The Liturgy

Concerning the Liturgy

        In ancient times the name of “liturgy” was given to any common business conducted on a community’s contributions. Christians very early came to give the name to that church service during which the Sacrament of the Eucharist is performed, and which is entirely pervaded with memories of the life of Christ Saviour from His nativity to His ascension to Heaven, because at this service gifts are offered to God which have been contributed by the Christian community. It is also called the Eucharist (i.e., “Thanksgiving”) because it expresses our attitude to Christ for our salvation, and again by a Russian word, obiédnia, from the fact that it is celebrated before the noonday meal, obiéd.

        The Sacrament of the Eucharist was instituted by Jesus Christ Himself. At the Last Supper He gave Communion to His disciples, having them partake of His Body and Blood under the guise of bread and wine, and commanded them to do this in memory of Him. The Apostles held this commandment of their Master and Lord sacred. When they met together, they spent the time in prayer, in the singing of sacred hymns, and the breaking of bread in memory of Christ, i.e., they celebrated the Sacrament of the Eucharist. — Already in the Apostles’ time the main order of the prayers and rites of the Liturgy was established among the Christians by oral tradition. In the fourth century, a.D., the service of the Liturgy was written down by St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, and by St. John Chrysostom (“the Golden-Mouthed”), Archbishop of Constantinople, as it was performed in their time with the addition of several prayers, composed by these prelates. Very few new hymns entered subsequently into the Liturgy. In this manner it came to pass that there are two liturgical rites: the rite of St. John Chrysostom and that of St. Basil the Great; but they are very nearly identical.

        The Liturgy being a service connected with a Sacrament, not only the order of it is strictly prescribed, but also the choice of celebrants, the time and place of celebration.

        The Liturgy can be celebrated only by a bishop or a priest; and neither a bishop nor a priest may celebrate more than one Liturgy in one day. The celebrant must necessarily take holy communion himself, and for that act he must prepare himself.

        The Liturgy can be celebrated only in a church, at an altar on which there is an Antimins consecrated by a bishop (see p. 10). Not more than one Liturgy may be celebrated at one altar, with one Antimins, in one day.

        The time appointed for the celebration of the Liturgy is, by ancient custom, the ninth hour of the morning. It may sometimes begin either earlier or later, but never earlier than daybreak, nor later than noon, except on the days when the Liturgy is combined with the Vespers service.

The service of the Liturgy is divided into three parts: in the first the elements for the Sacrament are prepared; in the second, the worshippers prepare to take part in the celebration of the Sacrament; in the third, the Sacrament itself is performed.

1. The Proskomédia.

The first part of the Liturgy is named Proskomédia, which means “the bringing of gifts.” It is so named because in ancient times, the elements of the Sacrament of the Eucharist were selected out of the voluntary offerings of the Christians, while at the present time they are purchased with money contributed by Christians. It is performed by a priest, robed in the full vestments of his dignity.

        The elements of the Sacrament are bread and wine. The bread must be made of wheat flour, mixed with plain water, leavened, well baked, fresh and clean, neither musty nor stale. These loaves are called prósphora, i.e. “oblations.” Each consists of two smaller round loaves superposed, indicating that in Jesus Christ two natures are united, the divine and the human. On the top of each loaf is stamped a Cross, with the following Greek inscription in the four corners: IC. XC. HI. KA., signifying “Jesus Christ prevails.” Five loaves are used in the preparation of the Sacrament. The wine must be made of the juice of the grape, without admixture, not sour nor sharp, not mildewed nor yet rancid.

        Taking up the first loaf, the priest makes the sign of the Cross on it with the spear, saying, “In memory of our Lord, and God, and Saviour, Jesus Christ”; then he cuts out a cube of the size of the entire stamp, uttering at the same time the words of the Prophet Isaiah, in which he speaks of the Saviour as of a Lamb Which takes on Itself the sins of the world. The portion is called the Lamb, and represents Christ, of whom the Paschal Lamb was the prototype. The priest lays the Lamb in the middle of the paten, makes an incision on it in the form of a Cross, remembering that Christ also, like unto a Lamb, offered Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, then pierces it with the spear, remembering the words of the Gospel: “One of the soldiers pierced His side and straightway there came out blood and water.” With the last words he pours wine and water into the chalice. — Out of the second loaf of holy bread the priest takes a small particle in honor and memory of the Mother of God and lays it on the paten at the right of the Lamb; this loaf is called “the Mother of God’s.” — Out of the third loaf he takes nine particles, in honor of the various hosts of saints, who have been found worthy of an habitation in Heaven, with the nine orders of angels, wherefore this loaf is called “the Prósphora of the Nine Orders.” The particles taken out of it are placed in three rows at the left of the Lamb. — Out of the fourth loaf, called “the Prósphora of Health,” particles are taken, with a prayer for the health of living members of the Church and are laid below the Lamb; while lower still, under the “health particles” are placed those taken out of the fifth loaf; which is called “the Requiem-Prósphora,” with a prayer for the dead.

