What is liturgy in Orthodoxy in simple terms. Please note that after communion it is necessary to read “Prayers of Thanksgiving”

Liturgy (translated as “service”, “common cause”) is the most important Christian service, during which the sacrament of the Eucharist (preparation) is performed. 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 (Please note that in order to take communion, it is necessary to prepare specially: read the canons, come to church completely on an empty stomach, i.e. e. do not eat or drink anything after 00-00 hours before the service).
Liturgy in simple words. Liturgy is the most important church service. This is a sacred rite (church service) during which you can receive communion in church.

What is mass in the Orthodox Church?

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.

When, what time and on what days does the Liturgy take place in the church?

In large churches and monasteries, Liturgy can occur daily. In smaller churches, the Liturgy usually takes place on Sundays.
The beginning of the Liturgy is around 8-30, but it is different for each church. Service duration is 1.5–2 hours.

Why does Liturgy take place (need) in church? What does Liturgy mean?

This holy Sacrament was established by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper with the Apostles, before His suffering. He took bread into His Most Pure hands, blessed it, broke it and divided it to His disciples, saying: “Take, eat: this is My Body. “Then he took a cup of wine, blessed it and, giving it to the disciples, said: “Drink from it, all of you: this is My Blood of the New Testament, which has been poured out for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:26-28). Then the Savior gave the apostles, and through them all believers, the commandment to perform this Sacrament until the end of the world, in remembrance of His suffering, death and resurrection, for the closest union of believers with Him. He said: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

What is the meaning and symbolic actions of the Liturgy? What does the Liturgy consist of?

The Liturgy remembers the earthly life of Jesus Christ from birth to His ascension to Heaven, and the Eucharist itself expresses the earthly life of Christ.

Order of the Liturgy:

1. Proskomedia.

First, everything necessary for the Sacrament of Communion is prepared - Proskomidi (translation - offering). The first part of the Liturgy “Proskomedia” is the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. The bread consumed at Proskomedia is called prosphora, which means “offering.”
During Proskomedia, the priest prepares our gifts (prosphora). For Proskomedia, five service prosphoras are used (in memory of how Jesus Christ fed more than five thousand people with five loaves of bread) as well as prosphoras ordered by parishioners. For communion, one prosphora (Lamb) is used, which in size must correspond to the number of communicants. Proskomedia is performed by the priest in a low voice on the Altar with the Altar closed. At this time, the third and sixth hours according to the Book of Hours (the liturgical book) are read.

Proskomedia, during which wine and bread (prosphora) are prepared for the Eucharist (Communion) and the souls of living and deceased Christians are remembered, for which the priest removes particles from the prosphora.

At the end of the service, these particles are immersed in the Chalice of Blood with the prayer “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all those here remembered through the prayers of your saints with Your Honest Blood.” Commemoration of the living and the dead at Proskomedia is the most effective prayer. Proskomedia is performed by the clergy in the altar; the Hours are usually read in the church at this time. (so that the priest during Proskomedia reads a prayer for your loved one, you need to submit a note to the candle shop before the Liturgy with the words “for proskomedia”)

2. The second part of the Liturgy is the Liturgy of the Catechumens.

During the Liturgy of the Catechumens (catechumens are people preparing to receive Holy Baptism), we learn how to live according to the Commandments of God. It begins with the Great Litany (jointly intensified prayer), in which the priest or deacon reads short prayers about peaceful times, about health, about our country, about our loved ones, about the Church, about the Patriarch, about travelers, about those in prison or in trouble. After each petition, the choir sings: “Lord have mercy.”

After reading a series of prayers, the priest solemnly carries out the Gospel from the Altar through the northern gate and just as solemnly brings it into the Altar through the Royal Doors. (The procession of the clergyman with the Gospel is called the small entrance and reminds believers of the first appearance of Jesus Christ to preach).

At the end of the singing, the priest and the deacon, who carries the altar Gospel, go out to the pulpit (in front of the iconostasis). 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 Apostle and the Gospel are read. When reading the Gospel, believers stand with their heads bowed, listening with reverence to the holy gospel.
Then, after reading the next series of prayers, the catechumens are asked to leave the temple (Catechumens, go out).

3. Third part - Liturgy of the Faithful.

Before the Cherubic Hymn, the Royal Doors open and the deacon censes. After fulfilling the words: “Now let us put aside every care of this life...” the priest solemnly carries out the Holy Gifts - bread and wine - from the northern gates of the Altar. Stopping at the Royal Doors, he prays for everyone whom we especially remember, and, returning through the Royal Doors to the Altar, he places the Honorable Gifts on the Throne. (The transfer of gifts from the Altar to the Throne is called the Great Entrance and marks the solemn procession of Jesus Christ to free suffering and death on the cross).
After the “Cherubic” litany, a petitionary litany is heard and one of the main prayers is sung—the “Creed,” which is sung by all parishioners together with the singers.

Then, after a series of prayers, the culmination of the Liturgy comes: Holy Sacrament The Eucharist is the transformation of bread and wine into the true Body and true Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then the “Song of Praise to the Mother of God” and the litany of petition sound. The most important one – the “Lord’s Prayer” (Our Father...) – is performed by all believers. After the Lord's Prayer, the sacramental verse is sung. The Royal Doors open. The priest brings out the Chalice with the Holy Gifts (in some churches it is customary to kneel when bringing out the Chalice with Communion) and says: “Proceed with the fear of God and faith!”

The communion of believers begins.
What to do during communion?

Participants fold their hands on their chests, right over left. Children receive communion first, then men, then women. Approach the priest with the cup, say his name, open your mouth. He put a piece of prosphora in wine in your mouth. You must kiss the cup in the hands of the priest. Then you need to eat communion, go to the table and take a piece of prosphora there, eat it and then wash it down. It is necessary to eat and drink so that all the communion gets inside the body and does not remain on the palate or in the teeth.

At the end of communion, the singers sing a song of thanksgiving: “Let our lips be filled...” and Psalm 33. Next, the priest pronounces the dismissal (i.e., the end of the Liturgy). “Multiple Years” sounds and the parishioners kiss the Cross.

Please note that after communion you must read “ Prayers of Thanksgiving».

Holy Righteous John (Kronstadt): “...there is no true life in us without the source of life - Jesus Christ. The Liturgy is a treasury, a source of true life, because the Lord Himself is in it. The Lord of life gives Himself as food and drink to those who believe in Him and gives life in abundance to His partakers... Our Divine Liturgy, and especially the Eucharist, is the greatest and constant revelation to us of the love of God.”

