Divine Liturgy on Sundays. What is depicted in the Liturgy? Development of Christian worship

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom When the time comes for the Divine Liturgy, the priest enters the temple together with the deacon. Having placed three bows to the east in front of the holy doors, they read the Entrance Prayers. Then they retreat to the sanctuary and put on

Divine Liturgy The divine service at which the Eucharist is celebrated is called Liturgy (Greek litho?s - public and ergon - service). If in other public services (matins, vespers, hours) the Lord Jesus Christ is present only by His grace, at

The Sacrament of the Eucharist. Divine Liturgy Eucharist in Greek means “thanksgiving.” Another name for this Sacrament is the Sacrament of Holy Communion. This is the Sacrament in which the believer, under the guise of bread and wine, eats the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and through this

The most important service is the Divine Liturgy. The great Sacrament is performed on it - the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of the Lord and the Communion of the faithful. Liturgy translated from Greek means joint work. Believers gather in church in order to glorify God together “with one mouth and one heart” and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. So they follow the example of the holy apostles and the Lord Himself, who, having gathered for the Last Supper on the eve of the betrayal and suffering of the Savior on the Cross, drank from the Cup and ate the Bread that He gave them, reverently listening to His words: “This is My Body...” and “This is My blood...”

Divine Liturgy

Christ commanded His apostles to perform this Sacrament, and the apostles taught this to their successors - bishops and presbyters, priests. The original name of this Sacrament of Thanksgiving is Eucharist (Greek). The public service at which the Eucharist is celebrated is called liturgy (from the Greek litos - public and ergon - service, work). The Liturgy is sometimes called mass, since it is usually supposed to be celebrated from dawn to noon, that is, in the pre-dinner time.

The order of the liturgy is as follows: first, the objects for the Sacrament (Offered Gifts) are prepared, then the believers prepare for the Sacrament, and finally, the Sacrament itself and the Communion of the believers are performed. Thus, the liturgy is divided into three parts, which are called:

• Proskomedia
• Liturgy of the Catechumens
• Liturgy of the Faithful.

Proskomedia

The Greek word proskomedia means offering. This is the name of the first part of the liturgy in memory of the custom of the first Christians to bring bread, wine and everything necessary for the service. Therefore, the bread itself, used for the liturgy, is called prosphora, that is, an offering.

The prosphora should be round, and it consists of two parts, as an image of the two natures in Christ - Divine and human. Prosphora is baked from wheat leavened bread without any additions other than salt.

A cross is imprinted on the top of the prosphora, and in its corners are the initial letters of the Savior’s name: “IC XC” and the Greek word “NI KA”, which together means: Jesus Christ conquers. To perform the Sacrament, red grape wine is used, pure, without any additives. Wine is mixed with water in memory of the fact that blood and water poured out from the Savior’s wound on the Cross. For proskomedia, five prosphoras are used in remembrance that Christ fed five thousand people with five loaves, but the prosphora that is prepared for Communion is one of these five, because there is one Christ, Savior and God. After the priest and deacon have performed the entrance prayers in front of the closed Royal Doors and put on sacred vestments in the altar, they approach the altar. The priest takes the first (lamb) prosphora and makes a copy of the image of the cross on it three times, saying: “In remembrance of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” From this prosphora the priest cuts out the middle in the shape of a cube. This cubic part of the prosphora is called the Lamb. It is placed on the paten. Then the priest makes a cross on the underside of the Lamb and pierces it right side copy.

After this, wine mixed with water is poured into the bowl.

The second prosphora is called the Mother of God; a particle is taken out of it in honor of the Mother of God. The third is called nine-order, because nine particles are taken out of it in honor of John the Baptist, the prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, saints, unmercenaries, Joachim and Anna - the parents of the Mother of God and the saints of the temple, the day saints, and also in honor of the saint whose name Liturgy is celebrated.

From the fourth and fifth prosphoras, particles are taken out for the living and the dead.

At the proskomedia, particles are also taken out from the prosphoras, which are served by believers for the repose and health of their relatives and friends.

All these particles are laid out in a special order on the paten next to the Lamb. Having completed all the preparations for the celebration of the liturgy, the priest places a star on the paten, covering it and the chalice with two small covers, and then covers everything together with a large cover, which is called air, and censes the Offered Gifts, asking the Lord to bless them, remember those who brought these Gifts and those for whom they were brought. During the proskomedia, the 3rd and 6th hours are read in the church.

Liturgy of the Catechumens

The second part of the liturgy is called the liturgy of the “catechumens,” because during its celebration not only the baptized can be present, but also those preparing to receive this sacrament, that is, the “catechumens.”

The deacon, having received a blessing from the priest, comes out of the altar to the pulpit and loudly proclaims: “Bless, Master,” that is, bless the assembled believers to begin the service and participate in the liturgy.

The priest in his first exclamation glorifies the Holy Trinity: “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.” The choristers sing “Amen” and the deacon pronounces the Great Litany.

The choir sings antiphons, that is, psalms, which are supposed to be sung alternately by the right and left choirs.

Blessed are you, Lord
Bless, my soul, the Lord and all that is within me, His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, my soul
and do not forget all His rewards: He who cleanses all your iniquities, He who heals all your illnesses,
who delivers your belly from decay, who crowns you with mercy and bounty, who fulfills your good desires: your youth will be renewed like an eagle. Generous and merciful, Lord. Long-suffering and abundantly merciful. Bless, my soul, the Lord and all my inner being, His Holy Name. Blessed be you Lord

And “Praise, my soul, the Lord...”
Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord in my belly, I will sing to my God as long as I am.
Do not trust in princes, in the sons of men, for there is no salvation in them. His spirit shall depart and return to his land: and on that day all his thoughts shall perish. Blessed is he who has the God of Jacob as his helper; his trust is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea and everything that is in them; keeping the truth forever, bringing justice to the offended, giving food to the hungry. The Lord will decide the chained; The Lord makes the blind wise; The Lord raises up the downtrodden; The Lord loves the righteous;
The Lord protects strangers, accepts the orphan and the widow, and destroys the path of sinners.

At the end of the second antiphon, the song “Only Begotten Son...” is sung. This song sets forth the entire teaching of the Church about Jesus Christ.

The only begotten Son and Word of God, He is immortal, and He willed our salvation to be incarnate
from the holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, immutably made man, crucified for us, Christ our God, trampled upon by death, the One of the Holy Trinity, glorified to the Father and the Holy Spirit,
save us.

In Russian it sounds like this: “Save us, Only Begotten Son and Word of God, Immortal One, who deigned to be incarnated for the sake of our salvation from the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, who became man and did not change, crucified and trampled death by death, Christ God, one of the Holy Persons Trinity, glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.” After the small litany, the choir sings the third antiphon - the Gospel “beatitudes”. The Royal Doors open to the Small Entrance.

In Your Kingdom, remember us, O Lord, when You come to Your Kingdom.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for to them is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are those who cry, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blesseds of mercy, for there will be mercy.
Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for these shall be called sons of God.
Blessed is the expulsion of truth for the sake of them, for those are the Kingdom of Heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile you, and mistreat you, and say all sorts of evil things against you, who lie to Me for my sake.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is abundant in heaven.

At the end of the singing, the priest and the deacon, who carries the altar Gospel, go out to the pulpit. Having received a blessing from the priest, the deacon stops at the Royal Doors and, holding up the Gospel, proclaims: “Wisdom, forgive,” that is, he reminds the believers that they will soon hear the Gospel reading, therefore they must stand straight and with attention (forgive means straight).

The entrance of the clergy into the altar with the Gospel is called the Small Entrance, in contrast to the Great Entrance, which takes place later at the Liturgy of the Faithful. The Small Entrance reminds believers of the first appearance of the preaching of Jesus Christ. The choir sings “Come, let us worship and fall before Christ.” Save us, Son of God, risen from the dead, singing to Ti: Alleluia.” After this, the troparion (Sunday, holiday or holy) and other hymns are sung. Then the Trisagion is sung: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us (three times).

The Apostle and the Gospel are read. When reading the Gospel, believers stand with their heads bowed, listening with reverence to the holy gospel.

After the reading of the Gospel, at the special litany and the litany for the dead, the relatives and friends of the believers praying in the church are remembered through notes.

They are followed by the litany of the catechumens. The liturgy of the catechumens ends with the words “Catechumen, come forth.”

Liturgy of the Faithful

This is the name of the third part of the liturgy. Only the faithful can attend, that is, those who have been baptized and have no prohibitions from a priest or bishop. At the Liturgy of the Faithful:

1) the Gifts are transferred from the altar to the throne;
2) believers prepare for the consecration of the Gifts;
3) the Gifts are consecrated;
4) believers prepare for Communion and receive communion;
5) then thanksgiving is performed for Communion and dismissal.

After the recitation of two short litanies, the Cherubic Hymn is sung. “Even though the cherubim secretly form and sing the Trisagion hymn to the Life-giving Trinity, let us now put aside all worldly cares. As if we will raise up the King of all, the angels invisibly bestow ranks. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia". In Russian it reads like this: “We, mysteriously depicting the Cherubim and singing the trisagion of the Trinity, which gives life, will now leave concern for all everyday things, so that we can glorify the King of all, Whom the invisibly angelic ranks solemnly glorify. Hallelujah.”

Before the Cherubic Hymn, the Royal Doors open and the deacon censes. At this time, the priest secretly prays that the Lord will cleanse his soul and heart and deign to perform the Sacrament. Then the priest, raising his hands up, pronounces the first part of the Cherubic Song three times in an undertone, and the deacon also finishes it in an undertone. Both of them go to the altar to transfer the prepared Gifts to the throne. The deacon has air on his left shoulder, he carries the paten with both hands, placing it on his head. The priest carries the Holy Cup in front of him. They leave the altar through the northern side doors, stop at the pulpit and, turning their faces to the believers, say a prayer for the Patriarch, bishops, and all Orthodox Christians.

Deacon: Our Great Lord and Father Alexy, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and Our Most Reverend Lord (the name of the diocesan bishop) metropolitan (or: archbishop, or: bishop) (title of diocesan bishop), may the Lord God always remember in His Kingdom , now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Priest: May the Lord God remember all of you, Orthodox Christians, in His Kingdom always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

Then the priest and deacon enter the altar through the Royal Doors. This is how the Great Entrance takes place.