        Having laid the particles on the paten, the priest covers them with the asterisk, so as to keep them in the order in which they were laid, and, in doing so, remembers the star which stopped over the house in Bethlehem, wherein the Infant Jesus dwelt. Then the priest covers the paten and the chalice with the veils and the aër in token that Christ, from the first moment of His coming into the world clothed Himself with glory, that His glory covers the whole world, that He covers us also with His grace.

        Thus the rites of the Proskomedia commemorate the Nativity of Jesus Christ, Who, from the first moment of His incarnation, was the Lamb destined to be sacrificed for the sins of men, and at the same time the King, Who gathered the believing around Himself as subjects; — we are reminded that, notwithstanding His seeming humiliation, the Divine glory covered Him and shone forth as a star.

        Having prepared the elements of the Sacrament, the priest prays, swinging the censer, that the Lord may bless the gifts (elements) and accept them, in memory of those who offered them and of those on whose behalf they were offered, and that He may keep him, the priest, worthy to celebrate the Holy Mystery.

2. The Liturgy of the Catechumens.

Meaning of the Liturgy of the Catechumens, Its Component Parts and Its Beginning. The second part of the Liturgy is named “the Liturgy of the Catechumens,” because not only the faithful may be present at it, i.e., those who have received baptism, but also the catechumens, who are preparing for baptism, and the penitents, i.e., such Christians as are, for their sins, excluded from holy communion for a time. This part of the Liturgy consists only of prayers, hymns in honor of the Most Holy Trinity, and readings from the Word of God.

        It begins with a glorification of the Kingdom of the Most Holy Trinity, that Kingdom of truth and peace which Jesus came to establish on earth. Then the Great Ectenia or Ectenia of Peace, is recited, in which we pray that the Lord may give us His peace from above, without which the Kingdom of Heaven may not be entered, and “pacify” the lives of all men on earth.

The Typical Psalms and the Antiphons.

        Having besought the mercy of the Lord, we sing hymns treating of the greatest of all His mercies,— the Incarnation of the Son of God. These hymns are sung alternately by two choirs, whence they are called Antiphons. They are divided by two Small Ecteniæ into three parts, in honor of the Most Holy Trinity. To the second Antiphon is always added a hymn in honor of the incarnate Son of God: “O Only-begotten Son and Word of God, Who art immortal, yet didst deign for our salvation to be incarnate of the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without change didst become man” (became man without ceasing to be God), “and wast crucified, O Christ God, trampling down death by death, Thou Who art one of the Holy Trinity” (one of the persons of the Holy Trinity), “glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.”

        Antiphons are of various kinds. On Sundays and feast-days Psalms 102 and 145 are sung; they are called “Typical Antiphons,” because they are typical of the mercy of God to man.

        Verses from Psalm 102:“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name. — Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not that He hath done for thee, Who is gracious unto all thine iniquities, Who healeth all thine infirmities, Who redeemeth thy life from corruption, Who crowneth thee with mercy and compassion, Who fulfilleth thy desire with good things;... Compassionate and merciful is the Lord, longsuffering and plenteous in mercy...”

        Verses from Psalm 145 (Second Antiphon): — “Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord in my life, I will chant unto my God for as long I have my being...”

        When these Psalms are sung, the Beatitudes take the place of the third Antiphon. This is the name given to Christ’s sayings about them that are blessed, combined with the troparia of the daily or feast-day canon. On great feast-days the Antiphons consist of prophetic verses selected from Psalms appropriate to the festive event, and to them are joined hymns indicating the nature of the feast.

The Entry with the Gospel.

