Content: Introduction. Proskomedia. English and Slavonic texts of the Divine Liturgy according to Saint John Chrysostom with comments, explanations, and pictures.

The Apostles celebrated Holy Communion according to the commandment and example of Christ and taught their disciples and successors to perform this great and saving Mystery. In the earliest times the order and form of celebrating the Liturgy were transmitted orally, and all the prayers and sacred hymns were memorized. Eventually, written explanations of the Apostolic Liturgy began to appear. As time passed, new prayers, hymns, and sacred actions were added in various churches. The need arose to unify the existing orders of the Liturgy for the sake of harmony in their celebration. In the fourth century, when the persecutions of the Romans against Christians ended, it was possible to re-establish good order in the Church's inner life through the Ecumenical Councils. St. Basil the Great wrote a form of the Liturgy for general use, then, somewhat later, St. John Chrysostom wrote a shorter version of St. Basil's Liturgy. These Liturgies were based on the most ancient Liturgy, attributed to St. James the Apostle, the first bishop of Jerusalem.

St. Basil the Great, who reposed in 379 A.D, was archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia in Asia Minor. He is called "the Great" because of his great ascetic endeavors and his literary contribution to the Church of numerous prayers and ecclesiastical writings and rules. St. John Chrysostom was an archbishop of Constantinople. He was called "Chrysostom" (in Greek, "the golden tongued") for his unique rhetorical gifts with which he proclaimed the Word of God. Though he reposed in 402 A.D. in exile, many volumes of his sermons and letters remain to edify us spiritually.

The Liturgy is described by various terms. "Liturgy" itself comes from a Greek word meaning "common action or service" and signifies that the Mystery of Holy Communion is the reconciling sacrifice of God for the sins of the entire community of faithful, the living and the dead. Because the Mystery of Holy Communion is called "Evharistia" in Greek or "the Thanksgiving Sacrifice," the Liturgy is also called the Eucharist. It is also termed the Mystical Supper or the Lord's Supper since it reminds us of the Mystical Supper performed by Christ. In Apostolic times the Liturgy was referred to as "breaking bread" (Acts 2:46, cf. I Cor. 10:16). In the Liturgy the earthly life and teachings of Jesus Christ, from His Nativity to His Ascension into Heaven, are recalled, as well as the benefits which He bestowed upon the earth for our salvation.

The order of the Liturgy is as follows. First, the elements for the Mystery are prepared, then the faithful are prepared for the Mystery, and finally the very Mystery itself is celebrated and the faithful receive Communion. These three parts are called:

The wine used in the Mystery must be red grape wine, as this color reminds us of the color of blood. The wine is mixed with water to remind us of the pierced side of the Savior from which flowed blood and water on the Cross. Five prosphoras are used in the Proskomedia to recall the five loaves with which Christ miraculously fed the five thousand, an event which gave Him the means to teach the people about spiritual nourishment, about the incorrupt, spiritual food which is bestowed in the Mystery of Holy Communion (John 6:22-58). One prosphora, known as the Lamb, is used for Holy Communion, in accordance with the words of the Apostle: "For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one Bread" (I Cor. 10: 17).

The Proskomedia is performed by the priest in a quiet voice at the Table of Preparation when the sanctuary is closed. During its celebration, the Third and Sixth Hours are read.

The priest takes the first prosphora and with a small spear makes the sign of the Cross over it three times, saying the words, "In remembrance of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ." The priest then cuts a cube out of the center of this prosphora with the spear (a small, wedge-shaped knife) and pronounces the words of the Prophet Isaiah: "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people was He stricken" (Is. 53:7-8).

This cube-shaped portion of the prosphora, called the Lamb (John 1:29), is placed on the diskos, a metal plate. Then the priest cuts a cross in the bottom of the Lamb while saying the words, "Sacrificed is the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, for the life of the world and its salvation." He then pierces the right side of the Lamb with the spear, saying the words of the Evangelist, "One of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith there came out blood and water. And he that saw it bore record, and his record is true" (John 19:34). In accordance with these words wine is poured into the chalice mixed with water.

