Sometimes, at an All-night Vigil, towards the end of Vespers, the
officiating clergy go forth with censers and candles into the vestibule of the
church, there to perform the Litiá. The word means “earnest
supplication.” In ancient times this was done in order that the catechumens and
penitents who stood in the vestibule might participate in the gladness of the
festival. The faithful used to come out with the clergy, to signify their
humility and their brotherly love towards those who had sinned. At the present
time this custom still survives and serves as a reminder to all Christians that
they may have a care to the purity of their souls, which alone makes them
worthy to enter into the House of God. The Litia consists chiefly of an ectenia,
recited by the deacon, “for the salvation of the people; for the sovereign and
his House; for the clergy; for all afflicted Christian souls (afflicted by
sorrow or sin), desirous of aid; for the city, the country and all Christians
living therein; for the deceased fathers and brethren; for deliverance from
famine, epidemics, earthquakes, flood, fire, sword, hostile invasion and civil
strife.” After the ectenia all present bow their heads and the priest
says a prayer in which he beseeches the Lord to “accept our prayer, to grant us
the remission of our transgressions, to chase away from us every foe, to keep
our life in peace, to have mercy on us and to save us.” In the churches which
have no vestibule, the Litia is performed inside the church, by the
western entrance.
Note.— In times of public calamities, the Litia
is sometimes performed out of doors, on fields, public squares or city halls.
For this purpose the clergy comes out bearing Crosses, banners and icons,
forming a procession.
After the Litia, the clergy, to the singing of verses, return
from the vestibule into the church, and stand in the middle of it, before a
table on which have been placed five loaves of bread and three vessels, one
with wheat, one with grape wine and one with oil. After reading the concluding
prayers of the Vespers office, the priest makes the sign of the Cross over the
loaves and prays the Lord that He may bless them and multiply them “in the
whole world, and sanctify the faithful (Christians) who partake of these
gifts.” The service concludes with a blessing to the congregation. In ancient
times, immediately after the blessing of the loaves, a portion of the Apostle
was read,* with appropriate explanations. During this reading all sat, and the deacons distributed to the hearers a piece each
of the blessed bread and a cup of the wine, that they might sustain their
strength. At the present time, the services being abridged, no food is offered
between Vespers and Matins.