The brought Gifts are placed on the throne and covered with air (a large cover), the Royal Doors are closed and the curtain is drawn. The singers finish the Cherubic Hymn. During the transfer of the Gifts from the altar to the throne, believers remember how the Lord voluntarily went to suffer on the cross and die. They stand with their heads bowed and pray to the Savior for themselves and their loved ones.

After the Great Entrance, the deacon pronounces the Litany of Petition, the priest blesses those present with the words: “Peace to all.” Then it is proclaimed: “Let us love one another, that we may confess with one mind” and the choir continues: “Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, Trinity, Consubstantial and Indivisible.”

Following this, usually by the entire temple, the Creed is sung. On behalf of the Church, it briefly expresses the whole essence of our faith, and therefore should be pronounced in joint love and like-mindedness.

Symbol of faith

I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in the One Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only Begotten, Who was born of the Father before all ages. Light from light, true God from true God, born uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. For our sake, man, and for our salvation, who came down from heaven, and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giving Lord, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

After singing the Creed, the time comes to offer the “Holy Offering” with the fear of God and certainly “in peace,” without having any malice or enmity towards anyone.

“Let us become kind, let us become fearful, let us bring holy offerings to the world.” In response to this, the choir sings: “Mercy of peace, sacrifice of praise.”

The gifts of peace will be a thanksgiving and praise offering to God for all His benefits. The priest blesses the believers with the words: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love (love) of God and the Father, and the communion (communion) of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” And then he calls: “Woe is the heart we have,” that is, we will have hearts directed upward to God. To this the singers on behalf of the believers respond: “Imams to the Lord,” that is, we already have hearts directed toward the Lord.

The most important part of the liturgy begins with the words of the priest “We thank the Lord.” We thank the Lord for all His mercies and bow to the ground, and the singers sing: “It is worthy and righteous to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity.”

At this time, the priest, in a prayer called Eucharistic (that is, thanksgiving), glorifies the Lord and His perfection, thanks Him for the creation and redemption of man, and for all His mercies, known to us and even unknown. He thanks the Lord for accepting this bloodless Sacrifice, although He is surrounded by higher spiritual beings - archangels, angels, cherubim, seraphim, “singing a victory song, crying out, calling out and speaking.” The priest speaks these last words of the secret prayer loudly out loud. The singers add to them the angelic song: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord of hosts, the heavens and the earth are filled with Your glory.” This song, which is called “Seraphim,” is supplemented by the words with which the people greeted the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem: “Hosanna in the highest (that is, he who lives in heaven) Blessed is he who comes (that is, he who walks) in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!”

The priest pronounces the exclamation: “Singing the song of victory, crying, crying and speaking.” These words are taken from the visions of the prophet Ezekiel and the apostle John the Theologian, who saw in revelation the Throne of God, surrounded by angels having different images: one was in the form of an eagle (the word “singing” refers to it), the other in the form of a calf (“crying”) , the third in the form of a lion (“calling”) and, finally, the fourth in the form of a man (“verbally”). These four angels continually cried out, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord of hosts.” While singing these words, the priest secretly continues the prayer of thanksgiving; he glorifies the good that God sends to people, His endless love for His creation, which manifested itself in the coming to earth of the Son of God.

Remembering the Last Supper, at which the Lord established the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the priest loudly pronounces the words spoken by the Savior at it: “Take, eat, this is My Body, which was broken for you for the remission of sins.” And also: “Drink of it, all of you, this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.” Finally, the priest, remembering in secret prayer the Savior’s commandment to perform Communion, glorifying His life, suffering and death, resurrection, ascension into heaven and second coming in glory, loudly pronounces: “Thine from Thine, what is offered to Thee for all and for all.” These words mean: “We bring Your gifts from Your servants to You, O Lord, because of everything we have said.”

The singers sing: “We sing to You, we bless You, we thank You, Lord. And we pray, our God.”

The priest, in secret prayer, asks the Lord to send His Holy Spirit on the people standing in the church and on the Offered Gifts, so that He would sanctify them. Then the priest reads the troparion three times in an undertone: “Lord, who sent down Thy Most Holy Spirit at the third hour by Thy Apostle, do not take Him away from us, who is good, but renew us who pray.” The deacon pronounces the twelfth and thirteenth verses of the 50th Psalm: “Create in me a pure heart, O God...” and “Do not cast me away from Thy presence...”. Then the priest blesses the Holy Lamb lying on the paten and says: “And make this bread the honorable Body of Thy Christ.”

Then he blesses the cup, saying: “And in this cup is the precious Blood of Thy Christ.” And finally, he blesses the gifts along with the words: “Translating by Your Holy Spirit.” In these great and holy moments, the Gifts become the true Body and Blood of the Savior, although they remain the same in appearance as before.

The priest with the deacon and the believers bow to the ground before the Holy Gifts, as if they were the King and God himself. After the consecration of the Gifts, the priest in secret prayer asks the Lord that those receiving communion be strengthened in every good thing, that their sins be forgiven, that they partake of the Holy Spirit and reach the Kingdom of Heaven, that the Lord allows them to turn to Himself with their needs and does not condemn them for unworthy communion. The priest remembers the saints and especially Holy Virgin Mary and loudly proclaims: “Quite (that is, especially) about the most holy, most pure, most blessed, most glorious of our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary,” and the choir responds with a song of praise:
It is worthy to eat, as you are truly blessed, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify You, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption.

The priest continues to secretly pray for the dead and, moving on to prayer for the living, loudly remembers “first” His Holiness the Patriarch, the ruling diocesan bishop, the choir answers: “And everyone and everything,” that is, asks the Lord to remember all the believers. The prayer for the living ends with the exclamation of the priest: “And grant us with one mouth and one heart (that is, with one accord) to glorify and glorify Your most honorable and magnificent name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”

Finally, the priest blesses everyone present: “And may the mercies of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.”
The litany of petition begins: “Having remembered all the saints, let us pray again and again in peace to the Lord.” That is, having remembered all the saints, let us again pray to the Lord. After the litany, the priest proclaims: “And grant us, O Master, with boldness (boldly, as children ask their father) to dare (dare) to call upon Thee Heavenly God the Father and speak.”

Prayer “Our Father...”

The prayer “Our Father...” is usually sung after this by the entire church.

With the words “Peace to all,” the priest once again blesses the believers.

The deacon, standing at this time on the pulpit, is girdled crosswise with an orarion, so that, firstly, it would be more convenient for him to serve the priest during Communion, and secondly, to express his reverence for the Holy Gifts, in imitation of the seraphim.

When the deacon exclaims: “Let us attend,” the curtain of the Royal Doors closes as a reminder of the stone that was rolled to the Holy Sepulcher. The priest, raising the Holy Lamb over the paten, loudly proclaims: “Holy to the holy.” In other words, the Holy Gifts can only be given to saints, that is, believers who have sanctified themselves through prayer, fasting, and the Sacrament of Repentance. And, realizing their unworthiness, believers answer: “There is only one holy, one Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father.”

First, the clergy receive communion at the altar. The priest breaks the Lamb into four parts just as it was cut at the proskomedia. The part with the inscription “IC” is lowered into the bowl, and warmth, that is, hot water, is also poured into it, as a reminder that believers, under the guise of wine, accept the true Blood of Christ.

The other part of the Lamb with the inscription “ХС” is intended for the communion of the clergy, and the parts with the inscriptions “NI” and “KA” are for the communion of the laity. These two parts are cut by a copy according to the number of those receiving communion into small pieces, which are lowered into the Chalice.

While the clergy are receiving communion, the choir sings a special verse, which is called “sacramental,” as well as some chant suitable for the occasion. Russian church composers wrote many sacred works that are not included in the canon of worship, but are performed by the choir at this particular time. Usually the sermon is preached at this time.

Finally, the Royal Doors open for the communion of the laity, and the deacon with the Holy Cup in his hands says: “Approach with the fear of God and faith.”

The priest reads a prayer before Holy Communion, and the believers repeat it to themselves: “I believe, Lord, and 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 Honest Blood. I pray to You: have mercy on me and forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, in knowledge and ignorance, and grant me 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, receive me as a partaker, for I will not tell the secret to Thy enemies, neither will I give Thee a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess Thee: remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom. May the communion of Your Holy Mysteries be not for judgment or condemnation for me, Lord, but for the healing of soul and body.”

The participants bow to the ground and fold their arms crosswise on their chest ( right hand on top of the left), reverently approach the cup, telling the priest their Christian name given at baptism. There is no need to cross yourself in front of the cup, because you can push it with a careless movement. The choir sings “Receive the Body of Christ, taste the immortal fountain.”

After communion, they kiss the lower edge of the Holy Chalice and go to the table, where they drink it with warmth (church wine mixed with hot water) and receive a piece of prosphora. This is done so that not a single smallest particle of the Holy Gifts remains in the mouth and so that one does not immediately begin to eat ordinary everyday food. After everyone has received communion, the priest brings the chalice to the altar and lowers into it particles taken from the service and brought prosphoras with a prayer that the Lord, with His Blood, would wash away the sins of all who were commemorated at the liturgy.

Then he blesses the believers who sing: “We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith, we worship the indivisible Trinity: for she who saved us is.”

The deacon carries the paten to the altar, and the priest, taking the Holy Cup in his hands, blesses those praying with it. This last appearance of the Holy Gifts before being transferred to the altar reminds us of the Ascension of the Lord to heaven after His Resurrection. IN last time Having bowed to the Holy Gifts, as to the Lord Himself, the believers thank Him for Communion, and the choir sings a song of gratitude: “May our lips be filled with Thy praise, Lord, for we sing Thy glory, for Thou hast made us worthy to partake of Thy Holy, Divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries; keep us in Thy holiness, and teach us Thy righteousness all day long. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”

The deacon pronounces a short litany in which he thanks the Lord for Communion. The priest, standing at the Holy See, folds the antimension on which the cup and paten stood, and places the altar Gospel on it.

By loudly proclaiming “We will go out in peace,” he shows that the liturgy is ending, and soon the believers can go home quietly and in peace.

Then the priest reads the prayer behind the pulpit (because it is read behind the pulpit) “Bless those who bless Thee, O Lord, and sanctify those who trust in Thee, save Thy people and bless Thy heritage, preserve the fulfillment of Thy Church, sanctify those who love the splendor of Thy house, Thou glorify them with Thy Divine by strength and do not forsake us who trust in Thee. Grant Thy peace, to Thy Churches, to the priests and to all Thy people. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from You, the Father of lights. And to You we send glory, and thanksgiving, and worship, to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”

The choir sings: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from now on and forever.”