From the second prosphora, the priest cuts out one portion in honor of the Virgin Mary and places it on the right side of the Lamb on the diskos. From the third prosphora, which is called "that of the nine ranks," are taken nine portions in honor of the saints, John the Forerunner and Baptist, the prophets, the Apostles, the hierarchs, the martyrs, the monastic saints, the unmercenary physicians, the grandparents of Jesus, Joachim and Anna, the saint who is celebrated that day, the saint to whom the church is dedicated, and finally the saint who composed the liturgy being celebrated. These portions are placed on the left side the Lamb. From the fourth prosphora, portions are removed for the hierarchs, the priesthood, and all the living. From the fifth prosphora, portions are taken for those Orthodox Christians who have reposed.

At the end of the Proskomedia the priest covers the bread with a metal asterisk (star) and then covers the diskos and chalice with special veils, censes the diskos and the chalice and prays that the Lord bless the offered Gifts and remember those who have offered them and those for whom they are offered.

The sacred instruments used and actions performed in the Proskomedia have symbolic meanings. The diskos signifies the caves in Bethlehem and Golgotha; the star, the star of Bethlehem and the Cross; the veils, the swaddling clothes and the winding sheet at the tomb of the Savior; the chalice, the cup in which Jesus Christ sanctified the wine; the prepared Lamb, the judgment, passion, and death of Jesus Christ; and its piercing by the spear, the piercing of Christ's body by one of the soldiers. The arrangement of all the portions in a certain order on the diskos signifies the entire Kingdom of God, whose members consist of the Virgin Mary, the angels, all the holy men who have been pleasing to God, all the faithful Orthodox Christians, living and dead, and, in the center its head — the Lord Himself, our Savior. The censing signifies the overshadowing by the Holy Spirit, whose grace is shared in the Mystery of Holy Communion.

Commemoration Lists

So powerful is the Church's intercession that even the righteous have been known to appear in dreams to those still living to ask the Church's prayers. In view of the great spiritual benefit bestowed upon those commemorated during Divine Liturgy, we should be conscientious in giving the names of those dear to us — and all those in special need of prayer — to be read at she Proskomedia. Most churches provide special printed slips of paper (usually located near the candle counter) for this purpose. For longer lists of names commemorated regularly, it is recommended to use a booklet.

How should one write out commemoration slips or booklets to be read at the Proskomedia?

Separate lists should be made for the living and departed; these should be clearly marked at the top, either "For the health and salvation of the servants of God..." or "For the repose of the souls of the servants of God..."

Proper Christian names received at baptism should be used, no nicknames or shortened forms: i.e., Theodore, not Ted; Margaret, not Peggy.

Whether a booklet or a slip of paper is used, care should be taken that it is clean and neat, reflecting a reverent attitude towards the holiness of the liturgical commemoration. Papers should not be crumpled or full of messy erasures. Booklets with loose pages or broken staples should be replaced. The writing should be legible; it should not be so small, or the names written so close, as to be difficult to read; those with poor handwriting should print or ask someone's assistance. The priest should be allowed to concentrate on prayer, not on retrieving loose pages or deciphering illegible script.

At the Divine Liturgy only members of the Orthodox Church are commemorated, since the particles placed on the diskos represent the Holy Church, the body of Orthodox believers. Separate lists should be kept of non-Orthodox to be commemorated with appropriate prayers.

Lists and booklets should be regularly updated, i.e., when someone dies or is ordained. It is best to designate "newly-departed" in pencil which can more easily be erased after the 40th day.

Clergy should be given their proper title: not simply "Father..." but Priest, Deacon, Hieromonk, Monk, Reader, etc. Ecclesiastical titles may be abbreviated: Metropolitan — Met.; Archbishop — Archbp.; Bishop — Bp.; Archimandrite — Archim.

Commemoration slips should be handed in at the candle counter as early as possible, preferably at the preceding vigil service. Once the Liturgy of the Catechumens has begun it is more difficult for the priest, particularly it he serves without a deacon, to read the commemorations, although strictly speaking he may do so up to the time of the Great Entrance.

