Commentaries on the Divine Liturgy of Saint John,Archbishop of Constantinople, Chrysostom
From the Editor: The clergy of the Belgorod diocese have been performing missionary services for several years. At such a service, the priest several times goes out to the people during the service, explaining what is happening in the temple in this moment. We published the text of the commentary to the Liturgy Presanctified Gifts.
We hope that the commentary on the Divine Liturgy will be useful both to the laity, who will be able to better understand the service, and to the priests in conducting missionary services.
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit!
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, all of us have gathered in this holy temple in order to make our common prayer, because the word “liturgy” is translated from Greek means "common cause", i.e. the work is not only of the clergy, but of all the faithful who gather in the temple for worship. And this means that every action, every prayer is related to each of us. All prayers that are read by the clergy in the altar have the character of a common, joint prayer of the entire community, and the primate of the service (bishop or priest) performs them on behalf of everyone. And the meaning of our presence with you at divine services is not only to pray for our own joys and sorrows, but that, through the prayer of the entire community, the great sacrament of the Eucharist be accomplished, i.e. Thanksgiving, when the offered bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, and everyone who approaches the sacrament of Holy Communion is united with Christ Himself.
But the main problem is that our worship is largely incomprehensible. In order to partly resolve this problem today, the Divine Liturgy in the course of its celebration will be accompanied by commentaries explaining the meaning of the sacred rites and prayers being performed. The hours, which are part of the daily circle of worship, have just been read, the priest performed a proskomidia in the altar offering), during which a part of the bread (symbolizing the Lamb of God, i.e. Christ) was removed from the offered prosphora, particles in honor and memory Holy Mother of God, saints, as well as living and dead Orthodox Christians, for whom commemorations were filed. All this relies on the paten and symbolizes the Church of Christ - heavenly and earthly. Wine, combined with water, is poured into the Chalice, in memory of the fact that blood and water flowed from the rib of the Lord, after it was pierced by a spear on the Cross. After that, the offered gifts are covered by special fees (protectors and at hom) and the priest reads the prayer of the offer, in which he asks to bless and accept the offer to the Most Heavenly Altar, to remember " who brought and for their own sake brought”(i.e., those who filed a commemoration and for whom) and remain uncondemned for us during the sacrament.
Thus, the proskomedia ends and the time comes for the liturgy of the catechumens, which will begin literally now. In the preparatory prayers before the liturgy, the priest reads a prayer for the calling of the Holy Spirit " King of Heaven”, and when the service is performed with the deacon, then he, asking for blessings from the primate, says:“ Time to create the Lord, Master, bless". Those. the time of the liturgy is coming, the time when the Lord Himself will act, and we will be only His co-workers.
The Divine Liturgy begins with the solemn exclamation " Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever and forever and ever", to which the chorus replies " Amen", What means May it be so. Any response of the kliros expressed in the pronunciation of the word " Amen» are expressions of consent and acceptance by the people of God, i.e. by all faithful Christians, everything that happens in the Church.
This is followed by a great or "peaceful" litany, which begins with the words " Let's pray to the Lord in peace”, “world”, means “in the world”, i.e. peaceful state of mind and reconciliation with others. It is impossible to offer a sacrifice to God, being in an embittered state. Petitions are made, and together with the kliros we answer them. Lord have mercy". After the great litany, a prayer is read in which the priest asks the Lord to " looked at this holy temple and gave us and those who pray with us inexhaustible mercy". This is followed by the singing of antiphons. Antiphons are whole psalms or verses from them, which are sung alternately by the right and left choirs. Not everywhere, of course, it is possible to follow this tradition. The main content of the antiphons is the glorification of God and His eternal Kingdom. Initially, they were not part of the liturgy, but were sung by the people on their way to the temple. During the singing of antiphons, the priest reads a prayer in which he asks God " save your people and bless your inheritance, preserve your church in fullness ... and do not leave us who trust in you».
Pronounced so-called. "small" litany " packs and packs, let's pray to the Lord in peace”, i.e. " again and again in the world let us pray to the Lord». « Lord have mercy' replies the choir, and with it all of us.
This is followed by the singing of the second antiphon " Praise the Lord my soul"and song" Only Begotten Son”, which expresses the Orthodox teaching about Christ: two natures are combined in Him - divine and human, and both of them are present in Him in their entirety: God, having become incarnate, did not cease to be God, and man, having united with God, remained a man. At this time, a prayer is read by the priest, where he prays “... Himself and now fulfill the petition of Your children for the benefit: give us in the present age the knowledge of Your Truth, and in the future - grant Eternal Life».
And again follows the "small" litany, after which the singing of the third antiphon, the so-called. "blessed", i.e. the beatitudes given by the Lord, during which a small entrance is made. The clergy wear the Holy Gospel from the altar with the reading of a prayer “... make with our entrance the entrance of the holy angels, serving with us and glorifying Your goodness". The priest blesses the holy entrance with the words " Blessed is the entrance of thy saints", followed by the exclamation " Wisdom, sorry!». "Sorry"- so, we will stand straight, reverently. The small entrance symbolizes the appearance of the Church, which, together with the angelic forces, gives unceasing praise to God. But earlier the bringing of the Gospel had a purely practical character, because it was not kept on the throne, but in a separate place, and at that moment it was brought to the temple in order to be read.
The choir sings Come, let us worship and fall down to Christ!”, followed by the singing of troparia and kontakions relying on this day. During the singing, the priest reads the prayer of the Trisagion, which is in direct logical connection with the idea of entry and the prayer of entry, and it speaks of co-service with the priest and the Heavenly Forces themselves " Holy God, resting in the saints, Whom the seraphim sing with the Trisagion and the cherubim glorify... Himself, Vladyka, accept from the lips of us sinners the Trisagion hymn and visit us according to Thy goodness, forgive us all voluntary and involuntary sins...».
This is followed by the exclamation Lord, save the pious...”, which has been preserved from the ceremonial of the Byzantine service, which was attended by the kings. And immediately follows the singing of the Trisagion " Holy God, holy Mighty, holy Immortal, have mercy on us". During the singing of the Trisagion, the clergy ascend to a high place in the altar, a place where only a bishop can sit, symbolizing Christ. Climbing to a high place takes place to listen to the Holy Scriptures, therefore it is from there that the primate teaches peace to all those gathered, for our hearing the word of God. The reading of the Holy Scriptures is preceded by the singing of the prokimen (translated from Greek. presenting). A prokeimenon is a verse from the Holy Scriptures, most often from the Psalter. For the prokimen, the verse is chosen especially strong, expressive and suitable for the occasion. The prokeimenon consists of a verse, properly called a prokeimenon, and one or three "verses" that precede the repetition of the prokeimenon.
After that, the reader proclaims the appropriate passage from their apostolic epistles. Today there will be two such passages from the letter of the apostle Paul to the Colossians and the first letter to the Corinthians. During the reading of the apostolic epistle, the altar, the iconostasis, the reader of the apostle, the kliros, and all those gathered in the church are incense. Previously, censing was supposed to be done while singing. alliluary with psalm verses, i.e. after the reading of the Apostle, but since this singing is usually performed very hastily, the incense was transferred to the reading of the passage of the apostolic epistle itself. Hallelujah is a Hebrew word and literally means “praise Yahweh” (Yahweh or Jehovah is the name of God revealed in the Old Testament).
Then follows the reading of the Gospel. Before reading it, the priest reads a prayer " Shine into our hearts, philanthropic Lord... Put in us the fear of Your good commandments, so that we, having conquered all the lusts of the flesh, lead a spiritual life...". There will also be two gospel readings today, and we will stop separately to talk about the meaning of the passages we read.
And now the Divine Liturgy will begin, so I call on all those gathered in the church to a responsible and prayerful presence at the service, because our common prayer is the prayer of the entire Church. God help everyone!
Next stop after reading the Scriptures
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, immediately after reading the Gospel, the so-called. a “deep” litany, during which we pray for the Primate of our Church His Holiness Patriarch, Ruling Bishop, God-protected country, people and army, about all those who are coming and praying, doing good for this holy temple, singing and coming people expecting great mercy from the Lord. For each request, the choir answers three times " Lord have mercy and each of us must repeat this prayer in our hearts. During the litany, the priest prays that the Lord " accepted this fervent prayer ... and had mercy on us according to the multitude of mercy" His. Also, the serving clergy uncover the holy antimension (literally - instead of the throne), a board with a sewn-in particle of holy relics, on which the Bloodless Sacrifice will be brought.
On weekdays, after the "extra" litany, a litany for the dead is due, but on Sundays and other holidays it is not supposed, so it will not be today. But let's not forget that the commemoration of the dead is always performed at the proskomidia, and after the consecration of the Holy Gifts, in the place that will be discussed later.
After this, the litany of the catechumens is pronounced, which reminds us that in the Ancient Church Baptism was performed only after a long teaching (catechumen) and those preparing for this great sacrament were called catechumens. They were allowed to attend the worship service up to a certain point. After the pronunciation of this litany, all those preparing for Baptism were to leave the service. Today there are practically no catechumens, but the litany has been preserved, it is possible that it will become a guarantee that the ancient practice of catechumens in our Church will be revived. During this litany, the priest prays that the Lord " honored them those. catechumens ) during the auspicious bath of resurrection ( those. christening ) ... united them with His holy, catholic and apostolic Church and joined them to His chosen flock ...».
At the end of the litany, one proclaims: Yelitsy(i.e. all those who) announcement, get out...", which means that the end liturgy of the catechumens and starts liturgy of the faithful, which can only be attended by members of the Church, i.e. Orthodox Christians.
During the pronunciation of the litanies, two prayers of the faithful are read in the altar, in which the priest, on behalf of all those gathered, asks the Lord to accept " ... our prayer, to make us worthy to offer Him prayers, and prayers, and bloodless sacrifices for all His people ...", grant " to all who pray with us, prosperity in life and faith and spiritual understanding" and " innocently and uncondemned to partake of His holy Mysteries and His heavenly Kingdom will be rewarded". At the end of the reading of the second prayer follows the exclamation " Like yes, according to Your power(so that we are under Your dominion) always kept, they sent glory to you, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever". After a double Amen» the choir begins to sing Cherubic song. At the start of the chant cherubic the priest silently reads a prayer in which he asks God " ... deign me that through me, a sinful and unworthy servant of Yours, these gifts were brought to You. Thou Thyself is the bringer and the one who is offered, the receiver and the one who is given away, Christ our God…". This prayer is a preparation for the moment of the great entrance, i.e. transfer of the Gifts from the altar to the throne. After reading the prayer, the priest (if there is no deacon) performs incense, during which the penitent 50 psalm reads to himself.
After incense, the primate raises his hands with the words " We, depicting the cherubim in the sacrament and singing the Trisagion Hymn to the life-giving Trinity, will now set aside all worldly cares in order to receive the King of the world, accompanied invisibly by the orders of angels. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah».
The transfer of the Gifts and their setting on the throne is expressed in terms of sacrifice, but again, our sacrifices, sacrifices of praise that we ask you to accept" from the hands of us sinners…”. In the event that the liturgy is celebrated without a deacon, the primate takes the paten and the Chalice and, on the solea, commemorates the First Hierarch of our Church, the Ruling Bishop, His Grace metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, as well as all those present in the church with the words “ May the Lord God remember in His Kingdom, always now and forever and forever and ever". Putting the holy vessels on the altar, the priest covers them with air while reciting the troparia of Great Friday. After the transfer of the Gifts from the altar to the throne, we will make one more stop with you to explain the further course of the service. God help everyone!
Next stop after the Great Entrance
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, the Great Entrance has taken place, and you and I have almost come close to the climax of the service - the Eucharistic canon. Immediately after the transfer of the Gifts from the altar to the throne, the petitionary litany begins. Sounds like a petition Execute(i.e. replenish) our prayer to the Lord”, and together with the choir we answer “Lord, have mercy.” After asking " spend the whole day holy, peacefully and sinlessly from the Lord, we ask", we answer with the words" Give me Lord”, and that is why the litany is called petitionary. This litany develops petitions for what people need: a Guardian Angel, the forgiveness of sins, a peaceful death, and so on. During its pronunciation, the prayer of the offering is read. This last prayer before the Anaphora itself (i.e., the Eucharistic canon) draws attention to itself by invoking the Holy Spirit on the Gifts and on the people: “... make us worthy to find favor in Your sight, so that our sacrifice may be acceptable to You and that the good Spirit of Your grace may rest on us, and on these gifts set before us, and on all Your people ...».
After the exclamation By the bounties of Thy Only Begotten Son, blessed be Thou with Him...» the priest teaches « peace to all". Then comes the exclamation " Let us love one another, so that in one mind we may confess and the chorus continues Father and Son and Holy Spirit - Trinity consubstantial and inseparable". In ancient times, at this moment, the so-called. kissing the world when the faithful taught one another the kiss of peace in Christ: men to men, women to women. It can be assumed that the disappearance of this action was associated with the growth of the Church, with the appearance of large gatherings in temples, where no one knows each other and where these actions would be a mere formality. Today, this custom has been preserved only among the clergy, when one greets the other with the words " Christ in our midst» to which the answer follows « and is and will be».
This action symbolically denotes a complete internal reconciliation between Christians who intend to participate in the sacrament of the Eucharist. The commandment of the Savior (Matt. 5:23-24) directly prescribes to be reconciled first with a brother, and then to bring a sacrifice to the altar. But this reconciliation should also mean complete unanimity, complete spiritual unity. Therefore, immediately after the kissing of the world, the Creed is proclaimed (adopted at the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea and supplemented at the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople), as a measure of the dogmatic truth of Christians. The Eucharistic offering can only be with one mouth and one heart, in a single faith, in the agreement of dogmas, in the same view on the basic questions of faith and salvation.
After the exclamation Doors, doors, let us listen to wisdom(i.e. let us listen)” the Creed is sung by all the people of God as an expression of the dogmatic unity of the Church. Exclamation " doors, doors” in ancient times was a sign for the deacons who stood at the door so that during the celebration of the Eucharistic prayers no one would go out and enter the assembly of the faithful.
At the end of the singing of the Creed, the Eucharistic canon or prayers of the anaphora (from the Greek. exaltation), which are the culminating part of the liturgy. We hear the exclamation Let's become kind(i.e. slim), let's stand with fear(i.e. we will be with attention) to bring holy exaltation in the world - and the chorus continues mercy, peace and sacrifice of praise". The priest, facing the people, proclaims: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the Father, and communion(communication) Holy Spirit be with you all!". The chorus, and with it all of us, answer: And with your spirit". Primate: " Gore e we have(i.e. lift up) hearts', the chorus replies: ' Imams(i.e. we lift up) to the Lord", Priest: " Thank the Lord!". And the choir starts to sing It is worthy and righteous to worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity Consubstantial and Indivisible". At this time, the primate performs a prayer of thanksgiving, in which he praises God for all His beneficences revealed and unmanifested to us, for the fact that He brought us from non-existence into existence and restored us again after the fall, for the service that is performed, despite the fact that He thousands of archangels and multitudes of angels are coming, six-winged cherubim and seraphim, many-eyed, soaring on wings, which (proclaims the priest) " singing a song of victory, shouting, shouting and speaking"(continues chorus)" Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of hosts; Heaven and earth are full of Your glory! Hosanna(i.e. salvation) in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!". And the priest continues with these blissful Powers, we, the philanthropic Lord, exclaim...”after which the primate in prayer recalls the event when our Lord Jesus Christ established the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist” taking bread in His holy and blameless and sinless hands, giving thanks and blessing, sanctifying and saying to his disciples and apostles, Take, eat, this is My Body, broken for you in the forgiveness of sins", the choir and we are with him" Amen!". The priest prays Likewise the cup after supper, saying: (out loud) Drink all of it, this is My Blood of the New Testament, shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.". The choir keeps answering " Amen!", Priest " So, remembering this His saving commandment and everything He did for us: the cross, the tomb, the three-day resurrection, the ascent to Heaven, on the right hand(from Father) sitting, and also His second and glorious coming,(offering the gifts) “Yours from Yours, bringing to You about everyone and for everything". And further " We sing to You, we bless You, we thank You, O Lord, and we pray to You, our God!(the chorus echoes this). And the priest begins to read the prayer for the calling of the Holy Spirit to the Gifts " and we ask, and we pray, and let us deem(i.e. seizure a eat): send Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts set before us,».
According to Russian tradition, at this time, the reading of the troparion of the third hour “Lord, even Thy Most Holy Spirit” is supposed to be read, many mistakenly believe that this troparion is just the prayer of invoking the Holy Spirit on the Gifts. In order not to break the integrity of this prayer, it will be read immediately after the words " and we pray to you, our God!».
The epiclesis prayer (i.e. the prayer for the invocation of the Holy Spirit) continues inextricably with the words " And make this bread - the honest body of your Christ"(the priest blesses the paten with his hand)," and the hedgehog in this Cup is the precious Blood of Thy Christ"(the priest blesses the Chalice)," changing by Your Holy Spirit(The priest blesses the diskos and the cup together). After that, a prostration is made before the consecrated Holy Gifts.
Having risen, the primate makes intercessory prayers that we all take communion for the soberness of the soul and the forgiveness of sins. He then prayerfully brings the verbal service " about every righteous soul in the faith who has died". And he proclaims, incense of the throne, Considerably(i.e. especially) about the Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed Lady of Our Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary". The choir sings a hymn glorifying the Mother of God, who is the most honest cherubim and the most glorious without comparison seraphim, and the priest continues to commemorate the saints of God, John the Baptist, the holy glorious apostles and saints, whose memory is being celebrated today. Then, please pay attention, the primate commemorates the departed Orthodox Christians, therefore, each of us at this time can and should prayerfully remember all those whom we usually commemorate for their repose. Then the priest prays for every Orthodox bishopric, priesthood, diaconate and every priestly rank, for the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
After that, the primate exclaims commemorates the First Hierarch of the Russian Church and the Ruling Bishop, after which he reads a prayer for our city, for our country and the salvation of all those Orthodox Christians who are not currently present at the service. Then, again, I ask you to pay attention, it is possible to commemorate the health of Orthodox Christians, but there is very little time for this, so you can have time to prayerfully remember only the people closest to us. This is followed by the exclamation: And give(i.e. give) we with one mouth and one heart to glorify and sing Your all-honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever”, the choir, together with the people, answers“ Amen!” and the priest, turning his face to all the faithful, proclaims “ And may the mercies of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all', the chorus replies ' and with your spirit". With this, the Eucharistic canon ends and remains with everything for a little time until the moment of communion of the clergy and laity. At this point, we will stop again to continue explaining the subsequent course of the service. I wish all of us meaningful standing before the Lord!