        Immediately after the hymns in honor of the Holy Trinity, the faithful are prepared for the lessons from the Scriptures. In the old times of persecution, the holy Book was brought out of the repository for the sacred vessels, which was in a secret place. This custom has been preserved as a memorial of the old usage, and as an allusion to Christ’s coming and bringing the preaching of the Gospel into the world; The deacon opens the Royal Gates and brings out, through the northern door, the Gospel which lies on the altar, preceded by a candle-bearer and followed by the priest. The lighted candle indicates that the Word of God is light to our spirit, that the Law of God consecrates the path of our life, and that, we are expected to harbor the light of faith and the warmth of love, without which the teaching of Christ would be as unintelligible, to us as is the instruction of parents to children who do not love them or believe in them. Standing before the Royal Gates, the priest gives a blessing towards the East, with the words: “Blessed is the entry of Thy Saints, O Lord”; then the deacon calls out: “Wisdom. Aright!” alluding to the wisdom which is contained in the meaning of this entry, and inviting reverent attention. On great feast-days this is followed by a short verse from the Psalms, containing a prophecy concerning the commemorated event. In the Book of the Gospel the faithful see Christ Himself, Who came into the world to preach His doctrine, and adore Him by singing the solemn hymn: “O come, let us worship, and fall down before Christ; O Son of God, Who didst rise from the dead*, save us, who sing to Thee: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!” Then are sung the troparion and the kontakion for the day or feast, in which are pictured the mercies bestowed on us by the coming of the Saviour.

The Trisagion.

        The priest concludes the troparion and the kontakion by the exclamation: “For holy art Thou, our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory,” thus inviting the worshippers to celebrate the Holy Trinity; to which the worshippers respond by singing the Trisagion: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.” When the celebrant is assisted by a deacon, the Trisagion is brought out with greater emphasis. After the kontakion, the deacon asks a blessing of the priest: “Bless, Master, the time of the Trisagion,” and having received the blessing, at the exclamation “For holy art Thou, our God,” turns round and faces the people, saying “O Lord, save the pious and hearken unto us.” The choir repeats this petition, then chants the Trisagion.

On the days of the Nativity of Christ, of the Epiphany, on Lazarus’ Saturday and Holy Saturday, during the Paschal week and on the day of Pentecost, the following words are sung instead of the Trisagion: “As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia.” The reason for this substitution is that in ancient times, catechumens were wont to receive the sacrament of baptism preferably on those days. The Church has preserved the custom in order that we, who have received baptism, may be mindful of the pledges we then gave. On the day of the Exaltation of the Cross (14th of September), and on the third Sunday in Lent, consecrated to the adoration of the Cross, the following is sung in place of the Trisagion: “Before Thy Cross, we bow down, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify.”

The Apostle and the Gospel.

        After the singing of the Trisagion, the celebrants retire to the Bema. A bishop stands on the Bema itself; a priest behind the altar next to the Bema. At the same time the reader comes out into the middle of the Church bearing the Apostle and recites a prokimenon. In order to call the hearers’ attention to it, as being a verse which indicates the substance of the lesson, the deacon exclaims, “Let us attend,” after which the priest blesses the people, wishing them peace, and the deacon exclaims, “Wisdom!” After the prokimenon, the reader announces out of what book he is going to read, and the deacon once more invites attention, exclaiming, “Let us attend.” Then begins the reading of the lesson for the day.

        The reading of the Apostle is followed by that of the Gospel, i.e., of the lesson for the day out of one of the four evangelists. The worshippers are prepared also for the attentive hearing of the Gospel lesson. First, “Alleluia” is solemnly chanted, it having the same signification as the prokimenon before the Apostle. Only on Holy Saturday the following prokimenon is substituted for the “Alleluia:” “Arise, O God, judge the earth, for Thou shalt have an inheritance among all the nations.” During the chanting of the “Alleluia,” the censer is swung in allusion to the grace of God vouchsafed through His Word. Then the priest exclaims, “Wisdom! Aright! Let us hear the holy Gospel,” and blesses the people, wishing them peace, and the deacon announces from which Evangelist the lesson is taken. The worshippers give expression to their heartfelt joy by chanting, “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.” The priest repeats his invitation, “Let us attend,” and the deacon reads the Gospel lesson. After which “Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee,” is sung again, and the Royal Gates are closed.

Common Prayers.

