Liturgy. Following the Divine Liturgy The order of the Divine Liturgy for the choir

Divine services in the Russian Orthodox Church are held according to the Jerusalem Charter, accepted one and a half thousand years ago. The charter specifies the procedure or succession Liturgy, Vespers, Matins and small services of the daily circle. In general, this is a complex system, the deep knowledge of which is available only to professionals. But the Church recommends that every Christian study the main stages of worship in order to discover the spiritual wealth accumulated over the centuries.

Word "liturgy" means common service, a gathering of believers for the sake of meeting God. This is the most important Christian service, when the transformation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ takes place. "We are participating in the supernatural“- this is how St. John of Damascus speaks about this.

For the first time, the Liturgy was celebrated by Christ Himself on the eve of suffering. Having gathered in the upper room for a festive meal, His disciples prepared everything for performing the Passover rituals then accepted among the Jews. These rituals were symbolic, reminding the participants of the meal of liberation from Egyptian slavery. But when the rite of the Passover meal was fulfilled by Christ, the symbols and prophecies turned into fulfilled Divine promises: man became free from sin and again found heavenly bliss.

Thus, originating from the ancient Jewish rite, the Christian liturgy in general resembles its continuation, and the entire daily cycle of services, starting with Vespers, is a preparation for its celebration.

In modern church practice, the liturgy is a morning (according to the time of day) service. In the ancient church it was performed at night, which still happens today on the days of the great holidays of Christmas and Easter.

Development of the liturgical order

The order of the first Christian liturgies was simple and resembled a friendly meal, accompanied by prayer and remembrance of Christ. But soon it became necessary to distinguish the liturgy from ordinary dinner parties in order to instill in the faithful reverence for the Sacrament being performed. Gradually, in addition to the psalms of David, it included hymns composed by Christian authors.

With the spread of Christianity to the east and west, worship began to acquire the national characteristics of the people who accepted the new faith. The liturgies began to differ from each other so much that decisions of councils of bishops were required to establish a single sequence.

Currently, there are 4 main liturgical rites, compiled by the Holy Fathers and celebrated in the Orthodox Church:

• - is performed daily, excluding the statutory days of the Liturgy of Basil the Great, and during the Lenten Triodion - on Saturdays and Palm Sunday.
• Basil the Great- 10 times a year: on the author’s memorial day, both Christmas Eves, 5 times during Lent and 2 times during Holy Week.
• Gregory Dvoeslov or the Presanctified Gifts- served during Lent on weekdays.
• Apostle James the Greek- performed in some Russian parishes on the day of remembrance of the Apostle.

In addition to the listed liturgies, there are special rites in the Ethiopian, Coptic (Egyptian), Armenian and Syrian churches. The Catholic West, as well as Catholics of the Eastern Rite, have their own liturgies. In general terms, all liturgies are similar to each other.

The order compiled by St. John Chrysostom, used in the practice of the Church since the 5th century. In time it is younger than the creation of Basil the Great. For the parishioner, the liturgies of both authors are similar and differ only in time. The Liturgy of St. Basil is longer due to the length of the secret priestly prayers. Contemporaries of John Chrysostom argued that he compiled the shorter rite out of love for the common people, burdened by long services.

The abbreviated following of John Chrysostom quickly spread throughout Byzantium and over time developed into the rite of the most famous Divine Liturgy. The text with explanations given below will help the laity understand the meaning of the main points of the service, and choir singers and readers will help avoid common mistakes.

Liturgy usually begins at 8–9 a.m. hours three and six are read in front of it, recalling the trial of Pilate and the crucifixion of Christ. When the hours are read on the choir, a proskomedia is celebrated in the altar. The serving priest prepared in the evening, reading a long rule, in order to begin the throne the next day.

The service begins with the exclamation of the priest “Blessed is the Kingdom...”, and after the response of the choir the Great Litany immediately follows. Then the antiphons begin, figurative, festive or daily.

Antiphons Fine

Bless the Lord, my soul.

Small Litany:

Praise the Lord, my soul.

The first two hymns symbolize the prayer and hope of Old Testament man, the third - the preaching of the revealed Christ. Before the Blessed Ones the song “The Only Begotten Son” is heard, the authorship of which is attributed to Emperor Justinian (6th century). This moment of the service reminds us of the Nativity of the Savior.

Third Antiphon, 12 Beatitudes:

In Your Kingdom, remember us, Lord...

The Rule suggests interspersing the verses of the beatitudes with the troparions of the canons read at Matins. Each category of service has its own number of troparions:

• sixfold - from “Blessed are the peacemakers” to 6;
• polyeleos or vigil of the saint - at 8, with “Blessed are the merciful”;
• Sunday - at 10, with “Blessed are the Meeks.”

In churches with daily liturgy on weekdays, you can hear the Daily Antiphons. The texts of these chants represent verses from the psalms, interspersed with a chorus dedicated to the Lord and the Mother of God. There are also three daily antiphons; they have a more ancient origin. Over time, they are increasingly being replaced by Fine.

On the days of the Lord's holidays, Festive antiphons are sounded, similar in structure to everyday antiphons. These texts can be found in the Menaion and Triodion, at the end of the feast service.

Small entrance

From this moment the Liturgy itself begins. Priests singing the entrance verse “Come, let us worship...” enter the altar with the Gospel, that is, with Christ Himself. The saints invisibly follow them, so immediately after the entrance verse the choir sings troparia and kontakia to the saints, prescribed according to the Rule.

Trisagion

The singing of the Trisagion was introduced in the 6th century. According to legend, this song was first heard by a young resident of Constantinople performed by an angelic choir. At this time, the city suffered from a strong earthquake. The gathered people began to repeat the words the youth had heard, and the elements subsided. If the previous entrance verse, “Come, let us worship,” referred only to Christ, then the Trisagion is sung to the Holy Trinity.

Prokeimenon and reading of the Apostle

The order of reading the Apostle at the Liturgy is regulated by the Charter and depends on the rank, connection of services and holiday periods. When preparing readings, it is more convenient to use the church calendar or “Liturgical Instructions” for the current year. And also prokeemnas with alleluaries are given in Appendix to the Apostle in several sections:

If you carefully study the composition of the book of the Apostle, preparing the readings will take a little time. There can be no more than two prokims, and no more than three readings.

The sequence of exclamations at the reading of the Apostle:

• Deacon: Let's take a look.
• Priest: Peace to all.
• Reader of the Apostle: And your spirit. Prokeimenon voice... (voice and text of the prokeimenon)
• Chorus: prokeimenon.
• Reader: verse.
• Chorus: prokeimenon.
• Reader: the first half of the prokeimna.
• Choir: finishes singing the prokeimenon.
• Deacon: Wisdom.

The reader proclaims the title of the apostolic reading. It is important to pronounce the inscriptions correctly:

• Reading of the Acts of the Saints.
• Reading of the Council Epistle of Petrov (Jacob).
• To the Corinthians (Hebrews, Timothy, Titus) reading of the epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul.

Deacon: Let's listen (listen!)

It is recommended to read the text in a chant, gradually increasing the intonation to end the reading on a high note. If the charter prescribes two readings, then at the end of the first the reader returns the last syllable to a low note. The text from the Acts begins with the words “In those days”, the Council Epistles - “Brotherhood”, the messages to one person - “Child Titus” or “Child Timothy”.

Priest: Peace to you who honor!

Reader: and to your spirit.

Hallelujah and Gospel reading

Despite the fact that after the Apostle the reader immediately pronounces Hallelujah, this exclamation does not complete the reading of the Apostle, but is a prokemene to the Gospel. Therefore, in ancient liturgies, Alleluia was said by the priest. Order:

• Deacon: Wisdom.
• Reader: Hallelujah (3 times).
• Choir: repeats hallelujah.
• Reader: alleluary verse.
• Choir: hallelujah (3 rubles)

After the second verse of the alleluaria, he goes to the altar, holding the closed book of the Apostle above his head. At this time, the deacon, having installed a lectern opposite the Royal Doors, places the liturgical Gospel on it vertically.

Regulatory shouts follow priest and deacon before reading the Gospel.

Deacon: Bless, O Master, the evangelist, the holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew (John, Luke, Mark).

The name of the Evangelist is pronounced in the genitive case, since the blessing is asked not for the author of the Gospel, but for the deacon.

The Gospel is read like the Apostle, beginning with the words “At the time it is” or “The Lord spoke to His disciple,” depending on the plot. At the end of the reading, the priest blesses the deacon with the words “ Peace be with you who preach the good news!"In contrast to the words addressed to the reader of the Apostle - " honoring" After the final chant " Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee“The priest’s sermon may follow, explaining what he heard.

