy of the Faithful."
During the Great Entrance the Priest exits from the Northern Door of the
Sanctuary holding the "Diskarion" (Paten), upon which is the
Lamb, the cube
of Bread as we have seen in the Proskomidi, and the Chalice, which contains
the wine mixed with water. These elements during the latter part
of the
Liturgy are changed into the Body and Blood of our Lord and are offered
to
the Faithful, to unite themselves in a real way with our God and Saviour.
The Cherubic Hymn which the Choir sings during the Great Entrance and the
prayer which the Priest says within the Altar impress upon the Faithful,
Clergy and Laity, that the moment is approaching -- we must
cast aside
every earthly desire and uplift our souls to receive the King of All.
After the reading of the Gospel, which, as we said, concludes the Liturgy
of the Catechumens, we hear the Priest chanting:
"Grant, that being ever protected by Thy power, to
Thee we may ascribe
glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy
Spirit, now and
for ever, and from all Ages to all Ages."
The Choir responds with:
"Amen."
The Priest then unfolds the "Antiminsion" (meaning: "instead
of the
table"). On this Antiminsion we see imprinted the pious Nicodemus
and
Joseph of Arimathea taking down the Body of Jesus from the Cross. The
Antiminsion usually contains the relics of some Saint. The Antiminsion,
meaning "instead of the table", brings us back to the days of
the early
persecutions, during which the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in various
and
remote places, catacombs and so forth, not having one designated Place
and
Table, as we have today. And so it is today, that even though we
do have
established places of worship, we still use the "Antiminsion" as
a reminder
that the Church of Christ is not confined to any certain place or section,
but is like a ship, borne upon the waves that does not anchor anywhere,
except in Heaven.
THE
CHERUBIC HYMN
"We, who mystically represent the Cherubim, and who
sing the
Thrice-holy Hymn to the life-giving Trinity, let us
put away all
worldly care, that we may receive the King of All."
During the singing of this Hymn, the Priest recites a most profound prayer,
beseeching the Lord to qualify him to perform this Great Mystery.
"No one who is bound with the desires and pleasures
of the flesh is
worthy to approach, or draw near, or to serve Thee,
O King of Glory;
for to serve Thee is great and awesome, even to the
Heavenly Powers.
Yet, through Thine ineffable and boundless love toward
mankind, Thou
didst unchangeably and immutably become Man, and served
as our High
Priest, and as Lord of All, hast committed to us the
celebration of
this liturgical and bloodles sacrifice.
For Thou alone, O Lord our God, rulest over all things
in Heaven and
Earth, Who art borne on the Throne of the Cherubim,
Who art the Lord
of the Seraphim and King of Israel, Who alone art
Holy and resteth
amongst Thy Saints.
Wherefore, I implore Thee, Who alone art good, and
ready to listen:
Look down upon me, Thy sinful and unprofitable servant,
and cleanse my
soul and my heart from an evil conscience; and enable
me by the power
of Thy Holy Spirit, vested with the Grace of the Priesthood,
to stand
before this, Thy Holy Altar, and consecrate Thy Holy
and Immaculate
Body and Precious Blood. For to Thee I come,
having bowed my head,
and beseech Thee: Turn not Thy face away from
me, nor reject me from
among Thy Children; but make me worthy, Thy sinful
and inworthy
servant, to offer these Gifts unto Thee.
For Thou art the Offerer and the Offered, Who accepts
and is
distributed, O Christ our God, and to Thee we ascribe
glory, together
with Thine Eternal Father, and Thine All-Holy, Good,
and Life-giving
Spirit; now and for ever, and from all Ages to all
Ages. Amen."
The Priest, having finished this prayer, recites the Cherubic Hymn thrice,
takes the Censer and censes the Altar and the Faithful to show that as
the
smoke rises and is fragrant, in like manner our prayer should be uplifted
and warm to our God. During the censing, the Priest recites the 50th
Psalm. After this, he kisses the Altar Table and bows to the people,
asking them to forgive him in order that he may be purer during the
celebration of the Liturgy. He then proceeds to the Preparation Table,
the
"Prothesis", and with his head bowed he says:
"O God, be gracious unto me a sinner, and have mercy
upon me."
He then takes the top cover or Kalymma called the "Aera" and
places it upon
his shoulders saying:
"In peace lift up thy hands to the Holy, and bless
ye the Lord."