Next stop after the Eucharistic Canon
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, the change of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ took place, in order to later be offered to the faithful for communion and union with God. Now the litany of supplication will be pronounced after the consecration of the Gifts. Having remembered all the saints, let us pray to the Lord again and again in the world". By saints here is meant not only the saints of God, glorified by the Church, but also all faithful Orthodox Christians, deceased and living, commemorated during the service. In the early Church, saints meant all Christians in general, and the apostolic writings refer to Christians in this way. Further the petition Let us pray to the Lord for the precious gifts brought and consecrated”, this is a petition for sanctification of us by the communion of these Gifts, which follows from the following petition “ So that our philanthropic God, having accepted them on His holy and Most Heavenly and mental altar, as a spiritual fragrance, send down to us divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit as a reward - let us pray!”, then petitions, usual for a petitionary litany, follow, and the priest prays that each of us would take communion without condemnation and be cleansed of the filth of the flesh and spirit. On the meaning of this prayer and litany, St. Nicholas Cabasilas, one of the best interpreters of the Liturgy: “Grace acts in the honorable Gifts in two ways: first, by the fact that the Gifts are sanctified; secondly, by the fact that grace sanctifies us through them. Therefore, no human evil can prevent the action of grace in the Holy Gifts, since. their sanctification is not an act of human virtue. The second action is the work of our efforts, and therefore our negligence can interfere with it. Grace sanctifies us through the Gifts if it finds us worthy of sanctification; if it finds them unprepared, then it does not bring us any benefit, but causes even greater harm. The litany ends with the petition Having asked for the unity of faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit, let us commit ourselves and each other, and let us commit our whole life to Christ our God." followed by the exclamation " And vouchsafe us, O Lord, with boldness to uncondemned dare to call You, Heavenly God, Father and speak»:
And all the people, together with the choir, sing the Lord's Prayer: Our Father…". The petition in the Lord's Prayer for daily bread acquires a special Eucharistic character during the Liturgy. The prayer ends with the exclamation For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory ...”, after which the priest teaches peace to everyone, and after the exclamation of head bowing, he reads the corresponding prayer in which he thanks God and asks for our immediate needs“ floating floating, traveling travel, heal the sick Physician of our souls and bodies". After the chorus replies " Amen”, the priest reads a prayer before the crushing of the Holy Lamb, in which he asks God“ to give us His clean Body and His precious Blood, and through us to all His people».
Followed by the exclamation " Let's go!(i.e., let's be careful) "and the primate, lifting up the Holy Lamb, proclaims" Holy to the holy!". Here, as we have already said, the saints are understood to mean all Orthodox Christians, in this case, gathered in this holy temple, i.e. understood by each of us. The choir sings: There is one Holy, one Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen". The Primate performs the fragmentation of the Holy Lamb, with the words " Fulfillment of the Holy Spirit”puts a particle with the inscription “Jesus” into the Chalice, the particle with the inscription “Christ” will receive communion from the clergy, and the remaining two with the inscriptions “NI” and “KA” (i.e. victory) will be crushed for teaching to everyone who gathers today take communion. A ladle with hot water, so-called "warmth", which, by its theological interpretation, goes back to the death of the Savior on the cross, since The blood that flowed from the Lord was hot. After the clergy take communion, we will again make a short stop and explain the rest of the service, after which the Body and Blood of Christ will be given to all who prepared for this today.
Next stop after communion of the clergy
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, the very moment has come when the Chalice with the Body and Blood of Christ will be taken from the altar for the communion of the faithful. As we said at the beginning, the Divine Liturgy has its meaning in the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, for the communion of all those gathered at the liturgy. That is why the last part of the liturgy is called the liturgy of the faithful, because all those present at it were not outside spectators, but active participants in the service, aware of their responsible standing before God in common Eucharistic prayer. Communion at every liturgy was the norm for the Christians of the ancient Church, but over time this norm began to be forgotten, and today we can see how in the temple, in which there are a sufficient number of people, only a few communicants. Often we talk about our unworthiness, and this is absolutely true, each of us is not worthy to be able to unite with Christ Himself, and woe to those who suddenly realize their dignity in front of the Holy Chalice. Precisely because we are weak and unworthy, we are called to heal our ailments in the Sacraments of the Holy Church - repentance and communion above all. The universality of communion of all the faithful at the liturgy reveals the nature of the Church, which itself is the Body of Christ, which means that each member of Her is His particle.
Striving for constant unity with God in joint prayer and communion in the sacraments, we will step by step make our spiritual ascent, to which every Christian is called. The Liturgy is celebrated not so that we can light candles and order Mass, or rather, we also have every right to do all this, but the main meaning of its celebration is our union with God Himself. The goal of the life of an Orthodox Christian is to achieve about because, according to the words of St. Athanasius the Great, "God became man so that man might become God." And our deification is unthinkable without participation in the sacraments of the Church, to which we must resort not occasionally, from time to time, but constantly, remembering that this is precisely what our church life consists of. Naturally, all this is unthinkable without painstaking and careful work on oneself, without fighting one's sins, because as it is said in the Holy Scripture: The kingdom of heaven is taken by force, and those who use force take it by force» (Matthew 11:12). God saves us, but not without us, if each of us does not yearn for salvation, then it will be impossible to achieve it.
And in addition to our constant mysterious life, we must make efforts to better know our faith, because everyone who looks at us already forms an idea about the Church of Christ, and what will this idea be if we cannot give answers to elementary questions. One must constantly force oneself to study, to read the Holy Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, the works of Orthodox theologians, and, undoubtedly, to improve in prayer work. Each of us has a huge responsibility before God, the Church and people, because by becoming Christians we became, according to the words of the Apostle Peter, “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy people, people taken as inheritance in order to proclaim the perfections of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). With this responsibility in mind, we should carry out our church ministry.
Now the Holy Chalice will be taken out and everyone who was going to take communion today will be united with Christ Himself. After communion, the Chalice is brought into the altar and the holy particles that were taken out for the saints, the living and the dead, are immersed in the Chalice with the words “ wash away, Lord, the sins of all those who are remembered here by the prayers of your saints". Thus, everyone for whom the offering was made is also made the Body of Christ, and this is the highest meaning of the Eucharist - the unity of the heavenly and earthly Churches.
Let's make the particles immerse the priest proclaims " Save, O God, your people and bless your inheritance!". Then the Holy Chalice is transferred to the altar, with the words " Blessed is our God" (quiet) " Always now and forever and forever and ever!"(exclamation). Priest saying " Ascend to heaven, O God, and throughout the earth Your glory”delivers the Chalice to the altar. The choir, on behalf of all those who have communed the Holy Mysteries, sings “ May our lips be filled with Your praise, O Lord, so that we may sing of Your glory, for You have honored us with communion with Your holy, divine, immortal and life-giving Sacraments.". This is followed by a litany Let's be reverent! Having communed the divine, holy, immaculate, immortal, heavenly and life-giving, terrible Mysteries of Christ, we worthily thank the Lord!”, followed by the proclaiming “ Let's leave in peace!”and the junior clergyman reads the so-called. "beyond the ambo" prayer, in which he asks " Lord… save Your people and bless Your inheritance… Grant Peace to Your world, Your churches, priesthood, our rulers and all Your people…". The choir with the people answers " Amen!”, after which the blessing is taught with all the right words“ God bless you...". After that, the primate makes a vacation, i.e. the final prayer of the liturgy, in which the Mother of God, the holy apostles, the saints of the temple and the day are remembered (today it is, first of all, the Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina, the Enlightener of Georgia) and St. John Chrysostom, whose liturgy is celebrated today. After that, the choir sings for many years to the Primate of the Russian Church, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II and our Ruling Bishop, His Eminence John, Archbishop of Belgorod and Starooskolsky. Thus, the service ends.
We hope that today's service, which was constantly commented on during its celebration, has given us the opportunity to get to know our liturgical heritage better, and we will continue to make efforts so that we have a desire to more and more comprehend our Orthodox heritage, through meaningful participation in worship, through participation in the Sacraments of the Holy Church. Amen.
The end and glory to our God!
The Divine Liturgy is the most important church service. The word "liturgy" itself is Greek in origin. In ancient Greece, some common works, beyond the strength of one person, were called "liturgies". The first Christians called this word the main service to God.
The Liturgy commemorates the earthly life of Jesus Christ from birth to His ascension to Heaven, His teachings and the saving blessings He brought to earth. The order of the Liturgy is as follows: first, everything necessary for the Sacrament of Communion is prepared; then the faithful prepare for the Sacrament; and, finally, the Sacrament itself is performed, and the faithful receive communion.
The Liturgy is thus divided into three parts: Proskomedia; Liturgy of the catechumens; Liturgy of the Faithful.
PROSCOMIDE
"Proskomedia" is a Greek word and means "bringing". The name of the first part of the Liturgy is associated with the custom of ancient Christians to bring bread, wine, and everything needed to celebrate the Liturgy. Therefore, the bread used on it is called prosphora, which means "offering." We cannot live without food and drink. Therefore, our gifts mean that we offer our life as a gift to God.
During Proskomedia, the priest prepares our gifts (prosphora). For Proskomedia, five service prosphora are used (in remembrance of how Jesus Christ fed more than five thousand people with five loaves) as well as prosphora ordered by parishioners. For communion, one prosphora (Lamb) is used, which in its size should correspond to the number of communicants. From each prosphora, the priest takes out a particle and places them on a diskos (golden plate) in strict order:
First, a cubic part of the prosphora (called the "Lamb") is placed in the center;
A particle from the second prosphora, called "Theotokos" (in honor of the Mother of God), the priest puts on the right side of the "Lamb";
Particles from a nine-part prosphora (in honor of all saints) - on the left side of the "Lamb" (three particles in a row);
Particles for the living rely below the "Lamb";
Particles for the dead - even lower;
Particles from the prosphora served by believers are relied on together with particles taken out from the fourth and fifth prosphora.
The union of all the particles on the diskos in this order signifies the whole Church of God. The head of the Church is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
LITURGY OF THE CANUMITED
During the Liturgy of the catechumens (catechumens - preparing to receive Holy Baptism) we learn how to live according to the Commandments of God. It begins with a Great Litany, in which a priest or deacon reads short prayers for times of peace, for health, for our country, for our loved ones, for the Church, for the Patriarch, for travelers, for those in prison or in trouble. After each petition, the choir sings: "Lord have mercy."
After the Great Litany, the First Antiphon (Psalm 102) “Bless the Lord, my soul…” is sung. After the Lesser Litany, the Second Antiphon (Psalm 145) is sung: “Praise, my soul, the Lord…”. These psalms are called antiphons - they are supposed to be sung on two kliros alternately.
At the end of the Second Antiphon, "Only Begotten Son ..." is always sung. This chant expounds the Orthodox teaching about the Second Person of the Holy Trinity - the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
At the end of the Beatitudes, the priest solemnly takes the Gospel out of the Altar through the northern gate and just as solemnly brings it into the Altar through the Royal Doors.
(The procession of the clergyman with the Gospel is called the small entrance and reminds the believers of the first exit of Jesus Christ to preach). The singers sing the entrance: "Come, let's bow ...".
After that, troparia, kontakia and the "Trisagion" ("Holy God ...") are sung.
At the end of the Trisagion, a reader enters the middle of the temple and reads the Apostle (an excerpt from the letters of the apostles to the first Christians).
After reading the "Apostle", the deacon or the priest himself reads the Gospel.
At the end of the reading of the Gospel, a special (enhanced) litany for the living follows, and then a special litany for the dead.
After that, the catechumens are asked to leave the temple.
LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL
The third part is called the Liturgy of the Faithful because only the faithful can attend it; baptized. After the invitation to the catechumens to leave the temple, the Cherubic Hymn is sung. This song invites believers to leave all thought of worldly things, to imagine that they, like the Cherubim, are near God, in Heaven, and, as if together with them, sing the thrice-holy song to Him. After the fulfillment of the words: “Now let us lay aside all worldly cares ...” the priest solemnly takes out the Holy Gifts - bread and wine - from the northern gates of the Altar. Stopping at the Royal Doors, he prays for all those whom we especially remember, and, returning through the Royal Doors to the Altar, he places the Holy Gifts on the Throne. (Transfer of gifts from the Altar to
The throne is called the Great Entrance and marks the solemn procession of Jesus Christ to free suffering and death on the cross). The choir continues to sing the “Cherubim” with the words: “Let us raise up the King of all…”.
After the "Cherubim" a petitionary litany sounds and one of the main prayers is sung - "The Symbol of Faith" - which, together with the chanters, is performed by all the parishioners.
The climax of the Liturgy is coming:
The Holy Mystery of the Eucharist is celebrated - the transformation of bread and wine into the true Body and true Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
At this time, the choir sings "Grace of the World."
Then the "Song of Praise to the Theotokos" and the petitionary litany are heard. The most important - "The Lord's Prayer" (Our Father ...) - is performed by all believers. After the "Lord's Prayer" the communion verse is sung. The Royal Doors open.
The priest takes out the Chalice with the Holy Gifts and says:
“Come with the fear of God and faith!” The communion of believers begins and the choir sings: “Receive the Body of Christ…”.
At the end of communion, the chanters sing a hymn of thanksgiving: "Let our lips be filled ..." and Psalm 33. Then the priest pronounces the dismissal (that is, the end of the Liturgy). Sounds "Many Years" and the parishioners kiss the Cross.
In detail: the liturgy text of the service with explanations - from all open sources and different parts of the world on the site site for our dear readers.
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Origin of the Divine Liturgy
Word "liturgy" means a common service, a gathering of believers for the sake of meeting with God. This is the most important Christian service, when the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ takes place. "We are involved in the supernatural”, - this is what St. John of Damascus says about this.For the first time the Liturgy was celebrated by Christ Himself on the eve of the sufferings. Having gathered in the upper room for a festive meal, His disciples prepared everything for the performance of the Passover rites, then accepted among the Jews. These rituals were symbolic, reminding the participants of the meal about the liberation from Egyptian slavery. But when the rite of the Easter meal was fulfilled by Christ, the symbols and prophecies turned into into fulfilled divine promises: man became free from sin and regained heavenly bliss.
Thus, originating from the ancient Jewish rite, the Christian liturgy in general terms resembles its following, and the entire daily circle of services, starting with Vespers, is a preparation for its celebration.
In modern church practice, the liturgy is a morning (by time of day) service. In the ancient church, it was performed at night, which still happens today on the days of the great holidays of Christmas and Easter.
Development of the liturgical rite
The order of the first Christian liturgies was simple and resembled a friendly meal, accompanied by prayer and remembrance of Christ. But it soon became necessary to distinguish the liturgy from ordinary dinner parties in order to inspire the faithful with reverence for the Sacrament being performed. Gradually, in addition to the psalms of David, it included hymns composed by Christian authors.With the spread of Christianity to the east and west, worship services began to acquire national features of the people who adopted the new faith. The liturgies began to differ from each other so much that it took the decisions of the councils of bishops to establish a single succession.
Currently, there are 4 main liturgical rites compiled by the Holy Fathers and performed in the Orthodox Church:
- Liturgy of John Chrysostom- is performed daily, excluding the statutory days of the Liturgy of Basil the Great, and during the Lenten Triodion - on Saturdays and Palm Sunday.
- Basil the Great- 10 times a year: on the author's memorial day, both Christmas Eve, 5 times during Fortecost and 2 times during Holy Week.
- Gregory the Dialogist or the Presanctified Gifts- served during Great Lent on weekdays.
- Apostle James the Greek- takes place in some Russian parishes on the day of the memory of the Apostle.
In addition to the listed liturgies, there are special rites in the Ethiopian, Coptic (Egyptian), Armenian and Syrian churches. The rites of the Liturgies are found in the Catholic West, as well as among the Catholics of the Eastern Rite. In general terms, all liturgies are similar to each other.
Liturgy of John Chrysostom
The rite composed by St. John Chrysostom, has been used in the practice of the Church since the 5th century. In time, it is younger than the creation of Basil the Great. For the parishioner, the liturgies of both authors are similar and differ only in time. The Liturgy of Saint Basil is longer because of the length of the secret priestly prayers. Contemporaries of John Chrysostom argued that the shorter rank was composed by him out of love for the common people, who are weary of long services.The abbreviated following of John Chrysostom quickly spread throughout Byzantium and eventually developed into the rank of the most famous Divine Liturgy. The text with explanations given below will help the laity understand the meaning of the main points of the service, and the choir singers and readers - to avoid common mistakes.
Liturgy usually starts at 8-9 am, the hours three and six are read in front of her, reminiscent of the trial at Pilate and the crucifixion of Christ. When the hours are read on the kliros, a proskomedia is performed in the altar. The serving priest prepared from the evening, reading a long rule, in order to take over the throne the next day.
The divine service begins with the exclamation of the priest “Blessed is the Kingdom…”, and after the answer of the choir, the Great Litany immediately follows. Then antiphons begin - pictorial, festive or everyday.
Antiphons Figurative
Bless, my soul, the Lord.
Small Litany:
Praise, my soul, the Lord.
The first two hymns symbolize the prayer and hope of the Old Testament man, the third - the sermon of the appeared Christ. Before the Blessed Ones, the song “Only Begotten Son” sounds, the authorship of which is attributed to Emperor Justinian (VI century). This moment of the service is reminiscent of the Nativity of the Savior.
Antiphon III, 12 Beatitudes:
Remember us in Your Kingdom, O Lord...
The Rule suggests interspersing the verses of the beatitudes with the troparia of the canons read at Matins. For each category of service, its own number of troparia is required:
- sixfold - from "Blessed are the peacemakers" to 6;
- polyeleos or vigil to the saint - by 8, with "Blessed are the merciful";
- Sunday - by 10, with "Blessed are the meeks."
In churches with daily liturgy on weekdays, you can hear the Daily Antiphons. The texts of these hymns are verses from psalms, interspersed with a refrain dedicated to the Lord and the Mother of God. There are also three daily antiphons, they are of more ancient origin. Over time, they are increasingly replaced by Fine.
On the days of the Lord's feasts, the Festive antiphons sound, similar in structure to everyday ones. These texts can be found in the Menaion and Triodion, at the end of the feast service.
small entrance
From this moment begins the Liturgy itself. Priests under the singing of the entrance verse "Come, let's bow..." enter the altar with the Gospel, that is, with Christ Himself. The saints march invisibly behind them, so immediately after the opening verse the choir sings the troparia and kontakia to the saints, laid down according to the Rule.
Trisagion
The singing of the Trisagion was introduced in the 6th century. According to legend, this song was first heard by a young resident of Constantinople performed by an angelic choir. At this time, the city suffered from a strong earthquake. The assembled people began to repeat the words heard by the youth, and the elements subsided. If the previous input verse "Come let us worship" referred only to Christ, then the Trisagion is sung to the Holy Trinity.
Prokeimenon and reading of the Apostle
The order of reading the Apostle at the Liturgy is regulated by the Charter and depends on the category, connection of services and festive periods. When preparing readings, it is more convenient to use church calendar or "liturgical instructions" for the current year. And also prokeimnes with alliluaries are given in appendix to the Apostle in several sections:
With a careful study of the composition of the book of the Apostle, the preparation of the readings will take a little time. There can be no more than two prokimns, and no more than three readings.