The word “sugubaya” means “double.” This name comes from the double appeal to God’s mercy at the beginning of the litany, as well as the intense prayer of the believers. Usually two special litanies are pronounced - the health litany and the funeral litany. At this moment, in modern practice, the notes with names submitted “for mass” are read. Special petitions may be inserted for those traveling, sick people, etc.

With the exception of the first two petitions of the health litany, the choir responds to each petition with three times “Lord have mercy.”

Litany of the Catechumens and the Faithful

A series of short petitions - a prayer for those preparing for baptism. According to ancient tradition, they could not attend the main part of the liturgy - the transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts. After hearing the introductory part - the Liturgy of the Catechumens - all those who were not baptized left the church.

Nowadays p The announcement period does not last long or completely absent. Therefore, the litany should be understood as a reminder of ancient piety and a serious attitude towards the Church Sacraments.

After the litany about the catechumens and their departure, two more litanies follow, the first of which in text resembles the Great Litany. She begins the Liturgy of the Faithful. Following Ap. Jacob in this place pronounces the solemn prokeimenon “The Lord reigned in beauty, clothed with beauty”; in Chrysostom it is transferred to the proskomedia.

Cherubic Hymn, Great Entrance

The text of the Cherubic Song, which begins the Liturgy of the Faithful, is usually written according to the notes. It is sung in a chant because the priest and deacon must have enough time for incense, special prayer and transfer of the prepared Holy Gifts (not yet combined Bread and Wine) from the altar to the altar. The path of the clergy passes through the pulpit, where they stop to pronounce commemorations.

Deacon: Let us love one another, that we may be of one mind.

Chorus: Father and Son and Holy Spirit, Trinity Consubstantial and Indivisible.

In ancient times, with the exclamation “Let us love...” there was mutual kissing of parishioners as a symbol of the unity of Christians in the image of the Holy Trinity. Men and women greeted each other separately, since to maintain decency they were in different parts of the temple. In modern tradition, kissing occurs only between clergy at the altar.

Symbol of faith

The twelve verses of the Creed are performed by the entire congregation of Christians under the leadership of the deacon. In this way, the faithful confirm their confession and agreement with the dogmas of the Church. At this time, the priest fans the Holy Gifts with a covering, which reminds of the imminent descent of the Holy Spirit and the coming miracle of their transformation into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Eucharistic canon

Deacon: Let's become kind, let's become fearful...

Chorus: Mercy of the world, Victim of praise.

The texts of the Eucharistic Canon for the choir are written according to the notes for drawn-out and touching singing. At this time, the main action of the liturgy takes place - the Transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts. Parishioners pray standing motionless or on their knees. No walking or talking is allowed.

Worthy of eating and commemoration

The Eucharistic canon is followed by a hymn dedicated to the Mother of God. In the rites of John Chrysostom this is “It is worthy to eat,” which is replaced on the days of the twelve feasts deserving people. The texts of the saints are given in the menaia for the day of the holiday and represent the irmos of the ninth song of the canon with a chorus.

During the performance of “It’s Worthy to Eat” the priest commemorates the saints of the day and deceased Christians.

Priest: First of all, God remember...

Chorus: And everyone and everything.

Preparation for Communion

After the Eucharistic canon, the litany of petition is heard again, joined by the popular singing of the “Our Father.” Christians pray with the words commanded by the Lord Himself so that they can soon begin Communion. The first to receive the Holy Gifts will be the clergy at the altar.

The exclamation “Holy to Holies” follows, meaning that the Shrine is ready and is presented for the “saints”, in this case, for the parishioners preparing for communion. The choir responds on behalf of the people, “The Lord Jesus Christ alone is Holy...”, recognizing the unworthiness of even the most righteous person before God. Following this, a sacramental verse is chanted, intended for the priests receiving the Gifts.

The texts of the sacramental verses are given in the menaion for each service, as well as in the Apostle's Appendix, after the prokemmon. There are only seven verses for each day of the week and special ones for the twelve holidays.

In modern tradition the pause during the communion of the priests is filled with a “concert” - an author’s piece of music on the theme of the day, performed by the choir. It is also appropriate to read prayers for Communion in order to prepare the laity to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. The reading continues until the opening of the royal doors.

The deacon is the first to leave the holy gates, holding the Chalice with the Gifts in front of him. Lay people preparing for communion are allowed to pass closer to the salt. They stand with their arms crossed over their chests, palms facing their shoulders. After the deacon’s exclamation, “Come with the fear of God and faith!” the priest, who followed the deacon, reads one of the prayers for communion, “I believe, Lord, and I confess...”, approaching the Chalice, the laity mentally read the troparion of Great Thursday, “Thy Secret Supper...”.

Babies are brought in first, children are brought in first. Then the men pass, the women last. Immediately after receiving the Holy Mysteries, parishioners go to a table on which a kettle of water is prepared. Drinking - sweetish water, tinted with wine or juice, is used to swallow all the smallest particles of the Body and Blood of Christ.

At this moment, you need to especially watch out for small children so that they do not spit out the Holy Mysteries. Dropping a Particle is a terrible sin of carelessness. If this happens, you must inform the priest, who will take the measures prescribed in such cases by church rules.

During communion the Easter sacrament verse is sung “Receive the Body of Christ, taste the immortal fountain.” When the Chalice is carried into the altar, the choir repeats Hallelujah.

Here the priest leaves the altar and stands in front of the pulpit, from where he reads the “prayer behind the pulpit,” praying on behalf of the people. This prayer was introduced into the liturgy after the time of St. John Chrysostom, when the custom of secret priestly prayers appeared.

It can be seen that all prayers related to the Eucharistic canon are said in secret in the altar; parishioners hear only the singing of the choir. This is often a temptation for the curious who want to hear and see everything that happens behind the iconostasis. The prayer behind the pulpit is composed of fragments of secret prayers so that the laity have an idea of ​​what words are spoken by the priests.

The concealment of the most important part of the Liturgy - the Transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts - is symbolic in nature. Neither the content of the prayers nor the actions of the clergy are “a secret for the uninitiated” in the Church, but are performed behind the fence to emphasize the importance and incomprehensibility of the Eucharist.

Any Christian who strives to study the faith has the opportunity to attend special liturgies, where pauses are made in the service to explain what is happening.

• Ep. Vissarion Nechaev “Explanation of the Divine Liturgy.”
• John Chrysostom "Comments on the Divine Liturgy".
• A. I. Georgievsky. Order of the Divine Liturgy.

Psalm 33 and Dismissal

To the song of righteous Job, “Blessed be the name of the Lord from now on and forever,” the priest again goes to the altar. In many churches, after this they begin to sing Psalm 33, which teaches believers instructions for the coming day. At this time, parishioners disassemble the antidoron taken from the altar - part of the service prosphora used to make the Lamb. All these actions remind believers of the ancient custom of the “meal of love”, which was arranged by Christians after the Eucharist.

At the end of Psalm 33, the priest pronounces a dismissal - a short prayer where, through the prayers of the Mother of God and the saints of the day, divine mercy is asked for all the faithful. The choir responds with the many years of “Our Great Lord and Father Cyril...”.

After the liturgy, it is customary to serve a prayer service in many churches.

Texts for the choir

Literature devoted to the following and interpretation of the Liturgy, as well as sheet music for chants, can be purchased in specialized stores. It is convenient for the choir director and readers to use the printed text, which contains the unchangeable chants of the evening and morning services, liturgy and all-night vigil. Texts for the choir can be downloaded from the Azbuka.Ru portal.

Hour three

Priest: Blessed be our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Reader:

A min.

WITH Lava to You, our God, glory to You.

C Heavenly Arya, Comforter, Soul of truth, Who is everywhere and fulfills everything, Treasure of good things and Giver of life, come and dwell in us, and cleanse us from all filth, and save, O Good One, our souls.

Trisagion

Slava: And now:

Holy Trinity...

Lord have mercy (3 times)

Slava: And now:

Our Father…

Priest:

Reader: Amen.

G Lord, have mercy. (12 times)

Slava: And now:

P (Bow)

P (Bow)

P (Bow).