The priest blesses the worshipers for the last time and says dismissal with a cross in his hand, facing the temple. Then everyone approaches the cross to, by kissing it, confirm their fidelity to Christ, in whose memory the Divine Liturgy was performed.

Division of the Liturgy.

The order of the Liturgy is as follows: first, the substance for the Sacrament is prepared, then the believers prepare for the Sacrament, and finally, the Sacrament itself is performed and the believers receive communion. That part of the Liturgy in which the substance for communion is prepared is called “Proskomedia”; the second part, during which the faithful prepare for the Sacrament, is called the “Liturgy of the Catechumens,” the third part is called the “Liturgy of the Faithful.”

First part of the Liturgy
Proskomedia or “Bringing”.

The first part of the Liturgy, in which the substance for the Sacrament is prepared, is called “offering,” because at the appointed time, ancient Christians brought bread and wine for the Eucharist, which is why the bread itself is called “prosphora,” that is, “offering.”

The substance for the Sacrament is bread and wine. The bread must be leavened (risen), pure, wheat. The bread must be leavened, and not unleavened, because the Lord Jesus Christ Himself took leavened bread to perform the Sacrament. Wheat bread is also taken following the example of Jesus Christ and also because Jesus Christ compared Himself to a grain of wheat (John XII: 24).

In appearance, bread (prosphora) consists of:

1) of two parts joined together to designate the two natures of Jesus Christ - Divine and human.

2) with the designation of a cross as a sign that this bread is intended for sacred use, and

3) with the inscription on the sides of the cross Christ the Victorious.

The wine must be grape and red, because Jesus Christ Himself consumed grape wine at the Last Supper. In Proskomedia, when remembering the suffering of the Savior, wine is combined with water, signifying that during the Suffering of the Savior, blood and water flowed from His pierced rib.

For Proskomedia, five loaves or prosphoras are used, but actually for Communion one (the Lamb) is used, as the Apostle says: “One bread, one Body we are many: for we all partake of one bread.”(1 Cor. x, 17).

General outline of Proskomedia

After vesting (the vesting of the clergy before the Liturgy is done after reading some of the prescribed prayers, in front of the Royal Doors, which is called “performing the entrance”) in all sacred vestments and uttering the initial “exclamation” for the reading of the hours by the psalmist, the priest proceeds to the altar.

Having made three prostrations before the altar with a prayer for the cleansing of sins, the priest takes the first prosphora and with a copy makes the sign of the cross on it three times, saying: “In remembrance of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.” This means: we begin to celebrate the Liturgy according to the covenant of Jesus Christ and in remembrance of Him. Then, pronouncing the prophetic words of the prophet Isaiah, the priest makes a cut with a copy on four sides of the middle of the prosphora.

This is how the cubic part of the prosphora stands out and is called the Lamb.The priest took this cubic part (called the Lamb) from the prosphora puts on the paten, makes a cross on the opposite side of the seal, while pronouncing the words: “One soldier with a copy of His rib was pierced and blood and water came out” (John 19:34).

In accordance with these words, wine combined with water is poured into the cup. Having completed the preparation of the Holy Lamb, the priest takes out particles from the following prosphoras.

From the second a piece of prosphora is taken out in honor and memory of our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and placed on the right side of the Holy Lamb.

From the third from the prosphora, 9 particles are taken out in honor of the nine ranks of the Saints of God and placed on the left side of the Holy Lamb, three particles in a row.

From the fourth prosphora, particles are taken out for the living. The particles taken out about health are placed below the Holy Lamb.

From the fifth prosphora, particles taken out for the dead and placed below the particles taken out for the living.

After removing the particles, the priest blesses the censer with incense, censes the star and places it on top of the Holy Bread on the paten. Then, having sprinkled incense on the first cover, the priest covers the Holy Bread with the paten with it; Having sprinkled the second cover, the priest covers the Holy Chalice (chalice) with it; finally, having sprinkled a large cover, which is called “air” (the word “air” is the name given to the large cover because, blowing it at the Liturgy during the Symbol of Faith, the priest vibrates the air), the priest covers the paten and the Holy chalice together with it, saying at each covering the appropriate prayer.

Then the priest censes the Holy Altar and reads a prayer in which he asks the Lord to accept the gifts into “His heavenly altar,” to remember those who brought the gifts and for whom they were brought, and to preserve the clergy themselves without condemnation in the sacred rite of the Divine Mysteries.

During Proskomedia, the 3rd, 6th, and sometimes 9th hours are read on the choir.

At the third hour I remember the scourging and outrage of Jesus Christ after the trial by Pilate and, on the other hand, the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, which happened around 9-10 o’clock in the morning according to our account). Therefore, in the psalms (16, 24, 50) and prayers one hears, on the one hand, an appeal on behalf of the Innocent Sufferer, and on the other hand, a reminder of the Holy Spirit.

On the sixth hour(according to us 12-1 o'clock) we remember the voluntary suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Calvary. Therefore, the psalms (53, 54, 90) talk about suffering. In general, the psalms of the 6th hour depict the attempt of the Jews on the life of the Lord and the intrigues to kill Him, their ridicule and curses, the earthquake and the darkness that then covered the earth, etc. The last one, Psalm 90: “He lives in the help of the Most High ”, indicates help from the Father to the Son in His sorrow, and in the words: “Treading on the asp and basilisk,” etc. - to His victory over hell.

At the ninth hour (in our opinion 3-4 hours) I remember Death on the Cross Jesus Christ and depicts its significance for our salvation.

The psalms (83, 84 and 85) point to “salvation accomplished through the death of Christ” to the fact that “He is the living God, died for us in the flesh, and was a sacrifice for us and obtained favor for the earth that He brought back from captivity - our souls, and revived us with his resurrection, made his people glad, and spoke peace”; finally, it is said that in the suffering of Jesus Christ, “mercy and truth met, righteousness and peace kissed each other” (Ps. 84).

Psalm 85 - “Incline, O Lord, Thy ear: prophetically depicts that He who was crucified and died for us is holy, good, meek, abundantly merciful, true, that He gave us strength, strength and created a sign for good.

Psalm 83 speaks about the future faith of the pagans in Jesus Christ, that “people will go from strength to strength, the God of gods will appear in Zion.”

The New Testament events remembered on the clock are spoken of especially clearly in the following troparions, whichread and sung only during Lent.

Troparion of the 1st hour: Tomorrow hear my voice, my King and my God.

Troparion of the 3rd hour: Lord, who sent down Thy Most Holy Spirit in the third hour by Thy Apostle: Take not that Good One from us, but renew us who pray to Thee.

You, Lord, Who at the third hour sent down the Holy Spirit on the Apostles, do not take this Spirit away from us, but renew us who pray to You.

Troparion of the 6th hour: And on the sixth day and hour on the cross the daring sin of Adam was nailed to paradise, and tear up the handwriting of our sins, O Christ God, and save us.

Lord, You, Who on the sixth day and at the sixth hour nailed to the cross Adam’s sin, which he boldly committed in paradise, tear away the record of our sins, O Christ God, and save us.

Troparion of the 9th hour: For at the ninth hour you tasted death for our flesh, put to death our wisdom in the flesh, O Christ our God, and save us.

Lord, Christ God, who tasted death for us in His flesh at the ninth hour of the day, put to death the wisdom of our flesh and save us.

Clock diagram

1. Normal start

2. Three Psalms -

at the 1st hour - 5, 89 and 100;

at the 3rd hour - 16, 24 and 50;

at the 6th hour - 53, 54 and 90;

at the 9th hour - 83, 84 and 85 ps.

3. Glory and now alleluia.

4. Troparion of the “hour”, holiday or Saint, (“Daily” troparion from Octoechos, and to the Saint - from the “Minea”).

5. Theotokos.

6. Trisagion, “Our Father.”

7. Kontakion of the holiday or Saint, (Kontakion of the day - from Octoechos, and the Saint - from Menaion).

8. “Lord have mercy” 40 times. “Glory even now,” “The most honorable cherub.”

9. Prayer: “For every time and every hour.”

10. Closing prayer to the Lord Jesus.

Note: Troparion and Kontakion from Oktoechos only on Sunday or Lent.

Scheme of Proskomedia

1. Removal of the Holy Lamb from the first prosphora.

2. Placing the Lamb on the paten and filling the cup with wine and water.

3. Removal of particles from the other four prosphoras.

4. Placing a star over the paten.

5. Covering St. paten and rubbing of veils.

6. Chopping of the prepared Lamb and particles.

7. Reading a prayer for receiving the Holy Gifts on vacation.

Second part of the Liturgy -
Liturgy of the Catechumens

Following the celebration of Proskomedia, the Holy Church prepares believers for a worthy presence at the celebration of the Sacrament of Communion. To prepare the faithful, to remind them of the life and suffering of Jesus Christ, to explain how and why the life and suffering of the Savior were and can be salvific is the goal and main subject of the content of the second part of the Liturgy - the Liturgy of the Catechumens.

The second part of the Liturgy is called the Liturgy of the Catechumens because when it was celebrated in ancient times, the catechumens (“instructed”) were also present, that is, those preparing to receive Holy Baptism and those repenting, as well as those excommunicated from Holy Communion. In ancient times, such catechumens stood in vestibules or narthexes.

How is this goal of the Liturgy achieved? To understand the subsequent answer to this question, it is necessary to firmly remember that the main subject is revealed at the Liturgy in three ways, complementing each other: 1) prayers read aloud and sung; 2) observable actions and sacred processions and 3) secret, inaccessible to external observation, prayers of the priest.

Both there and here, both spoken aloud and in secret prayers, believers are reminded of the properties of Christian prayer, of the various benefits of God to people and of the most important of them - the appearance of the Savior; then they are reminded of the qualities that believers in Jesus Christ should be distinguished by, and gracious mercies are asked for the temple and those praying in it. Here, at the Liturgy of the Catechumens, believers are invited to pray especially earnestly for their deceased neighbors, as well as for persons who have not yet converted to Christianity.

Having once again drawn attention to the presence of the priest’s “secret” prayers in the Liturgy and the need to take them into account when familiarizing ourselves with the content of the Liturgy, let us move on to a consistent disclosure of the content of the Liturgy.

General content of the Liturgy of the Catechumens

Having performed the proskomedia, the priest with outstretched hands prays to the Lord to send down the Holy Spirit on the clergy; so that the Holy Spirit would “descend and dwell in him,” and so that the Lord would open their mouths to proclaim His praise.