With these words the priest announces the goal of the divine service about to begin: the strengthening and expansion of the Kingdom of God brought to the world by Jesus Christ, to the Glory of the only one true God, worshipped in the Holy Trinity. The word "Amen" means "so be it" in Hebrew.

The deacon, standing on the ambo, the raised area in front of the altar, and facing the Holy Doors, symbolizes the angel who encourages us to pray. He raises his stole, the symbol of the angel’s wing, and in the Great Litany calls the whole assembly to pray the same prayers that have been assembled by the Church since Apostolic times. He begins with the petition for peace, without which prayer is impossible.

In this litany the various petitions made of the Lord are made in the order of their relative importance to the Church. The worshippers make the sign of the Cross, and while harmonizing their hearts to the deacon’s petitions, they cry mentally with the choir: "Lord, have mercy." The Great Litany reminds us that, in order to pray successfully, we have to be at peace, that is, reconciled with all, having no resentment, anger, or hostility toward anyone. According to the teaching of the Savior, we may not offer God any gifts if we remember that our "brother hath aught against" us (Matt. 5:23-24). "For the peace of the whole world" asks that there be no disputes or hostility among nations or races in the entire world. "For the good estate of the holy churches of God" is a prayer in which the Orthodox Churches in every country firmly and unwaveringly confess the Orthodox Church as the true, apostolic Faith, on the basis of the Word of God and the canons of the Catholic Church; and "for the union of all" asks that all may be drawn into the one flock of Christ (cf. John 10:16). We pray "for this holy temple," which is the principal sacred object of the parish and should be the object of special care on the part of each parishioner. We pray that the Lord will preserve it from fire, theft, and other misfortunes and so that those who enter it will do so with sincere faith, reverence, and the fear of God. "For travelers by land, by sea, and by air; for the sick and the suffering" is for all people who are away for good cause who especially need our prayers.

The deacon concludes the litany by asking the faithful to entrust themselves and their whole life to Christ, to which we all respond: "To Thee, O Lord." During the litany the priest prays that the Lord will look down upon the church, and those at prayer in it, and fulfill their needs.

After the Great Litany, Psalms 102 and 145, which are called antiphons, are chanted. In the ancient Church these psalms were chanted "antiphonally" — that is, with the verses alternating between two choirs.

The following hymn, attached to the second antiphon, is dedicated to the Son of God:

This hymn sets forth the Orthodox teaching on the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He is the Only-begotten (one in essence) Son and Word of God, Christ God, Who, being immortal, became man, without ceasing to be God, and accepted a human body from the Holy Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary. By His crucifixion, He with His death conquered death, "trampling down death by death," as one of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity, and is glorified equally with the Father and Holy Spirit.

While the choir sings, the priest silently prays in the altar: "O Lord our God, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance; preserve the fullness of Thy Church; sanctify those who love the beauty of Thy house; glorify them in return by Thy divine power; and forsake us not who hope in Thee… O Thou who hast bestowed on us these common and united prayers, and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in Thy name, Thou wilt grant their requests, fulfill even now the requests of Thy servants as is expedient for them, and in the world to come, life eternal."

The next (third) antiphon, called the Beatitudes, is taken from the Sermon on the Mount (see Matt. 5:3-12). The Beatitudes indicate the spiritual qualities necessary for a Christian: humility of spirit (spiritual poverty) and contrition concerning our sins, meekness when drawing near the righteousness of God, purity of heart, compassion for our neighbor, seeking peace in all situations, patience amid every temptation, and a readiness to endure dishonor, persecution, and death for Christ; trusting that, as a confessor for Him, and through such ascetic struggles, we can expect a great reward in Heaven.

During the chanting of the Beatitudes, the Royal Doors are opened for the Small Entry. As the Beatitudes are ending, the priest comes out with the deacon, who carries the sacred Gospel through the north door onto the ambo. The priest prays that He, Who in heaven appointed the armies of angels and the heavenly hosts to minister His glory, may now order these same celestial powers to serve with us in this entry into the holy altar. This entrance with the Holy Gospel reminds us of the first appearance of Jesus Christ to the world, when He came to begin His universal preaching. The candle which the altar boy carries at this time in front of the Gospel signifies John the Forerunner who, prepared the people to receive the Messiah.