THE
GREAT ENTRANCE
The Hymn is interrupted. The Great Entrance takes place. The
Priest
holding the Chalice and the Diskarion preceded by the Altar Boys carrying
the processional Cross, Hexapteryga and Candlesticks, reverently exits
from
the Northern Door and slowly walks to the center of the "Soleas" and
pauses
while chanting:
"May the Lord our God remember us all in His Kingdom,
always, now and
for ever, and from all Ages to all Ages."
These words are based on the confession of the thief upon the cross when
he
said to Jesus: "Remember me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom."
(This phrase should be memorized and repeated by the Faithful every time
the Priest performs the Great Entrance. Only in this and like manner
can
we become conscious of our participation in the Divine Liturgy.)
After offering prayers for the living and departed, the Priest re-enters
the Sanctuary and places the Diskarion and the Chalice upon the
Antiminsion, covers them with the Aera, censes them, reciting the last
verses of the 50th Psalm. (51st Psalm in English translations.)
After a thorough study of the above, we are able to better appreciate the
deep significance of the Great Entrance.
When the Priest enters the Sanctuary the Choir completes the Cherubic Hymn
as follows:
"The King of All Who comes invisibly attended by the
Angelic Hosts.
Alleluia."
Here we realize the importance of all the Faithful. They are elevated
and
compared with the Angelic Hosts, the Cherubim. Just as the legions
of the
Angels are constantly about God's Throne singing the Thrice-Holy Hymn,
in
like manner the Faithful represent the Cherubim upon this earth, and gather
around the Holy Altar in spirit to sing God's glory. We not only
sing His
glory, but we take God within us through Holy Communion, thereby setting
up
a Throne of God within our hearts. That is why the Cherubic Hymn
implores
us to put away all earthly and worldly cares.
The "Great Entrance" has taken place. The Holy Gifts, later
to be
transubstantiated into the real Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus, have
been
brought from the "Prothesis" (Preparation Table) in a Procession
and placed
upon the Holy Altar Table. The Priest resuming his place before the
Altar
Table commences the "Petitions" as follows:
"Let us complete our prayer and supplication to the
Lord."
Choir:
"Kyrie Eleison. (Lord, have mercy.)"
In other words, he tells the faithful that even though we have expressed
our prayers, it is time now to make those prayers more complete because
the
Great Moment is soon at hand.
"For the Precious Gifts here presented, let us beseech
the Lord."
Choir:
"Kyrie Eleison."
We entreat, we beseech the Lord to receive, to accept these Gifts, which
we
are offering and which in turn will grant us a new spirit.
"For our deliverance from all affliction, wrath, danger,
and necessity,
let us beseech the Lord."
Choir:
"Kyrie Eleison."
Then we hear a grouping of six more petitions, to which the Choir,
representing the faithful chants "Grant this, O Lord."
1. "For this whole day, that it may be perfect, holy,
peaceful, and
sinless, let us ask of the Lord."
All Christians should strive to live perfect days; days which are blessed
with Christian acts. But since many of us so easily drift from the
prescribed course, at this moment of the Liturgy we beseech our Lord to
grant us a peaceful day with all that surround us and more so a blameless
one - to aid us avoid any possible sin.
2. "For an Angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian
of our souls
and bodies, let us ask of the Lord."
Throughout the Old and New Testaments we read where our Lord appoints
guardian Angels to protect and guide those who really are His. For
instance:
a.) "For he shall give his Angels charge
over thee, to keep thee in
all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their
hands, lest thou dash thy foot
against a stone." (Psalm
91, Verses 11-12)
b.) "Take heed that ye despise not one
of these little ones; for I
say unto you,
That in Heaven their Angels do always behold the
face of of my Father, which is
in Heaven."
(Matthew, Chapter 18, Verse 10)
We all then should entreat our Lord to grant us one of His Angels to act
as
the guard of our body but mostly for our soul to avoid sinning.
3. "For the forgiveness and remission of our sins and
transgressions,
let us ask of the Lord."
We pray to our Lord to forgive us from our sins, but also from every
transgression, which we so often commit. By remitting our sins we
are
re-instated in His Grace and become candidates of His Kingdom in Heaven.
4. "For all things that are good and profitable unto
our souls, and for
the peace in the world, let us ask
of the Lord."
Saint Paul tells us in his first (1st) Epistle to the Corinthians that
"everything is permitted to us, but not everything is to our advantage."