Shouts of the priest and deacon

The deacon, having received a blessing from the priest, leaves the altar, stands on the pulpit and loudly says: “Bless the Master.” In response to the deacon’s exclamation, the priest proclaims: “Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”

Then the deacon pronounces the great litany.

Fine and festive antiphons

After the great litany, the “pictorial psalms of David” are sung - the 102nd “Bless my soul the Lord...”, the small litany is pronounced and then the 145th “Praise the Lord my soul” is sung. They are called pictorial because they depict the benefits of God to humanity in Old Testament.

On the Twelfth Feasts, figurative antiphons are not sung, but instead special “New Testament verses” are sung, in which the benefits to the human race are depicted not in the Old, but in the New Testament. To each verse of the holiday antiphons a chorus is added, depending on the nature of the holiday: on the day of the Nativity of Christ the chorus is: “Save us, Son of God, born of a Virgin, singing Ti: Alleluia (praise God. On the feasts of the Mother of God the chorus is sung: “Save us, Son of God , singing Ti. Alleluia with the prayers of the Mother of God.”

Hymn “Only Begotten Son”

Whatever the Liturgy, that is, with the singing of “figurative antiphons” or “festive”, they are always joined by the singing of the following solemn hymn, which recalls the most important benefit of the Lord to people: sending His only begotten Son to earth (John III, 16 ), who became incarnate from the Most Holy Theotokos and conquered death through His Death.

The only begotten of the Son and the Word of God, immortal / and willing for our salvation / to be incarnate from the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, / immutably * / made man, / crucified, O Christ God, trampling death by death, / the One of the Holy Trinity, / glorified to the Father and Holy Spirit save us.

*/ “Immutable” means that in the person of Jesus Christ no deity was attached (and changed) to humanity; neither humanity has passed into divinity.

The Only Begotten Son and the Word of God! You, being immortal, and deigning for our salvation to be incarnate from the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, becoming a real man, without ceasing to be God, - You, Christ God, having been crucified and having trampled upon (crushed) death (that is, the devil) by Your Death, - You, as one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, Glorified along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.

GOSPEL “BLEATS AND TROPARIA BLESSED”

But a true Christian life does not consist only in feelings and vague impulses, but must be expressed in good deeds and actions (Matthew VIII, 21). Therefore, the Holy Church offers the Gospel beatitudes to the attention of those praying.

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 over his to the deacon and leaves the altar together with the deacon. This exit of the clergy with the Gospel is called the “small entrance” and means the appearance of the Savior to preach.

Nowadays this exit has only a symbolic meaning, but in the first times of Christianity it was necessary. In the first church, the Gospel was kept not on the altar on the throne, as now, but near the altar, in a side room, which was called either the “deaconess” or the “vessel guard.” When the time came for reading the Gospel, the clergy carried it solemnly to the altar.

As we approach 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, asking that the Lord would make their entrance the entrance of the Saints, would deign to send Angels to serve Him worthy, and thus would arrange a kind of heavenly service here. 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, “Forgive Wisdom.”

Believers, looking at the Gospel as at Jesus Christ himself going to preach, exclaim: “Come, let us worship and fall before Christ, Save us. The Son of God, risen from the dead, (either through the prayers of the Mother of God, or the wondrous one among the Saints), singing to Ti: Alleluia.”

Singing the troparion and kontakion

To the singing: “Come, let us worship...” is also joined by the singing of the daily troparion and kontakion for. images of memories for this day and those saints who, by fulfilling the commandments of Christ, themselves receive bliss 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 trisagion, to forgive our voluntary and involuntary sins, to sanctify us and give us strength to serve Him immaculately and righteously until the end of our lives.” .

The end of this prayer: “For You are Holy, our God, and we send up Glory to You, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever,” the priest pronounces loudly. The deacon, standing in front of the icon of the Savior, exclaims: “Lord save the pious and hear us.” Then, standing in the middle of the Royal Doors facing the people, he exclaims: “Forever and ever,” that is, he ends the priest’s exclamation and at the same time points his oracle at the people.

The believers then sing “The Trisagion Hymn” - “Holy God.” On some holidays, the Trisagion hymn is replaced by others. For example, on Easter, Trinity Day, the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Lazarus and Great Saturday, the following is sung:

“Be baptized into Christ, put on Christ, alleluia.”

Those who were baptized in the name of Christ, 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 an appeal to God for mercy.

At the end of the “Thrice-Holy Song” there is a reading of the Apostle; the reading of the Apostle is preceded by the exclamations “Let us hear”, “Peace to all”, “wisdom”, “prokeimenon”, which is read by the psalmist and sung 2 and a half times by the singers.

During the reading of the Apostle, the deacon performs censing, signifying the grace of the Holy Spirit.

After reading the Apostle, “Alleluia” is sung (three times) and The Gospel is read. Before and after the Gospel, “Glory to Thee, Lord, Glory to Thee” is sung, as a sign of thanksgiving to the Lord, who has given us the Gospel teaching. Both the Epistles of the Apostles and the Gospel are read to explain the Christian faith and morals.

After the Gospel follows a special litany. Then follows triple litany for the dead, litany for the catechumens and, finally, a litany with the command for the catechumens to leave the temple.

In the litanies for the catechumens, the deacon prays on behalf of all people, so that the Lord will 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 “who lives on high” and pays attention to the humble, would also look upon His servants, the catechumens, and grant them the “bath of rebirth,” that is, Holy Baptism, clothing of incorruptibility and would connect Holy Church. Then, as if continuing the thoughts of this prayer, the priest says the exclamation:

“Yes, and they with us glorify the most honorable and magnificent Your name, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”

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 ever and unto ages of ages.

There is no doubt that prayers for the catechumens also apply to those who have been baptized, because we who have been baptized very often sin without repentance, do not clearly know our Orthodox faith and are present in church without due reverence. At the present time, there may also be genuine catechumens, that is, foreigners preparing for Holy Baptism.

Litany on the Exit of the Catechumens

At the end of the prayer for the catechumens, the deacon pronounces the litany: “As for the catechumens, go forth; go forth with the announcement; the little catechumens, come forth, let no one from the catechumens, the little ones of the faithful, let us pray again and again in peace to the Lord.” 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. Initial exclamations of the deacon and priest.

2. Great Litany.

3. Psalm 1 pictorial “Bless my soul, the Lord” (102) or the first antiphon.

4. Small Litany.

5. Second pictorial psalm (145) - “Praise my soul the Lord” or the second antiphon.

6. Singing the hymn “The Only Begotten Son and Word of God.”

7. Small Litany.

8. Singing the Gospel beatitudes and troparia “blessed” (third antiphon).

9. Small entrance with the Gospel.

10. Singing “Come, let us worship.”

11. Singing the troparion and kontakion.

12. The cry of the deacon: “Lord, save the pious.”

13. Singing the Trisagion.

14. Singing “prokeimenon”.

15. Reading the Apostle.

16. Reading the Gospel.

17. A special litany.

18. Litany for the departed.

19. Litany of the Catechumens.

20. Litany with the command for the catechumens to leave the temple.

General content of the Liturgy of the Faithful

The third part of the Liturgy is called the Liturgy of the Faithful, because during its celebration in ancient times only the faithful could be present, that is, persons who turned to Christ and were baptized.

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 the others. church services. Firstly, the mysteriously grace-filled, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Transfiguration or Transubstantiation of bread and wine into the true Body and Blood of the Savior, and secondly, the communion of believers with the Body and Blood of the Lord, introducing into unity with the Savior, according to His words: “Eat of My 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, asking the Lord to cleanse those praying from spiritual impurity, so that, having received prosperity, good life and spiritual understanding - to stand worthy, without guilt or condemnation, before the Throne, and to partake of the Holy Mysteries without condemnation to receive the Kingdom of Heaven. Finishing his prayer, the priest says loudly.

As we always keep under Your power, we send glory to You, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages,

So that, always preserved by Your guidance (power), O Lord, we send You glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit at all times, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.

With this exclamation, the priest expresses that only under the guidance, under the control of the Sovereign Lord, can we preserve our spiritual being from evil and sin.

Then the Royal Doors are opened to carry through them the prepared substance for the Holy Eucharist 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 ENTRANCE” in contrast to the “Little Entrance”.

The historical origin of the Great Entrance corresponds to the origin of the Small Entrance. As has already been said many times, in ancient times there were two side compartments (apses) near the altar. In one compartment (called the Diakonnik or Vessel Storage) Sacred vessels, clothes and books, including the Gospel, were kept. Another compartment (called the Offering) was intended for receiving offerings (bread, wine, oil and incense), from which the required portion was separated for the Eucharist.

When the reading of the Gospel approached, the deacons went to the Conservatory or Diaconnik and brought the Gospel for reading in the middle of the Church. Likewise, before the consecration of the Holy Gifts, the deacons from the Offering brought the Gifts to the celebrant of the Liturgy to the Throne. 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 Passion.

Cherubic Song

The deep mysterious meaning of the Great Entrance, all those thoughts and feelings that it should arouse in the hearts of those praying, are depicted by the following prayer, called the “Cherubic Song.”

Even as the cherubim secretly form, and the life-giving Trinity sings the thrice-holy hymn, let us now put aside all worldly cares. As if we will raise up the King of all, the angels invisibly dorinoshi chinmi. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

We, who mysteriously depict cherubim and sing the trisagion of the life-giving Trinity, will now put aside all everyday worries in order to raise up 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 when performed, in fact it represents one harmonious, coherent prayer, so integral that not a single point can be placed throughout its entire length.

The Holy Church with this song makes, as it were, the following proclamation: “We, who at the moment of the transfer of the Holy Gifts mysteriously resemble the cherubim and together with them sing the “Thrice-Holy Hymn” to the Holy Trinity, in these moments let us leave all earthly worries, all earthly, sinful things care, let us be renewed, let us be cleansed in soul, so that we raise The King of Glory, Whom in these moments the Angelic armies are raising invisibly - (just as in ancient times the warriors raised their king on their shields) and sing songs, and then reverently accept, take communion.”

While the singers are singing the first part of the Cherubic Song, the priest secretly reads a prayer in which he asks the Lord to grant him the dignity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. This prayer expresses the idea that Jesus Christ is both the sacrificial Being, like the Holy Lamb, and the sacrificing Performer of the sacrifice, like the Heavenly High Priest.

Having then read the prayer “Like the Cherubim” three times with arms outstretched in a cross shape (as a sign of intense prayer), the priest, together with the deacon, moves to the altar. Here, having presented the Holy Gifts, the priest places the “air” that covered the paten and chalice on the deacon’s left shoulder, and the paten on the head; he himself takes the Holy Chalice, and both go out together through the northern doors, presented with a candlestick.