Psalm 16:

Hear, O Lord, my truth, attend to my prayer, inspire my prayer not in flattering lips. From Your presence my destiny will come, let my eyes see righteousness. You tempted my heart, you visited me at night, you tempted me, and iniquity was not found in me. For let not my mouth speak of the deeds of men; for the words of Thy lips I have preserved the ways of cruelty. Make my steps in Your paths, so that my steps may not move. I cried out, because you heard me, O God, incline Your ear to me and hear my words. Surprise Your mercy, save those who trust in You from those who resist Your right hand. Save me, O Lord, like the apple of your eye, and cover me in the shelter of Your wing. On behalf of the wicked who have made me angry, conquer my soul. You shut up your fat, and their lips spoke pride. Those who cast me out have now passed me by, casting their eyes upon the earth. Having embraced me like a lion ready to catch and like a skimen who dwells in secret. Arise, Lord, I will advance and stifle them, deliver my soul from the wicked, Thy weapon from the enemy of Thy hand. Lord, from the little ones of the earth, I divided them in their bellies, and filled their bellies with Thy hidden ones, being satisfied with the sons, and leaving the remains as my infants. But I will appear before Your face with righteousness, I will be satisfied, and I will always show Your glory to me.

Psalm 24:

To Thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul, my God, in Thee I have trusted, that I may never be ashamed; let my enemies laugh at me, for all those who endure Thee will not be ashamed. Let the wicked be ashamed in vain. Tell me Your ways, O Lord, and teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth, and teach me that You are the God of my Savior, and I have endured You all day long. Remember Your mercies, O Lord, and Your mercies, as they have been since the ages. The sin of my youth and my ignorance do not remember; according to Your mercy, remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, Lord. The Lord is good and right; for this reason He will give law to those who sin along the way. He will guide the meek in judgment, He will teach the meek in His way. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, to those who seek His covenant and His testimony. For the sake of Your name, Lord, and cleanse my sin, there is much. Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will lay the law on his path, as he pleases. His soul will settle in the good, and his seed will inherit the earth. The Lord is the power of those who fear Him, and He will show His covenant to them. I will lift up my eyes to the Lord, for He will pluck my eyes from the snare. Look upon me and have mercy on me, for I am the only begotten and the poor. The sorrows of my heart have increased, deliver me from my needs. See my humility and my work, and forgive all my sins. Behold, my enemies have multiplied, and they hate me with unrighteous hatred. Save my soul and deliver me, so that I will not be ashamed, because I trusted in You. I cling to me in kindness and righteousness, for I have suffered Thee, O Lord. Deliver, O God, Israel from all his sorrows.

Psalm 50:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Above all, wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for I know my iniquity, and I will take away my sin before me. I have sinned against You alone and have done evil before You, so that You may be justified in Your words and triumph over the judgment of You. Behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and my mother gave birth to me in sins. Behold, you have loved the truth; You have revealed to me the unknown and secret wisdom of Yours. Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. My hearing brings joy and joy; humble bones will rejoice. Turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Reward me with the joy of Your salvation and strengthen me with the Lord’s Spirit. I will teach the wicked Your way, and the wicked will turn to You. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, God of my salvation; My tongue will rejoice in Your righteousness. Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise. As if you had desired sacrifices, you would have given them: you do not favor burnt offerings. The sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; God will not despise a broken and humble heart. Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then favor the sacrifice of righteousness, the offering and the burnt offering; Then they will place the bullock on Your altar.

Glory: and Now:

A (Thrice)

G Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Glory:

Troparion of the holiday. If there are two troparia, both are read, Glory: pronounced before the second.

And now:

Theotokos:

Mother of God, You are the true vine, who has grown for us the Fruit of life. We pray to You, Lady, with the saints and apostles, to have mercy on our souls.

[If Great Lent is a real troparion, tone 6 with verses (Ps 50: 12, 13) and three prostrations. The priest proclaims the troparion and two verses, and the people, answering him, sing the troparion three times; At the same time, three prostrations are made.

G Lord, who sent down Thy Most Holy Spirit at the third hour by Thy Apostle: Take not that, O Good One, from us, but renew us who pray to Thee.

Verse 1: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.

Verse 2: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.

Priest: Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Reader: And now, and always, and forever and ever. Amen.

Theotokos:

Mother of God, You are the true vine, who has grown for us the Fruit of life, We pray to You: pray, O Lady, with the saints, the Apostles, to have mercy on our souls. ]

Reader: Blessed is the Lord God, blessed is the Lord day by day, the God of our salvation, our God, the God of salvation, will hasten to us.

Trisagion

Slava: And now:

Holy Trinity...

Lord have mercy (3 times)

Slava: And now:

Our Father…

Priest: For Thine is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Reader: Amen.

Kontakion of the holy day, or holiday.

[If there is fasting, or there is no kontakion, these troparia are read, tone 8:

Blessed are you, Christ our God, who are all wise fishers of things, having sent down to them the Holy Spirit, and with them you caught the universe, Lover of mankind, glory to you.

Glory:

Give quick and well-known consolation to Thy servant, Jesus, never to be discouraged in our spirit, do not be separated from our souls in sorrow, do not move away from our thoughts in circumstances, but always precede us. Draw near to us, draw near everywhere, as You have always been with Your Apostles, unite with You those who desire You, O Generous One, so that with You we sing and glorify Your All-Holy Spirit.

And now:

Hope, and intercession, and refuge of Christians, an insurmountable wall, a calm refuge for the exhausted, Thou art the Most Pure Mother of God, but as the world saving by Thy unceasing prayer, remember us also, O All-Singing Virgin. ]

G Lord, have mercy. (40 times).

AND But at all times and at every hour, in Heaven and on earth, worshiped and glorified, Christ God, Long-suffering, Much-merciful, Much-compassionate, Who loves the righteous and has mercy on sinners, Who calls everyone to salvation with promises for the sake of future blessings. Himself, Lord, accept ours at the hour of this prayer and correct our belly to Thy commandments, sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our thoughts and deliver us from all sorrow, evil and illness, protect us with Your holy Angels and militia If we observe and instruct them, we will reach the unity of faith and the mind of Your unapproachable glory, for blessed are You forever and ever, Amen.

G Lord have mercy (3 times)

Slava: And now:

Reader: H

AND

Priest:

Reader: Amen.

G

Prostration

D

Prostration

E

Prostration

B O God, cleanse me, a sinner.

G

D

E Oh, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins, and not to condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever, amen.

(And one prostration) ]

Prayer of Saint Mardarius:

Master God, Father Almighty, Lord, Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit, One Divinity, One Power, have mercy on me, a sinner, and in His destinies, save me, Thy unworthy servant, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Sixth hour

P Come, let us worship our King God. (Bow)

P Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ, our King God. (Bow)

P Come, let us bow and fall down to Christ Himself, our King and our God. (Bow).

Psalm 53:

God, in Your name save me, and in Your power judge me. God, hear my prayer, inspire the words of my mouth. As if strangers rose up against me and were strong, they sought my soul, and did not offer God before them. Behold, God helps me, and the Lord is the Protector of my soul. Evil will turn away my enemy; consume them with Thy truth. I will devour You with my will; let me confess to Your name, O Lord, that it is good, that You have delivered me from all sorrow, and that My eye has looked upon my enemies.

Psalm 54:

Inspire my prayer, O God, and do not despise my prayer. Listen to me and hear me: I was grieved by my sorrow and was confused. From the voice of the enemy and from the oppression of the sinner, as if he turned away iniquity against me and in anger enmity me. My heart is in turmoil and the fear of death attacks me. Fear and trembling came upon me and darkness covered me. And he asked: who will give me a krill like a dove, and I will fly and rest? He went away running and settled in the desert. I hope for God, who saves me from cowardice and from the storm. Flood, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen lawlessness and strife in the city. Day and night he will walk along its walls. Lawlessness and labor are in the midst of it and untruth. And his wealth and flattery never diminished. As if if an enemy had reviled me, I would have suffered slaughter, and if someone who hated me had spoken against me, I would have hidden from him. But you, an indifferent man, my lord and my known one, who has so much enjoyed being with me, walked in the house of God with like-mindedness. Let death come upon her, and let them go down to hell and live, for wickedness is in their dwellings, in the midst of them. I cried out to God, and the Lord heard me. Evening and morning and noon I will proclaim, and I will proclaim, and he will hear my voice. He will deliver my soul in peace from those who approach me, as if they were with me in the multitude. God will hear and humble me, the former age. There will be no change for them, as if they did not fear God. Stretch out your hand for retribution, profaning His covenant. His countenance separated from the wrath, and their hearts drew near, and their words died away more than oil, which are arrows. Cast your sorrow upon the Lord, and He will feed you, and will not give the reputation of the righteous forever. But you, God, bring them down into the student of decay; the men of blood and flattery will not spend half their days. But, Lord, I trust in You.

