Understanding the Divine Liturgy

1
Understanding the Divine Liturgy
Celebrating The Year of the Holy Eucharist

• Session 2
• Preparation of the Priest and of the Holy Gifts
• (Remembering for whom and by whom it is offered)
• A study based on the book The Heavenly Banquet,
  by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
• and The Orthodox Faith vol. II (Worship) by Fr.
  Thomas Hopko

2
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
Before the actual beginning of the Divine
Liturgy, the priest enters the Church and prays a
special service called The Kairon Service or
preparation prayers.
This service is prayed outside the sanctuary in
front of the iconostas.
Prayer taken from the end of the Kairon service.
Stretch forth thy hand, O Lord, from thy holy
dwelling place (on high), and strengthen me for
thine appointed service, that standing without
condemnation before thy fearful judgment seat, I
may fulfill the sacred, bloodless service, for
thine is the power and the glory, unto ages of
ages. Amen
3
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
The priest then enters the sanctuary, bows three
times, kisses the Gospel and says
Prayer upon entering the sanctuary I will come
into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy, and
in fear I will worship toward thy holy temple.
Cleanse, O Lord, the defilement of my soul, and
save me, for thou art the Lover of mankind.
4
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
Next the priest prays a special service as he
puts on his vestments. Each piece he puts on has
a prayer and specific meaning that goes with it.
The Sticharion The White robe worn under all
other vestments. It represents the baptismal
garment we wore at our baptism.
Putting on the sticharion, the priest says My
soul shall rejoice in the Lord, for He has
clothed me with the garment of salvation, and
with the robe of gladness He has encompassed me.
As a bridegroom He has set a crown upon me, and
as a bride He has adorned me with an ornament.
(Isaiah 6110)
5
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
The vesting service cont.
The cuffs or Epimanikia The cuffs represent the
reminder that the Priest is tied against sin.
Blessing and kissing the right and left cuff, the
priest says the following prayers. Your right
hand, O Lord is glorified in strength Your
right, O Lord, has shattered Your enemies, and in
the multitude of Your glory You crushed Your
adversaries. (Exodus 156) and Your hands have
made and fashioned me give me understanding and
I will learn Your commandments. (Psalm 11973)
6
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
The vesting service cont.
The Epigonation or Shield Given to priests who
have the distinction of hearing confessions. A
square vestment that hangs to the right side of
the priest. It represents the Sword of the
Spirit (which is the Word of God) and Christs
victory over death. It can also symbolize the
towel that Christ used to wipe the feet of His
disciples.
Blessing the Epigonation and kissing it, the
priest says Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O
Mighty One, in Your comeliness and your beauty,
and proceed prosperously, and be king because of
truth and meekness and righteousness and Your
right hand shall guide You wondrously. (Psalm
453)
7
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
The vesting service cont.
The Stole or Epitrachilion This garment
represents the dignity of the office of the
Priest.
Blessing the stole and kissing it, the priest
says. Blessed is God, who pours out His grace
upon His priests, as oil of myrrh on the head,
running down upon the beard of Aaron, running
down over the fringe of his robe. (Psalm 1332)
8
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
The vesting service cont.
The Belt or Zone This garment represents the
wisdom and strength of the Priestly office.
Blessing the belt and kissing it, the priest puts
it on and says. Blessed is God, who girds me
with strength and has made my path blameless.
(Psalm 1832)
9
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
The vesting service cont.
The Phelonion The outer garment covering the
shoulders. Its short in front and long in the
back to symbolize Christ carrying the cross on
His shoulders. Its also a reminder of the
scarlet robe placed on Christ before the
crucifixion.
Blessing the belt and kissing it, the priest puts
it on and says. Your priests, O Lord, shall be
clothed with righteousness, and Your holy ones
shall shout for joy (Psalm 1329)
10
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
A Fully Vested Priest
11
Part 1How the priest prepares for the Divine
Liturgy
The Washing of the Hands
Before beginning any of the sacred functions of
the Divine Liturgy, the priest washes his hands.
This action symbolizes the purity of those who
celebrate the Eucharist.
12
Part 2Preparation of the Holy GiftsWith notes
from Understanding The Orthodox Liturgy by Fr.
Michel Najim T.L. Frazier
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service