Great Entrance (transfer of prepared Gifts).

Stopping on the sole, 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 the Tsar.”

Having entered the altar, the priest places the Holy Chalice and Paten on the Throne, removing the covers from the Paten and Chalice, but covering them with one “air”, which is first burned with incense. Then the Royal Doors are closed and the curtain is drawn.

During the Great Entrance, Christians stand with bowed heads, expressing respect for the Gifts being transferred and asking that the Lord remember them too in His Kingdom. Placing the paten 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 the prayers that are sung when the shroud is taken out on Good Friday (“Blessed Joseph”, etc.) are read.

First Petitionary Litany
(preparing worshipers for the consecration of the Gifts)

After the transfer of the Holy Gifts, the preparation of the clergy begins for the worthy consecration of the Holy Gifts by the power of the Holy Spirit, and the believers for the worthy presence at this consecration. First, a petitionary litany is read, in which, in addition to the usual prayers, a petition is added.

Let us pray to the Lord for the Honest Gifts offered.

Let us pray to the Lord for the Honest Gifts placed on the Throne and offered.

During the 1st Litany of Petition, the priest secretly reads a prayer in which he asks the Lord to deign him to offer the Holy Gifts, a spiritual sacrifice for our sins of ignorance, and to infuse the Spirit of grace into us and into these gifts that are presented.” The prayer ends with the exclamation:

Through the bounty of Your Only Begotten Son, with Him you are blessed, with Your most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages.

By the mercy 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 one can hope to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit for the sanctification of clergy who pray and present honest Gifts through the power of “generosity,” that is, the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The deacon's instillation of peace and love

After the litany of petition and exclamation, the priest indicates the necessary condition for receiving grace with the words: “peace to all”; those present answer: “and your spirit,” and the deacon continues: “Let us love one another, so that we may confess with one mind...” This means the necessary conditions for communion with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and for receiving the Holy Spirit this is: peace and love for each other.

Then the singers sing: “Father and Son and Holy Spirit, Trinity Consubstantial and Indivisible.” These words are a continuation of the deacon’s exclamation and are closely related to it. After the words “We confess with one mind,” the question involuntarily arises, whom we will unanimously confess. Answer: “Trinity Consubstantial and Indivisible.”

Symbol of faith

Before the next moment - the confession of the Creed, the deacon exclaims: “Doors, doors, let us smell of wisdom.” Exclamation: “Doors, doors” in Christian Church in ancient times, it was the duty of the church guards to watch the doors more carefully, so that at that time none of the catechumens or penitents, or in general from persons who do not have the right to be present at the celebration of the Sacrament of Communion, would enter.

And the words “let us listen to wisdom” referred to those standing in the temple, so that they would block the doors of their souls from everyday sinful thoughts. The Symbol of Faith is sung to testify before God and the Church that all those standing in the church are faithful, having the right to attend the Liturgy and begin the Communion of the Holy Mysteries.

During the singing of the Creed, the curtain of the Royal Doors opens as a sign that only under the condition of faith can the Throne of Grace be opened to us, from where we receive the Holy Sacraments. While singing the Creed, the priest takes the “air” cover and shakes the air over the Holy Gifts with it, that is, lowers and raises the cover above them. This breath of air means 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.

New Invitation for Deacons to Worthy Standing

Once again convincing the believers to stand in the church with complete reverence, the deacon says: “Let us become kind, let us stand with fear, let us take in the holy offering in the world,” that is, let us stand well, decorously, with reverence and attention, so that in peace of spirit we offer the holy ascension.

Believers answer: “Mercy of peace, sacrifice of praise,” that is, we will offer that holy offering, that bloodless sacrifice, which on the part of the Lord is mercy, is the gift of His mercy given to us, people, as a sign of the Lord’s reconciliation with us, and on the part of us (people) is a sacrifice of praise to the Lord God for all His good deeds.

Having heard the readiness of the believers to turn to the Lord, the priest blesses them in their name 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 singers, expressing the same feelings to the priest, answer: “And with your spirit.”

The priest continues: “Woe are our hearts” (Let us direct our hearts upward, to heaven, to the Lord).

The singers, on behalf of the worshipers, answer: “Imams to the Lord,” that is, we really raised our hearts to the Lord and prepared for the Great Sacrament.

Having prepared himself and the believers for a worthy presence during the performance of the Holy Sacrament, the priest begins to perform it itself. Following the example of Jesus Christ, who thanked God the Father before breaking bread at the Last Supper, the priest invites all believers to thank the Lord with the exclamation: “We give thanks to the Lord.”

The singers begin to sing “worthily” and righteously, worshiping the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, Consubstantial and Indivisible.”

To announce to persons not present in the Temple about the approach the most important moment Liturgy - there is the Blagovest, called the ringing of the “Worthy.”

Eucharistic prayer

At this time, the priest secretly reads a thanksgiving (Eucharistic) prayer, which represents one inseparable whole up to the singing of a prayer of praise 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.

The service of the Liturgy in general and the performing service in particular, which the Lord deigned to accept, is indicated as a special benefit, despite the fact that at this moment archangels and tens of angels stand before Him in heaven, singing and crying, calling out and saying the victorious song: “Holy, Holy “Holy, Lord of hosts, fill heaven and earth with Your glory.”

Thus, that exclamation of the priest / “singing a victory song, crying out, calling and saying” / which is heard before singing “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Hosts...” directly adjoins the First Part of the Eucharistic Prayer.

The last words of the prayer preceding the priest’s exclamation read as follows:

We thank Thee for this service, which Thou hast deigned to receive at our hands; and before Thee are thousands of Archangels, and ten thousand Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, towering feathers, a victorious song singing, crying out, calling out and saying: Holy, Holy ; Holy, Lord of hosts, fill heaven and earth with Your 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 been vouchsafed to accept from our hands, although thousands of Archangels and darkness of Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, exalted, winged, stand before You, singing a song of victory, proclaiming, calling out, and saying: “Holy is the Lord of hosts ( God of armies), heaven and earth are full of Your glory”, “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest.”

While the choir is singing “Holy, Holy...”, the priest begins to read second part The Eucharistic prayer, in which, after praising all the persons of the Holy Trinity, and separately the Son of God the Redeemer, we remember 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: “Who (that is, Jesus Christ) came, and fulfilled all his care (care) for us, at night, giving himself over to Himself, and moreover, giving Himself up for the worldly life, the reception of bread, into His holy and most pure and immaculate hands, thanking and blessing, sanctifying, breaking, giving to His Disciple and Apostle, the rivers: “Take, eat, this is My Body, which was broken for you for the remission of sins”;

likeness and cup at supper, saying; “Drink of it, all of you, this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.” Remembering this saving commandment, and everything that was about us: the cross, the tomb, the three-day resurrection, the ascension to heaven, sitting on the right hand, the second and likewise coming again, - Yours from Yours brings to You*/, about everyone and for everything. We sing to You, we bless You, we thank You, O Lord, and we pray to You, our God...”

*/ According to the Greek words: “Thine from Thine brings to Thee about everyone and for everything” - mean: “Your gifts: bread and wine - we bring to You, Lord due to all the motives stated in the prayer; according to to all the order indicated (by Jesus Christ) (Luke XXII/19) and in gratitude for all good deeds.

Consecration or Transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts

While the last words of the Eucharistic Prayer (We sing to You...) are sung by the singers on the choir, the priest reads third part this prayer:

“We also offer You this verbal */ this bloodless service, and we ask, and we pray, and we do this for miles**/, send down Your Holy Spirit on us, and on these Gifts that are presented.”

*/ The Eucharist is called a “verbal service” in contrast to the “active” service (through prayer and good deeds), because the transference of the Holy Gifts is beyond human strength, and is accomplished by the grace of the Holy Spirit and the priest prays, uttering perfect words.

**/ We make ourselves “dear”, pleasing to God; We pray tenderly.

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 create this bread, the Honest Body of Thy Christ.” "Amen". “And in this cup, the Honest Blood of Thy Christ.” "Amen". “Transformed by Your Holy Spirit. Amen, Amen,

Amen".

So, the Eucharistic prayer is divided into three parts: thanksgiving, historical and petitionary.

THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND HOLY MOMENT OF THE LITURGY. AT THIS TIME THE BREAD AND WINE ARE PUT INTO THE TRUE BODY AND TRUE BLOOD OF THE SAVIOR. THE PRIESTS AND ALL PRESENT IN THE TEMPLE BOW TO THE EARTH IN REVERENT REVERENCE.

The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God for the living and the dead, and the priest, after the consecration of the Holy Gifts, remembers those for whom this sacrifice was made, and first of all the saints, because in the person of the saints and through the saints the Holy Church realizes its cherished desire - the Kingdom of Heaven.

Glorification of the Mother of God

But from a host or row (fairly) everyone saints - the Mother of God stands out; and therefore the exclamation is heard: “A lot about the Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.”

They respond to this with a song of praise in honor of the Mother of God: “It is worthy to eat...” On the twelfth holidays, instead of “It is worthy,” Irmos 9 of the canon is sung. The Irmos also speaks about the Most Holy Theotokos, and it is called “The Zadostoynik.”

Commemoration of the living and the dead (“and everyone and everything”)

The priest continues to secretly pray: 1) for all the departed and 2) for the living - bishops, presbyters, deacons and for all Orthodox Christians “who live 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.”

The priest's instillation of peace and unanimity

Then the priest prays for our city and those living in it. Having remembered the heavenly Church, which unanimously glorified God, he inspires unanimity and peace in the earthly Church as well, proclaiming: “And grant us with one mouth and one heart to glorify and glorify Your most honorable and magnificent Name, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever.” forever and ever."

2nd Petitionary Litany
(Preparing worshipers 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 believers for Communion begins: the second petitionary litany is read, to which petitions are added:Let us pray to the Lord for the offered and consecrated Honest Gifts...

As our God who loves mankind, I receive (them) into my holy and heavenly mental altar, into yonder Yu spiritual fragrance, He will bestow upon us Divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray.

Let us pray that our God of love for mankind, having accepted them (the Holy Gifts) into His holy, heavenly, spiritually represented altar, as a spiritual fragrance, as a sacrifice pleasing to Him from us, will give us Divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

During the second litany of petition, 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 the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Lord's Prayer

After the litany, after the exclamation of the priest: “And grant us, O Master, with boldness and without condemnation to call upon You, the heavenly God of the Father, and to speak,” follows the singing of the Lord’s Prayer - “Our Father.”