Psalm 90:

Living in the help of the Most High, he will settle in the shelter of the Heavenly God. Says the Lord: Thou art my Protector and my Refuge, my God, and I trust in Him. For He will deliver you from the snare of the trap and from rebellious words, His blanket will overshadow you, and under His wing you hope: His truth will surround you with weapons. Do not be afraid from the fear of the night, from the arrow that flies during the day, from the thing that passes in the darkness, from the debris and the demon of the midday. Thousands will fall from your country, and darkness will fall at your right hand, but it will not come close to you, otherwise you will look at your eyes, and you will see the reward of sinners. For You, O Lord, are my hope, You have made the Most High your refuge. Evil will not come to you and wound will not approach your body, as His Angel commanded you to keep you in all your ways. They will lift you up in their arms, but not when you dash your foot on a stone, step on an asp and a basilisk, and cross a lion and a serpent. For I have trusted in Me, and I will deliver, and I will cover, and because I have known My name. He will call to Me and I will hear him, I am with him in sorrow, I will remove him and glorify him, I will fulfill him with the length of days and show him My salvation.

Slava: And now:

A Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, glory to Thee, O God. (Thrice)

G Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Troparion of the holiday. If there are two troparia, both are read,

Glory: pronounced before the second.

And now:

Theotokos:

[If Great Lent is a real troparion, tone 2 with verses (Ps 54: 2, 17) and three prostrations. The priest proclaims the troparion and two verses, and the people, answering him, sing the troparion three times; At the same time, three prostrations are made.

AND And on the sixth day and hour, on the cross, Adam’s daring sin was nailed into paradise, and the handwriting of our sins was torn apart, O Christ God, and save us.

Verse 1: Inspire my prayer, O God, and do not despise my prayer.

Verse 2: I cried out to God, and the Lord heard me.

Slava: And now:

Theotokos:

As imams do not have boldness for our many sins, You who were born of You pray, O Virgin Mother of God, for much can Motherly prayer do for the mercy of the Lord. Do not despise the prayers of sinners, O All-Pure One, for He is merciful and able to save, Who is willing to suffer for us. ]

WITH Let Thy compassions precede us, O Lord, as we are so poor; help us, O God, our Savior, for glory for Thy Name's sake, Lord, deliver us and cleanse our sins, for Thy Name's sake.

Trisagion

Slava: And now:

Holy Trinity...

Lord have mercy (3 times)

Slava: And now:

Our Father…

Priest: For Thine is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Reader: Amen.

Kontakion of the holiday.

[If Great Lent is troparia, tone 2:

WITH Thou hast made a provision in the midst of the earth, O Christ God, upon the Cross Thy most pure hand hast been stretched out, gathering together all the tongues calling: Lord, glory to Thee.

Glory:

P We bow to Your eloquent image, the Good One, asking for forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God, for You have deigned to ascend in the flesh to the Cross, so that You may deliver what You have created from the work of the enemy. Thus we cry out to You in gratitude: You have filled all with joy, our Savior, who came to save the world.

And now:

On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday - Theotokos:

M You are the source of mercy and mercy, grant us mercy, O Mother of God, look upon people who have sinned, revealing as ever Your power: for those who trust in You, rejoice with a cry to You, as sometimes Gabriel did the disembodied archangel.

On Wednesday and Friday – Holy Cross:

Glorified are You, O Virgin Mother of God, we sing to You, for by the Cross of Your Son hell was cast down, and death was slain, slain by resurrection, and life was made worthy, heaven was received, ancient pleasure. Thus giving thanks, we glorify as the sovereign Christ our God, and the only Most Merciful. ]

G Lord, have mercy. (40 times).

Who at all times and at every hour, in Heaven and on earth, is worshiped and glorified, Christ God, Long-suffering, Much-merciful, Most gracious, Who loves the righteous and has mercy on sinners, Who calls all to salvation with promises for the sake of future blessings. Himself, Lord, accept ours at the hour of this prayer and correct our belly to Thy commandments, sanctify our souls, cleanse our bodies, correct our thoughts, cleanse our thoughts and deliver us from all sorrow, evil and illness, protect us with Your holy Angels and militia If we observe and instruct them, we will reach the unity of faith and the mind of Your unapproachable glory, for blessed are You forever and ever, Amen.

G Lord, have mercy. (3 times).

Slava: And now:

H the most natural Cherub and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim, who without corruption gave birth to God the Word, the real Mother of God, we magnify You.

AND God bless me, father.

Priest: Through the prayers of the saints, our fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.

Reader: Amen.

[If it is Lent, the priest says the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian:

G Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness, and idle talk.

Prostration

D grant me chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.

Prostration

E Oh, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins, and not to condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever, amen.

Prostration

B O God, cleanse me, a sinner.

(12 times and the same number of bows)

(Then repeat the entire prayer)

G Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk.

D grant me chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant.

E Oh, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins, and not to condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever, amen.

(And one prostration) ]

Prayer of Saint Basil the Great:

God and Lord of hosts and of all creation, Creator, Who, for the mercy of Thy unconditional mercy, sent down Thy Only Begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of our race, and by His honorable Cross the handwriting of our sins was torn to pieces, and thereby conquered the principles and powers of darkness. Yourself, Lord, Lover of Mankind, accept us sinners as well, these prayers of gratitude and prayer, and deliver us from every all-destructive and dark sin and from all those who embitter us, seeking visible and invisible enemies. Nail our flesh with the fear of Thy and do not turn our hearts into the words or thoughts of wickedness, but wound our souls with Thy love, yes, we always look to You and instruct from You with light, To You, the unapproachable and ever-present seeing Light, we send unceasing confession and thanksgiving to You , To the Beginning Father with Your Only Begotten Son and Your All-Holy, and Good, and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.

LITURGY OF THE CAMITELLES

Deacon: Bless, lord.

Priest: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Great Litany

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord in peace.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

ABOUT

ABOUT

ABOUT

ABOUT Great Lord and our Father, His Holiness Patriarch (name)(or archbishop, or bishop) (name), the honorable presbytery, the deaconate in Christ and for all the clergy and people, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT To our God-protected country, its rulers and its army, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT this city, (or about this village, or about this holy monastery) Let us pray to the Lord in every city, country and those who live in them by faith.

ABOUT for the goodness of the air, for an abundance of earthly fruits and times of peace, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT floating, traveling, sick, suffering, captives and for their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT

Z

P

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Prayer of the first antiphon

Priest. Secret prayer of the first antiphon: Lord our God, His power is unspeakable and His glory is incomprehensible, His mercy is immeasurable and His love for mankind is inexpressible. Yourself, Master, according to Your compassion, look upon us and on this holy temple, and create with us and with those who pray with us, Your rich mercies and Thy bounties.

Priest. Exclamation:

Chorus: Amen.

First pictorial antiphon

1. B bless the Lord, my soul. Blessed are you, Lord. Bless, my soul, the Lord, and my entire inner being, His Holy Name.

2. B bless the Lord, my soul, and do not forget all His rewards.

1. About who cleanses away all your iniquities, who heals all your illnesses.

2. And who delivers your belly from decay, who crowns you with mercy and bounties.

1. And who fulfills your desires for good: your youth will be renewed like an eagle.

2. T God grant alms and fate to all those who are offended.

1. C He told Moses His ways, the sons of Israel His desires.

2. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy.

1. N He becomes angry to the end, and he quarrels forever.

2. N He made us eat according to our iniquity, and repaid us to eat according to our sins.

1. I because, according to the height of heaven from the earth, the Lord established His mercy on those who fear Him.

2. E The east is separated from the west, and our iniquities have been removed from us.

1. I The father is generous with his sons; the Lord will provide for those who fear Him.

2. Yak O I know our creation, I will remember it as the dust of Esma.

1. H A man, like his grass, like a grass flower, will bloom.

2. I but the spirit passes through it, and it is not, and no one knows his place.

1M and the mercy of the Lord from everlasting to everlasting is upon those who fear Him.

2. And His righteousness is upon the sons of sons, who keep His covenant and remember His commandments to do.

1. G The Lord has prepared His Throne in heaven, and His Kingdom possesses all.

2. B Bless the Lord, all His angels, mighty in strength, who do His word, to hear the voice of His words.

1. B Bless the Lord, all His might, His servants who do His will.

2. B Bless the Lord, all His works, in every place of His dominion.

1. C

2. And

1. B bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within me, His Holy Name. Blessed are you, Lord.

Litany small

Deacon:

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

P Having remembered our re-holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, we will commend ourselves and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Prayer of the Second Antiphon

Priest. Secret prayer of the second antiphon: Lord our God, save Thy people and bless Thy inheritance, preserve the fulfillment of Thy Church, sanctify the loving splendor of Thy house. Glorify them with Your Divine power and do not abandon us who trust in You.