The deacon standing by the Royal Doors, raises the sacred Gospel aloft and proclaims:

This exclamation reminds the faithful that they must stand upright (in the literal meaning of the Greek word orthi, which means correctly or straight) and be attentive, keeping their thoughts concentrated. They should look upon the Holy Gospel as upon Jesus Christ Himself, Who has come to preach, and they should faithfully sing, "O come, let us worship..." In Hebrew the word "Alleluia" means "Praise the Lord."

The troparia and kontakia (short commemorative hymns for Sunday or the feast) are then chanted, while the priest prays that the Heavenly Father who is hymned by the Cherubim, and glorified by the Seraphim, might receive from us the angelic hymn (the Trisagion), forgive us our sins, and sanctify and grant us the power rightly to serve Him. The conclusion of this prayer is uttered aloud:

With this hymn the worshipers glorify the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The hymn originates from the ecstasy of Isaiah in which he witnesses the angelic order of Seraphim crying "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts" and from the vision of the Apostle John in which he saw worshipers in Heaven exclaiming: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come!" (Is. 6:3, Rev. 4:8). Through the singing of this prayer, the Church raises the hearts of the believers to contemplation of the Lord’s glory and, together with the heavenly powers, to extol and worship Him.

Following the Trisagion, the Epistle for the day is read. The faithful are prepared for the attentive hearing of the Epistle by the exclamations, "Let us attend!" "Peace be unto all!" "Wisdom!" and the chanting of the prokeimenon, which is a special short verse which changes with the day. During the reading of the Epistle, a censing is performed as a symbol of the Grace of the Holy Spirit by which the Apostles proclaimed to the entire world the teachings of Jesus Christ. We should respond both to the censing and to the exclamation of the priest, "Peace be unto all!" with a simple bow, without making the sign of the Cross.

"Alleluia" is sung three times with the intoning of special verses, and the Gospel of the day is read. The priest precedes this reading with the prayer: Illumine our hearts with the incorruptible light of Thy knowledge, O Master, Lover of mankind, and open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Thy Gospel teachings. Implant in us also the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that, trampling down all lusts of the flesh, we may pursue a spiritual way of life, being mindful of and doing all that is well-pleasing unto Thee…

The candle held at this time by the altar boy signifies the all-illuminating Light of Christ, Who taught us how to believe and how to live in order to achieve the Kingdom of eternal light. It is usual at this point to have a sermon in which the meaning of the Epistle and Gospel readings are explained. Sometimes the sermon is put at the end of the service.

The Gospel is followed by the Litany of Fervent Supplication, in which the faithful are invited to pray to the Lord God with a pure heart and all the powers of their soul:

The petitions of this litany are similar to those of the Great Litany, but the augmented repetition of the words "Lord, have mercy" makes its petitions more fervent. Here we pray that the Lord will be compassionate toward us, for life, peace, health, salvation and the forgiveness of the sins of the "brethren of this holy and all-venerable temple" (the parishioners). The last petition of this litany refers to those who are active and do good works in the holy, local church (parish), those who minister in it, those who chant and read and serve and the people present who await God’s great and abundant mercy. Those who bring offerings and do good works for the church are those faithful who provide the church with all that is necessary for the divine service (oil, incense, prosphoras, etc.), those who contribute to the needs of the church and parish with their monetary gifts and with their material goods for the beauty and decoration of the church, and those who help poor parishioners and provide help for other common religious and moral needs as they arise.

The Litany for the Catechumens is then chanted. In it we ask the Lord to have mercy on those preparing to join the Church and to establish them in the true Faith:

During this litany the priest unfolds the antiminsos on the Holy Table, the catechumens are told to depart from the church building, and the Liturgy of the Faithful begins. The institution of the catechumens has now fallen into disuse, but the litany still remains to remind us of the vows we made at Baptism. It also reminds us of our apostolic duty to help others to join the true Church.