The sequence of proclamations at the reading of the Apostle:- Deacon: Let's go.
- Priest: Peace to all.
- Reader of the Apostle: And your spirit. Prokimen voice ... (voice and text of the prokimen)
- Chorus: prokimen.
- Reader: verse.
- Chorus: prokimen.
- Reader: the first half of the prokimen.
- Chorus: the prokeimenon sings.
- Deacon: Wisdom.
The reader proclaims the name of the apostolic reading. It is important to pronounce the inscriptions correctly:
- Acts of the Saints Apostle reading.
- Cathedral Epistle of Petrov (Jacoblya) reading.
- To the Corinthians (Jews, Timothy, Titus) of the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul reading.
Deacon: listen (listen!)
It is recommended to read the text in a singsong voice, gradually increasing intonation in order to end the reading on a high note. If the charter prescribes two readings, then at the end of the first, the reader returns the last syllable to a low note. The text from the Acts begins with the words "In the days of Ona", the Epistles of the Council - "Brethren", messages to one person - "Child Tita" or "Child Timothy."
Priest: peace to the one who honors!
Reader: and your spirit.
Hallelujah and Gospel Reading
Despite the fact that after the Apostle the reader immediately pronounces Hallelujah, this exclamation does not complete the reading of the Apostle, but is a prokeimenon to the Gospel. Therefore, in the ancient liturgies, the Alleluia was said by the priest. Order:- Deacon: Wisdom.
- Reader: Hallelujah (3 times).
- Chorus: hallelujah repeats.
- Reader: Alliluary verse.
- Choir: hallelujah (3 p.)
After the second verse of the Alliluary, he goes to the altar, holding the closed book of the Apostle over his head. At this time, the deacon, placing a lectern in front of the Royal Doors, sets up the liturgical Gospel vertically on it.
Statutory exclamations follow priest and deacon before reading the Gospel.
Deacon: Bless, Vladyka, the herald of the holy apostle and evangelist Matthew (John, Luke, Mark).
The name of the Evangelist is pronounced in genitive case, since the blessing is requested not for the author of the Gospel, but for the deacon.
The gospel is read like the Apostle, beginning with the words “At the time it is” or “The Lord spoke to His disciple,” depending on the plot. At the end of the reading, the priest blesses the deacon with the words "Peace to thee, who preach the gospel!" in contrast to the words addressed to the reader of the Apostle - "revering". After the final chant, "Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee," the priest's sermon may follow, explaining what has been heard.
Special Litany
The word "double" means "double". This name comes from the double appeal to the mercy of God at the beginning of the litany, as well as the fervent prayer of the faithful. Usually two special litanies are pronounced - congratulatory and requiem. At this moment, in modern practice, there is a reading of notes with names filed "for mass". Special petitions can be inserted for travelers, sick people, etc.With the exception of the first two petitions of the healthy litany, the choir responds to each petition with three “Lord, have mercy.”
Litany for the catechumens and the faithful
A series of brief petitions - a prayer for those preparing for baptism. According to ancient tradition, they could not attend the main part of the liturgy - the transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts. After listening to the introductory part - the Liturgy of the catechumens - all the unbaptized left the church.In our time, announcement period is short or absent altogether. Therefore, the litany should be understood as a reminder of ancient piety and serious attitude to the sacraments of the Church.
After the litany of the catechumens and their exodus, two more litanies follow, the first of which resembles the Great Litany in text. She begins the Liturgy of the faithful. In the wake of Ap. James, in this place, the solemn prokeimenon is pronounced “The Lord reigned in beauty, clothed”, in Chrysostom it was transferred to the proskomedia.
Cherubic Hymn, Great Entrance
The text of the Cherubim Hymn, which begins the Liturgy of the Faithful, is usually written according to the notes. It is performed in a sing-song voice because the priest and deacon should have enough time for burning incense, a special prayer and transferring the prepared Holy Gifts (not yet combined Bread and Wine) from the altar to the throne. The path of the clergy passes through the pulpit, where they stop to pronounce commemorations.Deacon: Let us love one another, but confess with unanimity.
Chorus: Father and Son and Holy Spirit, Trinity consubstantial and indivisible.
In ancient times, with the exclamation of "Let us love ...", the parishioners kissed each other as a symbol of the unity of Christians in the image of the Holy Trinity. Men and women greeted each other separately, as they were in different parts of the temple to maintain decency. In the modern tradition, kissing occurs only between the clergy at the altar.
Symbol of faith
The twelve verses of the Creed are sung by the entire congregation of Christians under the direction of a deacon. Thus, the faithful confirm their confession and agreement with the dogmas of the Church. At this time, the priest fans the Holy Gifts with a cover, which reminds of the imminent descent of the Holy Spirit and the coming miracle of their transformation into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Eucharistic canon
Deacon: Let's become good, let's become fearful...Chorus: The mercy of the world, The sacrifice of praise.
The texts of the Eucharistic canon for the choir are signed according to the notes for a drawn-out and touching singing. At this time, the main action of the liturgy takes place - the Transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts. Parishioners pray, standing motionless or on their knees. No walking or talking is allowed.
Worthy to eat and commemorate
The Eucharistic Canon is followed by a song dedicated to the Theotokos. In the order of John Chrysostom, this is “It is worthy to eat”, which on the days of the twelfth holidays is replaced by meritors. The texts of the meritors are given in the menaia on the day of the feast and represent the irmos of the ninth ode of the canon with a refrain.
During the performance of "It is worthy to eat" the priest commemorates the saints of the day and dead Christians.
Priest: First, Lord, remember...
Chorus: And everyone and everything.
Preparing for Communion
After the Eucharistic Canon, a supplicatory litany is again heard, to which the nationwide singing of the Our Father joins. Christians pray with words commanded by the Lord Himself in order to soon begin Communion. The first to receive the Holy Gifts will be the clergy at the altar.The exclamation “Holy to the Holy” follows, meaning that the Shrine is ready and is presented to the “saints”, in this case, to the parishioners preparing for communion. The choir responds on behalf of the people, “One Holy Lord Jesus Christ…”, recognizing the unworthiness of even the most righteous person before God. This is followed by the chanting of the sacrament verse intended for the priests who receive the Gifts.
The texts of the communion verses are given in the menaia for each service, as well as in the appendix of the Apostle, after the prokeimons. There are only seven verses for each day of the week and special ones for the twelfth holidays.
In the modern tradition the pause during the communion of the priests is filled with a "concert" - the author's musical work on the theme of the day, which is performed by the choir. It is also appropriate to read the prayers for Communion in order to prepare the laity to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Reading continues until the opening of the royal gates.
Communion of the laity and thanksgiving prayers
The deacon is the first to leave the holy gates, holding the Chalice with the Gifts in front of him. Laymen preparing for communion are allowed closer to the salt. They stand with their arms crossed over their chests, palms to their shoulders. After the deacon's exclamation, "Come with the fear of God and with faith!" the priest, who followed the deacon, reads one of the prayers for communion “I believe, Lord, and I confess…”, approaching the Chalice, the laity mentally read the troparion of the Great Thursday “Thy secret Supper…”.Babies are brought in first, children are brought in. The men go next, the women last. Immediately after receiving the Holy Mysteries, the parishioners go to the table, on which a teapot with a drink is prepared. Zapivka - sweetish water, tinted with wine or juice, is used to swallow all the smallest particles of the Body and Blood of Christ.
At this moment, one must especially watch over small children so that they do not spit out the Holy Secrets. Dropping a Particle is a terrible sin of negligence. If this happens, it is necessary to inform the priest, who will take the measures prescribed in such cases by church rules.
During communion, the Easter communion verse is sung: “Take the body of Christ, taste the source of the immortal.” When the Chalice is taken to the altar, the choir repeats the Alleluia.
Prayer beyond the ambo
Here the priest leaves the altar and stands in front of the pulpit, from where he reads the “prayer beyond the pulpit”, praying on behalf of the people. This prayer was introduced into the liturgy after the time of St. John Chrysostom, when the custom of secret priestly prayers appeared.It can be seen that all the prayers related to the Eucharistic canon are said secretly in the altar, the parishioners hear only the singing of the choir. Often this is a temptation for the curious, who want to hear and see everything that happens behind the iconostasis. The prayer behind the ambo is composed of fragments of secret prayers so that the laity have an idea of what words are spoken by the priests.
The concealment of the most important part of the Liturgy - the Transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts - is symbolic. Neither the content of the prayers, nor the actions of the clergy are in the Church "a secret for the uninitiated", but are performed behind the fence to emphasize the importance and incomprehensibility of the Eucharist.
Any Christian who seeks to study the faith has the opportunity to attend special liturgies, where pauses are made in worship to explain what is happening.
- Ep. Vissarion Nechaev "Explanation of the Divine Liturgy".
- John Chrysostom "Commentaries on the Divine Liturgy".
- A. I. Georgievsky. The service of the Divine Liturgy.
Psalm 33 and Let go
Under the song of the righteous Job, "Be blessed be the Name of the Lord from now on and forever," the priest again goes to the altar. In many churches, after this, they begin to sing the 33rd psalm, which teaches the believers guidance for the coming day. At this, the parishioners dismantle the antidoron taken out of the altar - a part of the service prosphora used to make the Lamb. All these actions remind believers of ancient custom"meal of love", which was arranged by Christians after the Eucharist.At the end of Psalm 33, the priest pronounces a dismissal - a short prayer, where through the prayers of the Virgin and the saints of the day, divine mercy is requested for all the faithful. The choir responds with many years of "Our Great Lord and Father Cyril ...".
After the liturgy in many churches it is customary to serve a prayer service.
Texts for kliros
Literature on the observance and interpretation of the Liturgy, as well as hymn sheet music, can be purchased at specialized stores. It is convenient for the director of the choir and the readers to use the printed text containing the unchanging hymns of the evening and morning services, the liturgy and the all-night vigil. The texts for the kliros can be downloaded from the Azbuka.Ru portal.
The second part of the liturgy is called the liturgy of the catechumens. This part of the service got its name from the content in its composition of prayers, chants, sacred rites and teachings that have an instructive, categorical character. In the ancient Church, during its celebration, catechumens could be present, along with the faithful, that is, persons preparing for Holy Baptism, as well as penitents who were excommunicated from Holy Communion.
Deacon: Bless, master.
Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
Chorus: Amen.
Great Litany
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord in peace.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For heavenly peace and the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: About the peace of the whole world, the well-being of the Saints Churches of God and the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For this holy temple and for those who enter it with faith, reverence and fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: About our Great Lord and Father, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, and about our Lord, His Grace Metropolitan (or: Archbishop, or: Bishop) (name), honorable presbytery, diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For our God-protected country, its authorities and army, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For this city (or: o this village, if in a monastery, then: for this holy monastery), every city, country, and by faith living in them, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For the goodness of the air, for the abundance of the fruits of the earth and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For the floating, the traveling, the sick, the suffering, the captive, and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: For deliverance to us from all sorrow, anger and need, let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Chorus: You, Lord.
Priest: As all glory, honor and worship befits You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
Chorus: Amen.
antiphons
There are three types of antiphons in the liturgy: festive, pictorial and everyday (everyday). Which of them are sung is determined for each day by the Church Charter. The festive antiphons are sung on the feasts of the Lord, with the exception of the Presentation (the festive antiphons on the Week of Vay, on Easter, on the Ascension and on the Day of the Holy Trinity are given in the chapter "Chants from the Services of the Colored Triodion").
Everyday antiphons are supposed to be sung on weekdays. Most often on Sundays and holidays, pictorial antiphons are sung (Psalms 102, 145 and Blessed - Matt. 5, 3-12)
First antiphon
Choir 1: Bless, my soul, the Lord. Blessed are you, Lord. Bless, my soul, the Lord, and all my inner name is His holy name.
Choir 2: Bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His rewards.
Choir 1: Who cleanses all your iniquity, heals all your diseases.
Choir 2: He who redeems your stomach from destruction, crowning you with mercy and bounties.
Choir 1: Whoever fulfills your desire in good things: your youth will be renewed like an eagle.
Choir 2: Do alms Lord, and the fate of all offended.
Choir 1: The tale of His way to Moses, the son of Israel, His desires.
Choir 2: The Lord is generous and merciful, long-suffering and many-merciful.
Choir 1: Not completely angry, down in the age of enmity.
Choir 2: Not according to our iniquity did he give us food, but according to our sin he repaid us to eat.
Choir 1: Like the height of heaven from the earth, the Lord has established His mercy on those who fear Him.
Choir 2: Eliko separates the east from the west, removed our iniquity from us.
Choir 1: As the father has mercy on his sons, the Lord have mercy on those who fear Him.
Chorus 2: Yako Toi knows our creation, I will remember, like Esma's dust.
Choir 1: A man, like the grass of his days, like a green flower, tacos will bloom.
Choir 2: Like a spirit, it has passed through it, and it will not, and no one will know his place.
Choir 1: The mercy of the Lord is from age to age on those who fear Him.
Choir 2: And His righteousness is upon the sons of sons, who keep His covenant, and remember His commandments to do.
Choir 1: The Lord in heaven has prepared His Throne, and His Kingdom possesses all.
Chorus 2: Bless the Lord, His angels, mighty in strength, who do His word, hear the voice of His words.
Choir 1: Bless the Lord, all His might, His servants, who do His will.
Chorus 2: Bless the Lord, all His works, in every place of His dominion.
Choir 1: Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Choir 2: And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Choir 1: Bless, my soul, the Lord, and all my inner being, His holy name. Blessed are you, Lord.
Litany small
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Intercede, save, have mercy and save us, O God, by Your grace.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Our Most Holy, Most Pure, Blessed, Glorious Lady Our Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commit ourselves, and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.
Chorus: You, Lord.
Chorus: Amen.
Second antiphon
During the second antiphon, the Ponomar candle is lit. The altar boy takes a candle during the "Only Begotten Son ..." and stands with it in a high place.
Chorus: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Choir 1: Praise, my soul, the Lord. I will praise the Lord in my stomach; I will sing to my God while I am.
Choir 2: Do not rely on princes, on the sons of men, in them there is no salvation.
Choir 1: His spirit will go out and return to his own land: in that day all his thoughts will perish.
Choir 2: Blessed is the God of Jacob his helper, his hope is in the Lord his God.
Choir 1: Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them.
Chorus 2: He who keeps the truth forever, who executes judgment on the offended, who gives food to the hungry.
Choir 1: The Lord will decide the fettered, the Lord will make the blind wise.
Choir 2: The Lord raises up the downcast, the Lord loves the righteous.
Choir 1: The Lord guards the aliens, he will accept a sire and a widow, and he will destroy the path of sinners.
Choir 2: The Lord will reign forever, your God, Zion, throughout generation and generation. And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Song of the Lord Jesus Christ
Litany small
Deacon: Again and again, let us pray to the Lord in peace.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Intercede, save, have mercy and save us, O God, by Your grace.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Our Most Holy, Most Pure, Blessed, Glorious Lady Our Lady and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commit ourselves, and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.
Chorus: You, Lord.
Priest: As Your power, and Yours is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
Chorus: Amen.
Third antiphon; Blessed are
“Blessed” is supposed to be sung with troparia assigned on this day by the Church Charter: special troparia for “Blessed”, or troparia from the song of the morning canon to a feast or saint.
Choir 1: In Thy Kingdom, remember us, O Lord, when You come into Thy Kingdom.
Chorus 2, verse 12: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Choir 1: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Chorus 2, verse 10: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Choir 1: Blessed are those who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Chorus 2, verse 8: Blessed are the mercies, for they will have mercy.
Choir 1: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Choir 2, verse 6: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Choir 1: Blessed are the exiles for the sake of righteousness, for those are the Kingdom of Heaven.
Choir 2, verse 4: Blessed are you, when they reproach you, and they will marry you, and they will say all kinds of evil words against you, lying for Me.
Choir 1: Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is much in heaven.
Chorus: And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Antiphons everyday (everyday)
Antiphon 1st Choir 1: It is good to confess to the Lord. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.
Choir 2: It is good to confess to the Lord, and sing to Your name, O Most High. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.
Choir 1: Proclaim thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth every night. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.
Choir 2: For the Lord our God is right, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.
Choir 1: Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: Through the prayers of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.
Choir 2: And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, Savior, save us.
Antiphon 2nd Choir 1: The Lord reigns, clothed in splendor. Through the prayers of your saints, O Savior, save us.
Choir 2: The Lord reigned, clothed in splendor, the Lord clothed in strength, and girded himself. Through the prayers of your saints, O Savior, save us.
Choir 1: For establish the universe, even if it does not move. Through the prayers of your saints, O Savior, save us.
Choir 2: Thy testimonies are strongly convinced: holiness befits Thy house, O Lord, in the longitude of days. Through the prayers of your saints, O Savior, save us.
Chorus: Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Chorus: And now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Song of the Lord Jesus Christ Choir: The Only Begotten Son and Word of God, Who is Immortal, and deigning our salvation for the sake of being incarnated from the Holy Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, immutably incarnated; crucified, O Christ God, righting death by death, One Who is the Holy Trinity, glorified by the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.
Antiphon 3rd Choir 1: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us exclaim to God our Savior. Save us, Son of God, wondrous in the saints, singing to Ty: Alleluia.
Choir 2: Let us go before His face in confession, and in a psalm let us exclaim to Him: Save us, Son of God, in the saints wondrous, singing Ty: alleluia.
Choir 1: For God is the Great Lord, and the Great King over all the earth. Save us, Son of God, wondrous in the saints, singing to Ty: Alleluia.
Choir 2: For in His hand are all the ends of the earth, and the heights of the mountains of That are. Save us, Son of God, wondrous in the saints, singing to Ty: Alleluia.
Choir 1: For that is the sea, and that you create, and you create dry land with his hand. Save us, Son of God, wondrous in the saints, singing to Ty: Alleluia.
Entrance with the gospel
Entrance with the Gospel. The deacon enters the altar, opens the Royal Doors, is baptized together with the priest and kisses the throne and takes the gospel, the altar server at this moment is baptized with them synchronously, bows to the high place, the priest, and at the moment the priest passes from the throne to the high place goes to the northern gate. When the priest and deacon also go to the gates, he opens the door and walks along the ambo to the royal doors, then turns to the lectern and stands in front of him with his back to the people, when the priest enters the altar, the altar boy enters through the southern gate. In the altar, the sacristan goes to the high place, crosses himself, bows to the high place, the priest and goes to put the candle in its place.
Deacon: Wisdom, forgive me.
Chorus: Come, let us worship and fall down to Christ. Save the Son of God, risen from the dead, singing to Ty: alleluia.