The picture shows a photograph in which the image of Jesus Christ appeared as well as the light from the icons during the Liturgy

What should you not do after Communion?

— After communion, you cannot kneel in front of the icon
“You can’t smoke or swear, but you have to behave like a Christian.”

DIVINE LITURGY

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...”

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 bottom side of the Lamb and pierces its right side with a spear.

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.

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 are 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.

Only Begotten Son and Word of God, He is immortal, and He willed our salvation for the sake of incarnation
from the holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, immutably made man, crucified for us, Christ our God, trampling down death 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 saint) 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 as the cherubim secretly form 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.


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 Creed the time is coming to offer the “Holy Ascension” 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 are our hearts,” 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 Evangelist, who saw in the 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), another 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 person (“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 a pure heart in me, 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 bowing to 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 are 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 the Blessed Virgin Mary and loudly proclaims: “Extremely (that is, especially) about the most holy, most pure, most blessed, most glorious 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 “in the first” His Holiness Patriarch, the ruling diocesan bishop, the choir answers: “And everyone and everything,” that is, asks the Lord to remember all 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.”


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, 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, 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.

It is advisable for every Orthodox Christian (baptized in the Orthodox Church) to confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ at least once a month. But at least 4 times a year - that is, on every fast (Rozhdestvensky - before Merry Christmas, the Great - before Easter, Petrovsky - before the feast of St. Apostles Peter and Paul and Uspensky - before the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Holy Communion necessary for a person to sanctify his soul, it gives him the strength to fight sins, gives him mental and physical health. Since the Body and Blood of Christ, taught to a person in Communion, is the greatest Shrine of the Orthodox Church, before Communion special preparation of a person is necessary, namely:

1. Observance of fasting for at least 3 days before Communion, during which a person must abstain from various kinds entertainment, as well as quarrels and enmity, make peace with your enemies. During fasting, do not eat products of animal origin (meat, milk, eggs, butter, etc.);

2. On the eve of the day of Communion, it is necessary to attend the evening service, after which at home read all the prayers and canons for Holy Communion, namely:

– a canon of repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ;

– canon of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos;

– canon to the Guardian Angel;

– canon for Holy Communion and prayers for Holy Communion;

- evening prayers.

You will find all these canons and prayers in every Orthodox prayer book, sold in any Orthodox church.

On the day of the reception of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, from midnight (0.00 hours) until communion, the consumption of food and water, medications, and smoking are prohibited.

In the morning, on the day of communion, you must read the morning prayers. The day before, you also need to make a list of your sins so that you can read them at Confession to the priest without omitting any of them. Those who, out of false shame or for some other reason, hide their sins from the priest take a grave sin upon their souls. The priest is only a mediator in Confession between man and God; he will testify at the Last Judgment to your repentance of sins.


Confession is received by the priest during the Liturgy, usually at the lectern installed on the left side of the church, on which lies the Holy Gospel and the Cross.

There are especially serious sins because of which the priest may not allow you to receive Communion; in this case, you cannot receive communion on that day. Thus, one should not be surprised if the clergyman accepting Confession does not allow the person who has conducted for a long time in committing serious sins and approaching Confession for the first time, and preliminarily assigns him penance (usually this is the fulfillment of a certain prayer rule), after the fulfillment of which it is necessary to again approach the Sacrament of repentance (Confession) in order to obtain permission from the priest and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ . Penance is prescribed so that a person can approach Communion with a conscience cleansed by deep repentance. Penance serves the benefit of a person’s soul, and in no case should prayer be considered as punishment.

Before each communion a person must make a confession. Communion without Confession is unacceptable. A person who receives communion without proper preparation takes on a grave sin on his soul, for which he will be punished by the Lord, for this communion will only be for a person’s condemnation.

Women who are unclean are prohibited from touching sacred objects (icons, the Bible, blessed oil, etc.) and, therefore, receiving communion.

After Communion, you need to go for a drink - i.e. wash down the Holy Gifts with warmth and eat a piece of prosphora. At the end of the Liturgy, all participants must venerate the Cross, which is given by the priest, and only after that can they leave the temple.

On this day you need to read prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion from the prayer book. And try with all your might to spend this day piously and peacefully, so as not to desecrate the accepted Shrine with your behavior.