Priest. Exclamation: For Thine is the dominion and Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen. Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Second pictorial antiphon

1. X Let go, my soul, of the Lord. I will praise the Lord in my belly, I will sing to my God as long as I am.

2. N Do not trust in princes, in the sons of men, for in them there is no salvation.

1. And his spirit shall rise and return to his land: in that day all his thoughts shall perish.

2. B and the God of Jacob is his helper; his trust is in the Lord his God.

1. C who opened heaven and earth, the sea and everything that is in them.

2. X wounding the truth forever, bringing judgment to the offended, giving food to the hungry.

1. G The Lord decides the bound; the Lord makes wise the blind.

2. G The Lord raises up the downtrodden, the Lord loves the righteous.

1. G The Lord protects strangers, He will receive the orphan and the widow, and He will destroy the way of sinners.

2. B The Lord your God will reign forever in Zion, forever and ever.

WITH

Song of the Lord Jesus Christ

Chorus: The only begotten Son and the Word of God, He who is immortal and willing to save us for the sake of being incarnate from the Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, immutably made man, crucified, O Christ God, trampling death by death, the One He who is of the Holy Trinity, glorified to the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.

Litany small

Deacon: Again and again, let us pray to the Lord in peace.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

P Having remembered our re-holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, we will commend ourselves and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Prayer of the third antiphon

Priest. Secret prayer of the third antiphon: Whoever granted us these common and concordant prayers, who also promised to grant us two or three petitions agreeing on Your name, has Your servant Himself now fulfilled Your petitions in a useful way, giving us both in the present world the knowledge of Your truth, and in the future granting eternal life.

Priest. Exclamation: For God is good and a lover of mankind, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Third pictorial antiphon. Blessed

1. B Remember us about Your Kingdom, O Lord, when You come, in Your Kingdom.

1. B Let the poor in spirit be blessed, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

2. B those who cry, as if they will be comforted.

1. B lazheniya mektsii, as if they will inherit the earth.

2. B those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

1. B wishes of mercy, as if there will be mercy.

2. B Let them be pure in heart, so that they will see God.

1. B Let them be peacemakers, for these shall be called sons of God.

2. B for the sake of righteousness, for the sake of those is the Kingdom of Heaven.

1. B It is natural to be deceitful, when they revile you, and despise you, and say all sorts of evil things against you, who lie to Me for my sake.

2. R Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is abundant in Heaven.

1. C lava to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

2. And now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Small entrance with the Gospel

Deacon: Let's pray to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy.

Entry Prayer

Priest. Secret prayer of entry: Sovereign Lord our God, who has established in heaven the ranks and hosts of Angels and Archangels in the service of Your glory, create at our entrance the holy Angels to be, serving us and praising Your goodness. For all glory, honor and worship is due to You, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Deacon: Bless, lord, the holy entrance.

Priest blessing: Blessed is the entrance of Thy saints, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Deacon: Wisdom, forgive me.

Input

Chorus: Come, let us worship and fall before Christ. Save us, Son of God, risen from the dead, singing Ti, alleluia. Once.

The choir sings troparia and kontakia according to the Rule.

The priest says this prayer:

Priest. Secret prayer: Holy God, who rests among the saints, who is sung with the thrice-holy voice from the Seraphim and glorified by the Cherubim, and who is worshiped by all Heavenly Powers, who brought all things into being from non-existence, who created man in Your image and likeness, and adorned with all Your gifts, Give to the one who asks wisdom and understanding, and do not despise the sinner, but rely on repentance for salvation, making us worthy, Your humble and unworthy servants, and at this hour stand before the glory of Your holy altar, and offer the worship and praise due to You. Yourself, Master, accept from the lips of us sinners the Trisagion hymn, and visit us with Your goodness, forgive us every sin, voluntary and involuntary, sanctify our souls and bodies, and grant us to serve You in reverence all the days of our lives, with holy prayers Theotokos, and all the saints who have pleased You from all eternity.

Deacon to priest: Bless, lord, the time of the Trisagion.

Priest blessing, exclamation: For Thou art holy, our God, and to Thee we send glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever.

Deacon: Lord, save the pious. And hear us. And forever and ever.

Chorus: Amen.

Trisagion

Chorus: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times)

Sometimes read in Greek:

Άγιος ό Θεός, άγιος ίσχυρός, άγιος αθάνατος, έλέησον ημάς.

Agios o Theos, Agios ischyros, Agios athanatos, eleison imas.

WITH Lava to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

WITH Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

WITH Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.

Deacon to priest: Let's go, sir.

Priest: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Deacon: Bless, lord, the throne on high.

Priest: Blessed are You on the throne of the glory of Your Kingdom, Seated on the Cherubim, always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

Deacon: Let's remember.

Priest: Peace to all.

Reader: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Reader: Prokeimenon, Psalm of David.

PROKYMENA AND SUNDAY ALLILUIARY.

Voice 1 May Thy mercy be upon us, O Lord, as we trust in Thee.

Poem: Rejoice, ye righteous, in the Lord; praise is due to the upright.

Alleluia: God grant me vengeance and subjugate people under me.

Poem: Magnify the salvation of the Tsar, and show mercy to your Christ David, and to His seed forever.

Voice 2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and be my salvation.

Poem: While the Lord punished me, He did not give me over to death.

Alleluia: The Lord will hear you in the day of sorrow, the Name of the God of Jacob will protect you.

Poem: Lord, save the king, and hear us, if it is daylight we will call on You.

Voice 3 Sing to our God, sing, sing to our King, sing.

Poem: All the nations clasp their hands and shout to God with a voice of joy.

Alleluia: In Thee, O Lord, have I trusted, that I may never be ashamed.

Poem: Be in God's Protector and in the house of refuge to save me.

Voice 4 Because Thy works have been magnified, O Lord, Thou hast done all things with wisdom.

Poem: Bless my soul, the Lord, O Lord my God, thou art greatly magnified.

Alleluia: Come, and succeed, and reign for the sake of truth, and meekness, and righteousness.

Poem: You loved righteousness and you hated lawlessness.

Voice 5 You, Lord, have preserved us and kept us from this generation and forever.

Poem: Save me, Lord, for I am in poverty, the venerable one.

Alleluia: I will sing of Your mercy, O Lord, forever, I will proclaim Your truth with my mouth to generation and generation.

Poem: Thou hast declared: mercy will be created forever, Thy truth will be prepared in heaven.

Voice 6 Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thy inheritance.

Poem: To You, Lord, I will cry, O my God, do not keep silent from me.

Alleluia: Living in the help of the Most High, he will settle in the shelter of the Heavenly God.

Poem: Says the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge, my God, and I trust in Him.

Voice 7 The Lord will give strength to His people, the Lord will bless His people with peace.

Poem: Bring to the Lord, sons of God; bring to the Lord, sons of rams.

Alleluia: It is good to confess to the Lord and sing to Your name, Most High.

Poem: Proclaim Your mercy in the morning, and Your truth every night.

Voice 8 Pray and give thanks to the Lord our God.

Poem: God is known to Judah, His name is great to Israel.

Alleluia: Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us shout to God our Savior.

Poem: Let us precede His face in confession, and let us exclaim to Him in psalms.

PROKYMENA AND ALLILUIARIES OF THE DAYS OF THE WEEK.

Monday, voice 4: Angels create Your spirits and servants Your fiery flame.

Poem: Bless the Lord, my soul, O Lord my God, thou art greatly magnified.

Alleluia, tone 5: Praise the Lord, all His angels; praise Him, all His might.

Poem: Like that speech, and it happened; He commanded it, and it was created.

Tuesday, tone 7: The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and trust in Him.

Poem: Hear my voice, God, and always pray to You.

Alleluia, tone 4: The righteous will prosper like the phoenix, like the cedar of Lebanon will multiply.

Poem: Plant in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our God they will flourish.

Wednesday, voice 3: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

Poem: As if you look upon the humility of Your Servant, behold, from now on all your kindred will please Me.

Alleluia, tone 8: Hear, O Daughters, and see, and incline Your ear.

Poem: Rich people will pray to Your face.

Thursday, tone 8: Their messages went out into the whole earth, and their words into the ends of the world.

Poem: The heavens will tell the glory of God, but the firmament will proclaim His handiwork.

Alleluia, tone 1: The heavens will confess Your miracles, O Lord, for Your truth is in the Church of the saints.

Poem: We glorify God in the council of saints.

Friday, tone 7: Lift up the Lord our God and worship His footstool, for He is holy.

Poem: The Lord reigns, let people be angry.

Alleluia, tone 1: Remember Your host, which You acquired from the beginning.