Troparia and kontakia "at the entrance"
The choir sings troparia and kontakia “at the entrance”, appointed on this day by the Church Charter (Sunday troparia and kontakia are given in the chapter “Chants from Sunday services”, daytime ones - in the chapter “Chants from everyday services”, common to the faces of saints - in the chapter “Chants from services common to the faces of saints", festive ones - in the chapter "Chants from festive services").
Priest: For Thou art holy, our God, and we send glory to Thee, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever.
Deacon: And forever and ever.
Chorus: Amen.
Trisagion
Choir: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Three times)
Chorus: Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
Chorus: Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Chorus: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Prokimen
The deacon is given a censer
Deacon: Let's go.
Priest: Peace to all.
Reader of the Apostle: And your spirit. Prokimen. Psalm of David, ch..
One or two prokeimenes are pronounced, appointed on this day at the liturgy by the Church Charter (Sunday prokimens with their verses are given in the chapter "Chants from the services of the Sunday eight voices", daytime (everyday) - in the chapter "Chants from the services of everyday", from the services of the Lenten Triodey and color - in the chapters "Chants from the Services of the Lenten Triodion" and "Chants from the Services of the Triodion of Color".
The reader pronounces the prokeimenon, naming his voice, the choir sings the prokimen, the reader pronounces the verse, the choir repeats the prokimen, the reader pronounces the first half of the prokeimenon, the choir sings the second half of it. When the Rule appoints two prokimen, the first is sung twice, i.e. reader: prokeimenon, chorus: prokeimenon, reader: verse, chorus: prokimen, then the reader pronounces the second prokimen, and the choir sings it once.
Sunday Prokeimnas and Alleluia at the Liturgy
Tone 1: Wake, O Lord, Thy mercy upon us, as if we put our trust in Thee.
Verse: Rejoice, righteous ones, in the Lord, praise is due to the upright.
Alleluia: God give vengeance to me and subdue the people under me.
Verse: Magnify the salvation of the king and show mercy to your Christ David and his seed forever.
Tone 2: My strength and my song is the Lord. and be to my salvation.
Verse: Punishing the punishment of the Lord, do not put me to death.
Alleluia: The Lord will hear you on the day of sorrow, the name of the God of Jacob will protect you.
Verse: Lord, save the king and hear us, one more day we will call on Thee.
Tone 3: Sing to our God, sing to our King, sing.
Verse: All tongues, clap your hands, shout to God with a voice of joy.
Alleluia: In Thee, O Lord, I put my trust, that I may not be ashamed forever.
Verse: Be me in God the Defender and in the house of refuge, hedgehog to save me.
Tone 4: For Thy works are exalted, O Lord, Thou hast done with all wisdom.
Verse: Bless, O my soul, the Lord, O Lord my God, thou art exalted greatly.
Alleluia: Nalyats and have time and reign, for the sake of truth and meekness, and truth.
Verse: Thou hast loved righteousness, and thou hast hated iniquity.
Tone 5: Thou, O Lord, preserve us and keep us from this generation and forever.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, as if I were a poor reverend.
Alleluia: Thy mercy, O Lord, I will sing for ever, to generation and generation I will proclaim Thy truth with my mouth.
Verse: Thou hast said beforehand: in the age of time mercy will be built up, Thy truth will be prepared in heaven.
Tone 6-p: Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thy inheritance.
Verse: To Thee, O Lord, I will call, my God, do not be silent from me.
Alleluia: Alive in the help of the Most High, in the blood of the God of Heaven will settle.
Verse: He says to the Lord: Thou art my protector and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him.
Tone 7: The Lord will give strength to His people. The Lord will bless His people with peace.
Verse: Offer to the Lord, sons of God, bring to the Lord, sons of the sheep,
Alleluia: It is good to confess to the Lord and sing to Your Name, O Most High.
Verse: Proclaim thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth every night.
Tone 8: Pray and repay the Lord our God.
Verse: God knows in Judah, His name is great in Israel.
Alleluia: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us exclaim to God our Savior.
Verse: Let us go before His face in confession, and in a psalm let us exclaim to Him.
Prokeimna and alleluia daily (everyday)
On Monday, ch. 4th: Create Thy angels spirits, and Thy servants fiery flame.
Verse: Bless, my soul. Lord, O Lord my God, thou hast exalted greatly.
Alleluia, ch. 5th: Praise the Lord, all His angels, praise Him, all His might.
Verse: Like that speech, and bysha; He commanded, and created.
Tuesday, ch. 7th: The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord and trust in Him.
Verse: Hear, O God, my voice, always pray to Thee.
Alleluia, ch. 4th: The righteous one will flourish like a phoenix, like a cedar, like in Lebanon, will multiply
Verse: Plant in the house of the Lord; in the courts of our God they will flourish.
Wednesday, ch. 3rd: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
Verse: As if looking at the humility of His servant, behold, from now on, all birth will please Me.
Alleluia, ch. 8th: Hear, Dshi, and see, and incline Your ear.
Verse: The riches of the people will pray to Your face.
Thursday, ch. 8th: Their voices have gone out into all the earth, and their words have gone out to the ends of the world.
Verse: The heavens will proclaim the glory of God, but the firmament proclaims the creation by His hand.
Alleluia, ch. 1st; The heavens will confess wonders, O Lord, for Thy truth is in the Church of the saints
Verse: We glorify God in the council of saints.
Friday, ch. 7th: Lift up the Lord our God, and bow down under His footstool, for it is holy.
Verse: The Lord reigns, let the people be angry.
Alleluia, ch. 1st: Remember your host, which you acquired from the beginning.
Verse: God our King before the ages has wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.
Saturday, ch. 8th: Rejoice in the Lord, and rejoice, righteous ones.
Verse: Blessed are they who have left iniquity and who have covered themselves with sin.
mortuary, ch. 6th: Their souls will settle in the good.
Alleluia, ch. 4th: Calling on the righteous, and the Lord heard them, and deliver them from all their sorrows.
Verse: Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them out of them all.
Verse: Blessed, I have chosen and received Thou, O Lord, and their memory unto generation and generation.
Deacon: Wisdom.
Reader: Reading the Acts of the Saints. Or: Reading the Cathedral Epistle of Peter. Or: Reading to the Romans the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul.
Deacon: Let's go.
Reading the Apostle
During the reading of the apostle, a lectern is placed on the pulpit for the Gospel. When the reading is over, the priest says to the reader: Peace be with you.
Reader: And your spirit.
Alleluia
Deacon: Wisdom.
Reader: Alleluia, voice ... If one altar server is serving, then the sexton's candle is taken out and placed in front of the lectern (with the Gospel), if two altar servers, while singing alleluia, they both approach the high place with candles, synchronously cross themselves, bow to the high place, the priest, friend friend, and go out to the pulpit through the northern and southern gates, before reading the gospel they stand facing the iconostasis, without bowing or baptizing, at the beginning of the reading they turn to face the gospel, at the end they bow to the icons and go into the altar through the same gates, they also baptize and bow on mountainous place and pass to put the candles in place. Don't forget to remove the lectern.
The choir sings “Alleluia” - three times to the indicated voice, the reader pronounces the first verse of the alleluia, the choir: “Alleluia”, the reader pronounces the second verse of the alleluia, the choir sings the third time “Alleluia”. In liturgical books, before the first verse of the alliluary, “Alleluia, voice ...” is written, and before the second - “Verse” (Sunday alleluia are given in the chapter “Chants from the services of Sunday eight tones”, daytime (everyday) - in the chapter “Chants from the services of everyday” , alleluiaria from the Lenten and Color Triode services - in the chapters "Chants from the Lenten Triode services" and "Chants from the Color Triode services".)
Deacon: Bless, master, the evangelist of the holy apostle and evangelist (the name of the evangelist).
The priest, blessing him, says: God, through the prayers of the holy, glorious, all-glorious apostle and evangelist (name), may he give you a word, to the one who proclaims with power in many ways, in fulfillment of the Gospel of His Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Deacon: Amen.
Priest: Wisdom, forgive me, let us hear the holy Gospel. Peace to all.
Chorus: And your spirit.
Deacon: Reading from (name) of the Holy Gospel.
Choir: Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee.
Priest: Let's go.
Gospel Reading
The gospel is read. The Church Charter appoints certain gospel readings for each day (gospel readings to the Most Holy Theotokos about the common faces of saints are given in the chapter "Chants from services common to the faces of saints").
At the end of the reading, chorus: Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee.
Notes on health and repose are issued.
Litany abyssal
Deacon: Rest all with all your soul, and from all our thoughts, recede.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, we pray Thee, hear and have mercy.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: We also pray for our Great Lord and Father, His Holiness the Patriarch (name), and for our Lord, His Grace the Metropolitan (or: Archbishop, or: Bishop) (name), and all our brethren in Christ.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy. (Three times)
Deacon: We also pray for our God-protected country, its authorities and army, that we may live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy. (Three times)
Deacon: We also pray for our brethren, priestesses, holy monks and all our brotherhood in Christ.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy. (Three times)
Deacon: We also pray for the blessed and ever-memorable founders of this holy temple (if in a monastery: this holy monastery), and for all the deceased fathers and brothers, who lie here and everywhere, Orthodox.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy. (Three times)
Deacon: We also pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visiting, forgiveness and remission of the sins of the servants of God, the brethren of this holy temple (if in a monastery: this holy monastery).
Chorus: Lord, have mercy. (Three times)
Deacon: We also pray for those who are fruitful and virtuous in this holy and all-honourable temple, those who labor, sing and come forward, expecting great and rich mercy from You.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy. (Three times)
Priest: For God is merciful and loving of mankind, and we send glory to You, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
Chorus: Amen.
Litany for the Dead
Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray to Thee, hear and have mercy.
Deacon: We also pray for the repose of the souls of the departed servants of God (names) and for them to be forgiven for every sin, voluntary and involuntary.
Chorus: Lord have mercy. (thrice).
Deacon: As if the Lord God will repair their souls, where the righteous will rest.
Chorus: Lord have mercy. (thrice).
Deacon: Mercy of God, the Kingdom of Heaven and forgiveness of their sins with Christ, the Immortal King and our God, we ask.
Choir: Give, Lord.
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Priest: As You are the resurrection, and the life, and the rest of the departed Thy servant (names of the rivers), Christ our God, and we send glory to You, with Your Father without beginning and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever.
Chorus: Amen. The royal doors are closed.
Litany for the catechumens
Deacon: Pray, catechumen, Lord.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Vernii, let us pray for the catechumens, that the Lord have mercy on them.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: He will pronounce them with the word of truth.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Reveal the Gospel of truth to them.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: He will unite them with His Saints, Councilors and Apostles of the Church.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Save, have mercy, intercede and save them, O God, by Your grace.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
Deacon: Announcement, bow your heads to the Lord.
Chorus: You, Lord.
Priest: Yes, and these with us glorify Your most honorable and magnificent Name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
Chorus: Amen.
deacon Announcements, come out. Yes, no one from the catechumens, faithful figurines, again and again, let us pray to the Lord in peace.
Chorus: Lord, have mercy.
The second part of the liturgy ends with the deacon's exclamation: "Announcement, come out...".
Liturgy is the main worship service Orthodox Church. It is served in the morning, on the day of the holiday: on Sunday or on some other holiday. Liturgy is always preceded by a service in the evening called the Vespers.
Ancient Christians gathered, read and sang prayers and psalms, read the Holy Scriptures, performed sacred actions and took Holy Communion. At first, the Liturgy was served as a keepsake. Because of this, there was a difference in the reading of prayers in different churches. In the fourth century the Liturgy was set down in writing by St. Basil the Great, and later by St. John Chrysostom. This Liturgy was based on the Liturgy of the Holy Apostle James, the first Bishop of Jerusalem. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated in the Orthodox Church throughout the year, except for 10 days a year when the Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated.
1000 years ago, when the envoys of Prince Vladimir were in the Orthodox Church in Byzantium, they later said that they did not know where they were, in heaven or on earth. So these pagans were struck by the beauty and splendor of worship. Indeed, Orthodox worship is distinguished by its beauty, richness and depth. There is an opinion that a Russian person studied the Law of God and Christian life, not from the textbooks of the catechism, but from prayers and divine services - since they contain all theological sciences, as well as by reading the lives of the saints.
St. Righteous John of Kronstadt wrote a lot about the Liturgy. Here are his words: “Entering the church, .. you enter, as it were, into some kind of special world, unlike the visible ... In the world you see and hear everything earthly, transient, fragile, perishable, sinful ... In the temple you see and hear the heavenly, imperishable, eternal, holy." (“Heaven on earth, the teaching of St. Right. John of Kronstadt on the Divine Liturgy, compiled according to his creations by Archbishop Benjamin, p. 70).
The liturgy consists of three parts:
- Proskomedia
- Liturgy of the catechumens
- Liturgy of the Faithful.
The catechumens are those who are preparing to be baptized, and the faithful are already baptized Christians. Below is the table of contents of the Liturgy, followed by an overview and explanation of the main points.
Proskomedia
Liturgy of the catechumens:(201) Introductory exclamations; (202) Great Ektinya; (203) Psalm 102; (204) Little Ektinya; (205) Psalm 145; (206) Singing the hymn "Only Begotten Son and Word of God"; (207) Little Ektinya; (208) Singing of the Gospel Beatitudes; (209) Small Entrance with the Gospel; (210) Singing "Come let's worship"; (211) Troparion and Kontakion singing; (212) The exclamation of the deacon: "Lord, save the pious"; (213) Singing of the Trisagion; (214) Singing "Prokimen"; (215) Reading of the Apostle; (216) Reading of the Holy Gospel; (217) Deep Ektinya; (218) Prayer for the Salvation of Russia; (219) Ektinya for the dead; (220) Ektinya for the catechumens; (221) Ektinya with a command to the catechumens to leave the temple.
Liturgy of the Faithful:(301) Abridged Great Litany; (302) Cherubic Hymn (1st part); (303) Great entrance and transfer of the Holy Gifts; (304) Cherubic Hymn (2nd part); (305) Pleading Litany (1st); (306) Instillation by the deacon of peace, love and like-mindedness; (307) Singing the Creed; (308) "Let's become good"; (309) Eucharistic prayer; (310) Consecration of the Holy Gifts; (311) "It is worthy to eat"; (312) Commemoration of the living and the dead; (313) Suggestion by the priest of peace, love and unanimity; (314) Pleading Ektinya (2nd); (315) Singing "Our Father"; (316) Offering of the Holy Gifts; (317) Communion of the Priests; (318) Communion of the laity; (319) The exclamation "Save, O God, Thy people" and "We have seen the true light"; (320) "Let our lips be fulfilled"; (321) Thanksgiving Ektinya for communion; (322) Prayer beyond the ambo; (323) "Be the name of the Lord" and the 33rd Psalm; (324) The last blessing of the priest.
Short review and an explanation of the main points of Proskomedia:(100) this is the first part of the Liturgy. During the Proskomedia, the priest prepares bread and wine for the Sacrament of Communion. At the same time, the reader reads two short services called "3rd hour" and "6th hour". They consist mainly of reading psalms and prayers. There is no choir. This is the little known first part of the Liturgy.
Start with chorus:(201) The "Liturgy of the Catechumens" (the second part of the Liturgy) begins when the deacon, standing in front of the royal doors, exclaims Bless, master! The priest, at the altar, answers "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever." To which the choir replies "Amen." Thus begins the Liturgy, or more precisely the second part of the Liturgy (the Liturgy of the catechumens).
Ektiny:(202) The litany is a special long prayer to God for our needs, which consists of many short prayers. The deacon or priest says short prayers at the end of which the words “let us pray to the Lord” or “we ask the Lord”, and the choir answers “Lord have mercy” or “give, Lord.” A distinctive part of not only the Liturgy, but also other church services, is a large number of prayers called Ektinyas. There are litanies: great, small, severe, petitionary, litanies of the catechumens, etc. In the Liturgy of the catechumens there are 7 litanies (202, 204, 207, 217, 219, 220, 221), and in the Liturgy of the Faithful there are 4 (301, 305, 314, 321).
Immediately after the initial exclamations follows, the Great (Peaceful) Ektinya, which begins with the exclamation of the deacon "Let us pray to the Lord in peace", and the answer of the choir "Lord, have mercy."
Psalms 102 and 145:(2.3,5) Psalms 102 and 145 are sung in chorus. They are called "pictorial" because they depict and describe the Lord God. Psalm 102 says that the Lord cleanses our sins, heals our diseases, and that He is generous, merciful and patient. It begins with the words: “Bless, my soul, the Lord…”. The 145th psalm says that the Lord created the sky, the earth, the sea and everything that is in them and keeps all the laws forever, that He protects the offended, feeds the hungry, frees the imprisoned, loves the righteous, protects travelers, protects orphans and widows, and sinners corrects. This psalm begins with the words: "Praise, my soul, the Lord: I will praise the Lord in my stomach; I will sing to my God as long as I am...".
Small entrance:(208, 209) The choir sings the Beatitudes (“Blessed are the poor in spirit…”). The Christian doctrine of life is found in the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. The first, the Lord God gave Moses for the Jews, about 3250 years ago (1250 BC). Second, Jesus Christ gave in His famous "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5-7), almost 2000 years ago. The Ten Commandments were given in Old Testament times to keep wild and rude people from evil. The Beatitudes were given to Christians who were already on a higher spiritual development. They show what spiritual dispositions you need to have in order to approach, in your qualities, to God and to acquire holiness, which is the highest happiness.
During the singing of the Beatitudes, the royal doors open, the priest takes the Holy Gospel from the throne, hands it to the deacon, and together with him leaves the altar through the northern doors and stands in front of the royal doors, facing the worshipers. Acolytes with candles walk in front of them and stand behind the pulpit, facing the priest. A candle in front of the Holy Gospel means that the Gospel teaching is a blessed light for people. This exit is called the "Small Entrance" and reminds those who pray of the sermon of Jesus Christ.
Troparion and kontakion:(211) Troparion and kontakion are short prayer songs dedicated to a holiday or a saint. Troparias and kontakia are Sunday, festive or in honor of the saint. They are performed by the choir.
Reading of the Apostle and the Holy Gospel:(214, 215, 216) Before reading the Apostle and the Gospel, the deacon says "Prokimen". A prokeimenon is a verse which is said by either the reader or the deacon and which is repeated by the choir before the reading of the Apostle and the Gospel. Usually, the prokeimenon is taken from the Holy Scriptures (Bible) and it briefly expresses the meaning of the subsequent reading or service.
Holy Scripture is divided into the Old Testament and New Testament. The Old Testament describes events before the birth of Jesus Christ, and the New Testament after His birth. The New Testament is divided into "Gospel" and "Apostle". The "Gospel" describes the events from the birth of Jesus Christ to the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. These events were described by four evangelists; the same events, but each in its own way. Thus, there is the Gospel of the Holy Apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The events after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles are described by different apostles in the Apostle.