On the way to church there is a custom to read a prayer:
I will go into Your house, I will bow to Your holy temple in Your passion. Lord, instruct me in Thy righteousness, for the sake of my enemy, straighten my path before Thee: for there is no truth in their mouths, their heart is vain, their grave is open, their throats are open, their tongues are clenched. Judge for them, O God, that they may fall away from their thoughts, because of the abundance of wickedness; I will destroy them, for I have grieved You greatly, O Lord. And may those who trust in You rejoice, may they rejoice forever, and may they dwell in them, and may they who love You boast Your name. For you have blessed the righteous, O Lord, for you have crowned us with weapons of favor.
In addition to this prayer, you can read the troparion, kontakion and other hymns of the service of a given day, 50th and 90th Psalms, remember the sacred events that the Church celebrates on a given day. One must enter the church quietly and reverently, as into the house of God, into the mysterious dwelling of the Heavenly King. Noise, conversations, and even more so laughter, when entering a church and staying in it, offend the holiness of the temple of God and the greatness of the God who dwells in it.
Upon entering the temple, you should stop near the doors and make three bows (to the ground in simple days, and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays - waist) with prayers: God, be merciful to me, a sinner. - Bow. God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me. - Bow. Who created me, Lord, forgive me! - Bow.
At the following prayers, bows are usually made from the waist: We bow to Your Cross, O Master, and glorify Your Holy Resurrection.
It is worthy to eat as truly to bless Thee, the Mother of God, the Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate and the Mother of our God. We magnify Thee, the most honorable Cherub and the most Glorious without comparison, the Seraphim, who gave birth to God the Word without corruption!
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord have mercy! (Three times.) Bless.
Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
After this, as usual, bowing on both sides to the people who had first entered and making three bows from the waist with the Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner, listen to the beginning of the Divine Service with reverence and fear of God.
According to ancient custom, men are supposed to stand in the temple on right side, and for women - on the left.
At the dismissal of the service, the same should be read as at the entrance to the church, and with the same bows and dismissal.
The church service is performed with many great and small bows. The Holy Church requires bowing with inner reverence and outer decorum, slowly, and, if possible, at the same time as other worshipers in the church. Before making a bow, you need to make the sign of the cross and then make a bow - if it’s small, then you need to bow your head so that you can reach the ground with your hand, but if it’s big, you need to bend both knees together and reach the ground with your head. The sign of the cross should be depicted on oneself correctly, with reverence, slowly, joining together the first three fingers of the right hand as a sign that God is the One and Equal Trinity, and the remaining two fingers folded and bent towards the palm in commemoration of the fact that Jesus Christ is God and Man, who came to our earth for the sake of salvation. The right hand (right hand) folded in this way should be placed first on the forehead, so that the Lord will enlighten our mind, then on the belly, in order to tame the flesh that wars against the spirit, and then on the right and left shoulders - to sanctify our activities. The Church Charter strictly requires that we bow in the temple of God not only earnestly, decorously and all at the same time, but also leisurely (“without struggling”), and in a timely manner, that is, exactly when it is indicated. Bowing and kneeling should be done at the end of each short petition or prayer, and not during its execution. The Church Rule pronounces strict judgment on those who bow improperly (Typikon, Monday of the first week of Holy Great Lent).
Before the start of any divine service, three bows must be made from the waist. Then, at all services, at every Come, we bow, to the Holy God, at the threefold Hallelujah and at Bless the Name of the Lord, three bows are made from the waist, only on Hallelujah in the middle of the sixth psalm, for the sake of deep silence, according to the Charter, bows are not required, but the sign of the cross is performed . On the Voucher, Lord, both at Vespers and at Matins (in the great doxology, sung or read), three bows from the waist are made. At all litanies of church services, listen carefully to each petition, mentally raising a prayer to God and, making the sign of the cross while shouting: Lord, have mercy or Grant, Lord, make a bow from the waist. When singing and reading stichera and other prayers, one should only bow when the words of the prayers encourage this; for example: “let’s fall down,” “bow,” “pray.”
After the Most Honest Cherub and before the Name of the Lord, bless, Father (or: Master), a deep bow from the waist is always due.
When reading akathists on each kontakion and ikos, a bow from the waist is required; when pronouncing or singing the thirteenth kontakion three times, bows to the ground or waist (according to the day) are due; the same bows are due after reading the akathist prayer.
The memorial is read with bows after each article (and in some monasteries bows are given to the ground or from the waist, according to the day, in others it is always from the waist).
According to Worthy at Compline and Matins, also during the singing of the Most Honest on the 9th song of the canon - bow according to the day; After the verse We praise, we bless, a bow is required.
Before and after reading the Gospel (Glory to Thee, Lord), one bow is always given; on the polyeleos, after each magnification - one bow from the waist.
When starting to read or sing the Creed, when pronouncing the words: By the Power of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross, when starting to read the Apostle, Gospel and parimia, one is supposed to sign oneself with the sign of the cross without bowing.
When the clergyman, teaching peace, says: Peace to all or proclaims: 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 the choir (choir), answering, sings: And to your spirit or And with your spirit, you should make a bow from the waist, without the sign of the cross. A bow is required during any blessing by the clergyman of all those praying, as well as during dismissal, if it is performed without the Cross. When the dismissal is pronounced by the clergyman with the Cross, with which he overshadows those praying, then the bow should be made with the sign of the cross. Unpious self-indulgence is when the laity, with the general blessing of the clergyman, fold their palms, and then sometimes also kiss them. When you proclaim your Head to the Lord, bow your head and stand until the end of the prayer said by the priest: at this time the priest prays to God for all who bowed their heads.
When the church overshadows the people with the Cross, the Holy Gospel, an image or the Holy Cup, then everyone must be baptized, bowing their heads. And when they light candles or bless with their hands, or burn incense to the people, they should not be baptized, but only bow. Only on Bright Week of Holy Easter, when the priest censes with the Cross in his hand, does everyone cross themselves and, answering his greeting, Christ is risen, say: Truly he is risen.
Thus, there should be a distinction between worship before a shrine and before people, even if they are sacred. When accepting the blessing of a priest or bishop, Christians fold their palms in a cross shape, placing the right on the left, and kiss the right hand of the blessing, but do not cross themselves before doing this.
When applying (kissing) the Holy Gospel, the Cross, holy relics and icons, one should approach in the proper order, slowly and without crowding, make two bows before kissing and one after kissing the shrine; perform bows throughout the day - earthly or deep waist bows, reaching your hand to the ground. Venerating to the icons of the Savior, Mother of God and saints, you should not kiss their faces.
The Patriarchal Official of the mid-17th century indicated that when kissing icons of the Savior, one should kiss the foot (in the case of a half-length image, the hand); to the icons of the Mother of God and saints - in the hand; to the icon of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands and to the icon of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist - in the hair braid (A. Gorsky, K. Nevostruev. Description of Slavic manuscripts of the Moscow Synodal Library. Section three. Liturgical books. Part two. M., 1917, p. 511 ).
An icon may depict several sacred persons, but the icon must be kissed once, so that when worshipers gather, they do not detain others and thereby disturb the decorum of the church.
From Holy Easter to the Feast of the Holy Trinity, from the Feast of the Nativity of Christ to the Feast of the Epiphany (Svyatka), and in general on all great feasts of the Lord, prostrations to the ground during church services are canceled.