Poem: God, our King from before the ages, wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.

Saturday, tone 8: Rejoice in the Lord, and rejoice in the righteous.

Poem: Blessed are those who have abandoned iniquity and those who have covered themselves with sin.

Alleluia, tone 4: The righteous cried out, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their sorrows.

Poem: Many are the sorrows of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver me from all of them.

Funeral prokeimenon, tone 6: Their souls will settle in good things.

Alleluia, tone 4: Blessed are you who have chosen and accepted, O Lord.

Poem: And their memory will last forever.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Reader: Reading of the Acts of the Saints. (Or: The Epistle of James, or the reading of Peter. Or: To the Romans, or to the Corinthians, or to the Galatians, or to Timothy, the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul, reading.)

Deacon: Let's remember.

Reading of the Apostle

After reading Priest: Peace be with you.

Reader: And to your spirit.

Reader: Alleluia.

Chorus: Alleluia. (3 times)

Deacon: Wisdom.

Priest. Secretly. Prayer before reading the Gospel: Shine in our hearts, O Lord who loves mankind, the imperishable light of Your God-understanding, and open our mental eyes to the understanding of Your Gospel sermons. Place in us the fear of Thy blessed commandments, so that all carnal lusts may be trampled, and we will pass through spiritual life, all that is to please Thy, both in thought and in action. For You are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, with Your beginningless Father, and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Deacon: Bless, O Lord, the evangelist, the holy Apostle and Evangelist, (name).

Priest: God, through the prayers of the holy, glorious, all-validated Apostle and Evangelist, (name) May he give you the word of the gospel with much power, to fulfill the gospel of his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Deacon: Amen.

Priest: Wisdom, forgive me, let us hear the Holy Gospel.

Priest: Peace to all.

Chorus: And to your spirit.

Deacon: From (name) reading of the Holy Gospel.

Chorus:

Priest: Let's remember.

Reading the Gospel

Priest: Peace be with you who preach the good news.

Chorus: Glory to Thee, Lord, glory to Thee.

Litany

Deacon: We say everything with all our hearts, and we say everything with all our thoughts.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

G Lord Almighty, God our father, we pray to You, hear and have mercy.

P have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray to You, hear and have mercy.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (3 times) (For each request)

E We continue to pray for the Great Lord and our Father, His Holiness the Patriarch (name), and about our Lord, His Eminence Metropolitan (or archbishop, or bishop) (name of rivers), and about all our brethren in Christ.

E We continue to pray for our God-protected country, its authorities and army, so that we may live a quiet and silent life in all piety and purity.

E We also pray for our brothers, priests, holy monks, and all our brotherhood in Christ.

E We continue to pray for the blessed and most holy Orthodox patriarchs and the creators of this holy temple , and about all the previously deceased fathers and brothers, who lie here and everywhere, Orthodox.

E We also pray for mercy, life, peace, health, salvation, visitation, forgiveness and forgiveness of sins of the servants of God, the brethren of this holy temple (if in a monastery: this holy monastery).

E We continue to pray for those who are fruitful and virtuous in this holy and all-honorable temple, for those who work, sing and stand before us, expecting great and rich mercy from You.

Priest. Secretly. Prayer of earnest supplication: Lord our God, accept this diligent prayer from Your servants, and have mercy on us according to the multitude of Your mercy, and send Your bounty upon us and upon all Your people, who expect rich mercies from You.

Priest. Exclamation: For You are a merciful and Lover of mankind, and we send glory to You, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Funeral litany. On some days of the church year.

Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, according to Your great mercy, we pray to You, hear and have mercy.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (Three times). (For every request)

E We also pray for the repose of the souls of the deceased servants of God, and for them to be forgiven for every sin, voluntary and involuntary.

I May the Lord God grant their souls, where the righteous may rest.

M We ask for the mercy of God, the Kingdom of Heaven and the remission of their sins from Christ, the immortal King and our God.

Chorus: Give it, Lord.

Deacon: Let's pray to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy.

Priest. Secretly, Prayer for the Dead: God of spirits, and of all flesh, having trampled down death and abolished the devil, and given life to Thy world: You, Lord, give rest to the souls of the departed Thy servant, named, in a bright place, in a green place, in a place of peace, from where sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled. . Forgive every sin they have committed in word, deed, or thought, as God is a good lover of mankind. For there is no man who will live and not sin. You are One besides sin, Your righteousness is righteousness forever, and Your word is truth.

Priest. Exclamation: For Thou art the resurrection and life and rest of Thy servants who have fallen asleep, named, Christ our God, and to Thee we send up glory, with Thy beginningless Father, and Thy most holy and good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Litany of the Catechumens

Deacon: Pray, the catechumen, to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

IN ernia, let us pray for the catechumens, that the Lord may have mercy on them.

ABOUT speaks them with the word of truth.

ABOUT reveals to them the Gospel of righteousness.

WITH He will unite them with His holy catholic and apostolic Church.

WITH Shepherd, have mercy, intercede and preserve them, O God, with Your grace.

ABOUT announcement, bow your heads to the Lord.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Priest. Secretly. Prayer for the catechumens: O Lord our God, who lookest upon the high living and the humble, who sent down salvation to the human race, Thy only begotten Son and God, our Lord Jesus Christ, look upon Thy servants, the catechumens, who have bowed their neck to Thee, and vouchsafe me at the time of a prosperous bath of restoration, remission of sins and clothing of incorruption, unite them with Your holy congregation and apostles of the Church, and associate them with Your chosen flock.

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

Chorus: Amen.

The priest extends the antimension.

Deacon: Come forth from the catechumens, come out from the catechumens, come out from the catechumens. Yes, no one from the catechumens, the faithful ones, let us pray again and again in peace to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy.

LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL

Deacon: Intercede, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

Chorus: Lord have mercy.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Priest. Secretly. First prayer of the faithful: We thank Thee, Lord God of hosts, who have made us worthy to present ourselves now at Thy holy altar, and to receive Thy compassions for our sins and for human ignorance. Accept, O God, our prayer, make us worthy to offer You supplications and supplications, and bloodless sacrifices for all Your people. And satisfy us, whom You have placed in this service of Yours, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, without condemnation and without stumbling, in the pure testimony of our conscience, to call upon You at all times and places. May you listen to us and be merciful to us in the abundance of Your goodness.

Priest. Exclamation: For all glory, honor and worship is due to You, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Deacon: Again and again, let us pray to the Lord in peace.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

[If the priest serves alone, this does not say:

ABOUT For peace from above and the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT For the peace of the whole world, the prosperity of God's holy churches and the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT this holy temple and with faith, reverence and fear of God who enter it, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT Let us pray to the Lord to free us from all sorrow, anger and need. ]

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Priest. Secret Prayer of the Faithful Second: Again and again we bow down to You, we pray to You, O Good One and Lover of Mankind, for having regard to our prayer, cleanse our souls and bodies from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and give us an innocent and uncondemned presence at Your holy altar. May God grant to those who pray with us prosperity of life and faith and spiritual understanding. Grant that they who always serve You with fear and love, may innocently and uncondemnably partake of Your holy Mysteries and be worthy of Your Heavenly Kingdom.

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

Chorus: Amen.

The Royal Doors open.

Cherubic Song

Chorus: Even as the Cherubim secretly form and sing the Trisagion hymn to the life-giving Trinity, let us now put aside all worldly cares.

Priest. Secretly. Prayer of the Cherubic Song: No one is worthy from those bound by carnal lusts and pleasures to come, or draw closer, or serve You, the King of Glory: for it is great and terrible to serve You, even to the Heavenly Powers themselves. But besides, for the sake of Your ineffable and immeasurable love for mankind, You were immutable and unchangeable, and You were a Bishop for us: and You gave up the sacred rites of office and bloodless sacrifices to us, as the Lord of all. You are the only one, Lord our God, who rules over the heavenly and the earthly, who is borne on the throne of the Cherubim, who is the Lord of the Seraphim, and the King of Israel, who alone is holy, and who rests in the saints. I therefore pray to Thee, the only good and obedient One: look upon me, Thy sinful and indecent servant, and cleanse my soul and heart from the evil conscience, and satisfy me, by the power of Thy Holy Spirit, clothed with the grace of the priesthood, to present this holy table to Thy, and perform the sacred rites. Your Holy and Most Pure Body and Honest Blood. I come to You, bow my neck, and I pray to You, do not turn Your face away from me, do not deny me from Your servants, but make me worthy to be brought to You, by me, Your sinful and unworthy servant, as a gift. For You are the Bringer and the Offered, the Receiver and the Distributed, O Christ our God, and to You we send up glory, with Your beginningless Father, and Your Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Great Entrance

Deacon: Great lord and father of our name, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and our lord the Most Reverend (name), metropolitan (or an archbishop, or a bishop whose region is) May the Lord God remember you in His Kingdom always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

Priest: Your Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, and the entire priestly and monastic rank, the ranks of this holy temple, and all of you Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God remember you in His Kingdom, always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

Chorus: Amen.