At this time, the deacon, standing in front of the Royal Doors, girds himself crosswise with an orari in order to: 1) Serve the priest during Communion without hindrance, without fear of the falling of the orari, and 2) To express his reverence for the Holy Gifts in imitation of the Seraphim, who, surrounding the Throne of God , covered their faces with wings (Isaiah 6:2-3).

Then the priest teaches peace to the believers and, when they, at the call of the deacon, bow their heads, secretly prays to the Lord to sanctify them and grant them to partake of the Holy Mysteries without condemnation.

Ascension of the Holy Gifts

After this, the priest raised the Holy Lamb with reverence over the paten and proclaimed: “Holy to Holies.” The meaning is that the Holy Gifts can only be given to saints. Believers, realizing their sinfulness and unworthiness before God, humbly answer: “One is Holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ to the glory, (to the glory) of God the Father. Amen".

Communion of clergy and the “sacrament verse”

Then Communion is celebrated for the clergy, who partake of the Body and Blood separately, imitating the Holy Apostles and leading Christians. During the Communion of clergy, prayers called “sacramental verses” are sung for the spiritual edification of believers.

The penultimate apparition of the Holy Gifts and the communion of the laity

After the communion of the clergy, the Royal Doors open for Communion of the world. The opening of the Royal Doors marks the opening of the Savior's tomb, and the removal of the Holy Gifts marks the appearance of Jesus Christ after the resurrection.

After the deacon’s exclamation: “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 imparts to the laity the Body and Blood of the Savior.

Prayer before Communion
St. John Chrysostom

I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. I also believe that this is YOUR most pure BODY and this is YOUR most honest BLOOD.

I pray to You: have mercy on me and forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary, in word, in deed, knowledge and ignorance, and grant me to partake of Your most pure Sacraments without condemnation, for the remission of sins and eternal life. Amen.

Thy secret supper this day, O Son of God, receive me as a partaker: I will not tell the secret to Thy enemies, neither will I give Thee a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess Thee: remember me, O Lord, in Thy kingdom. - Let the communion of Your holy Mysteries be not for judgment or condemnation for me, Lord, but for the healing of soul and body. Amen.

The cry “Save, O God, Thy people” and
“We see the true light”

During communion, the famous verse is sung: “Receive the Body of Christ, taste the immortal Source.” After Communion, the priest places the removed particles (from the prosphora) into the Holy Chalice, gives them the Holy Blood to drink, which means cleansing them from sins through the suffering of Jesus Christ, and then blesses everyone, saying: “God save Thy people and bless Thy inheritance.” .

Singers are responsible for the people:

We have seen the true light, / we have received the heavenly Spirit / we have found true faith, / we worship the inseparable Trinity, / for she has saved us.

We, having seen the true light and received the heavenly Spirit, have found true faith, we worship the Undivided Trinity, because She saved us.

The last appearance of the Holy Gifts and the song “Let our lips be filled”

During this, the priest secretly reads the verse “Ascend into heaven, O God, and Thy glory throughout all the earth,” indicating that the transfer of the Holy Gifts to the altar marks the Ascension of the Lord.

The deacon carries the Paten on the head to the altar, while the priest, secretly offering: “Blessed is our God,” blesses those praying with the Holy Cup and says aloud: “Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”

Seeing the Savior ascending, the Apostles bowed to Him and praised the Lord. Christians do the same, chanting the following song during the transfer of the Gifts:

May our lips/ be filled with Thy praise, O Lord,/ for we sing Thy glory,/ for Thou hast made us worthy to partake/ of Thy Holy, Divine, Immortal and Life-giving Mysteries:/ Keep us in Thy Holiness,/ all day long we may learn Thy righteousness./ Alleluia , Alleluia, Alleluia/.

Lord, let our lips be full of glorifying You, so that we sing Your glory for the fact that You have deigned us to partake of Your Holy, Divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries. Keep us worthy of Your holiness / help us preserve the holiness received in Communion / so that we too may learn Your righteousness all day long / live righteously, according to Your commandments /, alleluia.

Thanksgiving for Communion

When transferring the Holy Gifts to the altar, the deacon censes, denoting with incense the bright cloud that hid the ascending Christ from the sight of the disciples (Acts 1:9).

The same grateful thoughts and feelings are proclaimed in the subsequent litany, which reads like this: “Forgive us, having received (that is, directly - having accepted with reverence) the Divine, Holy, Most Pure, Immortal, Heavenly and Life-giving Terrible Mysteries of Christ, we worthily thank the Lord,” “ Intercede, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, with Your Grace.”

The last petition of the litany: “The whole day is perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, having asked for ourselves, and each other, and our whole life, we will give over to Christ our God.”

During this litany, the priest rolls up the Antimension and, having depicted a cross over the Antimension with the Holy Gospel, says: “For You are our sanctification, and to You we send up glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”

The Divine Liturgy ends with the transfer of the Holy Gifts to the altar and the litany.Then the priest, turning to the believers, says: “We will leave in peace,” that is, peacefully, in peace with everyone, we will leave the temple. Believers answer: “In the name of the Lord,” (i.e., remembering the name of the Lord) “Lord have mercy.”

Prayer behind the pulpit

The priest then leaves the altar and, descending from the pulpit to where the people stand, reads a prayer called “Beyond the Pulpit.” In the prayer behind the pulpit, the priest once again asks the Creator to save His people and bless His property, to sanctify those who love the splendor (beauty) of the temple, to give peace to the world, churches, priests, the army and all people.

The prayer behind the pulpit, in its content, represents a reduction of all the litanies that were read by believers during the Divine Liturgy.

“Be the Name of the Lord” and Psalm 33

At the end of the prayer behind the pulpit, believers surrender themselves to the will of God with the words: “Blessed be the Name of the Lord from now on and forever,” and a psalm of thanksgiving (Psalm 33) is also read: “I will bless the Lord at all times.”

(At the same time, sometimes the “antidor” or the remains of the prosphora from which the Lamb was taken out is distributed to those present, so that those who have not begun Communion would taste of the grains left over from the Mystical meal).

The 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, through His grace and love for mankind always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”

Finally, turning his face to the people, the priest makes a dismissal, in which he asks the Lord, so that He, as a good and philanthropic one, through the intercession of His Most Pure Mother and all the Saints, save and have mercy on us. The worshipers venerate the cross.

Scheme or order of the Liturgy of the Faithful

The Liturgy of the Faithful consists of the following parts:

1. Abbreviated Great Litany.

2. Singing the 1st part of the “Cherubic Song” and the priest reading the prayer of the great entrance.”

3. Great Entrance and Transfer of the Holy Gifts.

4. Singing the 2nd part of the “Cherubic Song” and placing the Holy Vessels on the Throne.

5. The first petitionary litany (about the “honest Gifts offered”): preparation of those praying for the consecration of the Gifts.

6. Suggestion deacon peace, love and unanimity.

7. Singing the Creed. (“Doors, doors, let us smell of wisdom”).

8. A new invitation to worshipers to stand with dignity, (“let’s become kind...”)

9. Eucharistic prayer (Three parts).

10. Consecration of the Holy Gifts (during singing; “We 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 unanimity.

14. Second petitionary litany (about the consecrated honorable gifts): preparing those praying for communion.

15. Singing the “Lord’s Prayer.”

16. Offering of the Holy Gifts (“Holy of Holies...”)

17. Communion of the clergy and the “sacrament” verse.

18. The penultimate appearance of the Holy Gifts and Communion of the laity.

19. Exclamation “God save Thy people” and “We see the True Light.”

20. The last appearance of the Holy Gifts and “Let our lips be filled.”

21. Litany of thanksgiving for Communion.

22. Prayer behind the pulpit.

23. “Be the Name of the Lord” and the 33rd Psalm.

24. The last blessing of the priest.

We have already said that liturgy- the main, most important service, during which the Sacrament is performed Eucharist, or Sacrament of Communion. This Sacrament was first performed by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself on the eve of His suffering, on Maundy Thursday. The Savior, having gathered all the apostles together, gave praise to God the Father, took bread, blessed it and broke it. He gave it to the holy apostles with the words: Take, eat: this is My Body. Then He took the cup of wine, blessed it and gave it to the apostles, saying: Drink of it, all of you: for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.(Matthew 26, 28). The Lord also commanded the apostles: Do this in My remembrance(Luke 22:19). Even after the resurrection of Christ and His ascension to Heaven, the apostles performed the Sacrament of Communion. During the Eucharist (Greek. thanksgiving) each time what the Lord did at the Last Supper is actually accomplished. We mysteriously, under the guise of bread and wine, partake of the Divine Himself - Body and Blood of the Savior. He abides in us, and we abide in Him, as the Lord said (see: John 15:5).

The Eucharist is also called A bloodless sacrifice, because she is an image of the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus Christ made for us on Calvary. He accomplished it once, having suffered for the sins of the world, was resurrected and ascended to Heaven, where he sat down at the right hand of God the Father. The sacrifice of Christ was offered once and will not be repeated. With the establishment of the New Testament, Old Testament sacrifices ceased, and now Christians perform the Bloodless Sacrifice in remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ and for the communion of His Body and Blood.

The Old Testament sacrifices were only a shadow, a prototype of the Divine sacrifice. The expectation of the Redeemer, the Liberator from the power of the devil and sin is the main theme of the entire Old Testament, and for us, the people of the New Testament, the sacrifice of Christ, the Savior’s atonement for the sins of the world, is the basis of our faith.

The Holy Gifts are a fire that burns up every sin and every defilement if a person strives to receive communion worthily. We receive communion for the healing of soul and body. When starting communion, you need to do it with reverence and trembling, realizing your weakness and unworthiness. “Although you eat (eat), O man, approach the Master’s Body with fear, so as not to be burned: for there is fire,” says the prayers for Holy Communion.

Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) writes about how the Lord enlightened one young man, Dmitry Shepelev, and showed that the true Body of the Savior is served in Holy Communion: “He was brought up in the Corps of Pages. Once during Great Lent, when the pages were fasting and already beginning the Holy Mysteries, the young man Shepelev expressed to a comrade walking next to him his decisive disbelief that the Body and Blood of Christ were in the chalice. When the secrets were taught to him, he felt that there was meat in his mouth. Horror seized young man: he stood beside himself, not feeling the strength to swallow a particle. The priest noticed the change that had taken place in him and ordered him to enter the altar. There, holding a particle in his mouth and confessing his sin, Shepelev came to his senses and used the Holy Mysteries taught to him” (“Fatherland”).