We therefore must distinguish between what is good and what is bad for
our
life. In this petition we pray that God grants us those things which
are
profitable to our soul and surely will ultimately be profitable to our
body.
In this fourth petition we also pray for peace in the world as we also
prayed during the beginning of the Holy Liturgy.
5. "That we may complete the remainder of our lives
in peace and
penitence, let us ask of the Lord."
In the first petition we asked the Lord to safeguard us from sin for the
whole day. Now through this petition we beseech the Lord to grant
us the
remainder of our days, peace of mind and heart, and also to aid us to
recognize our sins for which we must truly repent, to ultimately save our
souls.
6. "That the end of our lives may be Christian, without
pain,
blameless, and peaceful, and for
a good account before the fearful
judgment seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord."
All of our lives should be lived according to the Christian principles,
unto the very end. For this we ask the Lord to help us to our very
last
day, to live without torment of various ailments and sicknesses, to live
without being ashamed of any of our acts, to live in peace with all, but
more so to enable us to give a good account, a good defense when we shall
come face to face with our God Jesus, on the day of the Last Judgment.
After the six petitions we again commemorate the ever blessed Virgin Mary
and we are reminded of her pure life and that of the Saints. (Previously
explained.)
During these petitions, inside the Altar the Priest recites a very
significant prayer:
"O Lord, God Almighty, Who alone art Holy; Who dost
receive the
sacrifice of praise from those, who call upon Thee
with all their
heart, receive also the supplication of us sinners,
and accept it at
Thy Holy Altar, and enable us to offer to Thee Gifts
and spiritual
sacrifices, for our sins and for the omissions of
the people; and make
us worthy to find grace in Thy Sight, that our sacrifice
may be well
pleasing unto Thee, and that the good Spirit of Thy
grace may dwell
upon us, and upon these Gifts presented here, and
upon all Thy
people."
The ending of this beautiful prayer is heard aloud by the faithful as
follows:
Priest:
"Through the mercies of Thine Only-Begotten Son, with
Whom Thou art
blessed, together with Thine All-Holy and good and
lifegiving Spirit,
now and for ever, and from all Ages to all Ages."
Choir:
"Amen."
With this prayer the Priest entreats the Lord to accept the Gifts, which
are being offered in God's praise, through which Gifts, the Priest and
the
Faithful shall receive the Divine and saving Grace of our Lord. We
ask
that these gifts be accepted because we have learned of the benevolence
of
God, of His goodness and His compassion for the human race. This
love and
compassion was the reason the Father sent His only begotten Son, in order
that mankind could be cleansed and saved.
THE
CONFESSION OF THE FAITH
The time of the Great Sacrifice is approaching. The Sanctuary now
becomes
the Upper Room where our Lord held the Last Supper. The faithful
represent
the Disciples of Jesus, who sat and partook at the Table.
The Priest from the beginning of the Liturgy has offered prayers and
petitions for himself and the faithful. All these prayers, of course,
are
offered with peace of soul and mind. Only then are they acceptable
to God.
At this point of the Liturgy the Priest turns and facing the congregation
he greets and blesses, as the Lord did after His Resurrection:
"Peace be with you."
The congregation through the Choir returns the greeting and sings:
"And with thy Spirit."
In other words, may peace also be in your heart and soul.
Without peace of mind and heart there can be no love. Therefore,
the
Priest implores his people to love one another as our Lord commanded us.
With this love we can rightfully stand before God and confess our faith
to
Him. The Priest admonishes:
"Let us love one another, that with one mind we may
confess."
Saint John tells us, "God is love" (1 John, Chapter 4, Verse
16).
Saint
Paul in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verse 1, states:
"Though I speak the tongues of men and of Angels and
do not have love,
I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal."
To confess our faith and have it acceptable to God it is necessary that
we
extricate every animosity from our heart and fill it with love. What
are
we about to confess?
The Choir chants:
"Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in
essence and
undivided."
While the Choir sings, the Priest, making the sign of the cross, bows and
kisses the veiled Chalice and Paten (Diskarion) saying:
"I shall love Thee O Lord, my strength. The Lord
is my support and my
refuge, and my Savior."
In the ancient Christian Church at this point the Christians not only were
prepared to confess their faith, but also to manifest it. They embraced
each other and gave the kiss of Christian love. Today our Church
has
preserved only a remnant of this tradition. We witness it only when
a
Bishop celebrates the Liturgy with the Priest, or when two Priests serve
at
the Altar. They embrace each other from right to left and then kiss
each
other's hands to show their love and humility.