• Before the Divine Liturgy, the priest prepares
  the offering of bread and wine on the table of
  Oblation, called the Prothesis table.
• The word Proskomide means to offer
  
  or to bring. This service dates
  back to the 14th century
• The gifts are offered to give thanks
  
  to God and to make
  supplication to Him.
• No Divine Liturgy can be celebrated
  
  without the Proskomedia.
• The Prothesis table symbolizes the Christs
  manger.
• The Prothesis table signifies Calvary. This is
  the place where Jesus was offered up to God

13
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service

• The priest first holds the offering with both
  hands, elevates it and makes the sign of the
  cross with it saying
• Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and
  unto ages of ages.

In remembrance of our Lord and God and Savior
Jesus Christ.
14
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service

• Next, the priest cuts a large cube of bread from
  the loaf (called the Prosphora or offering).
• This cube is called the Lamb. It represents
  Christ Himself who is The bread of lifewhich
  came down from heaven, and who takes away the sin
  of the world. (John 129)

As the priest cuts the lamb from the bread, he
recites from the prophecy of Isaiah. As a sheep
led to the slaughter, and as a blameless lamb
before its shearer is dumb, so he opened not his
mouth. (Isaiah 237)
15
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service
The Seal from which the lamb is taken.
The lamb has the symbols (IC XC) Jesus Christ
and (NI KA) Conquers.
16
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service

• And then, inverting the Lamb, he makes a deep
  cross-wise cut without cutting through it and
  says
• Sacrificed is the Lamb of God, who takes away
  the sin of the world.
• This is done so the Lamb can easily be broken
  into four separate pieces at the time of Holy
  Communion.

• The priest then puts the Lamb on a Diskos,
  pierces it on the symbol IC with the Spear,
  saying
• One of the soldiers pierced his side with a
  spear, and at once there came out blood
  and water. (John 1934)
  
  

The Diskos represents the hands of Joseph of
Arimathea and Nicodemus, who baried Christ. It
also represents Heaven. The spear represents
the spear that was used to pierce Christs side
at His crucifixion.
17
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service

• The priest then pours wine and water into a
  Chalice and blesses it saying
• Blessed is the union of thy holy things.
• The wine and water represent the blood and water
  which came forth from Christs body when the
  soldier pierced it.

18
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service
The Church is called the Body of Christ

• So, the priest cuts out pieces from the Lamb,
  which will become the eucharistic Body of Christ.
• These pieces are placed on the Diskos around the
  Lamb, showing that Christ is the center of the
  Church.
• This also shows that we are mystically presenting
  ourselves to God as a living scrifice, holy and
  acceptable to God.

Christ
The Virgin Mary
The Saints
The living and the departed
19
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service
After having poured wine mixed with water into
the chalice, the priest then places a piece of
bread on the Diskos next to the Lamb in
remembrance of the Theotokos.

• Then pieces of bread are placed on the Diskos in
  memory of
• John the Baptist
• the prophets
• The Apostles
• The Hierarchs
• The Marytrs
• The Monastic Saints
• The Healers,
• The Saints commemorated for the day
• The Saint whose liturgy is being celebrated.

20
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service
In addition, pieces are placed on the Diskos for
the bishop, for civil authorities, and for all
the faithful both living and departed.
Then the priest places over the Diskos a cover
called The Star, and says The star came to
rest over the place where the young child was.
The Star represents the Star of Bethleham,
and also protects the Lamb from anything touching
it.
21
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service
Covering the Gifts with special covers
The priest blesses the cover for the Diskos with
incense and says The Lord is King, He is
clothed with majesty and strength. For He has
established the world which shall not be shaken.
22
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service
Covering the Gifts with special covers
The priest then blesses the cover for the Chalice
with incense and says Thy virtue has covered
the heavens, O Christ, and the earth is full of
thy praise.
23
Part 2Preparation of the Holy Gifts
The Proskomedia or Prothesis Service
Covering the Gifts with special covers
Finally, the priest blesses the aer with
incense, and covering both the Diskos and Chalice
he says Shelter us, O God, in the shelter of
thy wings drive away from us every enemy and
foe make our life peaceful and have mercy on us
and on the whole world, for thou art good and
lovest mankind.