Often, spiritual people and ascetics experienced phenomena of heavenly fire descending on the Holy Gifts during the celebration of the Eucharist. Yes, the Sacrament of Communion, the Eucharist is the greatest miracle and mystery, as well as the greatest mercy for us sinners, and a visible evidence of what the Lord has established with people New Testament in His Blood (see: Luke 22:20), having made a sacrifice for us on the cross, He died and rose again, spiritually resurrecting all humanity with Himself. And we can now partake of His Body and Blood for the healing of soul and body, abiding in Christ, and He will “abide in us” (see: John 6:56).

Origin of the liturgy

Since ancient times, the sacrament of communion, the Eucharist, has also received the name liturgy, which is translated from Greek as common cause, common service.

The holy apostles, disciples of Christ, having accepted from their Divine Teacher the commandment to perform the Sacrament of Communion in remembrance of Him, after His Ascension they began to break bread - the Eucharist. Christians continued constantly in the teaching of the Apostles, in fellowship and the breaking of bread and in prayers(Acts 2:42).

The order of the liturgy was formed gradually. At first, the apostles celebrated the Eucharist in the very order that their Teacher taught them. In apostolic times the Eucharist was united with the so-called agape, or meals of love. Christians ate food and were in prayer and fraternal fellowship. After the supper, the breaking of bread and communion of the believers took place. But then the liturgy was separated from the meal and began to be performed as an independent sacred rite. The Eucharist began to be celebrated inside sacred churches. In the 1st-2nd centuries, the order of the liturgy was apparently not written down and was transmitted orally.

What are the liturgies?

Gradually, different localities began to develop their own liturgical rites. Served in the Jerusalem community Liturgy of the Apostle James. It took place in Alexandria and Egypt Liturgy of the Apostle Mark. In Antioch - the liturgy of Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom. All these liturgies are united in their meaning and meaning, but differ in the texts of the prayers that the priest offers during the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

Now in the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church they usually perform three orders of liturgy. These are the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the liturgy of St. Basil the Great and the liturgy of St. Gregory the Great.

This liturgy is celebrated on all days of the year, except for the first five Sundays of Great Lent and weekday Lenten days. Saint John Chrysostom compiled the rite of his liturgy based on the previously compiled liturgy Saint Basil the Great, but shortened some prayers.

Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

According to the legend of Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, Saint Basil the Great asked God “to give him the strength of spirit and mind to perform the liturgy in his own words. After six days of fiery prayer, the Savior miraculously appeared to him and fulfilled his request. Soon Vasily, imbued with delight and divine awe, began to proclaim: “Let my lips be filled with praise,” “Take in, Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Thy Holy Dwelling,” and other prayers of the liturgy.”

Liturgy of St. Basil is being done ten times a year:

on the eve of the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany (on the so-called Christmas and Epiphany Eves), on the day of remembrance of St. Basil the Great on January 1 (January 14, new style), on the first five Sundays of Lent, on Holy Thursday and on Holy Saturday.

Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dvoeslov, or Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

During the Holy Pentecost of Great Lent, the service of the full liturgy ceases on weekdays. Lent is a time of repentance, crying over sins, when all festivity and solemnity are excluded from worship. And therefore, according to church rules, on Wednesday and Friday of Lent Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. The Holy Gifts, with which believers receive communion, are consecrated at the Liturgy on Sunday.

In some Local Orthodox Churches, on the day of remembrance of the Holy Apostle James (October 23, old style), a liturgy is served according to his rite.

Sequence and symbolic meaning of the liturgy

The order of performing the full liturgy (that is, not the liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts) is as follows. First, the substance for celebrating the Eucharist is prepared. Then the believers prepare for the Sacrament. And finally, the Sacrament itself is performed - the consecration of the Holy Gifts and the communion of believers. The Divine Liturgy thus has three parts: proskomedia; Liturgy of the Catechumens; Liturgy of the Faithful.

Proskomedia

This word is Greek and translated means bringing. In ancient times, members of the early Christian community themselves brought before the liturgy everything necessary for the Sacrament: bread and wine. The bread used during the liturgy is called prosphora, which means offering(in ancient times, Christians themselves brought bread to the liturgy). In the Orthodox Church, the Eucharist is celebrated on prosphora made from leavened (yeast) dough.

Used for proskomedia five prosphoras in memory of the miraculous feeding of five thousand people by Christ.

For communion, one prosphora (lamb) is used. For the Lord also gave communion to the apostles, breaking and distributing one loaf. The Holy Apostle Paul writes: there is one bread, and we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of one bread(1 Cor 10:17). The Lamb is crushed after the transfiguration of the Holy Gifts, and the clergy and all those preparing for communion receive communion with it. During the liturgy, red grape wine is used, as it resembles the color of blood. Wine is mixed with a small amount of water as a sign that blood and water flowed from the Savior’s pierced rib.

Proskomedia is performed at the very beginning of the liturgy in the altar while the reader is reading the hours. Exclamation "Blessed be our God" pre-reading three o'clock, is also the initial exclamation of the proskomedia. Before the liturgy there is a sequence three and six o'clock.

Proskomedia is a very important part of the Divine Liturgy, and preparation of the Gifts for consecration has a deep symbolic meaning.

Let us remind you: the proskomedia is performed on altar.

From Lamb prosphora priest with a special knife called a copy, cuts out the middle in the shape of a cube. This part of the prosphora has the name Lamb as a sign that the Lord, as the Immaculate Lamb, was slain for our sins. From the bottom of the Lamb is cut crosswise with the words: “The Lamb of God takes away the sins of the world for the worldly belly (life) and salvation.” The priest pierces the right side of the Lamb with a spear, saying the words: one of the soldiers pierced His ribs with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. And he who saw it bore witness, and his testimony is true.(John 19:34-35).

With these words, wine mixed with water is poured into the chalice. The preparation of the Gifts at the proskomedia has several meanings. Here we remember the birth of the Savior, His coming into the world and, of course, the Calvary sacrifice on the Cross, as well as burial.

The cooked Lamb and the particles taken from the four other prosphoras symbolize the entirety of the heavenly and earthly Church. After the Lamb is prepared, it rests on the paten.

The priest takes out a triangular particle from the second prosphora in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and places it on the right side of the Lamb. From the third prosphora, particles are taken out in honor of Saint John the Baptist, prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, saints, unmercenaries, saints whose memory is celebrated by the Church on this day, the parents of the Mother of God, the righteous saints Joachim and Anna, and the saint whose liturgy is celebrated.

From the next two prosphoras, particles are taken out for living and deceased Orthodox Christians.

At the altar at the proskomedia, believers submit notes of health and repose. Particles are also taken out for the people whose names are contained in the notes.

All particles are placed in a certain order on the paten.

The priest, having bowed, places a star on the paten above the Lamb and the particles. The paten marks both the Bethlehem cave and Golgotha, the asterisk marks the star above the cave and the cross. The priest censes special coverings and places them on top of the paten and chalice as a sign that Christ was laid in the tomb and His body was wrapped in shrouds. These swaddling clothes also symbolize the Christmas swaddling clothes.

The meaning of commemoration at the Proskomedia

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, after the communion of the faithful, the priest pours particles taken from the prosphora at the proskomedia into the Holy Chalice with the words: “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those who were remembered here with Your honest blood, with the prayers of Your saints”.

Prayer at the proskomedia for health and peace, with the removal of particles for them, and then immersing them in the chalice is the highest commemoration in the Church. A Bloodless Sacrifice is made for them. They also participate in the liturgy.

At the relics of St. Theodosius of Chernigov, Hieromonk Alexy (1840-1917), the future elder of the Goloseevsky monastery of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (now glorified as a locally revered saint), bore obedience. He got tired and dozed off at the shrine. Saint Theodosius appeared to him in a dream and thanked him for his efforts. He asked that his parents, Priest Nikita and Mother Maria, be remembered at the liturgy. When Hieromonk Alexy asked the saint how he could ask for the priest’s prayers when he himself stood before the Throne of God, Saint Theodosius said: “The offering at the liturgy is stronger than my prayers.”

Saint Gregory the Dvoeslov tells that after the death of a careless monk who suffered from the love of money, he ordered thirty funeral liturgies to be served for the deceased, and the brethren to perform a common prayer for him. And after the last liturgy, this monk appeared to his brother and said: “Until now, brother, I suffered cruelly and terribly, but now I feel good and I am in the light.”

Liturgy of the Catechumens

The second part of the liturgy is called Liturgy of the Catechumens. In ancient times, people underwent very lengthy preparation to receive holy baptism. They studied the basics of faith, went to church, but they could pray at the liturgy only until the Gifts were transferred from the altar to the throne. The catechumens, as well as the penitents, excommunicated from communion for serious sins, had to go out into the vestibule of the temple.

After the priest exclaimed: “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”- the choir sings: “Amen.” The peaceful, or great, litany is pronounced. It begins with the words: “Let us pray to the Lord in peace”. The word “in peace” tells us that we must pray in peace, reconciling with our neighbors, only then will the Lord accept our prayers.

The peaceful litany covers all aspects of our existence. We pray: for the peace of the whole world, for the holy churches, for the temple where the service is celebrated, for bishops, presbyters, deacons, for our country, its authorities and soldiers, for the blessing of the air and the abundance of earthly fruits necessary for food. Here we also ask God for help to all those traveling, sick and in captivity.

Liturgy is common cause, and prayer on it is performed collectively, that is, by all believing people, “with one mouth and one heart.” Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them(Matthew 18:20), the Lord tells us. And according to the rules, a priest cannot perform the liturgy alone; at least one person must pray with him.

After Great Litany psalms are sung called antiphons, since they are supposed to be sung in two choirs alternately. The psalms of the prophet David were part of the Old Testament worship and constituted significant part chants in the early Christian service. After the second antiphon, the chant is always sung: “Only Begotten Son...” - about the coming of Christ the Savior into the world, His incarnation and atoning sacrifice. During the singing of the Gospel beatitudes from Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, the royal doors are opened and the small entrance is made, or entrance with the Gospel. The priest or deacon, exalting the Gospel, signifying the cross with it at the royal doors, exclaims: “Wisdom, forgive!” Translated from Greek sorry Means directly. This is said as a reminder to us that we need to be attentive in prayer and stand upright.

It also speaks of the wisdom that the Divine Gospel and the preaching of the Lord brings to us, for the Gospel is taken out from the altar as a sign that Christ has come out to preach and bring the Good News to the world.