All-night vigil

The first opening of the royal doors and the censing of the altar depict the appearance of the glory of God in the creation of the world and man and the blissful state of the first parents in the paradise of God after their creation.
The singing of Psalm 103 (initial): Bless the Lord, my soul, depicts a majestic picture of the universe. The priest’s movement during the singing of this psalm depicts the action of the Spirit of God, which hovered over the waters during the creation of the world. The lit lamp, presented by the deacon during the incense, signifies the light that, according to the Creative Voice, appeared after the first evening of existence.
The closing of the royal gates after the singing of the psalm and incense means that soon after the creation of the world and man, the gates of paradise were closed as a result of the crime of the forefather Adam. The reading by the priest of the lamp (evening) prayers before the royal doors marks the repentance of the forefather Adam and his descendants, who, in the person of the priest, before the closed royal doors, as before the closed doors of heaven, pray to their Creator for mercy.
The singing of the psalm Blessed is the man with verses from the first three psalms and the reading of the 1st kathisma partly depicts the blessed state of the first parents in paradise, partly the repentance of those who sinned and their hope in the Redeemer promised by God.
The singing, Lord, cried out with verses, signifies the sorrow of the fallen forefather and his prayerful sighs before the closed gates of paradise, and at the same time the firm hope that the Lord, through faith in the promised Redeemer, will cleanse and deliver the human race from the falls of sin. This singing also depicts praise to God for His great mercies to us.
The opening of the royal doors during the singing of the Dogmatika (Theotokos) means that through the incarnation of the Son of God from the Blessed Virgin Mary and His descent to earth, the doors of paradise were opened for us.
The descent of the priest from the altar to the sole and his secret prayer marks the descent of the Son of God to earth for our redemption. The deacon, preceding the priest, represents the image of St. John the Baptist, who prepared people to receive the Savior of the world. The ritual performed by the deacon indicates that along with the coming to earth of the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world, the Holy Spirit filled the whole world with His grace. The entry of the priest into the altar marks the Ascension of the Savior into Heaven, and the approach of the priest to the High Place signifies the sitting of the Son of God at the right hand of the Father and intercession before His Father for the human race. With the deacon's cry, Wisdom, forgive me! The Holy Church teaches us to listen with reverence to the evening entrance. The hymn of the Quiet Light contains the glorification of Christ the Savior for His descent to earth and the completion of our redemption.
Litiya (common procession and common prayer) contains special prayers for our bodily and spiritual needs and, above all, for the forgiveness of our sins by God’s mercy.
The prayer Now You Let Go tells of the meeting of the Lord Jesus Christ by the righteous elder Simeon in the Temple of Jerusalem and indicates the need for constant remembrance of the hour of death.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary, Rejoice, reminds of the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel Holy Virgin Mother of God.
The blessing of loaves, wheat, wine and oil, fulfilling their various gifts of grace, recalls those five loaves with which Christ, miraculously multiplying them, fed five thousand people.
The Six Psalms is the cry of a repentant sinner before Christ the Savior who came to earth. Incomplete lighting in the temple when reading the Six Psalms reminds of the state of the soul in sin. The flickering of lamps (lamps) depicts the night of the Nativity of Christ, which was announced by the joyful praise of the Angels: Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace and good will toward men.
The reading of the first half of the Six Psalms expresses the sorrow of a soul that has moved away from God and is seeking Him.
The priest, during the reading of the Six Psalms, reading the Matins prayers before the royal doors, recalls the Eternal Intercessor of the New Testament before God the Father - the Lord Jesus Christ.
Reading the second half of the Six Psalms reveals the state of a repentant soul reconciled with God.
The singing of God is Lord and by appearing to us reminds us of the salvation accomplished by the Savior who appeared in the world.
The singing of the Sunday troparion depicts the glory and majesty of the Risen Christ.
Reading kathismas reminds us of the great sorrows of the Lord Jesus Christ.
By singing verses Praise the Name of the Lord The Holy Church glorifies the Lord for His many good deeds and mercies to the human race.
The troparion of the Angelic Council reminds us of the Angel's good news to the myrrh-bearing women about the Resurrection of the Savior.
During the Sunday all-night vigil, the Holy Gospel, preaching about one of the appearances of the Risen Lord to the myrrh-bearing women or apostles, according to the Rule, is to be read in the altar on the throne, as in the place marking the Life-Giving Tomb from which Christ the Savior rose.
After reading, the Gospel is carried into the middle of the temple for worship and kissing by the believers. When the Gospel is carried out from the altar, the worshipers look at it with special reverence, as at the Risen Lord Himself, bowing and crying: Having seen the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus. This singing should be nationwide.
The canons of Matins glorify the Resurrection of Christ (or other sacred events from the life of the Lord), the Most Holy Theotokos, the holy Angels and saints of God, honored on this day. When singing My soul magnifies the Lord, every time after the chorus the most honorable bow is due to the ground or from the waist - according to the day.
In praising stichera and in great doxology, special thanksgiving and glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ is offered.