The antiminsos which means "in place of the table" is a special cloth depicting the burial of our Savior that is blessed and signed by the bishop for the performance of the Liturgy. It recalls the time of the persecution of Christians when the Church had no permanent abode and could not carry the Holy Table from place to place. Instead, the antiminsos was taken to the place were the Liturgy was to be performed. Without it the Liturgy cannot be performed, so the priest is responsible for the preservation of the antiminsos if something happens to the church.

Two short litanies are proclaimed after the catechumens are told to depart from the church:

During these litanies the priest prays: "Again and oftimes we fall down before Thee and pray unto Thee, O Good One and Lover of mankind, that looking down upon our supplication Thou wouldst cleanse our souls and bodies from all defilement of flesh and spirit; and grant us to stand blameless and uncondemned before Thy holy altar. Grant also to those who pray with us, O God, growth in life and faith and spiritual understanding. Grant them always to worship Thee blamelessly with fear and love, and to partake without condemnation of Thy Holy Mysteries and grant that they may be accounted worthy of Thy Heavenly Kingdom."

Then the Cherubic Hymn is chanted. This hymn reminds the faithful that they have now left behind every thought of daily life: offering themselves as a likeness of the Cherubim. They are found close to God in Heaven, and, together with the angels, sing the thrice-holy hymn of praise to God. During the Cherubic Hymn, the deacon performs a censing. The priest in private prayers asks the Lord to purify his soul and heart from an evil conscience and, by the power of the Holy Spirit to make him worthy to offer to God the Gifts which have been offered. Then the priest and the deacon quietly say the words of the Cherubic Hymn thrice; then both proceed to the Table of Preparation to transfer the precious Gifts to the Holy Table. This procession is call the Great Entry.

The words of the original Greek for upborne mean literally, "borne aloft as on spears." This refers to an ancient practice in which a nation desiring, to glorify its king would seat him upon their shields, and raising him up, would carry him before the army and through the city streets. The shields were held up on spears, so it seemed that the triumphant leader was carried by spears.

The deacon, with the aer (the large veil) on his left shoulder, carries the diskos on his head, while the priest carries the chalice in his hands. Leaving the altar by the north door (while the choir chants "Let us lay aside all earthly cares ..."), they come to a stop on the ambo, facing the people. They commemorate the bishops, the local ruling bishop, the clergy, monastics, the founders of the church and the Orthodox Christians who are present. They then turn and enter the altar through the Royal Doors, place the precious Gifts on the Holy Table, on the opened antiminsos, and cover them with the aer. As the choir finishes the Cherubic Hymn, the Royal Doors and curtain are closed.

The faithful stand during this time with bowed heads and pray that the Lord remember them and all those close to them in His Kingdom. After the priest says the words "and all of you Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God remember in His Kingdom," the people reply softly, "And may the Lord God remember thy priesthood in His Kingdom, always, now and ever and unto the ages of ages."

The Great Entry symbolizes the solemn passing of Jesus Christ to His voluntary suffering and death by crucifixion. The priest places the holy chalice and the bread representing the Body of Christ on the Holy Table as if in the grave. The Royal Doors are closed as if they were the doors of the Lord’s tomb. The curtain is drawn as if it were the guard stationed before the Sepulcher. Commemorating these events, the priest prays: "The noble Joseph, having taken down Thine immaculate Body from the tree, wrapped It in pure linen and anointed It with spices, and laid It in a new tomb. In the tomb with the body and in hell with the soul, in paradise with the thief and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit, wast Thou, Who fillest all things, O uncircumscribed Christ. More life-giving, and more beautiful than paradise, and truly more radiant than any royal chamber is Thy tomb, O Christ, the fountain of our resurrection."