During this embrace they repeat:
"Christ is in our midst; He is, and will be, from all
Ages to all
Ages."
We then hear the Priest aloud:
"The doors, the doors; in wisdom, let us attend."
As we have learned, the Catechumens were compelled to exit at the beginning
of the Liturgy of the Faithful. At this moment the celebrant Priest
would
chant aloud, "The doors, the doors. . .", in order that the guards
at the
doors would not permit any unbaptized person to enter, not only because
the
Liturgy of the Faithful was in progress, but the Holy Gifts were unveiled
for the first time and were being prepared for the Sacrifice.
Today, we cannot attach the same meaning to "the doors." However,
it is a
good reminder for the faithful to close the doors of their minds and hearts
in order that no impure thoughts can enter. By guarding the door
of their
hearts filled with love, the faithful are in a better position to sit and
partake with, and of the Lord at the Last Supper. Guarding the doors,
let
us then listen to the wisdom which we shall hear with the recitation of
the
Creed.
The Creed we hear, pray, and confess every Sunday during the Divine Liturgy
is popularly called the Nicene Creed. It contains the twelve articles
of
our Faith. The first seven articles were composed by the Holy Fathers
of
the undivided Church in the year 325 A.D. during the first Ecumenical
Council in Nicea, Asia Minor. The last five articles to complete
it as we
recite and know it in its present form, were composed in the second
Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in the year 381 A.D.
The main reason for the convening of these Councils was the various
heresies that threatened the purity of the Faith; heresies that attacked
the Divinity of our Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
These Ecumenical Councils, of which we have seven (7), represented the
totality of the Christian Church. They defined and defended the Faith
and
are infallible because the Holy Spirit guided and illuminated the hearts
and minds of the Fathers of the Church. This promise of the sending
of the
Holy Spirit was made by our Lord Jesus:
"And I pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that
he may abide with you forever." (John, Chapter
14, Verse 16).
Concisely, the Creed teaches us of the existence of the Holy Trinity: of
God the Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth; of God the Son, who became
incarnate, completed His earthly mission, was crucified, buried,
resurrected from the dead and ascended into Heaven to sit on the right
hand
of the Father, and that He will come again in glory to judge the living
and
the dead; and of God the Holy Spirit, the protector of the Church, the
Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, and together with the Father
and the Son is worshipped and glorified, and we are told that the Holy
Spirit is the one who spoke through the Prophets. The Creed also
teaches
us of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, of the one baptism
for
the remission of sins, of the resurrection of the dead and of life
everlasting.
During the recitation of the Creed the Priest picks up the "Aera",
the veil
covering the Gifts, and waves it over the Chalice and the Diskarion. This
practice is a relic of the first Liturgies, some held outdoors and some
in
chapels with no windows. For fear that any insect might fall into
the
unveiled Chalice, two deacons or acolytes held large fans on either side
of
the Holy Altar. In place of this fanning the Priest waves the "Aera"
(the
veil).
However, the Church has also given a symbolism to the waving of the Aera.
Just as in all contests or wars, ultimately the victor raises his flag,
also in this case, the Faith has triumphed over all heresies, over all
worldly bodies and now waves victoriously over all. The Aera is lowered
during the 6th Article of the Creed which states that Christ ascended into
Heaven. Here now we recite the Nicene Creed:
Listed below for our convenience are the twelve (12) articles of the
Nicene Creed or the Symbol of Faith.
1. I believe in one (1) God,
Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and
Earth and of everything visible and invisable.
2. And in one (1) Lord Jesus
Christ, the only-be-gotten Son of God,
begotten of the Father before all Ages. Light of Light,
True God of True
God, begotten not made, co-substantial with the Father, through
Whom all
things were made.
3. Who for us men and for
our salvation came down from heaven, and
was incarnated by the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary, and
became Man.
4. Crucified for our salvation
under Pontius Pilate, He suffered and
was buried.
5. And was resurrected on
the third day according to the Scriptures.
6. And ascended into heaven,
and sat at the right hand of the Father;
7. And He will return in glory
to judge the living and the dead;
Whose reign will have no end.
8. And I believe in the Holy
Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who
proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the
Son, is
worshipped and glorified; Who spoke through the Prophets.