Second part of the Cherubic song: As if we will raise up the King of all, the angels invisibly dorinoshi chinmi. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Deacon: May the Lord God remember your priesthood in His Kingdom, always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

Priest: May the Lord God remember your priesthood as a diaconate in His Kingdom, always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

The priest places the Chalice on the throne with the words:

IN about the tomb carnally, in hell with the soul like God, in paradise with the thief, and on the throne you were, Christ, with the Father and the Spirit, fulfilling everything indescribable.

I For the life-bearer, like the reddest of Paradise, has truly appeared the brightest in every royal palace, Christ, Thy tomb, the source of our resurrection.

The priest covers the Holy Gifts with air with the words: O blessed Joseph, you took down your Most Pure Body from the tree, wrapped it in a clean shroud, and covered it with fragrances in a new tomb, and laid it.

Then the priest calls out with the words: Bless Zion, O Lord, with Your favor, and may the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then you will be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, the wave offering and the burnt offering, then they will lay the bullock on Your altar.

Priest to the deacon: Remember me, brother and colleague.

Deacon to priest: May the Lord God remember your priesthood in His Kingdom. Pray for me, holy master.

Priest: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the Power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Deacon: The Spirit also helps us all the days of our life. Remember me, holy lord.

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

Deacon: Amen.

The Royal Doors are closed.

Litany of petition

Deacon: Let us fulfill our prayer to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

ABOUT proposed by Honest Dareh, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT this holy temple, and with faith, reverence and the fear of God who enter it, let us pray to the Lord.

ABOUT Let us pray to the Lord to free us from all sorrow, anger and need.

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

D

Chorus: Give it, Lord. (For every request)

A

P

D

P

X We ask for the Christian death of our belly, painless, shameless, peaceful and a good answer at the terrible judgment of Christ.

P Having remembered our re-holy, most pure, most blessed, glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, we will commend ourselves and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Priest. Secretly. Offering Prayer: Lord God Almighty, One who is holy, accept the sacrifice of praise from those who call upon You with all their hearts. Accept us, sinners, prayers and bring them to Your holy altar, and grant us to offer You gifts and spiritual sacrifices for our sins and for human ignorance, and grant us grace to find grace before You, to be more favorable to You than our sacrifice, and to be indwelled by the Spirit Thy grace is good in us, and on these Gifts that are presented, and on all Thy people.

Priest. Exclamation: Through the bounty of Your Only Begotten Son, with Him you are blessed, with Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest: Peace to all.

Chorus: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Let us love one another and be of one mind.

Chorus: The Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, consubstantial and indivisible.

Priest. Secretly: I will love You, O Lord, my strength, the Lord is my strength and my refuge. (3 times).

Priest and clergy in the altar: Christ is in our midst. And it is, and it will be.

Deacon: Doors, doors, let us smell wisdom.

The priest shakes the air over the Honest.

Symbol of faith

IN I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.

AND into 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.

N for the sake of man and ours, for the sake of salvation, he came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became human.

R Ascended for us under Pontius Pilate, she suffered and was buried.

AND resurrected on the third day according to Scripture.

AND ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

AND to judge the one who is to come with glory, the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end.

AND in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who is worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke the prophets.

IN o one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

AND I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.

H I ay the resurrection of the dead,

And life of the next century. Amen.

Holy Ascension.

Deacon: Let us become kind, let us become fearful, and let us bring holy offerings to the world.

Chorus: Mercy of the world, sacrifice of praise.

Eucharistic canon

Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.

Chorus: And with your spirit.

Priest: We have sorrow in our hearts.

Chorus: Imams to the Lord.

Priest: We thank the Lord.

Chorus: It is worthy and righteous to worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, consubstantial and inseparable.

Priest. Secretly: It is worthy and righteous to sing to You, to bless You, to praise You, to thank You, to worship You in every place of Your dominion. For You are God, ineffable, unknown, invisible, incomprehensible, everlasting, and likewise, You and Your Only Begotten Son, and Your Holy Spirit. Thou hast brought us from non-existence into being, and Thou hast restored us to those who had fallen, and Thou hast not retreated from all creation, until Thou hast raised us to heaven, and Thou hast granted Thy Kingdom to the future. For all of these we thank Thee and Thy Only Begotten Son, and Thy Holy Spirit, for all the known and unknown blessings that have been upon us. We thank You for this service, which You have deigned to receive from our hands. Even before You stand thousands of Archangels and tens of Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim of six-crylations, many-eyed, towering pernations.

Exclamation: Singing the song of victory, crying, calling and speaking.

Chorus: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, fill heaven and earth with Your glory; Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.

Priest. Secretly: With these blessed Powers, O Master who loves mankind, we cry out and say: holy and holy are You, Your Only Begotten Son, and Your Holy Spirit. Thou art holy and most holy, and magnificent is Thy glory, for Thou hast so loved Thy world as He gave Thy Only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life. He who came, and having fulfilled all his care for us, gave himself up in the night, and even more so gave himself up for his worldly life, receiving bread into His holy and most pure and immaculate hands, thanking and blessing, sanctifying, breaking, giving to His saints, His disciples and Apostle, rivers:

Exclamation: Take, eat, this is My Body, which was broken for you for the remission of sins.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest. Secretly: Likewise I took the cup at supper, saying:

Exclamation: Drink from 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.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest. Secretly. Anamnesis: Remembering this saving commandment, and everything that was about us: the Cross, the tomb, the three-day resurrection, the ascension to heaven, sitting on the right hand, the second and glorious coming again.

Exclamation: Yours, from Yours, brought to You, for everyone and for everything.

Translation of the Holy Gifts

Chorus: We sing to You, we bless You, we thank You, O Lord, and we pray to You, our God.

Priest. Secretly:

G Lord, who sent down Your Most Holy Spirit at the third hour by Your Apostle, do not take Him away from us, O Good One, but renew us who pray to You.

Priest. Secretly. Epiclesis: We also offer You this verbal and bloodless service, and we ask, and we pray, and we pray, send down Your Holy Spirit on us, and on these Gifts that are presented.

Priest:

Deacon: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit in my womb.

Priest: Lord, who sent down Your Most Holy Spirit at the third hour by Your Apostle, do not take Him away from us, O Good One, but renew us who pray to You.

Deacon: Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.

Priest: Lord, who sent down Your Most Holy Spirit at the third hour by Your Apostle, do not take Him away from us, O Good One, but renew us who pray to You.

Deacon: bowing his head and pointing his oracle at the Holy Bread, he says to the priest:

B Bless, sir, holy bread.

Priest: Having bowed, he blesses the Holy Bread, saying:

AND create this bread, the Honest Body of Thy Christ.

Deacon: Amen. Bless, Master, the Holy Chalice.

Priest: blessing the Holy Chalice, he says:

A hedgehog in this Chalice - but the Honest Blood of Thy Christ.

Deacon: Amen.

Priest: Poured out for the belly of the world.

Deacon: Amen.

Deacon: Amen. Bless the wallpaper, O Lord.

Priest: blessing the Holy Gifts together says:

P having decided by Your Holy Spirit.

Deacon: Amen, amen, amen.

The clergy bow to the ground.

Deacon: Remember me, holy master, a sinner.

Priest: May the Lord God remember You in His Kingdom always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

Deacon: Amen.

Priest: How to be a communicant for the sobriety of the soul, for the remission of sins, for the communion of Your Holy Spirit, for the fulfillment of the Kingdom of Heaven, for boldness towards You, not for judgment or condemnation.

E We again offer this verbal service to You about those who have fallen in the faith, forefathers, forefathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, abstinents, and about every righteous soul who has passed away in the faith.

Priest: Much about our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

Chorus: It is worthy to eat as you truly bless Thee, 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 end of the Eucharistic canon.

Priest. Secret prayer: About Saint John the Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist, about the holy glorious and all-praised Apostles, about the holy name, whose memory we commemorate, and about all Your saints, whose prayers visit us, O God.

AND remember all the departed about the hope of the resurrection of eternal life. ( names names). And give them rest, where the light of Thy face shines.

E We again pray to Thee, remember, O Lord, every Orthodox bishopric, the right of those who rule the word of Thy truth, every presbytery, deaconry in Christ and every priestly order. We also bring to You this verbal service about the universe, about the saints, the catholic and apostolic Church, about those who live in purity and honor, about our God-protected country, its authorities and army. Grant them, Lord, a peaceful reign, and in their silence we too will live a quiet and silent life, in all piety and purity.