Following the Great Entry is the preparation of the faithful so that they may be worthy to be present during the sacrifice of the Gifts that have been prepared. This preparation begins with the Litany of Supplication:

At the same time the priest prays privately: "O Lord God Almighty, Who alone art holy, Who accepest the sacrifice of praise from those that call upon Thee with their whole heart. Accept also the supplication of us sinners, and bear it to Thy holy altar, enabling us to offer unto Thee gifts and spiritual sacrifices for our sins and for the errors of the people. Make us worthy to find grace in Thy sight, that our sacrifice may be acceptable unto Thee, and that the good Spirit of Thy grace may rest upon us and upon these Gifts here offered, and upon all Thy people."

In order to be present worthily at the celebration of the Holy Mysteries, the following are absolutely required: peace of soul, mutual love, and the Orthodox (true) Faith, which unites all believers. After the Litany of Supplication, the priest blesses the people, saying:

At this time the curtain behind the Royal Doors is opened and the celebrant lifts the aer from the precious Gifts, and gently waves it over them in expectation of the descent of the Holy Spirit.

"The doors! The doors!" in ancient times reminded the doorkeepers to watch carefully at the doors of the church, that none of the catechumens or unbelievers enter. These words remind the faithful to close the doors of their souls against the assault of thoughts. The "doors" also reminds us that from this point until the end of the Liturgy no one is to leave the church. The Fathers condemned the transgression of this requirement, writing in the ninth Apostolic Canon, "All faithful who leave the church ... and do not remain at prayer until the end, introduce disorder into the church, should be separated from the church community."

The words "In wisdom let us attend!" indicate that we should be attentive to the truths of the Orthodox faith as set forth in the Symbol of Faith (the Creed).

This Symbol of Faith was formulated by the First (325 A.D) and the Second (381 A.D.) Ecumenical Councils as the framework of truths of the Christian believer. It summarizes the basic dogmas from the vast treasures of Divine Revelation. The belief in the Holy Trinity is confessed in the first eight articles; the remaining four articles refer to the destiny of man related to God’s desire for salvation.

After the Symbol of Faith, the deacon calls the attention of the faithful to offering of the sacrifice (Holy Oblation).

The words "Let us lift up our hearts" calls us to be reverently present before God on high. The choir responds with reverence in the name of those praying, "We lift them up unto the Lord," affirming that our hearts are already striving and aspiring to the Lord.

The Sacrifice of the Gifts

The act of the Holy Mystery of Communion comprises the climax of the Liturgy. It begins with the words of the priest, "Let us give thanks unto the Lord." The faithful express their gratitude to the Lord for His mercy by bowing to Him, while the choir sings,

Praying silently, the priest offers a eucharistic (thanksgiving) prayer, glorifying the infinite perfection of God; giving thanks to the Lord for the creation and redemption of mankind and for His mercy, in forms both known and unknown; giving thanks that He deems us worthy to offer Him this bloodless sacrifice, although the higher beings, the archangels, angels, Cherubim and Seraphim stand before Him "singing the triumphant hymn, shouting, proclaiming and saying..." These last words of the priest are said aloud as the choir proceeds with the described hymn by singing the angelic hymn, "Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord of Sabaoth! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory."

The choir adds the exclamation with which the people greeted the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, "Hosanna (a Hebrew expression of good will: save, or help, O God!) in the highest! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" The words "singing the triumphant hymn" are taken from the visions of the Prophet Ezekiel (1:4-24) and the Apostle John the Theologian (Revelation 4:6-8). In both their visions they beheld the throne of God surrounded by angels in the form of an eagle (singing), a bull (shouting), a lion (proclaiming) and a man (saying) who were continually exclaiming, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty."

The priest quietly continues the eucharistic prayer, which glorifies the good will and the infinite love of God that was manifest in the coming upon the earth of the Son of God. In remembrance of the Mystical Supper, when the Lord established the Mystery of Holy Communion, he says aloud the words that the Savior said when He instituted this Holy Mystery, "Take, eat ... Drink of it, all of you …" The priest, in a low voice, recalls the commandment of the Savior to perform this Mystery, glorifing His passion, death, and Resurrection, Ascension and second coming. Then the priest says aloud, "Thine own of Thine own ..."