For every day of the year it is supposed to read a small passage from the "Apostle" and from the "Gospel". There are special tables on which these readings should be performed. When there are two holidays on the same day, say Sunday and some other holiday, then there are two readings; one for Sunday and the other for the holiday.
So, from the "Apostle" a passage is read that is set for this day - it is read in the middle of the church. Usually a reader reads, but any other God-loving Christian can read; man or woman. There is censing while reading. It depicts the joyful, fragrance-like spread of Christian preaching.
After reading the "Apostle", the "Gospel" is read, that is, an excerpt from the "Gospel". The deacon reads, and if he is not there, then the priest.
Which passage from the "Apostle" and "Gospel" is supposed to be read on which day can usually be found in Orthodox calendars. It is good to find out what the readings at the Liturgy will be and read them in advance from the Holy Scriptures.
Prayer for the salvation of Russia:(218) In all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, this prayer has been read by the priest in the altar since 1921, for over 70 years. This prayer is a perfect example Christian love. We are taught not only to love our family and relatives, but also all people, including our enemies. It contains the following touching words: “remember all our enemies who hate and offend us ...”, “The suffering Russian land from the fierce atheists and free their power ...” and “Give peace and silence, love and affirmation and speedy reconciliation to Your people ... ".
"Jeh Cherubim" and the great entrance:(302, 303, 304) The Liturgy of the catechumens begins imperceptibly with the ektina (301). Immediately after the ektinyah, approximately in the middle of the service (at the beginning of the 3rd part), the choir sings “Who the Cherubim…” and the Great Entrance is performed. After the first part of the Cherubic Hymn, the priest and deacon leave the altar with the Holy Gifts through the northern doors and stand in front of the royal gates, facing the worshipers. In front of them go servants with candlesticks and stand behind the pulpit, facing the priest. The priest and the deacon prayerfully commemorate: Church government, civil authorities, the suffering Russian country, the clergy, all those persecuted for the Orthodox faith, the parish and all Orthodox Christians. After that, the priest and deacon return to the altar through the royal doors, and the servants through the southern doors, and the choir sings the second part of the Cherubic Hymn.
Symbol of faith:(307) The creed is the shortest definition of the Orthodox Christian faith. It consists of 12 parts (members). The Creed was approved at the 1st and 2nd Ecumenical Councils (325 and 381). Only the Orthodox Christians remained unchanged the Creed - Western Christians changed the 8th member. The creed is sung by the choir and each member is celebrated by striking the bell. In some churches, all worshipers sing it along with the choir. Before singing the Symbol, the deacon exclaims "Doors, doors, let us attend to wisdom." In our time, this means that we must close our “doors of the heart” from everything else and prepare to hear the “word of wisdom”. The creed begins with the words: "I believe in one God, Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible ...".
Consecration of the Holy Gifts:(309, 310) The most sacred part of the Liturgy, the consecration of the Holy Gifts, begins with the Eucharistic Prayer, when the choir sings "It is worthy and righteous to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit ...". At this time, the bell is rung 12 times to mark the beginning of the consecration. Then the priest exclaims, "Yours from Yours offering to You about everyone and for everything." The choir answers, “We sing to You, we bless You, we thank You, Lord, and we pray to You, our God.” At the same time, the priest reads prayers to himself and then the consecration of the Holy Gifts takes place.
Our Father:(315) In His "Sermon on the Mount" (Matt. 5-7) Jesus Christ explained how to pray to God, saying the prayer "Our Father" for the first time (Matt. 6:9-13). This prayer is the most famous and most loved by all Christians. Since that time, it has been repeated by millions of believers throughout their lives, for nearly 2,000 years. In the textbooks of the Law of God, she is understood as a model of Christian prayer.
Communion:(317, 318) One of the most basic points in the Orthodox faith is that one must live well and not sin. In addition, you need to engage in spiritual self-education, expel evil, sinful thoughts, words and deeds from yourself; that is, gradually correct yourself and become better, kinder, more honest, etc. Orthodox Christians fast before major holidays. During fasting, he tries to move away from everything sinful and approach everything that is good and good. This mood is maintained by bodily fasting; removal from meat and animal food in general, as well as limiting oneself in food. Usually during Lent they confess and take communion. Fasting, confession and communion are called common word"fasting" and are spiritual cleansing. An Orthodox Christian fasts several times a year: before major holidays, before Angel Day, and on other significant days.
As the choir sings “Praise the Lord from heaven, praise Him in the highest. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia," the priest takes communion. After the communion of the priest, the royal doors are opened for the communion of the laity. The priest reads a prayer before communion and the communicants come to the Chalice and take the sacrament, and the choir sings: "Receive the Body of Christ ...". After communion, relatives and friends congratulate the recipient of the sacrament with the words "Congratulations on communion."
Ammon Prayer:(322) The priest comes out of the altar and, descending from the pulpit to where the worshipers stand, reads the “Beyond the ambon” prayer. It contains an abbreviation of all the ektinyas that were read during the Divine Liturgy. The prayer begins with the words “Bless those who bless Thee, Lord…”.
End:(324) Before the very end of the Liturgy there is a sermon, usually on the theme of a read passage from the Gospel (216). Then follow the last exclamation of the priest, “He is risen from the dead, Christ our true God…” and the choir sings for many years, “Your Grace Bishopric………Lord, save for many years.” The priest comes out with a cross in his hands. If there are announcements of a non-spiritual nature, then the priest speaks at this place. For example, if someone wants to get married, or there will be a special fundraiser for some kind of charitable purpose, or maybe some kind of church organization is having a dinner, etc. After that, the worshipers approach the cross, cross themselves, kiss the cross and the priest's hand, and take or receive the prosphora from the priest.
Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
You can use in your home prayer rule the chants of the choir, the prayers of the reader, presented in the text of the Liturgy, but you cannot include the words of the priest in your personal prayer - during ordination, the clergy are given special boldness to God, which the laity do not have. Therefore, for the sake of your own spiritual health, you should not violate this prohibition.
Bibliography
Holy Scripture is the Bible.
Contains "Old Testament" and "New Testament". The "Old Testament" was written then the birth of Jesus Christ, and the "New Testament" after. There are many books (now departments) in the "Old Testament", and the most famous in the Orthodox Church is the Psalter. The "New Testament" consists of the "Gospel" and the "Apostle". There are four gospels in the "Gospel": Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They describe incidents during the life of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth. In the "Apostle" are the epistles and other writings of the apostles. They describe events after the ascension of Jesus Christ and the beginning of Christ's Church.
Since the Bible is the basis for our civilization, for better orientation, it is divided into books (now these are departments) and they are into chapters. Every few lines are called a "verse" and it is marked with a number. Thus, you can easily and quickly find any places in the book. For example "Mat. 5:3-14" means: "The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 13 and up to 14." Holy Scripture has been translated into all languages of the world.
There is Holy Scripture in "Church Slavonic" and in "Russian". The first is considered more accurate than the second. The Russian translation is considered worse, as it was made under the influence of Western theological thought.
Every Orthodox Christian should have a "Holy Scripture" and a "Prayer Book".
Holy Bible. Bible Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy. God's law for family and school. 2nd edition. 1967 Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, New York. Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY. Republished many times in Russia and translated into English. 723 pp., tver. per., old. orff.
A great starter book for kids and adults. Preliminaries, Prayer, sacred history Old Testament and New Testament, The Beginning of the Christian Church, On the Christian Faith and Life, On Divine Services. It would be good for every Orthodox Christian to purchase this textbook.
There is on our node: the Law of God. O. S. Sloboda Priest N. R. Antonov. Temple of God and church services. 2nd edition revised. Textbook of worship for high school. 1912 St. Petersburg. Reprinted by Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, and also in Russia. 236+64 pages, soft hardcover
The Divine Liturgy is an eternal repetition of the great feat of love that has been accomplished for us. The word “Liturgy”, literally translated, means “common (or public) work”. It appeared among the ancient Christians to designate worship, which was really "general", i.e. every member of the Christian community took part in it - from infants to the shepherd (priest).
The liturgy is, as it were, the pinnacle of the daily circle of services, the ninth of the services performed by St. Orthodox Church services throughout the day. Since the church day begins in the evening at sunset, these nine services are celebrated in the monasteries in this order:
Evening.
1. Ninth hour - (3 p.m.).
2. Vespers - (before sunset).
3. Compline - (after dark).
Morning.
1. Midnight Office - (after midnight).
2. Matins - (before dawn).
3. The first hour - (at sunrise).
Day.
1. The third hour - (9 o'clock in the morning).
2. The sixth hour - (12 noon).
3. Liturgy.
In Great Lent, it happens when the Liturgy is served together with Vespers. In our time, in parish churches, daily services most often consist of an all-night vigil or an all-night vigil, celebrated in the evening on the eve of especially revered feast days, and a Liturgy, usually celebrated in the morning. Vespers consists of the conjunction of Vespers with Matins and the first hour. Liturgy is preceded by the 3rd and 6th hours.
The daily cycle of worship symbolizes the history of the world from creation to the coming, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, Vespers is dedicated to the times of the Old Testament: the creation of the world, the fall of the first people, their expulsion from paradise, their repentance and prayer for salvation, then, the hope of people, according to the promise of God, in the Savior and, finally, the fulfillment of this promise.
Matins is dedicated to the times of the New Testament: the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, for our salvation, His preaching (reading the Gospel) and His glorious Resurrection.
Hours - a collection of psalms and prayers that were read by Christians at four important times of the day for Christians: the first hour, when morning began for Christians; the third hour, when the descent of the Holy Spirit took place; the sixth hour, when the Savior of the world was nailed to the cross; the ninth hour, when he gave up his spirit. Since it is not possible for the current Christian, due to lack of time and incessant entertainment and other activities, to perform these prayers at the indicated hours, the 3rd and 6th hours are connected and read together.
Liturgy is the most important service during which the Most Holy Sacrament of Communion is performed. The liturgy is also a symbolic description of the life and great feat of Jesus Christ, from birth to crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. During each Liturgy, everyone participating in the Liturgy (and precisely those who participate, and not just “present”) again and again confirms their adherence to Orthodoxy, i.e. confirms his loyalty to Christ.
The entire service known as the "Liturgy" is celebrated on Sunday mornings and holidays, and in large cathedrals, monasteries and some parishes - daily. The liturgy lasts for about two hours and consists of the following three main parts:
1. Proskomedia.
2. Liturgies of the catechumens.
3. Liturgy of the faithful.
Proskomedia
The word “Proskomidia” means “bringing”, in memory of the fact that in ancient times Christians brought everything necessary for the celebration of the liturgy - bread, wine, etc. Since all this is preparation for the liturgy, its spiritual meaning is a remembrance of the initial period of life Christ, from Christmas until His coming out to preach, former cooking to His exploits in the world. Therefore, the entire proskomidia is performed with the altar closed, with the veil drawn, invisibly from the people, just as the whole original life of Christ passed invisibly from the people. The priest (in Greek, “priest”) who is to celebrate the Liturgy must be sober in body and spirit since the evening, must be reconciled with everyone, must be afraid of harboring any displeasure with anyone. When the time comes, he goes to church; together with the deacon, they both bow before the royal doors, saying a series of prayers, kiss the image of the Savior, kiss the image of the Mother of God, bow to the faces of the saints of all, bow to all those who come to the right and left, asking for forgiveness from everyone with this bow to themselves, and enter the altar, saying about Psalm 5, from the middle of verse 8 to the end:
“I will enter into Your house, I will worship Your temple in Your fear”,
etc. And, having approached the throne (facing to the east), they bow before it three ground bows and kiss the gospel lying on it, as if the Lord Himself sitting on the throne; then they kiss the throne itself and proceed to dress themselves in sacred clothes in order to separate themselves not only from other people, but also from themselves, not to remind others in themselves of anything similar to a person engaged in ordinary everyday affairs. And saying:
"God! Cleanse me a sinner and have mercy on me!”
the priest and the deacon take the garments in their hands, cf. rice. one.
First, the deacon dresses: after asking for a blessing from the priest, he puts on a surplice of brilliant color, as a sign of the luminous angelic clothes and as a reminder of the immaculate purity of the heart, which should be inseparable from the dignity of the priesthood, saying when putting it on:
“My soul will rejoice in the Lord, clothe me with a robe of salvation, and clothe me with a garment of joy, like a bridegroom, put a crown on me, and like a bride, adorn me with beauty.” (i.e., “My soul will rejoice in the Lord, for he has clothed me in a robe of salvation, and clothed me with a garment of joy, as he put a crown on me as a bridegroom, and adorned me with ornaments as a bride”).
Then, after kissing, he takes the “orarion” - a narrow long ribbon, belonging to the diaconal title, by which he gives a sign to initiate any church action, raising the people to prayer, the singers to singing, the priest to the sacrament, himself to angelic speed and readiness in service. For the title of a deacon is like the title of an angel in heaven, and by this very thin ribbon raised up on him, fluttering like an air wing, and with his quick walking around the church, he depicts, according to the word of Chrysostom, angelic flying. Having kissed Lentie, he throws it over his shoulder.
After that, the deacon puts on the “handguards” (or armlets), thinking at that moment about the all-creating, contributing power of God; putting on the right one, he says:
“Thy right hand, O Lord, be glorified in the fortress: Thy right hand, Lord, crush the enemies, and with the multitude of Thy glory thou hast erased the adversaries.” (i.e., “Thy right hand, O Lord, was glorified in strength: Thy right hand, O Lord, crushed the enemies, and with the multitude of Thy glory destroyed the adversaries”).
Putting on the left, he thinks of himself as a creation of the hands of God and prays to Him, who created him, that he guides him with His supreme guidance, saying this:
"Thy hands make me and make me: give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandment." (i.e., “Thy hands created me and created me: give me understanding and I will learn Your commandments”).
The priest dresses in the same way. At the beginning, he blesses and puts on the surplice (undercoat), accompanying this with the words that the deacon also accompanied; but, following the surplice, he no longer puts on a simple one-shouldered orarion, but a two-shouldered one, which, covering both shoulders and embracing his neck, is connected with both ends on his chest together and comes down in a connected form to the very bottom of his clothes, marking this connection in his position of two positions - priestly and diaconal. And it is no longer called the orarion, but the “epitracilius”, see fig. 2. Putting on the stole marks the outpouring of grace on the priest and is therefore accompanied by the majestic words of Scripture:
“Blessed be God, pouring out His grace on the priests, His like myrrh on the head, descending on the beard, the beard of Aaron, descending on the tassels of his clothes.” (i.e., “Blessed is God, who pours out his grace on his priests, like myrrh on his head, dripping on his beard, Aaron’s beard, dripping on the edges of his clothes”).
Then he puts on the cuffs with the same words that the deacon spoke, and girds himself with a belt over the underdress and stole, so that the width of the clothes does not interfere with the performance of the sacred rites and in order to express his readiness by this, for the person girds himself, preparing for the journey, starting work and feat : the priest also girds himself, going on the road of heavenly service, and looks at his belt, as at the fortress of the power of God, strengthening him, for which he says:
“Blessed be God, gird me with strength, and lay my path undefiled, make my feet like a deer, and set me on high.” (I.e., “Blessed is God, who gives me strength, made my path blameless and made my feet faster than deer and lifted me to the top. /Ie, to the Throne of God/”).
Finally, the priest puts on the “robe” or “phelonion”, the upper all-covering garment, signifying the all-covering truth of the Lord with the words:
“Your priests, O Lord, will be clothed in righteousness, and Your saints will always rejoice with joy, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen". (i.e., "Thy priests, O Lord, shall be clothed in righteousness, and Thy saints shall rejoice with joy always, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Truly so.")
And dressed in this way in the instruments of God, the priest is already a different person: whatever he is in himself, no matter how little he is worthy of his title, but everyone standing in the temple looks at him as an instrument of God, which is controlled by the Holy Spirit. The priest and the deacon both wash their hands, accompanying this with the reading of Psalm 25, verses 6 to 12:
“I will wash in my innocent hands, and I will dwell on your altar” etc.
Having made three bows before the altar (see Fig. 3), accompanied by the words:
"God! Cleanse me a sinner and have mercy on me” etc., the priest and the deacon rise washed, enlightened, like their shining clothes, not resembling anything similar to other people in themselves, but becoming more like shining visions than people. The deacon proclaims softly about the beginning of the sacrament:
“Bless, master!” And the priest begins with the words: "Blessed be our God, always, now and forever and forever and ever." The deacon ends with the words: "Amen."
This whole part of proskomidia consists in preparing what is necessary for service, i.e. in the separation from the prosphora loaves (or “offerings”) of that bread, which at the beginning should be an image of the body of Christ, and then be transubstantiated into it. All this is done in the altar with the doors closed, with the veil drawn. For those who pray, the 3rd and 6th “hours” are read at this time.
Having approached the altar, or “offer”, located to the left of the throne, marking the ancient side room of the temple, the priest takes one of the five prosphora in order to cut out the part that will become the “lamb” (the body of Christ) - the middle with a seal, marked with the name Christ (see fig. 4). This marks the removal of the flesh of Christ from the flesh of the Virgin - the birth of the Incorporeal in the flesh. And, thinking that He who offered Himself as a sacrifice for the whole world is born, inevitably combines the thought of the sacrifice itself and the offering and looks: at the bread, as at the lamb that is sacrificed; on the knife with which he must withdraw, as on the sacrificial one, which has the appearance of a spear, in remembrance of the spear with which the body of the Savior was pierced on the cross. He now accompanies his action neither with the words of the Savior, nor with the words of witnesses contemporary to what happened, he does not transfer himself to the past, at the time when this sacrifice took place - that is yet to come, in the last part of the liturgy - and he turns to this upcoming one. from a distance with a penetrating thought, for which he accompanies all the sacred rites with the words of the prophet Isaiah, from afar, from the darkness of centuries, who saw the future miraculous birth, sacrifice and death and announced it with incomprehensible clarity.
Raising a spear to the right side of the seal, the priest pronounces the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“Like a sheep to be slaughtered”; (i.e., “like a lamb is led to the slaughter”);
hoisting the spear then to the left side, he says:
“And as a lamb is blameless, its straight shearer is dumb, so it does not open its mouth”; (i.e., “like an immaculate lamb, silent before its shearer, it is silent”);
after setting the spear on the upper side of the seal, he says:
“in humility his judgment will be taken”; (i.e., “with humility endures His judgment”);
hoisting the spear then into the lower part, he pronounces the words of the prophet, who thought about the origin of the condemned Lamb:
“And who is his generation to confess?”; (i.e., “who knows His origin?”).
And he lifts the cut out middle of the bread with a spear, saying:
“as if his belly is taken up from the earth; (i.e., “how shall His life be taken from the earth”);
and then putting the bread with the seal down, and with the part taken out up (in the likeness of a lamb sacrificed), the priest cuts it crosswise, as a sign of His death on the cross, on it is a sign of sacrifice, according to which the bread will then be divided, saying:
“The Lamb of God is being eaten, take away the sin of the world, for the life of the world and salvation.” (i.e., “The Lamb of God is offered as a sacrifice, having taken upon Himself the sin of the world, for the life and salvation of the world”).