Divine Liturgy

At the Divine Liturgy, or Eucharist, the entire earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ is remembered. The liturgy is divided into three parts: proskomedia, liturgy of the catechumens and liturgy of the faithful.
At the proskomedia, usually performed during the reading of the 3rd and 6th hours, the Nativity of the Savior is remembered. At the same time, the Old Testament prophecies about His suffering and death are also remembered. At the proskomedia, substances are prepared for the celebration of the Eucharist and living and deceased members of the Church are commemorated. Great joy comes to the souls of the departed from their commemoration at the Divine Liturgy. Therefore, hurry to the temple of God for. presence at the proskomedia, remembering the health and repose of relatives and known people, and all Orthodox Christians. You can pray for the departed like this: Remember, Lord, the souls of your departed servants (names), and forgive their sins, voluntary and involuntary, granting them the Kingdom and communion of Your eternal blessings and Your endless and blissful life of pleasure.
At the Liturgy of the Catechumens, the song of the Only Begotten Son depicts the coming to earth of the Lord Jesus Christ.
During the small entrance with the Gospel, depicting the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to preach, while singing the verse: Come, let us worship and fall to Christ, a bow is made from the waist. When singing the Trisagion - three bows from the waist.
When reading the Apostle, the deacon's censing must be responded to by bowing the head. Reading the Apostle and censing means the preaching of the apostles to the whole world.
While reading the Gospel, as if listening to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, you should stand with your head bowed.
The commemoration of members of the Church shows for whom the Sacrifice of the Eucharist is offered.
At the Liturgy of the Faithful, the Great Entrance symbolizes the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to free suffering for the salvation of the world.
The singing of the Cherubic song with the royal doors open occurs in imitation of the Angels, who constantly glorify the Heavenly King and invisibly solemnly accompany Him in the prepared and transferred Holy Gifts.
The placing of the Holy Gifts on the throne, the closing of the royal doors and the drawing of the curtain signify the burial of the Lord Jesus Christ, the rolling of the stone and the application of a seal to His Tomb.
While singing the Cherubic Song, you should carefully read to yourself the 50th Psalm of repentance: Have mercy on me, O God. At the end of the first half of the Cherubic Song, a bow is required. During the commemoration of His Holiness the Patriarch, the local bishop and others, it is necessary to stand reverently, with a bowed head and with the words: And all of you, Orthodox Christians, say to yourself: May the Lord God remember your bishopric in His Kingdom. This is what is said during the ministry of a bishop. When serving other clergy, one should say to oneself: May the Lord God remember your priesthood in His Kingdom. At the end of the commemoration, you should say to yourself: Remember me. Lord, when (when) You come in Your Kingdom.
Words: Doors, doors before the singing of the Creed in ancient times were referred to as gatekeepers, so that they would not allow catechumens or pagans into the temple during the celebration of the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Now these words remind the faithful not to allow thoughts of sin to enter the doors of their hearts. The words: Let us listen to wisdom (let us heed) call the attention of believers to the saving teaching of the Orthodox Church, set out in the Creed (dogmas). The singing of the Creed is public. At the beginning of the Creed, the sign of the cross should be made.
When the priest exclaims: Take, eat... Drink from her, everyone should bow from the waist. At this time, the Last Supper of the Lord Jesus Christ with the apostles is remembered.
During the celebration of the very sacrament of the Holy Eucharist - the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ and the offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice for the living and the dead, one must pray with special attention, and at the end of the singing we sing to You with the words: And we pray to You (we pray to You), our God, we must bow to the ground the Body and Blood of Christ. Importance. this minute is so great that not a single minute of our life can compare with it. In this sacred moment lies all our salvation and God’s love for the human race, for God appeared in the flesh.
While singing Worthy to Eat (or another sacred song in honor of the Mother of God - the worthy one), the priest prays for the living and the dead, remembering them by name, especially those for whom the Divine Liturgy is performed. And those present in the temple should at this time remember by name their loved ones, living and dead.
After it is worthy to eat or the worthy person replacing it - bow to the ground. At the words: And everyone, and everything, a bow is made from the waist.
At the beginning of the nationwide singing of the Lord's Prayer - Our Father - one should make the sign of the cross and bow to the ground.
When the priest exclaims: Holy One, the saints are supposed to bow down to the ground for the sake of lifting up the Holy Lamb before His fragmentation. At this time, we must remember the Last Supper and the last conversation of the Lord Jesus Christ with the disciples, His suffering on the cross, death and burial.
Upon the opening of the royal doors and the presentation of the Holy Gifts, signifying the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ after the Resurrection, with the exclamation: Come with the fear of God and faith! - a bow to the ground is required.
When starting to receive the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ after the priest reads the prayers before communion, one must bow to the ground, fold his hands crosswise on his chest (under no circumstances should he be baptized, so as not to accidentally push and spill the Holy Chalice - folded crosswise hands replace the sign of the cross at this time) and slowly, reverently, with the fear of God, approach the Holy Chalice, calling your name, and after receiving the Holy Mysteries, kiss the lower part of the Chalice, like the most pure rib of Christ, and then step aside calmly, without making the sign of the cross and bowing until the warmth is accepted. We must especially thank the Lord for His great mercy, for the gracious gift of Holy Communion: Glory to Thee, O God! Glory to You, God! Glory to You, God! Prostrations to the ground on this day are not performed by the communicants until the evening. Those who do not receive communion at the Divine Liturgy, during the holy moments of communion, should stand in the church with reverent prayer, without thinking about earthly things, without leaving the church at this time, so as not to offend the Shrine of the Lord and not to violate the decorum of the church.
At the last appearance of the Holy Gifts, depicting the Ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ to Heaven, with the words of the priest: Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, a bow to the ground with the sign of the cross is due for those who have not been honored with the Removal of the Mysteries, and for the communicants - a bow with the sign of the cross a sign. Those who have not yet had time to receive warmth by this time should turn their face to the Holy Chalice, thereby expressing reverence for the great Shrine.
The Holy Antidoron (from Greek - instead of a gift) is distributed to those present at the Divine Liturgy for the blessing and sanctification of soul and body, so that those who have not partaken of the Holy Mysteries may taste consecrated bread. The Church Charter indicates that antidor can only be taken on an empty stomach - without eating or drinking anything.
The antidor, just like the bread blessed at the lithium, should be received reverently, folding the palms crosswise, right to left, and kissing the hand of the priest giving this gift. On the days of the Holy Pentecost, the following bows and bows to the ground are also required.
When pronouncing the prayer of Saint Ephraim the Syrian: Lord and Master of my belly (my life), 16 bows are required, of which 4 are earthly (in the Charter they are called great) and 12 waist bows (throwing). The church charter commands to read this prayer with tenderness and fear of God, standing upright and raising the mind and heart to God. Having completed the first part of the prayer - Lord and Master of my belly - it is necessary to make a great bow. Then, standing upright, still turning your thoughts and feelings to God, you should say the second part of the prayer - the Spirit of Chastity - and, having finished it, again make a great bow. After saying the third part of the prayer - to Her, Lord the King - the third bow to the ground is due. Then 12 bows are made from the waist (“lightly, for the sake of fatigue” - Typikon, Monday of the first week of Great Lent) with the words: God, cleanse me (me), a sinner. Having made small bows, they read the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian again, but not dividing it into parts, but the whole thing, and at the end of it they bow to the ground (the fourth). This holy prayer is said at all weekly Lenten services, that is, with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays.
At Vespers, one bow to the ground is required after the hymns to the Virgin Mary, Rejoice, Baptist of Christ and Pray for us, holy apostles.
At Great Compline one should listen carefully to the reading of church prayers. After the Creed, while singing the Most Holy Lady Theotokos, pray for us, sinners and other prayer verses, at the end of each verse a prostration is required, and during polyeleos celebrations - a bow.
About bowing when reading the Great penitential canon St. Andrew of Crete in the Charter says: “For each (every) troparion we perform three throwings, saying the real refrain: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.”
On the Lord of strength, be with us and other verses rely on one bow from the waist.
When the priest pronounces the great dismissal - the prayer Master, the Most Merciful, one must bow to the ground, with heartfelt tenderness asking the Lord for forgiveness of sins.
After the troparions of the hours with their verses (1st hour: Hear my voice in the morning; 3rd hour: Lord, Who is Your Most Holy Spirit; 6th hour: Like the sixth day and hour; 9th hour: Like the ninth hour) three prostrations are required; on the troparion to Your Most Pure Image - one bow to the ground; at all hours at the end of the Theotokos (at the 1st hour: What shall we call Thee, O Blessed One; at the 3rd hour: Mother of God, Thou art the true vine; at the 6th hour: For not the imams of boldness; at the 9th hour: For the sake of those who are like us, three small bows are made (“and three throwings,” says the Charter). In the rite of representation, during the singing of the Blessed One: In Thy Kingdom, remember us, Lord, after each verse with the chorus one is supposed to make a small bow, and during the last three times of singing Remember Us, three bows to the ground are supposed; according to the prayer Loosen, leave, although there is no indication in the Charter, it is an ancient custom to always bow (to the ground or from the waist - according to the day).
At the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts at Vespers, during the reading of the third antiphon of the 18th kathisma, when the Holy Gifts are transferred from the throne to the altar, as well as when a priest appears with a candle and a censer in the open royal doors, pronouncing before the reading of the second parimia: The Light of Christ enlightens everyone ! you are supposed to prostrate yourself to the ground. While singing: May my prayer be corrected, the prayer of all the people is performed with kneeling; the singers and the reader kneel alternately after performing the prescribed verse; at the end of singing all the verses of the prayer, three bows to the ground are made (according to custom) with the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian). During the great entrance, when transferring the Presanctified Gifts from the altar to the throne, the people and singers should prostrate themselves to the ground out of reverence for the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ. At the end of the singing, Now the Heavenly Powers make three bows to the ground, according to custom, also with the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian. The priest should listen to the prayer behind the pulpit with attention, applying its meaning to the heart, and at the end of it, make a bow from the waist.
During Holy Week, bowing to the ground stops on Great Wednesday. The Charter says this: “On Be the Name of the Lord: there are three bows, and abiye (immediately) the bows to the ground that occur in the church are completely abolished; in cells even before Great Friday they take place. Veneration of the Holy Shroud in Good Friday and Holy Saturday, just like Holy Cross, accompanied by three prostrations to the ground."
Entrance and initial bows, as well as about which it is said that they are due depending on the day (“by the day”) - on the days of Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, forefeasts and afterfeasts, polyeleos and the great doxology, belt bows are performed, while on simple days earthly bows are performed . On weekdays, bowing to the ground stops with Vespers on Friday from the Voucher, Lord, and begins from Vespers on Sunday, also from the Voucher, Lord.
On the eve of the one-day holidays, polyeleos and the great doxology, prostrations also stop with Vespers and begin with Vespers, from the Lord, Vouchsafed, on the holiday itself.
Before great holidays, prostrations stop on the eve of the forefeast. Worship of the Holy Cross on the Feast of the Exaltation is always performed with prostrations to the ground, even if it falls on a Sunday.
It is customary to sit while reading parimia and kathisma with sedals. It is useful to remember that according to the Charter, sitting is allowed not during the kathismas themselves, but during the reading of the lives and patristic teachings placed between the kathismas and sedals.
The care of the Holy Church for us continues even after the service, so that we do not lose the grace-filled mood that, by the grace of God, we were awarded in church. The Church commands us to leave the temple in reverent silence, with thanksgiving to the Lord, who has made us worthy to be present in the temple, with a prayer that the Lord will grant us to always visit His holy temple until the end of our lives.
The Charter speaks about this as follows: “After absolution, leaving the church, we go with all silence to our cells, or to the service. And it is not appropriate for us to have conversations with each other at the monastery on the road, for this is withheld from the holy fathers.”
When we are in the temple of God, let us remember that we are in the presence of the Lord God, the Mother of God, the holy Angels and the Church of the Firstborn, that is, all the saints. “In the temple standing (standing, being), Thy glory, in Heaven we stand imaginary (think).”
The saving power of church prayers, chants and readings depends on the feeling with which our hearts and minds receive them. Therefore, if it is impossible to bow down for one reason or another, then it is better to humbly ask the Lord for forgiveness mentally than to violate church decorum. But it is absolutely necessary to delve into everything that happens during church services in order to be nourished by it. Then only during the church service will everyone warm their heart, awaken their conscience, revive their withered soul and enlighten their mind.
Let us firmly remember the words of the holy Apostle Paul: “Stand fast and hold fast to the traditions which you have learned either by word or by our epistle” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