        After hearing the word of Christ Saviour, all present offer up prayers for all the members of the Church, living or dead, in the words of the Triple Ectenia. If, in the first part of the Liturgy, oblations were offered in memory of the dead, a special Requiem Ectenia is then recited. If the service includes prayers for deliverance from national disasters, such as an epidemic, famine, war, or for the deliverance of some particular Christian from sickness, from accidents while traveling, and the like, these petitions are added to those of the Triple Ectenia. These common prayers are followed by the special ectenia for the catechumens, in which we pray that the Lord may “Teach them the Word of Truth — reveal to them the Gospel of Righteousness, — unite them to His Church; that He may save them, have mercy on them, help them and keep them by His grace, so that they also with us may glorify His most honorable and majestic Name.”

        Immediately after these prayers follows the departure of the catechumens. The deacon repeatedly exclaims, “As many as are catechumens, depart. In ancient times the prayers of the faithful began only after the deacons had ascertained that none of the catechumens remained in the church. At the present time, when baptism is usually administered in infancy, there seldom are any catechumens in a church, consequently the “departure of the catechumens” takes place rarely and not everywhere. But the allusion is preserved in the service, to remind the faithful of the vows they took at baptism, and arouse in them a humble consciousness of sin.

3. The Liturgy of the Faithful.

What the Liturgy of the Faithful Represents, and the Principal Acts Which Compose it. The third part of the Liturgy is named “The Liturgy of the Faithful,” because none but the faithful may be present at the celebration thereof,— i.e., such persons as have received the Sacrament of Baptism and endeavor to live in accordance with the Christian law.

        After the catechumens have left the church, the deacon calls out, “As many as are of the Faithful, again and again, in peace let us pray to the Lord,” and with this invitation to prayer opens the Liturgy of the Faithful, in the course of which Christians call to mind the passion, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and second coming of Christ the Saviour, and pray that the Lord may accept their gifts and make them partakers in His Mystical Supper. The order of the prayers and rites of the Liturgy is disposed to correspond with these memories and petitions.

        The Liturgy of the Faithful is divided into four parts: (a) The final preparation of the Elements and the faithful for the Sacrifice; (b) the offering of the Sacrifice, i.e., the performance of the sacrament and commemoration of the members of the Church; (c) the preparation for Communion and the partaking of Communion and (d) thanksgiving for Communion and the conclusion of the service.

(A). Preparation of the Elements and the Faithful for the Sacrifice

The Great Entry.

        After the two Small Ecteniæ for the faithful have been recited, ending with the exclamation, “Wisdom!” the Royal Gates are opened and the choir sings the hymn on the transfer of the Elements to the altar, which hymn is called the Cherubic Hymn, because we are preparing to minister at the Throne of God on earth even as the Cherubim minister at the Heavenly Throne.

        The Cherubic Hymn.— “Let us who mystically represent the Cherubim and chant the thrice-holy hymn unto the life-creating Trinity, now lay aside all earthly care; that we may receive the King of all, who is cometh invisibly upborne in triumph by the ranks of angels. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”

        While the Cherubic Hymn is sung, after censing with incense, the solemn transfer of the Elements from the table of oblations to the Altar takes place. In the middle of the hymn, immediately after the words “lay aside all earthly care,” the singing is interrupted; at this moment the celebrants — the deacon holding the paten poised on his head, the priest holding the chalice in his hands, both preceded by candle bearers — come out of the northern door, and, stopping before the Royal Gates, with their faces to the people, pray first for the Russian Church (or other national Church), the local bishop and all Orthodox Christians,* “that the Lord may remember them in His Kingdom.” When mentioning the members of the Church, the celebrants also mention on whose behalf and with what petitions the Sacrifice is to be offered. Then, entering the sanctuary by the Royal Gates, the priest places the paten and the chalice upon the unfolded Antimins, while the deacon closes the Royal Gates and draws the curtain behind it, in memory of the burial of Christ, Who received death for our sins. During this time the choir ends the Cherubic Hymn.

        Christians reverently receive the Elements brought out to them, vividly recalling Christ as He, of His own free will, goeth forth to suffering and death, and pray, in the words of the penitent thief, “that He may remember them all also in His Kingdom.”†

Petitions and the Profession of Faith.

        After the Cherubic Hymn follows the Ectenia of Supplication, in which, putting away all worldly care, we ask for spiritual mercies only. To the petitions of this ectenia is added a petition “for the precious Gifts that have been offered.”