And, turning the seal upwards, he puts it on the paten and sets the spear in his right side, recalling, along with the slaughter of the victim, the perforation of the Savior's rib, performed by the spear of the warrior standing at the cross, and says:
“One of the warriors with a copy of His rib was perforated, and abie came out blood and water: and he who saw the testimony, and truly is his testimony.” (Ie, “One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and blood and water immediately came out of it; and the one who saw it testified about this, and truly there is his testimony”).
And these words also serve as a sign for the deacon to pour wine and water into the holy cup. The deacon, until then, had looked reverently at everything done by the priest, now reminding him of the commencement of the sacred service, now saying within himself: “Let us pray to the Lord!” at his every action, having asked the priest for blessings, he pours a ladle of wine and a little water into the cup, connecting them together.
And in fulfillment of the rite of the leading church and the saints of the first Christians, who always remembered, when thinking about Christ, all those who were closer to His heart by the fulfillment of His commandments and the holiness of their lives, the priest proceeds to other prosphora, so that, taking out particles from them in their remembrance, put on the same diskos near the same holy bread, which forms the Lord Himself, since they themselves were on fire with the desire to be everywhere with their Lord.
Taking the second prosphora in his hands, he takes out a particle from it in remembrance of the Most Holy Theotokos and puts it on the right side of the holy bread (on the left, as viewed from the priest), saying from David's psalm:
“The Queen appears at Your right hand, in robes gilded attire, beautifully decorated.” (I.e., “The Queen has become to your right, adorned and dressed in gilded clothes”).
Then he takes the third prosphora, in remembrance of the saints, and with the same spear takes out nine particles from it in three rows and puts them in the same order on the diskos, to the left of the lamb, three in each: the first particle in the name of John the Baptist, the second in the name prophets, the third - in the name of the apostles, and this completes the first row and rank of saints.
Then he takes out the fourth particle in the name of the holy fathers, the fifth - in the name of the martyrs, the sixth - in the name of the venerable and God-bearing fathers and mothers, and this completes the second row and the rank of saints.
Then he takes out the seventh particle in the name of the unmercenary miracle workers, the eighth - in the name of the Godfathers Joachim and Anna and the saint glorified on this day, the ninth - in the name of John Chrysostom or Basil the Great, depending on which of them celebrates the liturgy that day, and completes with this the third row and the rank of saints. And Christ appears among his closest ones, in the saints He who dwells is seen visibly among His saints - God among the gods, Man among men.
And, taking the fourth prosphora in his hands in commemoration of all the living, the priest takes out particles from it and places them on the holy diskos in the name of the synod and the patriarchs, in the name of the rulers, in the name of all Orthodox living everywhere, and, finally, in the name of each of them by name, whom wants to remember, or about whom they asked him to remember.
Then the priest takes the fifth prosphora, takes out particles from it in commemoration of all the dead, asking at the same time for the remission of their sins, starting from the patriarchs, kings, founders of the temple, the bishop who ordained him, if he is already among the deceased, and all Orthodox Christians, taking out in the name of everyone that he was asked about, or whom he himself wants to remember. In conclusion, he also asks for forgiveness for himself in everything and also takes out a particle for himself, and puts them all on a paten near the same holy bread at the bottom of it.
Thus, around this bread, this Lamb, representing Christ Himself, His whole church is gathered, both triumphant in heaven and militant here. The Son of Man appears among the people for whose sake He was incarnated and became a Man.
And, stepping back a little from the altar, the priest worships, as if he were worshiping the very incarnation of Christ, and welcomes the appearance of Heavenly Bread on earth in the form of bread lying on the paten, and greets him with incense, having first blessed the censer and reciting a prayer over it:
“We bring the censer to You, Christ our God, in the stench of the fragrance of the spiritual, hedgehog reception in Your most heavenly altar, grant us the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit.” (I.e., “We bring a censer to You, Christ our God, surrounded by spiritual fragrance, which you accept on Your heavenly altar and send down to us the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit.”)
The deacon says: “Let us pray to the Lord.”
And the whole thought of the priest is transferred at the time when the Nativity of Christ took place, returning the past to the present, and looks at this altar as at a mysterious den (i.e. cave), into which at that time the sky was transferred to earth: the sky became a den , and the nativity scene - the sky. Having circled an asterisk (two golden arcs with a star at the top), accompanying with the words:
“And when a star came, a hundred above, where there was a Child”; (i.e., “And having come, there was a star above, where the Servant was”), puts it on the paten, looking at it, as at a star that shone over the Infant; on holy bread, separated for sacrifice - as on a newborn Baby; on diskos - as on a manger where the Baby lay; on the covers - as on the linen that covered the Infant.
And, having circled the first veil, he covers the holy bread with diskos with it, pronouncing a psalm:
“The Lord reigns, clothed in splendor (beauty)”... and so on: Psalm 92, 1-6, in which the marvelous height of the Lord is sung.
And, having circled the second veil, he covers the holy cup with it, saying:
“The heavens are covered by Thy virtue, O Christ, and the earth is full of Thy praise”.
And then, taking a large cover (clothes), called holy air, he covers with it both the diskos and the cup together, crying out to God, let him cover us with the shelter of His wings.
And, stepping back a little from the altar, both, the priest and the deacon, worship the offered holy bread, as the shepherds and kings worshiped the newborn Baby, and the priest incense, as it were, in front of the den, symbolizing, or depicting by this incense, the fragrance of incense and myrrh, which were brought along with the gold by the wise men.
The deacon, as before, attentively co-presents with the priest, now pronouncing at every action, “Let us pray to the Lord,” now reminding him of the beginning of the action itself. Finally, he takes the censer from his hands and reminds him of the prayer that should be offered to the Lord about these gifts prepared for Him:
“For the offered honest (i.e., venerable, revered) gifts to the Lord, let us pray!”
And the priest begins to pray.
Although these gifts are no more than prepared only for the offering itself, but since from now on they can no longer be used for anything else, the priest reads for himself alone a prayer that precedes the acceptance of these gifts offered for the upcoming offering (given in Russian ):
“God, our God, who sent heavenly bread as food for the whole world, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, Savior, Redeemer and Benefactor, who blesses and sanctifies us, bless this offer yourself, and accept it on your most heavenly altar, remember how kind and philanthropic, those who offered, and for whom they offered, and keep us uncondemned in the sacred performance of Your divine mysteries. And loudly finishes: “As holy and glorified is your honorable and magnificent name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever, amen.” (I.e., “Because Your all-honorable and majestic name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, abides in holiness and glory, now and always and forever and ever. Truly so.”)
And he creates, following the prayer, release (i.e., the end) of the proskomidia. The deacon censes the offer and then, cross-shaped, the holy meal (altar) and, thinking about the earthly birth of Him Who was born before all ages, being always present everywhere and everywhere, says in himself (given in Russian):
“You, Christ, filling everything, limitless, / were / in the tomb of the body, and in hell, like God, with the soul, and in paradise with the thief, and on the throne reigned with the Father and the Spirit”.
After that, the deacon leaves the altar with a censer to fill the whole church with fragrance and greet everyone who has gathered for the holy meal of love. This incense is always performed at the beginning of the service, as in the home life of all the ancient Eastern peoples, ablution and incense were offered to every guest at the entrance. This custom passed entirely to this heavenly feast - to the Last Supper, which bears the name of the Liturgy, in which the service of God was so miraculously combined with a friendly treat for all, to which the Savior Himself showed an example, serving everyone and washing his feet.
Increasing and bowing to everyone equally, both to the rich and the poor, the deacon, as a servant of God, greets them all, as the most gracious guests of the Heavenly Host, incenses and worships at the same time the images of the saints, for they, too, are guests who have come to the Last Supper: in Christ all are alive and inseparable. Having prepared, filling the temple with fragrance and then returning to the altar and dipping it again, the deacon gives the censer to the servant, approaches the priest, and both stand together before the holy throne.
Standing before the altar, the priest and deacon bow three times and, preparing to begin the liturgy, invoke the Holy Spirit, for all their service must be spiritual. The Spirit is the teacher and mentor of prayer: “We do not know what to pray for,” says the Apostle Paul, “but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed” (Romans 8:26). Praying the Holy Spirit to dwell in them and, having settled in, cleanse them for service, the priest twice utters the song with which the angels greeted the birth of Jesus Christ:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men”.
Following this song, the church veil is pulled back, which opens only when it is necessary to raise the thoughts of those praying to higher, “higher” objects. Here, the opening of the heavenly doors signifies, following the song of the angels, that the Nativity of Christ was not revealed to everyone, that only the angels in heaven, Mary and Joseph, the wise men who came to worship, knew about it, and the prophets saw it from afar.
Priest and deacon say to themselves:
“Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will proclaim your praise”(i.e., “Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will praise You”), after which the priest kisses the gospel, the deacon kisses the holy altar and, bowing his head, recalls the beginning of the liturgy in this way: he raises the orarion with three fingers and pronounces :
“Time to create the Lord, lord bless ,
in response to which the priest blesses him with the words:
“Blessed be our God, always, now and forever, and forever and ever”.
The deacon, thinking about the ministry ahead of him, in which he should become like an angelic flight - from the throne to the people and from the people to the throne, gathering everyone into one soul, and to be, so to speak, a holy stimulating force, and feeling his unworthiness for such a service - humbly prays to the priest:
“Pray for me, Vladyka!”
To which the priest replies:
“May the Lord correct your steps!”(i.e., “May the Lord guide your steps”).
The deacon asks again:
“Remember me, holy lord!”
And the priest answers:
“May the Lord God remember you in His kingdom, always, now and forever, and forever and ever”.
“Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will proclaim your praise,” after which, he loudly calls out to the priest:
“Bless, master!”
The priest proclaims from the depths of the altar:
“Blessed be the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever”
(blessed - worthy of praise).
The face (i.e. the choir) sings: “Amen” (i.e., truly so). This is the beginning of the second part of the liturgy, liturgy of the catechumens.
Having performed the proskomedia, the priest with outstretched hands prays to the Lord for the sending down of the Holy Spirit upon the clergy; that the Holy Spirit “descend and dwell in him,” and that the Lord would open their mouths to proclaim his praise.
Shouts of Priest and Deacon
The deacon, having received a blessing from the priest, leaves the altar, stands on the ambo and loudly says: “Bless the Master.” In response to the exclamation of the deacon, the priest proclaims: "Blessed be the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever."
Then the deacon pronounces the great litany.
Pictorial and festive antiphons
After the great litany, the “pictorial psalms of David” are sung - the 102nd “Bless the Lord my soul ...”, the small litany is pronounced and then the 145th “Praise the Lord my soul” is sung. They are called pictorial because they depict the blessings of God to mankind in the Old Testament .
On the Twelfth Feasts, pictorial antiphons are not sung, but instead of them, special “New Testament verses” are sung, in which blessings to the human race are depicted not in the Old, but in the New Testament. A refrain is added to each verse of the festive antiphons, depending on the nature of the holiday: on the day of the Nativity of Christ, the refrain: “Save us, Son of God, be born of the Virgin, sing to Ty: Alleluia (praise God. On the holidays of the Theotokos, the refrain is sung: “Save us, Son of God singing T. Alleluia with the prayers of the Theotokos.
Hymn "Only Begotten Son"
Whatever the Liturgy, that is, with the singing of “pictorial antiphons” or “festive ones,” they are always joined by the singing of the following solemn hymn, which recalls the main beneficence of the Lord to people: the sending down to earth of His Only Begotten Son (John III, 16 ), who was incarnated from the Most Holy Theotokos and defeated death with His Death.
The only-begotten Son and Word of God, immortal / and delectable for our salvation / be incarnated from the Holy Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, / immutably * / incarnated, / crucified, Christ God, righting death by death, / One Holy Trinity, / glorified by the Father and Holy Spirit save us.
*/ “Irrevocably” means that in the person of Jesus Christ, no deity was added (and changed) into humanity; neither humanity has passed into divinity.
Only Begotten Son and Word of God! You, being immortal, and deigning for our salvation to incarnate from the Holy Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary, who became a real person, without ceasing to be God, - You, Christ God, being crucified and correcting (crushing) death (that is, the devil) with Your Death, - You, as one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, glorified along with the Father and the Holy Spirit - save us.
THE GOSPEL "BLESSES AND THE TROPARI ARE BLESSED"
But the true Christian life consists not only in feelings and indefinite impulses, but must be expressed in good deeds and deeds (Matt. VIII, 21). Therefore, the Holy Church offers to the attention of those who pray the Gospel beatitudes.
Small entrance with the Gospel
During the reading or singing of the Gospel beatitudes, the royal doors open, the priest takes from St. Throne Gospel, hands his deacon and leaves the altar with the deacon. This exit of the clergy with the Gospel is called the “little entrance” and signifies the appearance of the Savior to preach.
At present, this exit has only a symbolic meaning, but in the early days of Christianity it was necessary. In the primordial church, the Gospel was kept not on the altar on the throne, as it is now, but near the altar, in a side room, which was called either the “deaconess” or the “vessel-keeper”. When the time came to read the Gospel, the clergy carried it solemnly to the altar.
When approaching the northern doors, the deacon, with the words “Let us pray to the Lord,” invites everyone to pray to the Lord who is coming to us. The priest secretly reads a prayer, with a request that the Lord make their entrance - the entrance of the Saints, would deign to send Angels for a worthy service to Him, and thus would arrange here, as it were, a heavenly service. That is why further, blessing the entrance, the priest says: "Blessed is the entrance of Thy Saints," and the deacon, holding up the Gospel, proclaims, "Wisdom forgive."
Believers, looking at the Gospel as at Jesus Christ Himself going to preach, exclaim: “Come, let us worship and fall down to Christ, Save us. Son of God, resurrected from the dead, (or by the prayers of the Mother of God, or in the Saints wondrous), sing to Ty: alleluia.
Troparion and kontakion singing
To the singing: “Come, let us worship…” the singing of the daily troparion and kontakion for. images of memories for this day and those saints who, fulfilling the commandments of Christ, themselves receive blessedness in heaven and serve as an example for others.
Entering the altar, the priest in secret prayer asks the “Heavenly Father”, sung by the Cherubim and Seraphim, to accept from us, the humble and unworthy, the thrice-sacred song, to forgive sins voluntary and involuntary, to sanctify us and give us the strength to serve Him flawlessly and righteously until the end of our lives” .
The end of this prayer: “For Thou art holy, our God, and to Thee we send glory, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever,” the priest pronounces loudly. The deacon, standing in front of the icon of the Savior, proclaims: "Lord, save the pious and hear us." Then, standing in the middle of the Royal Doors, facing the people, he proclaims: “Forever and ever,” that is, he ends the exclamation of the priest and at the same time points to the people with an orarion.
The believers then sing "The Trisagion" - "Holy God". On some holidays, the Trisagion Hymn is replaced by others. For example, on Easter, Trinity Day, on the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, on Saturday Lazarus and Great, it is sung:
“You who are baptized into Christ, put on Christ, hallelujah.”
Those who were baptized in the name of Christ are in Christ and clothed with the grace of Christ. Alleluia.
The prayer "Holy God" should now arouse feelings of repentance for one's sins and turning to God for mercy.
At the end of the Trisagion Hymn, there is a reading of the apostle; "Prokeimenon" which is read by the psalmist and sung 2 and a half times by the choristers.
During the reading of the Apostle, the deacon performs incense, which means the grace of the Holy Spirit.
After reading the Apostle, “Alleluia” is sung (three times) and the gospel is read. Before the Gospel and after it, “Glory to Thee, Lord, Glory to Thee” is sung as a sign of thanksgiving to the Lord, who gave us the Gospel teaching. Both the Epistles of the Apostles and the Gospel are read to clarify the Christian faith and morality.
After the gospel profane litany. Then follows triple litany for the dead, litany for the catechumens and, finally, a litany with a command to the catechumens to leave the temple.
In the litanies for the catechumens, the deacon prays on behalf of all people that the Lord would enlighten the catechumens with the word of the Gospel truth, honor them with Holy Baptism and join them to the Holy Church.
Simultaneously with the deacon, the priest reads a prayer in which he asks that the Lord “on the high living” and paying attention to the humble, would look down on His servants who were catechumens, would vouchsafe them the “baths of resurrection”, that is, Holy Baptism, clothes of incorruption and would unite the Holy Church. Then, as if continuing the thoughts of this prayer, the priest says an exclamation:
“Yes, and these with us glorify Thy most honorable and magnificent Name, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.”
So that those (that is, the catechumens) together with us glorify, Lord, Your Most Pure and Majestic Name - the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
Undoubtedly, prayers for the catechumens also apply to those who were baptized, because we who were baptized very often sin without repentance, we do not know our Orthodox faith clearly enough and by being present in the church without proper reverence. At present, there may also be truly catechumens, that is, those who are preparing for Holy Baptism from among foreigners.
Litany for the Departure of the Catechumens
At the end of the prayer for the catechumens, the deacon pronounces the litany: exit the announcement; Celebrations of the catechumens, come out, but no one from the catechumens, angels of faith, more and more, let us pray to the Lord in peace. With these words the Liturgy of the catechumens ends.
Scheme or order of the Liturgy of the catechumens
The liturgy of the catechumens contains the following parts:
1. The initial exclamations of the deacon and the priest.
2. Great litany.
3. Psalm 1st pictorial “Bless the Lord, my soul” (102) or the first antiphon.
4. Small litany.
5. The second pictorial psalm (145) - “Praise the Lord, my soul” or the second antiphon.
6. Singing the hymn “Only Begotten Son and Word of God”.
7. Small litany.
8. The singing of the Gospel beatitudes and the troparia are “blessed” (third antiphon).
9. Small entrance with the Gospel.
10. Singing "Come let's worship."
11. Singing the troparion and kontakion.
12. The exclamation of the deacon: "Lord, save the pious."
13. Singing of the Trisagion.
14. Singing "prokimen".
15. Reading the Apostle.
16. Reading the Gospel.
17. A special litany.
18. Litany for the dead.
19. Litany for the catechumens.
20. Litany with the command to the catechumens to leave the temple.
The third part of the Liturgy is called the Liturgy of the Faithful, because in ancient times only the faithful, that is, those who had converted to Christ and were baptized, could be present during its celebration.
At the Liturgy of the Faithful, the most important sacred actions are performed, the preparation for which is not only the first two parts of the Liturgy, but also all other church services. Firstly, the mysteriously gracious, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Transfiguration or Transubstantiation of bread and wine into the true Body and Blood of the Savior, and secondly, the communion of believers in the Body and Blood of the Lord, leading into union with the Savior, according to His words: flesh and drink My Blood abides in Me and I in him.” (John VI, 56).
Gradually and consistently, in a series of significant actions and deeply meaningful prayers, the meaning and significance of these two liturgical moments is revealed.