Liturgy (translated as “service”, “common cause”) is the most important Christian service, during which the sacrament of the Eucharist (preparation of Communion) is performed. 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 (Please note that in order to take communion, it is necessary to prepare specially: fast, read the canons, come to church on an empty stomach, etc. i.e. do not eat or drink anything after 00-00 hours before the service).
Liturgy in simple words. Liturgy is the most important church service. This is a sacred rite (church service) during which you can receive communion in church.

What is mass in the Orthodox Church?
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.

When, what time and on what days does the Liturgy take place in the church?
In large churches and monasteries, Liturgy can occur daily. In smaller churches, the Liturgy usually takes place on Sundays.
The beginning of the Liturgy is around 8-30, but it is different for each church. Service duration is 1.5–2 hours.

Why does Liturgy take place (need) in church? What does Liturgy mean?
This holy Sacrament was established by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper with the Apostles, before His suffering. He took bread into His Most Pure hands, blessed it, broke it and divided it to His disciples, saying: “Take, eat: this is My Body. “Then he took a cup of wine, blessed it and, giving it to the disciples, said: “Drink from it, all of you: this is My Blood of the New Testament, which has been poured out for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:26-28). Then the Savior gave the apostles, and through them all believers, the commandment to perform this Sacrament until the end of the world, in remembrance of His suffering, death and resurrection, for the closest union of believers with Him. He said: “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

What is the meaning and symbolic actions of the Liturgy? What does the Liturgy consist of?
The Liturgy remembers the earthly life of Jesus Christ from birth to His ascension to Heaven, and the Eucharist itself expresses the earthly life of Christ.
Order of the Liturgy:
1. Proskomedia. First, everything necessary for the Sacrament of Communion is prepared - Proskomidi (translation - offering). The first part of the Liturgy “Proskomedia” is the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. The bread consumed at Proskomedia is called prosphora, which means “offering.”
During Proskomedia, the priest prepares our gifts (prosphora). For Proskomedia, five service prosphoras are used (in memory of how Jesus Christ fed more than five thousand people with five loaves of bread) as well as prosphoras ordered by parishioners. For communion, one prosphora (Lamb) is used, which in size must correspond to the number of communicants. Proskomedia is performed by the priest in a low voice on the Altar with the Altar closed. At this time, the third and sixth hours according to the Book of Hours (the liturgical book) are read.
Proskomedia, during which wine and bread (prosphora) are prepared for the Eucharist (Communion) and the souls of living and deceased Christians are remembered, for which the priest removes particles from the prosphora. At the end of the service, these particles are immersed in the Chalice of Blood with the prayer “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all those here remembered through the prayers of your saints with Your Honest Blood.” Commemoration of the living and the dead at Proskomedia is the most effective prayer. Proskomedia is performed by the clergy in the altar; the Hours are usually read in the church at this time. (in order for the priest to read a prayer for your loved one during Proskomedia, you need to submit a note to the candle shop before the Liturgy with the words “for Proskomedia”)

2. The second part of the Liturgy is the Liturgy of the Catechumens.
During the Liturgy of the Catechumens (catechumens are people preparing to receive Holy Baptism), we learn how to live according to the Commandments of God. It begins with the Great Litany (a jointly intensified prayer), in which the priest or deacon reads short prayers for times of peace, for health, for our country, for our loved ones, for the Church, for the Patriarch, for those traveling, for those in prison or in trouble. . After each petition, the choir sings: “Lord have mercy.”
After reading a series of prayers, the priest solemnly carries out the Gospel from the Altar through the northern gate and just as solemnly brings it into the Altar through the Royal Doors. (The procession of the clergyman with the Gospel is called the small entrance and reminds believers of the first appearance of Jesus Christ to preach).
At the end of the singing, the priest and the deacon, who carries the altar Gospel, go out to the pulpit (in front of the iconostasis). 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 Apostle and the Gospel are read. When reading the Gospel, believers stand with their heads bowed, listening with reverence to the holy gospel.
Then, after reading the next series of prayers, the catechumens are asked to leave the temple (Catechumens, go out).