        After the ectenia the faithful are reminded of the things which are demanded of each of them in order that the Sacrifice which they offer may be acceptable to God: spiritual peace, mutual love, and unity of faith. The priest as he blesses the people, says “Peace be unto all,” to which they reply, “And to thy spirit.” Then the deacon exclaims “Let us love one another that with one mind we may confess”* — when the choir in the name of all present announces Who is to be confessed: “the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and indivisible”; after which they chant the profession of faith, the Creed or “Symbol of Faith.” — “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty...” As faith reveals to us the mysteries of the Deity and proclaims the resurrection of Christ, Who accepted death on the Cross for our sake, the curtain is drawn away at this moment, as the seal from the grave, the veil is lifted from the Elements, and the priest fans them with it from above, symbolizing the breath of the grace of the Holy Spirit. In the East this act of fanning the Elements was originally instituted and is maintained to this day, as a protection against dust and insects. In ancient times the Christians did not reveal the mysteries of their faith to Pagans and Jews, therefore, before the chanting of the Creed, the deacon called to the doorkeepers, “The doors! the doors!” ordering them to look out sharply that no unbaptized intruder might enter, then turned to those present, with the words, “in wisdom let us attend.” At the present time, when there is no need of guarding the church doors, these words are uttered by the deacon as a reminder to the Worshippers that they should guard the doors of their souls, and not admit into it any thoughts, wishes or feelings unworthy of the holiness of the great Sacrament.

Invitation to Attend.

        When the worshippers have ended their profession of faith, which entitles them to be present at the Liturgy of the Faithful, the deacon invites their reverent attention, so they may worthily offer the sacrifice to the Lord:— “Let us stand well; let us stand with fear; let us attend, that we may offer the holy oblation in peace.” The choir responds for the faithful, telling in what their sacrifice shall consist: “A mercy of peace (of spirit), a sacrifice of praise.” Then the priest blesses their intention, saying: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” The faithful receive this blessing with bowed heads, in token of reverence, and respond, “And with thy spirit.” The priest once more invites the faithful to attend closely and to keep free of all earthly things: “Let us lift up our hearts!” to which the faithful respond, “We lift them up unto the Lord.” With this ends the preparation for the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

(B). The Fulfillment of the Sacrament

The Consecration of the Gifts.

        The consummation of the Sacrament begins with the priest’s exclamation: “Let us give thanks unto the Lord.” The faithful, in response to this invitation, worship the Lord, and, mindful of all His mercies, sing the hymn: “It is meet and right it is to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and indivisible. In order that the absent also may, at this solemn instant of the service, join their prayers of thanksgiving to those of the faithful in the church, the bells are set tolling (in single-strokes). After worshipping the Holy Trinity, the priest lifts the asterisk from the paten, and invites the people to express their thanksgiving to the Lord not only by worship but also by singing the triumphal hymn in His honor: “Singing, shouting, crying aloud, and saying:” (i.e., “let us give thanks to the Lord, singing a triumphal hymn to Him with all the powers of our souls”*) and the faithful, in, response to this invitation, sing the triumphal hymn composed of the song of the Angels who surround the Throne Of God in heaven, and that with which the Jews met Christ on the occasion of His festive entrance into Jerusalem: “Holy, holy, holy Lord of Sabaoth (Lord of hosts), Heaven and earth are filled with Thy glory! — Hosanna in the highest! — Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”*

        Having rendered thanks to God for all His mercies by worship. and song of praise, the priest utters the words, in which Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which is the greatest monument of God’s supreme love for men: “Take, eat (the bread); this is My Body which is broken for you for the remission of sins”; and “drink ye of it, all of you (the cup); this is My Blood of the New Testament,† which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins.” The faithful calling to mind at these words the Mystical Supper, the passion and death of Christ, respond, “Amen.”

        Then the priest, in fulfillment of Christ’s command, to “do this in memory of Him,” raises the paten and the chalice, saying as he does so: “Thine own, of Thine own we offer unto Thee in behalf of all and for all” (i.e., “What is Thine own we offer, from Thine own servants in behalf of all men, and for all Thy mercies”); and the faithful, taking up his words, chant: “We praise Thee, we bless Thee, We give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto Thee, our God.” While this hymn is being chanted; the priest prays that the Lord may send down His Holy Spirit on the offered Gifts, consecrate them, and change the bread into His true Body, and the Wine into His true Blood, then blesses the Gifts. At this instant, by the might of God, the bread and the wine are changed in substance into the Body and Blood of Christ. All who are present in the Church express their veneration for the sacred Mystery by a prostration.

Commemoration.