Abridged Great Litany.
When the Liturgy of the catechumens ends, the deacon pronounces an abbreviated great litany. The priest secretly reads a prayer, with a request to the Lord to cleanse those praying from spiritual impurity, so that, having received the success of a good life and spiritual understanding, they stand before the Throne with dignity, without guilt and condemnation, and in order to partake of the Holy Mysteries without condemnation in order to receive the Kingdom of Heaven. At the end of his prayer, the priest speaks loudly.
As if we always keep under Your power, we send glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever,
So that, always preserved by Your, Lord, guidance (power), we send glory to You to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit at all times, now and forever, and forever and ever.
With this exclamation, the priest expresses that only under the guidance, under the control of the Sovereign Lord, can we save our spiritual being from evil and sin.
Then the Royal Doors are opened in order to bring the prepared substance for the Holy Eucharist through them from the altar to the Throne. The transfer of the substance prepared for the performance of the Sacrament from the altar to the throne is called the “GREAT ENTRY” in contrast to the “Little Entrance”.
The historical origin of the Great Entrance corresponds to the origin of the Small Entrance. As has been said repeatedly, in ancient times two side compartments (apses) were arranged near the altar. In one section (called the Deaconnik or the Vessel) the sacred vessels, clothes and books, including the Gospel, were kept. The other section (called the Offering) was intended to receive offerings (bread, wine, oil and incense), from which the necessary part was separated for the Eucharist.
When the reading of the Gospel was approaching, the deacons went to the Reservoir or Diakonnik and brought the Gospel to be read in the midst of the Church. In the same way, before the consecration of the Holy Gifts, the deacons from the Offering brought the Gifts to the Throne to the performer of the Liturgy. Thus, in ancient times, the transfer of bread and wine was practically necessary, because the altar was not in the altar, as it is now, but in an independent part of the temple.
Now the Great Entrance has a more allegorical meaning, depicting the procession of Jesus Christ to free Suffering.
Cherubic Hymn
The deep mysterious significance of the Great Entrance, all those thoughts and feelings that it should arouse in the hearts of those who pray, are depicted by the following prayer, called the “Cherubic Hymn”.
Even the cherubim secretly forming, and to the life-giving Trinity sing the thrice-holy song, now let us lay aside all worldly care. As if we would raise the King of all, chinmi is invisibly dorinosima angelic. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
We, who mysteriously depict cherubim and sing the life-giving Trinity the thrice-holy song, now put aside all worldly cares in order to raise the King of all, Who is invisibly and solemnly accompanied by angelic ranks with the singing of “Alleluia”.
Although the Cherubic Hymn is usually divided into two parts by the Great Entrance, in fact it represents one harmonious connected prayer, so integral that not a single dot can be placed along its entire length.
With this song, the Holy Church makes, as it were, such an appeal: “We, who at the moment of transferring the Holy Gifts mysteriously resemble cherubim and together with them sing the “Thrisagion Hymn” to the Holy Trinity, in these moments will leave all earthly worries, everything worldly, sinful care, - let us be renewed, cleansed of the soul, so that we raise The King of glory, Whom the Angelic armies raise invisibly at the present moment - (just as in ancient times the warriors raised their king on the shields) and sing hymns, and then reverently to accept, take communion."
During the singing of the first part of the Cherubic Hymn by the singers, the priest secretly reads a prayer in which he asks the Lord to grant him worthy to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. This prayer expresses the idea that Jesus Christ is at the same time both the offered Being, like the Holy Lamb, and the offering Performer of the sacrifice, like the Heavenly High Priest.
After reading then three times with outstretched hands crosswise (as a sign of intensified prayer), the prayer “Like Cherubim”, the priest, together with the deacon, goes to the altar. Here, having shaken the Holy Gifts, the priest puts on the left shoulder of the deacon the “air” that covered the diskos and the chalice, and on the head - the diskos; he himself takes the Holy Chalice, and both go out together through the northern doors, bringing a candlestick.
Great Entrance(transferring the prepared Gifts).
Stopping on the salt, facing the people, they prayerfully commemorate the local Bishop and all Orthodox Christians, “may the Lord God remember them in His Kingdom.” Then the priest and deacon return to the altar through the Royal Doors.
The singers begin to sing the second part Cherubic Song:"Like a King."
Entering the altar, the priest places the Holy chalice and diskos on the Altar, removing the covers from the diskos and bowl, but covering them with one “air”, which is first burnt with incense. Then the Royal Doors are closed and the veil is drawn.
During the Great Entrance, Christians stand with bowed heads, expressing respect for the Gifts they endure and asking that the Lord remember them in His Kingdom. The setting of the diskos and the Holy Chalice on the throne and covering them with air signifies the transfer of the body of Jesus Christ for burial, which is why those prayers are read at the same time that are sung when the shroud is taken out on Good Friday (“Noble Joseph”, etc.)
First Litany of Prayer
(preparation of those praying for the consecration of the Gifts)
After the transfer of the Holy Gifts, the preparation of the clergy for the worthy consecration of the Holy Gifts by the power of the Holy Spirit begins, and the faithful for a worthy presence at this consecration. First, a petitionary litany is read, in which, in addition to ordinary prayers, a petition is added.
For the offered Honest Gifts, let us pray to the Lord.
For the Holy Gifts set on the Throne and offered, let us pray to the Lord.
During the 1st litany of petition, the priest secretly reads a prayer in which he asks the Lord to make him worthy to bring the Holy Gifts, a spiritual sacrifice for our sins of ignorance, and to instill the Spirit of grace in us and in these present Gifts. The prayer ends with the exclamation:
By the bounties of Thy Only Begotten Son, blessed be Thou with Him, with Thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.
By the grace of Your Only Begotten Son, with whom You are glorified, with the most holy, good, life-giving Holy Spirit, at all times.
With the words of this exclamation, the Holy Church expresses the idea that it is possible to hope to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sanctification of the clergy who pray and the honest Gifts presented by virtue of “generosity”, that is, the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Deacon's Instillation of Peace and Love
After a petitionary litany and an exclamation, the priest points out the necessary condition for receiving grace with the words: “peace to all”; those present answer: “and to your spirit”, and the deacon continues: “let us love one another, but with one mind of confession ...” This means that the necessary conditions for communion with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and for receiving the Holy Spirit are: peace and love for each other.
Then the singers sing: "Father and Son and Holy Spirit, the Trinity Consubstantial and Indivisible." These words are a continuation of the exclamation of the deacon and are closely connected with it. After the words “Unanimity in confession,” the question involuntarily arises of whom we will unanimously confess. Answer: "The Trinity, consubstantial and indivisible."
Symbol of faith
Before the next moment - the confession of the Creed, the deacon proclaims: "Doors, doors, let us be attentive with wisdom." Shout: "Doors, doors" Christian Church in ancient times, it belonged to the vestibules of the temple, so that they more carefully watched the doors, so that at that time one of the catechumens or penitents, or in general from persons who did not have the right to be present at the performance of the Sacrament of Communion, would not enter.
And the words “behold wisdom” referred to those standing in the temple, so that they would block the doors of their souls from worldly sinful thoughts. The Creed is sung to testify before God and the Church that all who stand in the temple are the faithful, who have the right to attend the Liturgy and proceed to Communion of the Holy Mysteries.
During the singing of the Creed, the veil of the Royal Doors opens as a sign that only under the condition of faith can the Throne of Grace be opened for us, from where we receive the Holy Sacraments. During the singing of the Creed, the priest takes the “air” cover, and shakes the air with it over the Holy Gifts, that is, lowers and raises the cover over them. This breath of air signifies the overshadowing of the Holy Gifts by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Then the Church leads the worshipers to prayerful contemplation of the Sacrament itself. The most important moment of the Liturgy begins - the consecration of the Holy Gifts.
A New Invitation for Deacons to Worthy Standing
Once again urging the faithful to stand in the church with complete reverence, the deacon says: “Let us become kind, stand with fear, pay attention, bring the holy offering in the world,” that is, we will stand well, decorously, with reverence and attention, so that in peace of mind we offer the holy ascension.
The believers answer: “The mercy of the world, the sacrifice of praise,” that is, we will bring that holy offering, that bloodless sacrifice, which is mercy on the part of the Lord, is a gift of His mercy, given to us, people, as a sign of the reconciliation of the Lord with us, and from the side us (people) is a laudatory sacrifice to the Lord God for all His good deeds.
Having listened to the readiness of the faithful to turn to the Lord, the priest blesses them with the name of the Most Holy Trinity: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love (love) of God and the Father, and the communion (i.e., communion) of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” The chanters, expressing the same feelings to the priest, answer: “And with your spirit.”
The priest continues: “Woe is our hearts” (Let us direct our hearts upward, to heaven, to the Lord).
The chanters, on behalf of the worshipers, answer: “Imams to the Lord,” that is, we really lifted up our hearts to the Lord and prepared for the Great Sacrament.
Having prepared himself and the faithful for a worthy stand during the celebration of the Holy Sacrament, the priest proceeds to perform it itself. Following the example of Jesus Christ, who gave thanks to God the Father before breaking bread at the Last Supper, the priest invites all believers to give thanks to the Lord with the exclamation: “We give thanks to the Lord.”
The chanters begin to sing “worthily” and eat righteously to bow to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity Consubstantial and Indivisible.
To announce to those who are not present in the Temple about the approach of the most important moment of the Liturgy, there is the Blagovest, called the ringing to “Worthy”.
Eucharistic Prayer
At this time, the priest secretly reads a thanksgiving (Eucharistic) prayer, which represents one inseparable whole, right up to the singing of a laudatory prayer in honor of the Mother of God (“It is worthy to eat, as truly”) and is divided into three parts.
In the first part of the Eucharistic Prayer, all the blessings of God revealed to people from their creation are remembered, for example: a) the creation of the world and people, and b) their restoration through Jesus Christ and other blessings.
As a special beneficence, the service of the Liturgy in general and the service in particular, which the Lord deigned to accept, are indicated, despite the fact that at that moment archangels and thousands of angels are coming to Him in heaven, singing and crying out, calling out and saying the song of victory: “Holy, Holy Holy, Lord of Hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.”
Thus, the exclamation of the priest /“singing the song of victory, crying out, crying out and speaking” / that is heard before the singing of “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Hosts…” is directly adjacent to the First Part of the Eucharistic Prayer.
The last words of the prayer, preceding the exclamation of the priest, are read as follows:
We thank Thee and for this service, even from the hands of our acceptance, thou hast deigned, thousands of Archangels, and thousands of Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, towering feathers, singing a victorious song, crying out, crying out and saying: Holy, Holy ; Holy, Lord of Hosts, heaven and earth are filled with Thy glory: Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.
We thank You for this service, which You have made me worthy to accept from our hands, although You will have thousands of Archangels and a host of Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged and many-eyed, exalted, winged, singing a victorious song, exclaiming, calling out, and saying: “Holy is the Lord of hosts ( God of hosts), heaven and earth are full of thy glory”, “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest.”
While the kliros is singing “Holy, Holy…”, the priest starts reading second part The Eucharistic Prayer, in which, after praising all the persons of the Holy Trinity, and separately the Son of God the Redeemer, it is remembered how the Lord Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Communion.
The establishment of the Sacrament of Communion in the Eucharistic prayer is conveyed in the following words: into His holy and pure and immaculate hands, giving thanks and blessing, sanctifying, breaking, giving to His Disciple and Apostle, the rivers: “Take, eat, this is My Body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins”;
likeness and cup at supper, verb; “Drink of it all, this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.” Remembering, therefore, this saving commandment, and all that was about us: the cross, the tomb, the three-day resurrection, ascent to heaven, sitting on the right hand, the second and like the coming, - Yours from Yours brings You * /, about all and for everything. We sing to you, we bless you, we thank you, O Lord, and we pray to you, our God…”
* / In Greek words: “Your from Yours, bringing you about all and for all” - they mean: “Your gifts: bread and wine - we bring you, Lord, due to all the motives set forth in the prayer; according to to all the order indicated (by Jesus Christ) (Luke XXII / 19) and in gratitude for all beneficence.
Consecration or Transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts
While the last words of the Eucharistic Prayer (We sing to You...) are sung by choristers on the kliros, the priest reads third part this prayer:
“We also offer this verbal * / this and bloodless service, and we ask, and we pray, and have mercy on us ** /, send down Your Holy Spirit on us, and on this Gift that is presented.”
*/ The Eucharist is called the “verbal service” in contrast to the “active” service (through prayer and good deeds), because the change of the Holy Gifts is beyond human strength, but is performed by the grace of the Holy Spirit and the priest prays, uttering perfect words.
**/ We make ourselves “nice”, pleasing to God; we pray fervently.
Then the priest says three times a prayer to the Most Holy Spirit (Lord, who is Your Most Holy Spirit) and then the words: “And make this bread, the Honorable Body of Your Christ.” "Amen". "And hedgehog in this cup, the Precious Blood of Thy Christ." "Amen". “Changing by Your Holy Spirit. Amen, Amen
So, the Eucharistic prayer is divided into three parts: thanksgiving, historical and petitionary.
HERE IS THE MAIN AND HOLY MOMENT OF THE LITURGY. AT THIS TIME BREAD AND WINE ARE OFFERED INTO THE TRUE BODY AND TRUE BLOOD OF THE SAVIOR. THE PRIESTS AND ALL PRESENT IN THE TEMPLE, IN REPENTIVE REPRESENTATION, BOW TO THE EARTH BEFORE THE HOLY GIFTS.
The Eucharist is a thankful sacrifice to God for the living and the dead, and after the consecration of the Holy Gifts, the priest commemorates those for whom this sacrifice was made, and above all the saints, because in the person of the saints and through the saints, the Holy Church fulfills her cherished desire - the Kingdom of Heaven.
Glorification of the Mother of God
But from a host or a number (pretty much) all saints - the Mother of God stands out; and therefore the exclamation is heard: “Fairly about the Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.”
This is answered with a laudatory song in honor of the Mother of God: “It is worthy to eat ...” On the twelfth holidays, instead of “Worthy”, Irmos 9 of the song of the Canon is sung. The irmos also speaks of the Most Holy Theotokos, and it is called the “Worthy”.
Commemoration of the living and the dead (“and everyone and everything”)
The clergyman continues to secretly pray: 1) for all the dead and 2) for the living - bishops, presbyters, deacons and for all Orthodox Christians "in purity and honest living"; for the established authorities, and the army, for the local Bishop, to which the believers answer: "And everyone and everything."
Instillation by the priest of peace and unanimity
Then the priest prays for our city and those who live in it. Remembering the heavenly Church, which unanimously glorified God, he inspires unanimity and peace also in the earthly Church, declaring: forever and ever."
2nd supplicatory litany
(Preparing those praying for communion)
Then, after blessing the believers with the words: “And may the mercies of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ be with you all,” the preparation of the faithful for Communion begins: the second petitionary litany is read, to which petitions are added: For the Holy Gifts brought and consecrated, let us pray to the Lord...
As if our God, philanthropist, I accept (them) in the holy, and my heavenly mental altar, in the stench of spiritual fragrance, will send us Divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray.
Let us pray that our God, loving mankind, having received them (the Holy Gifts) on His holy heavenly, spiritually presented His altar, as a spiritual fragrance, as a sacrifice pleasing to Him from us, would give us Divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
During the second petitionary litany, the priest in secret prayer asks the Lord to deign us to partake of the Holy Mysteries, this sacred and spiritual meal for the forgiveness of sins and for the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Lord's Prayer
After the litanies, after the exclamation of the priest: “And vouchsafe us, Vladyka, with boldness, without condemnation, dare to call on Thee, the heavenly God the Father, and speak,” the singing of the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father,” follows.
At this time, the deacon, standing in front of the Royal Doors, girds himself crosswise with an orarion in order to: 1) serve the priest during Communion without hindrance, without fear of the fall of the orari, and 2) To express his reverence for the Holy Gifts by imitating the Seraphim, who, surrounding the Throne of God covered their faces with their wings (Isaiah 6:2-3).
Then the priest gives peace to the faithful, and when they, at the call of the deacon, bow their heads, secretly prays to the Lord to sanctify them and make them worthy to partake of the Holy Mysteries without condemnation.
Ascension of the Holy Gifts
After this, the priest, reverently raised the Holy Lamb over the paten, proclaims: "Holy to the Holy." The meaning is that the Holy Gifts can only be given to saints. Believers, realizing their sinfulness and unworthiness before God, respond with humility: “One is Holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ to the glory (to the glory) of God the Father. Amen".
Communion of the clergy and the "communion verse"
Then the Communion of the clergy takes place, who partake of the Body and Blood separately, imitating the Holy Apostles and leading Christians. During the Communion of the clergy, for the spiritual edification of the faithful, prayers are sung, called "communion verses."
penultimate phenomenon Holy Gifts and communion of the laity
Upon the Communion of the clergy, the Royal Doors are opened for Communion of the laity. The opening of the Royal Doors marks the opening of the tomb of the Savior, and the removal of the Holy Gifts marks the appearance of Jesus Christ after the resurrection.
After the exclamation of the deacon: “Come with the fear of God and faith”, and the singing of the verse “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”, “God the Lord has appeared to us”, the priest reads prayer before communion and joins the laity with the Body and Blood of the Savior.
Prayer before Communion
St. John Chrysostom
I believe, Lord, and I confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, from whom I am the first. I also believe that this is YOUR most pure BODY and this is YOUR most precious BLOOD.
I pray to Thee: have mercy on me and forgive my transgressions, free and involuntary, even in word, even in deed, even in knowledge and ignorance, and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of Your most pure Mysteries, for the remission of sins and eternal life. Amen.
Thy secret supper this day, Son of God, accept me as a partaker: we will not sing a secret to Thy enemy, nor will I kiss Thee, like Judas, but like a thief I will confess Thee: remember me, Lord, in Thy kingdom. - May the communion of Your holy Mysteries, Lord, not be for judgment or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body. Amen.
The exclamation "Save, O God, Thy people" and
“We have seen the true light”
During communion, a well-known verse is sung: “Receive the body of Christ, taste the immortal Source.” After Communion, the priest puts the particles taken out (from the prosphora) into the Holy Chalice, makes them drunk with the Holy Blood, which means that they are cleansed from sins by the sufferings of Jesus Christ, and then blesses everyone, saying: “Save God, Thy people and bless Thy inheritance” .
The singers are responsible for the people:
We saw the true light, / by receiving the Spirit of heaven / we gained the true faith, / we worship the indivisible Trinity, / She saved us there /.
We, having seen the true light and received the Spirit of heaven, have found the true faith, we worship the Indivisible Trinity, because She saved us.
The last appearance of the Holy Gifts and the song “Let our lips be fulfilled”
During this, the priest secretly reads the verse “Ascend into heaven, O God, and throughout all the earth is Your glory”, indicating that the transfer of the Holy Gifts to the altar marks the Ascension of the Lord.