9. I believe in One, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church.
10. I acknowledge One Baptism for
the remission of sins.
11. I await for the resurrection
of the dead.
12. And the life of the Ages to
come.
Amen.
Amen. Amen. Amen. We have now finished the Confession of the Faith
and are
presently embarking on the Great Moment, which we shall know as the Holy
Eucharist.
THE HOLY EUCHARIST
We have confessed our faith. We are now approaching the most important
and
holiest part of the Divine Liturgy. For this reason the Priest after
the
Creed reminds us of how we should prepare ourselves before approaching
the
Holy Sacraments. He says:
"Let us stand aright; Let us stand with awe.
Let us attend, that we
may present the Holy offering in peace."
1. We must use our best posture, and be most attentive.
2. We must stand before the Altar with fear of God.
Not fear as we
commonly understand it, which, of course,
creates psychological
reactions, but a total respect for God.
[A friend once said: One should
never be afraid of electricity,
bit one should approach it with
respect and knowledge of its
power. Do not FOOL AROUND
with ELECTRICITY, if you DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ELECTRICITY
CAN KILL!!!!!]
3. We must attend to the fullest measure of our mind and
heart; we must
be completely absorbed in what is to take
place very shortly.
All this we must have in mind in order that we may offer the Holy Sacrifice
with peace; the peace about which we repeatedly spoke and which is most
necessary for acceptable prayers.
The Choir completes the thought with the words:
"A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise."
The Supreme Sacrifice of our Lord, which takes place every time a Divine
Liturgy is celebrated, was and is an act of great benevolence, one of great
mercy in behalf of God for the human race. This mercy is what brought
peace between God and Man, and made it possible for man to live within
the
sphere of God's Grace.
The Holy Eucharist is also a sacrifice of praise. Our Lord Jesus
glorified
God the Father, having been obedient even unto death.
Saint Paul at the close of his second Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter
13, verse 14, gives his apostolic greetings to the Christians of Corinth.
This greeting or blessing is one of the most beautiful and most re-assuring
verses in the Bible. The Holy Orthodox Church using the Holy Bible
as its
guide in her every step uses this Apostolic greeting word for word exactly
at this point of the Divine Liturgy. The Priest exits from the Royal
Gate
and facing the congregation blesses the faithful and says:
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the
love of God the Father,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with
you all."
Here again we note the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity, all with a
separate mission, pouring out their love and grace and communion for the
faithful.
Our Lord Jesus' Supreme Sacrifice, that is His innocent blood shed upon
the
Cross constitutes the Divine Grace, which we receive through the Sacraments
and absolves us from sin making us citizens of Heaven.
God the Father showed His immeasurable love when He sent His "only
begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting
life." (John, Chapter 3, Verse 16)
The Holy Spirit is the comforter; our Lord promised that He would send
the
Holy Spirit to guide and sanctify our souls and to be the Overseer in the
Church thereby rendering it infallible.
To this apostolic blessing the faithful, represented by the Choir, respond:
"And with thy spirit."
In other words, may the apostolic greeting be in your heart also.
After receiving the greeting, the Priest raising his hands upwards and
looking up implores the faithful, saying:
"Let us lift up our hearts."
We are going to perform the great sacrifice here before the Altar of God,
which at the present time is the table at the Last Supper. Let us
then
forget all worldly things and lift up our hearts straight to Heaven. The
Choir gives the re-assurance:
"We have lifted them up unto the Lord."
Yes, our hearts are uplifted and are in complete unity with the Lord.
The Lord at the Last Supper had offered thanks before sitting to eat, a
practice that must be applied in our private and family life. Even
a
silent prayer through the sign of the Cross is a blessing before sitting
down to eat. Now before the great Sacrifice the Priest offers thanks,
saying:
"Let us give thanks unto the Lord."
The Choir responds with:
"It is proper and right."
Of course, it is right. It is our filial obligation (filial: our
attitude
or relation towards our Loving God, the Holy Trinity) to thank the Lord
for
His endless benefits and kindness to us humans.
According to the Scriptures, our Lord at the Last Supper before breaking
and offering the Bread and Wine, which to all eternity were to be the types
for Holy Communion, offered His thanks to God the Father. That is
why the
Great Sacrament or Mystery is called the Holy Eucharist. (Eucharist
is the
Greek word "Efcharistia", meaning "THANKS".)
The Priest, having re-entered the Sanctuary, silently offers the prayer
of