        After the consecration of the elements, the priest commemorates the members of the Church, in whose behalf they have been offered. He says in his prayer that we offer this sacrifice for all the Saints who have gone to their rest (i.e., died) — more especially for the Mother of God — and that we beseech Him, that, hearing their prayers, He may visit us and be mindful of all those who have died in the hope of a resurrection. The deacon at the same time reads the Diptychs — i.e., lists of names of deceased Christians. After praying for the dead, the priest prays for the living — that the Lord may be mindful of the bishops, the priests, and of all Christian people. This commemoration of the members of the Church the priest begins while the choir is singing, “We praise Thee.” When this prayer is ended he commemorates aloud the Mother of God, “Especially for our most holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.” To this prayer the faithful respond with a hymn of praise in honor of the Mother of God “It is truly meet to bless thee.” On great feast days, the choir sings in the place of this hymn the eirmos of the ninth ode of the matins canon. While the hymn “it is truly meet” is being sung, the priest proceeds with the commemoration of the members of the church and when it is ended he commemorates aloud from among the living, the bishops, as the governors and pastors of the Church: “Among the first, remember, O Lord, the Orthodox episcopate of the Church of Russia”; (or another national Church), “and our lord the Very Most Reverend Metropolitan N., First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad; and our lord, the Most Reverend (Archbishop or Bishop, N., whose diocese it is), whom do Thou grant unto Thy holy churches in peace, safety, honor, health, and length of days rightly dividing the Word of Thy truth.”* The deacon during this time reads the list of the living who are to be commemorated.

        The priest ends the commemoration of the members of the Church with the prayer: “And grant unto us (i.e., help us — all that have been commemorated together with the Saints and all who have died in the hope of resurrection) that with one mouth and one heart we may glorify and hymn Thy most honorable and majestic Name, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now, and ever and unto the ages of ages.” The worshippers respond, “Amen!” in token of their participation in the offering of the Sacrifice and in the commemoration of the members of the Church. This part of the Liturgy of the Faithful also concludes with the priest’s blessing: “And may the mercies of our great God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ be with you all,” and with the worshippers wishing the priest the same mercies: “And with thy spirit.”

(C). The Preparation for Communion and the Act of Communion

The Preparation for Communion.

        Immediately after the commemoration of all the members of the Church, begins the preparation of the faithful for Communion. The deacon recites the Ectenia of Supplication, which he begins with the invitation: “Having called to remembrance all the Saints, again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord,” to which he adds a petition for the precious gifts offered, and consecrated, that the Lord accepting them at His holy, heavenly and spiritual altar (i.e., non-substantial, not like the material altar erected by us), as the odor of a spiritual sweet smell, may in return send down to us the divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit and deliver us from all affliction, wrath and necessity. The ectenia concludes with the priest’s praying that the Lord may vouchsafe to let us address Him uncondemned as our Father, in the Lord’s Prayer: “And vouchsafe us, O Master, that with boldness, and without condemnation, we may dare to call upon Thee, the Heavenly God as Father, and to say “Our Father, Who art in the Heavens,” etc. The Lord’s Prayer is then chanted by the faithful (the choir). Then the priest gives them his blessing with the good wish, “Peace be unto all,” and the deacon invites them to bow down their heads before the Lord. At this moment the curtain is drawn; the priest, after the deacon’s exclamation, “Let us attend” elevates the consecrated Lamb, saying: “Holy things are for the holy!” (i.e., the holy gifts can be offered only to those who are holy). All present, with profound veneration, worship with a prostration the Holy Lamb, and say in the consciousness of their unworthiness: “One is holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.”

The Communion of the Celebrants.

        After the faithful have been prepared for receiving holy communion, the priest breaks the Lamb in four parts, saying: “Broken and distributed is the Lamb of God: broken, yet not divided; ever eaten, though never consumed, but sanctifying them that partake thereof,” — and places these parts on the paten in the shape of a Cross. Then he places one portion in the chalice with the words: “The fullness of the Holy Spirit,” (meaning that the Sacrament is fulfilled through the action of the Holy Spirit) then he blesses the warm water, saying: Blessed is the warmth (i.e., the warmth of heart) of Thy Saints,” and pours some into the chalice, saying: “The warmth of faith is full of the Holy Spirit” (i.e., the warmth of faith is enkindled in the human soul through the action of the Holy Spirit). Uniting the Body and Blood of Christ, the priest remembers the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and, by the Words uttered at that moment, indicates that the Sacrament is fulfilled through the action of the Holy Spirit, that only one possessed of warm faith may participate in this Sacrament, and that this faith is enkindled in the human soul by the grace of the Holy Spirit.