The choir then chants slowly, "We praise Thee… " while the priest silently asks that the Lord to send down the Holy Spirit upon the people praying in the church and to sanctify the Gifts offered. The priest quietly reads the troparion from the Third Hour: "O Lord, Who didst send down Thy Most Holy Spirit upon Thine apostles at the third hour: Take Him not from us, O Good One, but renew Him in us who pray unto Thee." The priest, blessing the Lamb on the diskos, says, "And make this bread the precious Body of Thy Christ." Blessing the wine in the chalice, he says, "And that which is in this cup, the precious Blood of Thy Christ." After each blessing the deacon says, "Amen." Finally, blessing the bread and wine together the priest says, "Changing them by Thy Holy Spirit." And the deacon says, "Amen. Amen. Amen."

At this great and sacred moment the bread and wine are changed into the true Body and true Blood of Christ. The priest then bows before the Holy Gifts as to the Very King and God Himself. This is the most important and solemn moment of the Liturgy.

After the sanctification of the Holy Gifts the priest, in a subdued voice, asks the Lord that the partaking of the Holy Gifts, will serve "unto devoutness of soul (that is, to strengthening in every good deed), unto the forgiveness of sins, unto the communion of the Holy Spirit, unto the fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven, unto boldness toward Thee; not unto Judgment or condemnation." He then remembers those for whom the sacrifice is offered, for the Holy Gifts are offered to the Lord God as a sacrifice of thanksgiving for all the saints.

Then the priest prays for the special remembrance of the all-holy Virgin Mary and says aloud:

The priest at this time silently prays first for the departed, and then for the living, saying aloud:

The Litany ends with the following exclamation:

At this time the words "Give us this day our daily bread" remind us of the Bread of Life that Jesus Christ gave to us, namely, His Body and Blood. As Jesus said: "I am the living Bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever; and the Bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6:51).

Then follows the giving of peace and the bowing of our heads during which the priest asks the Lord to sanctify the faithful and to enable them to partake without condemnation of the Holy Mysteries. At this time the deacon, while standing on the ambo, takes the orarion from his shoulder and girds himself with it in a cruciform pattern. This allows him to serve the priest unencumbered during Communion and expresses his reverence for the Holy Gifts by representing the Seraphim who, as they surround the Throne of God, cover their faces with their wings (Is. 6:2-3).

During the exclamation of the deacon, "Let us attend," the curtain is closed and the priest lifts the Holy Lamb above the diskos and loudly proclaims, "Holy things are for the holy." This means that the Holy Gifts may be given only to the "holy," that is, the faithful who have sanctified themselves with prayer, fasting, and the Mystery of Repentance. In recognition of their unworthiness, the chanters, in the name of the faithful, exclaim, "One is Holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ ..."

The faithful who intend to come to Holy Communion should have attended Vigil the preceding evening; and they should have repented their sins and read the prayers of preparation for Holy Communion at home.

Now the communion of the serving clergy takes place in the altar. The priest divides the Holy Lamb into four parts, communes himself and then gives the Holy Mysteries to the deacon. After the communion of the clergy, the portions intended for the communion of the laity are put into the chalice. During the communion of the clergy various verses of the Psalms called "Communion verses" are chanted, followed by various hymns relating to the feast; or the prayers before Communion are read. The Royal Doors are opened in preparation of the communion of the faithful laity. The deacon, with the sacred chalice in his hands, then calls out:

The opened Royal Doors are symbolic of the open tomb of the Savior, and the bringing forth of the Holy Gifts symbolizes the appearance of Jesus Christ after His resurrection. The faithful bow to the holy chalice as before the very risen Savior Himself, while the choir, representing them, chants: "Blessed is He that cometh ... " Those of the faithful who are to commune, "In the fear of God, faith," make a bow to the Holy Chalice and then listen quietly to the prayer before Communion, "I believe, O Lord, and I confess...," in which they confess their faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Savior of sinners, and their faith in the Mystery of Communion by which, in the visible form of bread and wine, they receive the true Body and Blood of Christ as a pledge of eternal life and the Mystery of Communion with Him.