3. Third part - Liturgy of the Faithful.
Before the Cherubic Hymn, the Royal Doors open and the deacon censes. After fulfilling the words: “Now let us put aside every care of this life...” the priest solemnly carries out the Holy Gifts - bread and wine - from the northern gates of the Altar. Stopping at the Royal Doors, he prays for everyone whom we especially remember, and, returning through the Royal Doors to the Altar, he places the Honorable Gifts on the Throne. (The transfer of gifts from the Altar to the Throne is called the Great Entrance and marks the solemn procession of Jesus Christ to free suffering and death on the cross).
After the “Cherubimskaya” the litany of petition is heard and one of the main prayers is sung - “The Creed” - which is performed by all parishioners together with the singers.
Then, after a series of prayers, the culmination of the Liturgy comes: The Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated - the transformation of bread and wine into the true Body and true Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then the “Song of Praise to the Mother of God” and the litany of petition sound. The most important one – the “Lord’s Prayer” (Our Father...) – is performed by all believers. After the Lord's Prayer, the sacramental verse is sung. The Royal Doors open. The priest brings out the Chalice with the Holy Gifts (in some churches it is customary to kneel when bringing out the Chalice with Communion) and says: “Proceed with the fear of God and faith!” The communion of believers begins.

What to do during communion? Participants fold their hands on their chests, right over left. Children receive communion first, then men, then women. Approach the priest with the cup, say his name, open your mouth. He put a piece of prosphora in wine in your mouth. You must kiss the cup in the hands of the priest. Then you need to eat communion, go to the table and take a piece of prosphora there, eat it and then wash it down. It is necessary to eat and drink so that all the communion gets inside the body and does not remain on the palate or in the teeth.

At the end of communion, the singers sing a song of thanksgiving: “Let our lips be filled...” and Psalm 33. Next, the priest pronounces the dismissal (i.e., the end of the Liturgy). “Multiple Years” sounds and the parishioners kiss the Cross.
Please note that after communion it is necessary to read “Prayers of Thanksgiving”.

Holy Righteous John (Kronstadt): “...there is no true life in us without the source of life - Jesus Christ. The Liturgy is a treasury, a source of true life, because the Lord Himself is in it. The Lord of life gives Himself as food and drink to those who believe in Him and gives life in abundance to His partakers... Our Divine Liturgy, and especially the Eucharist, is the greatest and constant revelation to us of the love of God.”

The picture shows a photograph in which the image of Jesus Christ appeared as well as the light from the icons during the Liturgy

What should you not do after Communion?
- After communion you cannot kneel in front of the icon
- You can’t smoke or swear, but you have to behave like a Christian.

ACCORDING TO THE ORTHODOX PRESS

Proskomedia, Liturgy of the Catechumens, antiphon and litany - what all these words mean, says Archimandrite Nazariy (Omelyanenko), a teacher at the Kyiv Theological Academy.

– Father, the Liturgy of John Chrysostom is celebrated in the Orthodox Church throughout the year, except for Great Lent, when it is served on Saturdays, on the Annunciation Holy Mother of God and on the Week of Vaiya. When did the Liturgy of John Chrysostom appear? And what does the word “Liturgy” mean?

– The word “Liturgy” is translated from Greek as “common cause.” This is the most important divine service of the daily cycle, during which the Eucharist is celebrated. After the Lord ascended to Heaven, the apostles began to perform the Sacrament of Communion every day, while reading prayers, psalms and Holy Scripture. The first rite of the Liturgy was compiled by the Apostle James, the brother of the Lord. IN Ancient Church There were many rites of the Liturgy on the territory of the Roman Empire, which were unified during the 4th–7th centuries and are now used in the same form in the Orthodox Church. The Liturgy of John Chrysostom, which is celebrated more often than others, is an independent creation of the saint based on the text of the Anaphora of the Apostle James. The Liturgy of Basil the Great is served only 10 times a year (5 Sundays of Great Lent, Maundy Thursday, Holy Saturday, Christmas and Epiphany Eves, the day of remembrance of the saint) and represents an abbreviated version of the Liturgy of James. Third Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, the edition of which is attributed to St. Gregory the Dvoeslov, Bishop of Rome. This Liturgy is celebrated only during Lent: on Wednesday and Friday, on Thursday of the fifth week, in the first three days of Holy Week.

– The Liturgy consists of three parts. The first part is proskomedia. What happens during proskomedia in the church?

– “Proskomedia” is translated as “offering.” This is the first part of the Liturgy, during which the preparation of bread and wine is carried out for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Initially, proskomedia consisted of the procedure of choosing the best bread and dissolving wine with water. It should be noted that these substances were brought by Christians themselves to perform the Sacrament. Since the 4th century, the circumcision of the Lamb - the Eucharistic bread - has appeared. From the 7th to 9th centuries, proskomedia gradually developed as a complex ritual sequence with the removal of many particles. Accordingly, the location of the proskomedia during worship has changed in historical retrospect. At first it was performed before the Great Entrance, later, with the development of the rite, it was brought to the beginning of the Liturgy for reverent celebration. Bread for proskomedia must be fresh, clean, wheat, well mixed and prepared with sourdough. After church reform Patriarch Nikon began to use five prosphoras for proskomedia (before the reform, the Liturgy was served on seven prosphoras) in memory of the gospel miracle of Christ feeding five thousand people with five loaves. By appearance the prosphora should be round and two-part in commemoration of the two natures of Jesus Christ. To remove the Lamb, a prosphora with a special seal on top in the form of a cross sign is used, separating the inscription: ΙС ХС НИ КА - “Jesus Christ conquers.” Wine for proskomedia must be natural grape, without impurities, red in color.

During the removal of the Lamb and the pouring of dissolved wine into the chalice, the priest pronounces words of prophecy and gospel quotes about the passion and death on the cross Savior. Next, particles are removed for the Mother of God, saints, living and deceased. All particles are displayed on the paten in such a way as to visibly indicate the fullness of the Church of Christ (earthly and heavenly), the head of which is Christ.

– The second part of the Liturgy is called the Liturgy of the Catechumens. Where did this name come from?