        After all these acts have been performed, the celebrants take communion, partaking first of the Body then of the Blood of Christ, after which the remaining portions of the Lamb are placed into the chalice, the Sunday hymns being recited the while. If there are no communicants (i.e., no persons duly prepared to receive holy communion) all the portions taken out of the oblation-loaves in honor of the Virgin and the Saints and in memory of the dead and the living are now placed into the chalice, with the prayer, “Cleanse, O Lord, the sins of those here commemorated, by Thy precious Blood and by the prayers of Thy Saints. If there are communicants, these portions remain in the paten until after the communion of the faithful.

        During the act of breaking the Lamb, of uniting the Elements, and of communion by the celebrants, a hymn is sung, which is called “the Communion Hymn,” and which relates to the memories of the day and the lessons from the Gospels and the Apostle. The communion hymn for Sunday is, “Praise the Lord from the Heavens, praise Him in the highest. Amen.” This hymn is usually followed by the sermon or homily.

The Communion of Laymen.

        After the communion hymn and the homily, the curtain is drawn away, the Royal Gates are opened; the deacon brings out the chalice with the Sacrament, stands on the ambo, and calls out: “With the fear of God, and with faith draw near!” The faithful venerate the Sacrament with a prostration, remembering Christ who rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, and sing: “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; God is the Lord, and hath appeared unto us.” Then the communicants approach the ambo, make their profession of faith in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and beseech the Lord that He may admit them to participate in His Mystical Supper and vouchsafe to let them receive His holy communion uncondemned.

        Prayers before Communion.— “I believe, O Lord, and I confess that Thou truly the Christ, the Son of the living God; Who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Moreover, I believe that this is truly Thy most pure Body and that this is truly Thine Own precious Blood. Wherefore, I pray Thee, have mercy on me, and forgive me my transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, in word and deed, in knowledge or in ignorance. And vouchsafe me to partake without condemnation of Thy most pure Mysteries unto the remission of sins and life everlasting.” — “Of Thy Mystical Supper, O Son of God, receive me today as a communicant; for I will not speak of the Mystery to Thine enemies, nor will I give Thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the Thief do I confess Thee: Remember me, O Lord, in Thy kingdom.” — “let not the communion of Thy holy Mysteries be unto me for judgment or condemnation, O Lord, but for healing of soul and body.”

        Then, after a prostration, the communicants, one by one, without crowding one another, and with hands reverently crossed on the breast, approach the chalice, receive the Body and Blood of Christ out of the spoon from the hands of the priest, and very gently kiss the edge of the chalice, as it were the side of Christ Himself. As he gives the communion to each, the priest says: “The servant (or handmaid) of God, N., partaketh of the precious and holy Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, unto the remission of sins and life everlasting.” The communicant retires and makes a reverent obeisance, but not a prostration; for, having become mystically united to Christ, he is now a child of God, and the prostration is a sign of servitude. During the time, that laymen receive communion, the choir repeatedly sings: “Receive ye the Body of Christ, taste ye of the fountain of immortality. Alleluia!” Having administered the Sacrament to all the communicants, the priest carries the chalice to the altar and places in it the portions taken out of the oblation-breads on behalf of the living and the dead.

The Last Appearance of the Holy Gifts.

        This part of the Liturgy ends, like the preceding ones, with a blessing. Having placed the chalice upon the altar, the priest steps out of the sanctuary, and standing on the ambo, blesses the people, speaking this prayer: “Save, O God, Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.” In answer to this, the choir sings a hymn which sets forth what mercies the people have received through Christ: “We have seen the true Light, we have received the Heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, we worship the indivisible Trinity, for He hath saved us.” While this hymn is being sung, the priest censes the chalice, which holds the holy Gifts and when it is ended, the deacon carries the paten to the altar, and the priest, taking up the chalice, faces the people and utters the concluding words of the Doxology: “Always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.” The faithful make an obeisance to the very ground, remembering the ascension of Christ to Heaven.

(D). Conclusion of the Service

Giving Thanks.