The deacon transfers the Diskos on the head to the altar, while the priest, confessing secretly: “Blessed is our God”, blesses those who pray with the Holy Chalice and says aloud: “Always, now and ever and forever and ever.”
Seeing the Savior ascending, the Apostles bowed to Him and praised the Lord. Christians do the same, singing the following song during the transfer of the Gifts:
May our lips be filled / Your praise, O Lord, / as if we sing Your glory, / as if You made us worthy to partake / of Your Holy, Divine, Immortal and Life-Giving Mysteries: / Keep us in Your Holiness, / all day learn Your truth. / Hallelujah , Alleluia, Alleluia /.
Lord, let our lips be full of praise to You, so that we may sing of Your glory for the fact that You have made us worthy to partake of Your Holy, Divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries. Keep us worthy of Your holiness / help us to keep the holiness received in Communion / so that we can learn Your righteousness all day long / live righteously, according to Your commandments /, alleluia.
Thanksgiving for Communion
When the Holy Gifts are transferred to the altar, the deacon censes, marking with incense the bright cloud that hid the ascending Christ from the gaze of the disciples (Acts 1, 9).
The same grateful thoughts and feelings are proclaimed in the subsequent litany, which reads as follows: “Forgive me for receiving (i.e., direct - having accepted with reverence) the Divine, Holy, Most Pure, Immortal, Heavenly and Life-Giving Terrible Mysteries of Christ, worthy of thanks to the Lord”, “ Intercede, save, have mercy and save us, O God, by Your Grace.”
The last petition of the litany: “The whole day is perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, having asked, to ourselves, and to each other, and our whole life, let us commit to Christ our God.”
During this litany, the priest rolls up the antimension and, depicting the cross over the antimension with the Holy Gospel, says: “For you are our sanctification, and to you we send glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.”
The Divine Liturgy ends with the transfer of the Holy Gifts to the altar and the litany. Then the priest, addressing the believers, says: “We will go out in peace,” that is, we will leave the temple peacefully, in peace with everyone. Believers answer: “On the name of the Lord”, (ie, remembering the name of the Lord) “Lord have mercy”.
Prayer beyond the ambo
After that, the priest leaves the altar and, descending from the pulpit to where the people are standing, reads a prayer called “Zambonnaya”. In the prayer behind the ambo, the priest once again asks the Creator to save His people and bless His property, sanctify those who love the splendor (beauty) of the temple, grant peace to the world, churches, priests, troops and all people.
The content of the Prayer beyond the ambo is an abbreviation of all the litanies that were read by the faithful during the Divine Liturgy.
“Be the Name of the Lord” and Psalm 33
At the end of the prayer behind the ambo, believers commit themselves to the will of God with the words: “Be the Name of the Lord blessed from now on and forever,” and a thanksgiving psalm (33 psalm) is also read: “I will bless the Lord at all times.”
(At the same time, “antidor” or the remains of the prosphora from which the Lamb was taken out are sometimes distributed to those present, so that those who did not proceed to Communion would taste from the grains left over from the Mystical meal).
Priest's Last Blessing
After Psalm 33, the priest blesses the people for the last time, saying: “The blessing of the Lord is upon you, by His grace and love of mankind, always now and forever and forever and ever.”
Finally, facing the people, the priest makes a dismissal, in which he asks the Lord that He, as good and philanthropic, at the intercession of His Most Pure Mother and all the Saints, save and have mercy on us. Prayers venerate the cross.
Scheme or Order of the Liturgy of the Faithful
The Liturgy of the Faithful consists of the following parts:
1. Abridged Great Litany.
2. Singing the 1st part of the “Cherubic Hymn” and reading the Great Entrance Prayer by the priest.”
3. Great entrance and transfer of the Holy Gifts.
4. Singing of the 2nd part of the “Cherubic Hymn” and placing the Holy Vessels on the Throne.
5. The first petitionary litany (about the “honest gifts offered”): the preparation of those praying for the consecration of the Gifts.
6. Suggestion deacon peace, love and unity.
7. Singing the Creed. (“Doors, doors, let us pay attention in wisdom”).
8. A new invitation to those praying to worthy standing, (“let us become good ...”)
9. Eucharistic prayer (Three parts).
10. Consecration of the Holy Gifts (during singing; “We will sing to you…”)
11. Glorification of the Mother of God (“It is worthy to eat ...”)
12. Commemoration of the living and the dead (and “everyone and everything…”)
13. Suggestion priest peace, love and unity.
14. The second petitionary litany (on the consecrated honest Darechs): preparation of those praying for communion.
15. Singing the "Lord's Prayer".
16. Offering of the Holy Gifts (“Holy to the Holy…”)
17. Communion of the clergy and the "communion" verse.
18. Penultimate apparition of the Holy Gifts and Communion of the laity.
19. The exclamation “God save Thy people” and “We have seen the True Light”.
20. The last appearance of the Holy Gifts and "Let our mouth be filled."
21. Thanksgiving Litany for Communion.
22. Prayer behind the ambo.
23. "Be the Name of the Lord" and the 33rd psalm.
24. The last blessing of the priest.
Preparing for the Holy Ascension holy rapture Preparation for Communion of the Holy Mysteries Communion of the Holy Mysteries Final actions Application. Word of the Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt on the Divine LiturgyThe book by the well-known scholar, preacher and teacher Bishop (1823-1905) simply and clearly explains the meaning and meaning of the most important Orthodox service - the Divine Liturgy.
Preliminary remarks
The Divine Liturgy is a church service at which, under the guise of bread and wine consecrated into the Body and Blood of Christ, a Mysterious Sacrifice is offered to God and offered to the faithful to eat Mystery saving food and drink. In common parlance, this service is called mass, due to the fact that the Body and Blood of Christ, offered on it for the believers to eat, are called by the Apostle Paul the Lord's meal and the Lord's supper ().
Liturgy takes precedence over all church services. The promise of Christ applies to all church services: where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them(), because it is common for every church service to attract a congregation of worshipers. Christ is invisibly present in every prayer meeting of believers, and not only in the church, but also in the home, listening to their prayers, offered up in His name, and enlightening them with His holy word. But if He is close to the faithful in all church services and prayer meetings, then He is even closer to them in the Divine Liturgy. There He is present by His grace alone, but here by His Most Pure Body and Blood, and not only is He present, but also nourishes the believers with them, just as a mother feeds a baby with her milk. Is it possible to imagine the closeness of our Savior to us? Such a high closeness, which is shown to us, during the earthly life of the Savior until the very establishment of the Last Supper, which followed on the eve of His death on the Cross, was not worthy of witnesses and His direct listeners. They had the happiness to see His Face, to hear from His lips the words of life and salvation; but His Most Pure Blood did not yet flow in their veins, and His Most Pure Body did not yet enter into their Flesh, did not revive and sanctify their souls, while these blessings are granted to all who from infancy receive Christ in His Body and Blood, celebrated in
liturgy. Those who listened to Christ with their ears heard His teaching about the Mystery of His Body and Blood, Christ said to them: He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him(). But it is another matter to hear the promise of Christ and another to see its fulfillment in oneself. How blessed are those to whom so close
But in order for each of us to assimilate the fruits of the atoning sacrifice on the cross, the Divine Redeemer deigns to appear daily among us, in sacred temples, as a bloodless sacrifice, which has the same power before God the Father as the sacrifice on the cross. Just as on the Cross He interceded for forgiveness of sins, pardon and sanctification, so now, reclining on the holy thrones in His Most Pure Body and Blood, He, by virtue of His death on the Cross, continues to intercede for us before God the Father. That the Body and Blood of Christ celebrated in the liturgy really has the meaning of an intercessory sacrifice is clearly evident from the words of Jesus Christ Himself. At the establishment of the Eucharist, saying to His disciples: take, eat: this is my body He added: broken for you(and not broken for you); and saying, when offering the blessed Chalice: drink of it all, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, added: poured out for you and for many for the remission of sins(). The same can be seen from the words of the apostle Paul we have an altar from which the servants of the tabernacle have no right to eat(). Here is the word altar inevitably presupposes the existence of a victim, and the word eat makes it clear what kind of sacrifice the apostle is talking about. Therefore, in all liturgies, starting from the most ancient ones, he confesses before God that he brings Him a bloodless sacrifice. about everyone and everything. And this sacrifice is not only propitiatory, but at the same time thankful and laudatory, because the Establisher of the Sacrament preceded the teaching of His Body and Blood to the disciples under the forms of bread and wine with blessing and thanksgiving to God the Father (), which is why the Mystery itself is called the Eucharist (thanksgiving). The Eucharist is a sacrifice, and not only saving food and drink, the liturgy is celebrated not only when there are communicants in the church, but also when there are none, except for one priest.
“You do not take communion while at the liturgy, but you are present at the performance of the salvific sacrifice; but you and all your loved ones, living and dead, are commemorated at this sacrifice, and you yourself approach the throne of grace with great boldness, knowing that the Blood of the Divine Lamb intercedes for you, sacramental in the altar.
The great importance of the Mystery of the Liturgy was the reason that, long before the establishment of this Mystery, he gave the promise of its establishment, just as long before the establishment of the Sacrament of Baptism (), He, in a conversation with Nicodemus, pointed to this Sacrament of rebirth. The occasion for the utterance of the promise of the Sacrament of the Eucharist was as follows. Once, at the Lake of Tiberias, the Lord performed a great miracle: He fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fish, not counting wives and children. This miracle served as a sign that Christ had come to feed those who were hungry and thirsty for righteousness, i.e. justification before God, to grant them that justification. The people, who witnessed this miracle and were miraculously satiated, did not understand this sign and relentlessly followed Jesus Christ, not in a sense of need for spiritual nourishment, but only wanting to see the miracle repeat and receive bodily nourishment. It was then that the Lord spoke the promise of Mystery food: of His Body and Blood. He said to His listeners: strive not for the food of perishability, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of man will give you(), and added: but the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world(). The Jews began to argue among themselves and say: how can He give us His Flesh to eat?(). Jesus said in response to this: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you... For My Flesh is truly food, and My Blood is truly drink.(). Hearing this, many, even among the disciples who constantly followed Jesus, said: what strange words! Who can listen to this?(). And many at the same time, not containing the teachings of Christ about eating His Flesh and Blood, left Him. But His constant companions, the twelve apostles, accepted His words with faith and confessed through the mouth of the Apostle Peter: God! who should we go to? you have verbs eternal life (). And each of us, hearing Christ's teaching about the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, following the apostles must subdue his mind in obedience to faith. “Let us not understand how bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Eucharist become the Body and Blood of Christ; but the miracle of God's love manifested in this Sacrament does not cease to be a miracle because it is incomprehensible. The very miracle of feeding a multitude of people with five loaves is also incomprehensible, like all miracles, and was it not created in order to predispose those who believed in this miracle to believe in the miraculous, supernatural presence of Jesus Christ in the Body and Blood under the forms of bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Eucharist? He once in Cana of Galilee turned water into wine, similar to blood; and is it not worthy of faith when wine is turned into blood?” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem). We do not see with our sensual eyes the Flesh and Blood in this Sacrament; our vision does not verify this. But let us marvel not only at the all-powerful power of our Savior and Lord, manifested in the transformation of bread and wine into His Body and Blood, but also at His boundless condescension towards us. knows human weakness, which turns away many things with discontent when it is not approved by ordinary use. So, God, according to His usual condescension, through the ordinary, by nature, accomplishes the above-natural. “Since people usually eat bread, drink water and wine, God united His Divinity with these substances, made them His Body and Blood, so that through the ordinary and natural we participate in the supernatural” (rev.).
The Lord fulfilled the promise of establishing the Mystery of the Body and Blood on the eve of His death on the Cross, the day before the feast of the Jewish Passover. This holiday, the greatest of all the Old Testament holidays, was established to commemorate the deliverance of the Jews from Egyptian slavery. It consisted in slaughtering and eating a one-year-old immaculate lamb with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. The blood of the slain lamb was supposed to remind the Jews of that last night, before the Exodus from Egypt, when, by the command of God, the doors of their dwellings outside were anointed with the blood of the lamb, and the destroying angel passed by Jewish dwellings marked with this sign, and struck down the firstborn only in neighboring Egyptian houses. And the unleavened bread and bitter herbs were supposed to remind the Jews of their hasty flight from Egypt and their bitter fate during their long stay in Egyptian slavery. Jesus Christ, in the last days of His earthly life, could not celebrate Easter on the same day as the Jews. He knew that he would not live to see that day, which then fell on a Saturday. But He desired for the last time with His disciples to celebrate this celebration, and therefore He celebrated it the day before the Jewish Passover, in Maundy Thursday. This was not only His last celebration, but together showed that the end of the Old Testament Passover had come. The Paschal lamb represented Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. The time has come for the slaughter of the Divine Lamb on the altar of the cross and, consequently, the time for the abolition of the rites of the Old Testament Pascha. They were actually abolished on the day of His death on the cross; but this circumstance was initiated on the previous day by the establishment of the Eucharist, in which He Himself Predzhre yourself, i.e. previously presented the image of His suffering on the Cross, and which He performed after the celebration of the Old Testament Easter Supper. And not only the Old Testament Easter was abolished, but in general the whole was abolished and the New Testament came into force, a new order of God's relationship to man in Christ. Therefore, as the Old Testament, after the promulgation of its conditions on Mount Sinai, was confirmed by the blood of bulls, of which it is said: this is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you(), so the Savior called the Blood of the Eucharist the Blood of the New Testament.
The Evangelist Matthew narrates about the establishment of the Eucharist in the following way: eating them(to the apostles) Jesus received the bread, and having blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave praise, giving them, saying: drink all of you from it: for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins(; cf.). The apostle Paul writes about the same in his Epistle to the Corinthians: For I received from the Lord, and betrayed you, as the Lord Jesus in the night, was betrayed to you, taking bread, and giving thanks, break, and speech: take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: do this in remembrance of me. So also the Cup after supper, saying: This Cup is in My Blood: do this, if you drink, in remembrance of Me.(; cf.). Thus, the composition of the sacrament established by the Savior included: a) the separation of bread and wine for the Sacrament; b) thanksgiving to God the Father for all His benefits to the human race, especially for the benefits of redemption, from which the Mystery itself is called the Eucharist, thanksgiving; c) blessing over bread and wine (). This blessing contains the idea of praise to God, but at the same time it mainly expresses the desire that the power of God work on the offered bread and wine; such a meaning is combined with this word and action in Holy Scripture (; ; ); d) pronouncing secret words: This is my body, which is broken for you. This is my blood, which is shed for many; e) breaking the Mystery bread and teaching it to the disciples as His true Body; f) giving them the Chalice of Blood, separate from the Mystical Bread. In addition, the sacrament of the Savior is concluded by His commandment - to do this in His remembrance; also a touching conversation with the students () and singing, in all likelihood, Easter psalms ().
The commandment of the Savior to celebrate the Eucharist in His remembrance was sacredly fulfilled in apostolic times and will be fulfilled, according to the word of the holy Apostle Paul, until the Second Coming of Christ (). The Eucharist was constantly celebrated under the apostles (). The composition of her priesthood, - as far as is known from the testimonies of the New Testament Scriptures, compared with the testimonies of church writers closest to the apostolic age, - following the example of the Savior, included thanksgiving to God the Father, great in perfection and gifts of grace (), and the blessing of bread and wine (). This was followed by the fragmentation of the consecrated Gifts and their teaching (). This is the main thing. To this were also added: 1) reading the sacred books: the Gospels () and the apostolic letters (); 2) spiritual singing. In addition to hymns taken from the Holy Scriptures, the assembly of believers was resounded with hymns by direct inspiration from the Holy Spirit, so common in apostolic times, abundant in spiritual gifts (); 3) teachings that could be offered not only by one primate, but also by others who felt in themselves the ability and appeal of God for this (;). It was arranged from the remnants of the bread brought for the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and from other people's offerings, and united the rich and the poor, the noble and the ignoble.
The composition of the liturgy, which was under the apostles, served as a model and guide for the rites of the liturgies of subsequent times. Judging by the testimonies that have come down to us about the celebration of the liturgy in times close to the apostolic ones, preserved in the writings of Justin the Martyr, Tertullian and Cyprian, as well as the ancient liturgies known under the names of the Apostle James, the Evangelist Mark, Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom and others, the similarity of these liturgies, at least in the main and essential, with each other and with brief testimonies about the celebration of the liturgy in the apostolic writings and among church writers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, is easily explained by the fact that they are based on the order transmitted from the apostles. True, this rite in apostolic times and in the times immediately following them, in many particulars, depended on the will of the primates of the Church, on their discretion and often inspiration, so characteristic of those times; but in its general composition it has remained unchanged, due to reverence for the authority of the apostles, through constant use and oral tradition. St. Basil the Great directly testifies to this method of preserving the apostolic order of the liturgy: “Which of the saints left on the letter the words of invocation, with which the bread in the Eucharist and the Cup of blessing are consecrated? We are not content with what the Apostle and the Gospel remember; but both before and after we speak other words, which we accepted from the unwritten tradition, as being important for the Sacrament itself.
The written presentation of the liturgy devotional from the apostles did not begin until the third century. By this time, researchers of the history of Christianity include the following rites: the liturgy of the Apostle James, which was performed in the Jerusalem Church; the Syriac Liturgy under the name of Mark the Evangelist, which was celebrated in the Alexandrian Church; a liturgy similar to them, described in the Eighth Book of the Apostolic Constitutions.
From the 4th century, the rite of the liturgy, set forth by Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, began to come into use, which later, from the 12th century, became dominant in the entire Orthodox East. The Liturgy of Basil the Great, according to Patriarch Proclus of Constantinople, is an abbreviation of the Jerusalem Liturgy of the Apostle James, which, in turn, according to the same writer, was further abbreviated by St. who visited or listened to her without diligence. However, both liturgies were subsequently supplemented by several sacred rites, hymns and prayers, which will be indicated below.
Heb. 9, 12 ; ), sometimes serving at the altar (), with sacrifices (), as it was in the Old Testament Church. In the liturgical sense, the word liturgy has long been known from church monuments. So in the Acts of Ephesus Ecumenical Council liturgies are called evening and morning services, i.e. the whole circle of daily worship (Epistle to the emperor about Cyril and Memnon). But in particular this is the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and in the course of time it was exclusively assimilated, just as the name of the Bible (book) became the exclusive name of the books of Holy Scripture.
Patriarch Balsamon of Antioch, an interpreter of church canons in the 12th century, in response to the question of Patriarch Mark of Alexandria regarding this question, “is it possible to receive in the Holy and Catholic Church the rites of the liturgy read in the regions of Alexandria and Jerusalem, according to tradition, written by the apostles James and Mark?” gave a negative answer and kept this Patriarch from celebrating the Liturgy of the Apostle James in Constantinople. (Collection of ancient liturgies translated into Russian. St. Petersburg, 1874, p. 145).