– The Liturgy of the Catechumens is truly the second part of the Liturgy. This part received this name because at that moment the catechumens—people who were preparing to receive Baptism and were undergoing catechesis—could pray in the church together with the faithful. In ancient times, the catechumens stood in the vestibule and gradually became accustomed to Christian worship. This part is also called the Liturgy of the Word, since the central point is the reading Holy Scripture and sermon. The reading of the Apostle and the Gospel conveys to believers the life and teaching of Christ about God, and the incense between the readings symbolizes the spread of grace on earth after the preaching of Christ and the apostles.

– When are antiphons sung? What it is?

– During the divine service of the Orthodox Church, prayers can be sung antiphonally, that is, alternately. The principle of singing psalms antiphonally in the Eastern Church was introduced by the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, and in the Western Church by Saint Ambrose of Milan. There are two types of antiphons, which are performed at Matins and at Liturgy. Powerful antiphons at Matins are used only at the All-Night Vigil; they are written based on the 18th kathisma in imitation of the Old Testament singing on the steps when ascending to the Jerusalem Temple. At the Liturgy, antiphons are divided into everyday antiphons (91st, 92nd, 94th psalms), which received their name from their use during the daily service; figurative (102nd, 145th psalms, blessed) are called so because they are taken from the Sequence of figurative; and festive ones, which are used on the Lord's twelve feasts and Easter and consisting of verses of selected psalms. According to the Typicon, there is also the concept of antiphons of the Psalter, that is, the division of kathisma into three “glories,” which are called antiphons.

– What is a litany and what are they?

– Litany, translated from Greek as “prolonged prayer”, is the petition of a deacon with the choir singing alternately and the final exclamation of the priest. Exist the following types Litany: great (peaceful), intense, small, petitionary, funeral, about the catechumens, lithium, final (at the end of Compline and Midnight Office). There are also litanies at various prayer services, Sacraments, services, monastic tonsures, and consecrations. In essence, they have the structure of the above litanies, only they have additional petitions.

– The third part of the Liturgy is the Liturgy of the Faithful. Is this the most important part?

– The Liturgy of the Faithful is so called because only the faithful can attend it. Another name is the Liturgy of Sacrifice, since the central place is the offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice, the celebration of the Eucharist. This is the most important part of the Liturgy. At the beginning of this part, the Cherubic Song and the Great Entrance are sung, during which the Holy Gifts are transferred from the altar to the throne. Next, before the Anaphora (Eucharistic Prayer), all believers together pronounce the Creed, testifying to the unity of confession Orthodox faith. During the Anaphora, the priest pronounces secret prayers calling on the Holy Spirit to sanctify those praying and offer the Holy Gifts. The Liturgy of the Faithful ends with the general communion of clergy and believers, in which the conciliarity and unity of Christ’s Church is visibly evidenced.

Interviewed by Natalya Goroshkova

Every religion or denomination has its most important ministries in its churches. In Christianity, the word “liturgy” is used, which itself has a translation from Greek language and means "common cause". Each person who knows the designation of this term interprets its meaning in his own way, but if we turn to official sources, we will receive the following answer: liturgy is the most important Christian service, which is accompanied by the sacrament of the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is the communion of bread and wine, as Jesus Christ commanded, for His remembrance, because it was he, according to theologians, who performed the first Liturgy. In other words, if the sacrament of the Eucharist is performed, then such service has the character of Liturgy.

Time of the main Christian services

In modern services, there are three main types of Liturgy, the origins of which were laid at the beginning of the first millennium AD. There are certain rules according to which such services are arranged throughout the year. They should not cross each other, and end up filling orthodox calendar with notes for each individual Liturgy.

The Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom are performed constantly when the other two are not performed:

• There are only ten liturgies for St. Basil the Great. They are performed only on Sundays of Lent, except Palm Sunday. This type of service is held on Maundy Thursday and Saturday during Holy Week. An obligatory service is to hold the Liturgy on St. Basil the Great Day itself - January 14, to honor the memory of this saint.
• And the last holiday when the Liturgy of the saint is celebrated is Christmas and Epiphany.
• The third type of Liturgy has several names depending on the location and denomination. It includes the Liturgies: double words, the Pope, the previously consecrated Gifts, St. Gregory the Great. They are held only on Wednesday and Friday, but also once on Thursday of the fifth week of Lent. On Holy Week Liturgy is held on the first three days of the week.
• Also, this service is held on March 9 and 22 in memory of John the Baptist and the forty martyrs of Sebaste. If a temple has a rich history and its own saints, who are revered by other Christians, then this particular Liturgy is held on a significant day.

What does the Liturgy consist of?

All three types of most important services also consist of three parts:

• Proskomedia- preparation of the Eucharist. The priest performs the necessary rituals at the altar to consecrate the prosphora (bread and wine). During this stage, the souls of all the living and the dead are remembered - the priest first takes out the prosphora (crushes the bread) and separately immerses it in wine for each, accompanying this with a special prayer. Such prayer is considered the most effective in cleansing sins for other people. At this time, parishioners read the Hours (accompanying prayers and psalms).
• Second stage of worship - Liturgy of the Catechumens . If only baptized people could participate and be present in the first part of the meeting, then during the second part there are also those people who are being prepared for baptism. The second stage of the service is led by a deacon who has received a blessing from the priest. His speech begins and ends with the same words. First, he blesses the Holy Trinity and pronounces the Great Litany. During the Liturgy of the Catechumens, it is customary for the choir to sing antiphons (psalms that are sung in turn by the left and right parts).
• The final stage of the service is called Liturgy of the Faithful. According to the church charter, only churchgoers and those for whom there are no personal comments from the priest and deacon can take part in this part of the service.

In practice, everyone is present at the Liturgy of the Faithful. The priests believe that the main spiritual meaning is revealed only to the faithful, so the presence of the unchurched does not interfere with the completion of the service. The most important action During the entire meeting, Anaphora appears, which implies the consecration of gifts. The action begins with the Gifts being transferred from the altar to the throne. Believers prepare for consecration; the Anaphora ritual is performed, which is accompanied by prayers from the clergy and chants from the parishioners.

After this, believers make Communion. The priest prays, the deacon echoes his blessings, and the parishioners are dismissed.
In fact, the listed elements of the Liturgy are the backbone of the service, and in each church it is carried out in its own way. As a rule, the priest determines the order and passage of some rituals, but in general they do not differ from each other.

There are also definitions of days on which holding the Liturgy is prohibited, but as a rule these are local prohibitions. It is the Liturgy, such as it is, that inspires believers and ordinary parishioners with its amazing spiritual atmosphere.