        Having adored Christ manifested for the last time in His holy Sacrament the Christians sing the hymn of thanksgiving: “Let our mouth be filled with Thy praise, O Lord, that we may hymn Thy glory, for Thou hast vouchsafed to make us partake of Thy holy, divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries; keep us in Thy holiness, that we may meditate on Thy righteousness all the day long. Alleluia” (i.e., help us to preserve in ourselves the holiness which we have received through communion, that we may through this whole day study to live righteously, according to Thy word). The deacon also gives thanks in the prayers of the Small Ectenia, which differs from the ordinary one in that instead of beginning with the words “Again and again,” etc., it begins as follows: “Aright! Having partaken of the divine, holy, most pure, immortal, heavenly and life-giving fearful Mysteries of Christ, let us worthily give thanks unto the Lord”

The Prayer Before the Ambo and Dismissal.

        After thanks have been given the priest blesses the Christians who are to go forth out of the church, reminding, them that they should go forth and live outside of it in the same peace with which they entered it. “In peace let us depart,” he says. To this the choir responds, speaking for all, “In the name of the Lord.” Then the priest, stepping down from the ambo, and standing in the midst of the people, recites a prayer which is an epitome of the entire service. He prays that the Lord may save His people and bless His inheritance, the fullness of His Church (i.e., the entire Christian community), that He may preserve and sanctify those who love the splendor of His house; that He may not forsake us, who hope in Him, and that he may grant peace to the whole world, to His churches, to the priesthood, and to all His people.” The choir, speaking for all, express the wish to go forth with the blessing of God: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from henceforth and for evermore,” is sung thrice, after which Psalm 33 is sung: “I will bless the Lord at all times.”

        During the singing of the Psalm, the priest distributes pieces of holy bread. These are the remnants of the oblation-loaf out of which a portion — the Lamb — has been cut in memory of Christ, and is called Antidóron, which means: “Substitute for the Gift.” The Antidoron is distributed in order that those who have not received communion may also, at least, in thought, share in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, that they may not feel left out of the community of the faithful, but in communion with them. The distribution of the Antidoron is a survival of the agápës or love-feasts which, among the early Christians, were made up of the remains of the offerings brought.

        After the reading of the Psalm, and the distribution of the Antidoron, the priest blesses the people in the name of the Lord, saying, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you, by His grace and love for mankind.” The service ends with a prayerful wish that the Lord may have mercy on us at the intercession of the Mother of God, and of His Saints, and that He may give us length of days.

The communicants remain after the dismissal, to listen to more prayers of thanksgiving for communion.

NOTE 1. Days When the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is Performed, and Wherein It Differs From That of St. John Chrysostom.— The Liturgy as ordered by St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Cæsarea in Cappadocia, is performed only ten times in the year: on the Vigils of Christmas and Epiphany (if these vigils do not fall on a Saturday or Sunday, in which case the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is performed on the feast-day itself, and that of St. John Chrysostom on the vigil); on the first of January, that being the day dedicated to the memory of St. Basil; on the Sundays of Lent, with the exception of Palm Sunday; on Thursday and Saturday of the Holy Week.

          The Liturgy of Basil the Great differs from that of John Chrysostom only in the following points 1). the secret prayers, which the priest recites inaudibly while performing the sacrifice are longer, and, therefore, the hymns which accompany the act are sung to slower time; 2). the words of the institution of the Sacrament are given as follows “He gave to His holy disciples and apostles and said: take and eat...” and “He gave to His holy disciples and apostles and said: take and drink...”; 3). in the place of the hymn “It is truly meet,” the hymn immediately following is sung: “In thee rejoiceth, thou who art full of grace, all creation”; 4). in the dismissal prayer the name of Basil the Great is mentioned instead of John Chrysostom’s.

NOTE 2. The Typica. — When, on days on which the church statutes prescribe that the Liturgy shall be celebrated, it is not possible to do so, either from the lack of a church or because the priest has failed to prepare himself for partaking of the Sacrament, the Rite of the Typica is substituted for the Liturgy. This service begins with the singing, immediately after the Great Ectenia, of the two Psalms, 102 (“Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me bless His holy name”), and 145 (“Praise the Lord, O my Soul”), which, in the complete Liturgy, are used as Typical Antiphons. These Psalms are followed by the hymn “O only-begotten Son...” which contains the Christian doctrine of the Incarnation, and by the Beatitudes, with the penitent thief’s prayer, “Remember me, O Lord, in Thy Kingdom,” repeated between the verses. After the Beatitudes, the Apostle and the Gospel are read, the Triple Ectenia is recited, the Creed is chanted, followed by the Ectenia of Supplication, and, in conclusion, the Lord’s Prayer and Dismissal.