After singing troparions dedicated to the holiday, this day, to the saints of the day and the temple, is sung Trisagion: “Holy God...” On Christmas Day, Epiphany, Easter and Easter week, on the day of the Holy Trinity, as well as on Lazarus and Great Saturdays, instead of the Trisagion, the following is sung: “Those who were baptized into Christ (were baptized), put on Christ (put on). Alleluia." In ancient times, catechumens were baptized traditionally on these holidays. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord and the week of the Veneration of the Cross of Great Lent, instead of the Trisagion, the following is sung: “We bow to Thy Cross, O Master, and glorify Thy holy resurrection.”

For careful reading Apostle And Gospels We are prepared by the cries of “Let us hear” and “Wisdom, forgive us, let us hear the Holy Gospel.” After the Gospel reading, a special (intensified) litany follows, in which, in addition to various prayers for the hierarchy, authorities, the army and all believers, there is a name commemoration of those who submitted their notes to the liturgy: their names are proclaimed by the clergy, and all the people pray with them for health and the salvation of God’s servants, “all who are now remembered here.”

During the special litany, the priest reveals on the throne holy antimension.

After the spoken special litany often added Litany for the Dead. During it, we pray for all our previously deceased fathers, brothers and sisters, asking God for forgiveness of their voluntary and involuntary sins and their placement in heavenly abodes, where all the righteous rest.

Followed by Litany of the Catechumens. Some people find this part of the service confusing. Indeed, the practice of catechumen, preparation for baptism, which was in ancient Church, not now. Today we typically baptize people after one or two conversations. But still the catechumens, preparing to receive Orthodox faith, exists now. There are many people who have not yet been baptized, but are drawn to the Church. We pray for them, that the Lord would strengthen their good intentions, reveal to them His “Gospel of Truth” and join them to the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Nowadays, there are many people who were once baptized in childhood by their parents or grandmothers, but are completely unenlightened. And that the Lord “announce them with the word of truth” and bring them into the church fence, we need to pray at this litany.

After the words "Catechumens, come forth" those preparing for baptism and those repenting left the church, for the main part of the Divine Liturgy began. With these words, we must look especially carefully into our soul, expel from it all resentment and enmity towards our neighbors, as well as all worldly vain thoughts, in order to pray with full attention and reverence during the Liturgy of the faithful.

Liturgy of the Faithful

This part of the service begins after the call to the catechumens to leave the temple. Two short litanies follow. The choir begins to sing Cherubic song. If we translate it into Russian, it will read like this: “We, mysteriously depicting the Cherubim and singing the Trisagion Hymn to the Life-Giving Trinity, will now put aside care about everything worldly in order to perceive the King of all, Who is surrounded by angelic Forces. Praise God!

This song mentions that the Lord is surrounded by angelic armies who constantly glorify Him. And not only clergy and parishioners pray at the Divine Liturgy. Together with the earthly Church, the heavenly Church celebrates the liturgy.

One day Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky, being a hierodeacon, served the Divine Liturgy. After the small entrance, Seraphim exclaimed at the royal doors: “Lord, save the pious and hear us!” But as soon as he turned to the people, he pointed his orarem at those present and said: “And forever and ever!” - how a ray brighter than sunlight illuminated him. Looking at this radiance, he saw the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of the Son of Man in glory, shining with indescribable light, surrounded by the Heavenly Forces - Angels, Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim.

During the Cherubic Song, the Gifts prepared for consecration are transferred from the altar to the throne.

It's called transference great entrance. The priest and deacon carry the Gifts, leaving the altar by the northern (left) doors. Stopping at the pulpit, in front of the royal doors, turning their faces to the believers, they commemorate His Holiness the Patriarch, metropolitans, archbishops, bishops, the priesthood, all those who work and pray in this temple.

After this, the clergy enter the altar through the royal doors, place the Chalice and paten on the throne and cover the Gifts with a special shroud (air). Meanwhile, the choir finishes singing the Cherubic Song. The Great Entrance symbolizes the solemn procession of Christ to His free suffering and death.

Litany, which follows after the transfer of the Gifts, is called supplication and prepares believers for the most important part of the liturgy - the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

After this litany it is sung Symbol of faith. Before all the people sing the Creed, the deacon proclaims: “Doors, doors! Let us sing of wisdom!” In ancient times, these words reminded the gatekeepers that the main and solemn part of the service was beginning, so that they would watch the doors of the temple so that those entering would not disturb decorum. This reminds us that we need to close the doors of our minds from extraneous thoughts.

As a rule, all those praying sing the Creed, confessing their faith in the most important dogmas of the Orthodox Church.

We often have to deal with the fact that godparents, recipients of the Sacrament of baptism, cannot read the Creed. This happens because people don't read morning prayers(they include the Creed) and rarely go to the liturgy. After all, in the church, every Divine Liturgy, all the people confess their faith with one mouth and, of course, know this chant by heart.

The sacrament of the Eucharist, the holy offering, must be offered with the fear of God, with reverence and special attentiveness. Therefore, the deacon proclaims: “Let us become kind, let us become fearful, let us bring holy offerings to the world.” Begins eucharistic canon. Chant "Mercy of peace, sacrifice of praise" is the answer to this call.

The exclamations of the priest alternate with the singing of the choir. During the singing, the priest reads the so-called secret (that is, secretly performed, read not aloud) Eucharistic prayers.

Let us dwell on the main, main prayers of the Eucharistic canon. In the words of the priest, “We thank the Lord!” preparation begins for sanctification, the implementation of honest Gifts. The priest reads the Eucharistic prayer of thanksgiving. It glorifies the benefits of God, especially the redemption of the human race. We thank the Lord for accepting from us the Bloodless Sacrifice in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, although the ranks of angels stand before and serve Him, glorifying Him: “Singing the song of victory, crying out, calling out and speaking.” The priest pronounces these words of prayer in a full voice.

Continuing the Eucharistic prayers, the priest recalls how the Lord Jesus Christ, on the eve of His voluntary suffering, established the Sacrament of Communion of His life-giving Body and Blood. The words of the Savior, heard at the Last Supper, the priest proclaims loudly: “Take, eat, this is My Body, which was broken for you for the remission of sins.”. At the same time, he points to the paten with the Lamb. And further: “Drink of it, all of you, this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.”, - pointing to the Holy Chalice.

Further, remembering all the blessings God has given to people - the Sacrament of Communion itself, His sacrifice on the cross and His glorious Second Coming promised to us - the priest utters an exclamation filled with deep theological meaning: “Thine from Thine is offered to Thee for everyone and for everything”. We dare to offer God these gifts from His creations (bread and wine), making a bloodless sacrifice for all the children of the Church and for all the benefits He has given us. The chorus ends this phrase with the words: “We sing to You, we bless You, we thank You, we pray to You(You), Our God".

While singing these words happens sanctification, transformation prepared bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. The priest prays and prepares for this great moment, reading aloud the troparion of the third hour three times. He asks that God send His Most Holy Spirit on all those who pray and on the Holy Gifts. Then the Holy Lamb signs with the words: “And thou shalt make this bread, the venerable Body of Thy Christ.”. The deacon answers: "Amen". Then he blesses the wine, saying: “And in this Chalice is the precious Blood of Thy Christ”. The deacon answers again: "Amen". Then he marks the paten with the Lamb and the Holy Chalice with the words: "Transformed by Your Holy Spirit". The consecration of the Holy Gifts ends threefold: "Amen, amen, amen". The priests bow to the ground before the Body and Blood of Christ. The Holy Gifts are offered as a bloodless sacrifice for everyone and everything without exception: for all the saints and for the Mother of God, as stated in the exclamation of the priest, which is the end of the priestly prayer: "Considerably(especially) about our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary". In response to this exclamation, a chant is sung dedicated to the Mother of God: "Worthy to eat". (On Easter and on the twelve feasts, before the dedication, another hymn of the Theotokos is sung - the hymn of honor.)

Next comes the litany, which prepares the faithful for communion and also contains the usual petitions of the litany of petition. After the litany and exclamation of the priest, the Lord’s Prayer is sung (most often by all the people) - "Our Father" .

When the apostles asked Christ to teach them how to pray, He gave them this prayer. In it we ask for everything necessary for life: that everything be God’s will, for our daily bread (and, of course, for the Lord to grant us the opportunity to receive the heavenly bread, His Body), for the forgiveness of our sins and that the Lord will help us overcome all temptations and deliver us from the wiles of the devil.

The priest's exclamation: "Holy to holies!" tells us that we need to approach the Holy Mysteries reverently, sanctifying ourselves with prayer, fasting and cleansing ourselves in the Sacrament of Repentance.

In the altar at this time, the clergy crush the Holy Lamb, receive communion themselves and prepare the Gifts for the communion of the faithful. After this, the royal doors open, and the deacon brings out the Holy Chalice with the words: “Draw with the fear of God and faith”. Opening of the royal gates marks the opening of the Holy Sepulcher, and removal of the Holy Gifts- the appearance of the Lord after His resurrection.

The priest reads the prayer of St. John Chrysostom before holy communion: “ I believe, Lord, and I confess, for 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...” And people pray, listening to humble prayer, realizing their unworthiness and bowing before the greatness of the taught shrine. The prayer before communion with the Body and Blood of Christ ends with the words: “I will not kiss Thee, like Judas, but like a thief I will confess Thee: remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom. May the communion of Thy Holy Mysteries be not for judgment and condemnation for me, Lord, but for the healing of soul and body. Amen".

He who receives communion unworthily, without faith, without contrition of heart, having in his heart malice and resentment towards his neighbor, is likened to Judas the traitor, who was one of the twelve disciples, was present at the Last Supper, and then went and betrayed the Teacher.

Everyone who was preparing for communion and received permission from the priest receives communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. After this, the priest brings the Holy Chalice into the altar.

The priest overshadows the worshipers with the holy Chalice with the words: “Always, now and ever and unto ages of ages” and carries it to the altar. This marks the last appearance of the Savior to the disciples and His ascension into heaven.

The deacon pronounces a short litany of thanksgiving, ending with the priest’s prayer behind the pulpit (that is, read in front of the pulpit).

At the end of the liturgy the priest says vacation. On vacation we usually remember Mother of God, the saint whose liturgy was celebrated, the saints of the temple and the day.

All those praying kiss holy cross, which is held by the priest.

After the liturgy they usually read thanksgiving prayers by Holy Communion. If they are not read in church, all those who receive communion read them when they come home.