The faithful step forward and go up to the ambo. To keep good order and to show reverence, you should not impede or embarrass others with a desire to be first. Likewise, you should not be overly cautious and fearful but should step forward with gratitude and serenity of faith. Each person should remember that he is the first among sinners but that the mercy of the Lord is infinite. With your hands crossed over your chest, you should step forward toward the Royal Doors for Communion and, without making a sign of the Cross, while near the chalice, receive Communion from the spoon held by the priest. After receiving the Holy Gifts, you should kiss the base of the chalice, again without making any sign of the Cross, so that the chalice will not be accidentally hit.

Children are encouraged to take Communion often, from their earliest infancy, in the name of the faith of their parents and educators, and in accordance with the words of the Savior: "Suffer the little children to come unto Me" and "Drink of it, all of you." Children under seven or so are allowed to take Communion without confession, as they have not reached the age of responsibility or discernment.

Following Communion, the communicants go to the small table on which are placed wine mixed with water, together with some small portions of prosphora, They are to eat and drink these to wash down any of the Holy Gifts remaining in their mouths. After the communion of the faithful, the priest puts all the particles taken from the offered prosphora into the holy chalice and prays that the Lord will purify with His Blood the sins of all those commemorated through the prayers of the saints. He then blesses the congregation:

We have seen the true light since, having washed our sins in the Mystery of Baptism, we are called the sons of God by Grace, and the sons of the Light. We have received the Holy Spirit by means of sacred Chrismation. We confess the true Orthodox Faith and worship the undivided Trinity, because He has saved us.

The priest hands the diskos to the deacon, who raises it over his head and carries it to the Table of Preparation. The priest then takes the holy chalice and blesses the faithful with the exclamation, "Always, now and eve, and unto the ages of ages," and carries it to the Table of Preparation. This last elevation and presentation of the Holy Gifts to the congregation, and their removal to the Table of Preparation, and the exclamation, are to remind us of the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heaven and His promise to remain in the Church "always, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:20).

Thanksgiving for Communion and the Dismissal

Bowing to the Holy Gifts for the last time, as to the very Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the faithful express their thanks to the Lord for Communion of the Holy Mysteries. The choir chants the hymn of gratitude:

Having glorified the Lord because He has deemed us worthy of partaking of the divine and immortal and life-giving Mysteries, we ask Him to preserve us in the holiness which we have received through the Mystery of Holy Communion, that we may contemplate the righteousness of God throughout the day. Following this, the deacon chants the Litany of Thanksgiving:

The priest, folding up the antiminsos and placing it on the Gospel, exclaims, "For Thou art our sanctification ..." And then he adds, "Let us depart in peace." This indicates that the Liturgy has concluded and that we should leave the Church at peace with all. The choir responds: "In the name of the Lord" — and we go home with the blessing of the Lord.

The priest then comes out through the Royal Doors, descends the stairs, and stands facing the altar in front of the ambo. He reads a prayer which summarizes all the supplications made throughout the Divine Liturgy:

The faithful devote themselves to the will of God with the prayer of the Psalmist "Blessed be the name of the Lord ... " Sometimes a pastoral sermon, based on the Word of God, is given at this point for the spiritual enlightenment and edification of the people. The priest then offers a final blessing, "The blessing of the Lord ... " and gives thanks unto God. Then turning to the people and signing himself with the sign of the Cross, the people should also make the sign; the priest gives the final blessing.

At the Dismissal, the priest asked on our behalf for the prayers of the Theotokos, the saint of the church, the saint whose memory we celebrated today, the righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna (the parents of the Mother of God), and all the saints. He expresses the hope that Christ, our true God, will have mercy and save us, for He is good and the Lover of mankind. Then he steps down and standing before the ambo and he holds the Holy Cross for the faithful to venerate while distributing the antidoron, the remainder of the prosphora which are cut into small pieces. The faithful come forward to kiss the Cross as proof of their faith in our Savior, in Whose memory the Divine Liturgy has just been celebrated.

(liturgy_e.doc, 07-16-2001)

Edited by Donald Shufran