Exclamation: First remember, Lord, our great lord and father (name), His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and our Lord, His Eminence, Metropolitan (or archbishop, or bishop, his area is also), and grant them to Thy holy churches, in peace, whole, honest, healthy, long-living, the right to rule the word of Thy truth.

Chorus: And everyone, and everything.

Priest. Secret prayer: Lord remember this city, in which we live, (either this whole monastery, in which we live, or this monastery, in which we live) and every city and country, and those who live in them by faith.

Remember, Lord, those sailing, traveling, the sick, the suffering, the captives, and their salvation.

Remember, Lord, those who bear fruit and do good in Your holy churches, and those who remember the poor, and send Your mercies upon all of us.

And he remembers the living by the names he wants.

Exclamation: And grant us with one mouth and one heart to glorify and sing Your most honorable and magnificent name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest turn to the door and bless: And may the mercies of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.

Chorus: And with your spirit.

Litany of petition

Deacon: Having remembered all the saints, let us pray again and again in peace to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

ABOUT Offered and consecrated by the Honest Gifts, let us pray to the Lord.

I So that our God who loves mankind, who welcomes me into His holy and heavenly and mental altar, into the stench of the spiritual fragrance, bestows upon us Divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray.

ABOUT Let us pray to the Lord to free us from all sorrow, anger and need.

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

D not everything is perfect, holy, peaceful and sinless, we ask the Lord.

Chorus: Give it, Lord. (For every request)

A Angela is a peaceful, faithful mentor, guardian of our souls and bodies, we ask the Lord.

P We ask the Lord for forgiveness and forgiveness of our sins and transgressions.

D We ask the Lord for good and useful things for our souls, and peace in the world.

P We ask the Lord to end the time of our life in peace and repentance.

X Christian death of our belly, painless, shameless, peaceful, and we ask for a good answer at the terrible judgment of Christ.

WITH Having asked for the unity of faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves, and each other, and our whole life to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Prayer before St. Communion

Priest. Secret prayer: We offer you our entire life and hope, Master who loves mankind, and we ask, and we pray, and we do our best to grant us to partake of your heavenly and terrible Mysteries, to eat the Sacred and Spiritual Meals, with a clear conscience, for the remission of sins, for the forgiveness of sins, for communication of the Holy Spirit, for the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven, for boldness towards You, not for judgment or condemnation.

Exclamation: And grant us, O Master, with boldness and without condemnation to dare to call on You, Heavenly God the Father, and speak.

Chorus: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Priest: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest: Peace to all.

Chorus: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Bow your heads to the Lord.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

After this, everyone who does not receive Communion must leave the temple.

Priest. Secret prayer of adoration: We thank Thee, the invisible King, for by Thy innumerable power Thou hast worked with all things, and by the multitude of Thy mercy Thou hast brought all things from non-existence into being. Yourself, Master, look down from heaven upon His head bowed to You, not for bowing flesh and blood, but to You, the terrible God. You are the Master, who is present for all of us for good, according to each of your needs: float to those who swim, travel to those who travel, heal the sick, Physician of souls and bodies.

Exclamation: By the grace, and bounty, and love for mankind of Thy Only Begotten Son, with Him art thou blessed, with Thy Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest. Secret prayer: Look forth, Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Thy holy habitation, and from the throne of glory of Thy Kingdom, and come and sanctify us, who sit on the mountain with the Father, and dwell here invisibly for us. And grant us, by Your sovereign hand, Your Most Pure Body and Honest Blood, both to us and to all people.

The deacon, standing in front of the royal doors, girds himself with an orarion in the shape of a cross, thereby indicating his readiness to serve during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Priest secretly: (And 3 bows)

Deacon secretly: God, cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me. (And 3 bows)

The Royal Doors are closed with a curtain.

Deacon: Let's remember.

The priest takes the Holy Lamb and, raising (raising) it above the paten, proclaims:

WITH holy to the saints!

Chorus: There is one holy, one Lord, Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Deacon to priest: Break, O Lord, the Holy Bread.

The priest breaks the Holy Bread along the cut into four parts, quietly saying: The Lamb of God is fragmented and divided, fragmented and undivided, always eaten and never consumed, but sanctifying those who partake.

Deacon to priest: Fill, lord, the holy chalice.

The priest, having taken a particle of IS and made the sign of the cross over the chalice with it, lowers it into the chalice with the words: Filling of the Holy Spirit.

Deacon: Amen.

The deacon, taking the ladle with warmth, brings it to the priest, saying: Bless the warmth, lord.

The priest, blessing, says: Blessed is the warmth of Thy saints always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The deacon pours warmth into the Chalice, saying: Warmth of faith, filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Communion of clergy at the altar.

Choir sings Involved:

On Sunday:

X cast down the Lord from heaven, praise Him in the highest. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

On Monday St. Ethereal forces:

T Steal the angels of your spirits, and your servants of your fiery flame. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

On Tuesday to Saint John the Baptist:

IN The righteous will have eternal memory; he will not fear the hearing of evil. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

On Wednesday to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

H I will accept your salvation and call on the name of the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

On Thursday to the Holy Apostles:

IN Their messages went out to the whole earth, and their words to the ends of the world. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

On Friday to the Holy Cross:

WITH Thou hast made a pasture in the midst of the earth, O God. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

On Saturday to All Saints:

R Rejoice, O righteous ones, in the Lord, praise is due to the upright. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

And the funeral:

B the blessings which you have chosen and accepted, O Lord, and their memory for generations and generations. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Communion of the people in the temple.

The deacon, going out with the priest to the soleya, exclaims: Come with the fear of God and faith!

And hands the Holy Chalice to the priest.

Chorus: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, God the Lord, and He who appears to us.

The priest reads a prayer: 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 pure 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, without condemnation, to partake of Your most pure Sacraments, for the remission of sins and eternal life. A min.

T even: Thy secret supper this day, O Son of God, accept me as a partaker; I will not tell your enemies the secret, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like a thief I will confess to you: remember me, O Lord, in your kingdom.

D and not for judgment or condemnation will the communion of Your Holy Mysteries be for me, Lord, but for the healing of soul and body.

At the end of the prayer, the lay communicants bow to the ground, approach the Holy Chalice with reverence, folding their arms crosswise on their chest, and say their names. To avoid the shedding of the Holy Blood, one is not supposed to be baptized at the Chalice.

The priest, giving the Holy Gifts, says: The servant of God takes communion (name of rivers) The Honest and Holy Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of one’s sins and for eternal life.

The deacon or altar server wipes the lips of those receiving communion with a cloth, and those receiving communion, having kissed, if possible, with reverence and caution the edge of the Holy Chalice, move away and accept the warmth.

Chorus: Receive the Body of Christ, taste the immortal Source. Alleluia. Three times.

After the laity has received communion, the priest and deacons enter the altar.

The priest places the Holy Chalice on the throne and, taking the paten and reading Sunday hymns:

IN Having seen the resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the One Sinless One. We worship Your Cross, O Christ, and we sing and glorify Your Holy Resurrection: For You are our God, do we know no other to You, We call Your Name. Come, all you faithful, let us worship the Holy Resurrection of Christ, for through the Cross joy has come to the whole world. Always blessing the Lord, we sing His Resurrection, having endured the crucifixion, destroy death through death.

WITH shine, shine, New Jerusalem! The glory of the Lord is upon you. Rejoice now and be glad, O Zion! You, Pure One, show off, O Mother of God, about the rise of Your Nativity.

ABOUT Easter is great and sacred, Christ! About Wisdom, and the Word of God, and Power! Give us more time to partake of You in the unevening days of Your Kingdom,” he lowers into the chalice the particles taken from the prosphoras lying on the paten, with the words: “Wash away, Lord, the sins of those who were remembered here by Your Honest Blood, by the prayers of Your saints.

The priest wipes the paten with an antimins sponge so that not even the smallest particles remain on it. After lowering the particles into the chalice, he covers the Holy Chalice with a shroud, and on the paten he places a star, a spear, a spoon, a second shroud and a cloth.

The priest blesses the people, proclaiming: Save, O God, Thy people, and bless Thy inheritance.

The priest censes the Holy Gifts, saying secretly: Ascend into heaven, O God, and throughout all the earth Your glory

The priest gives the paten to the deacon, and the deacon carries the paten to the altar.

Chorus: We have seen the true light, we have received the Heavenly Spirit, we have found true faith, we worship the inseparable Trinity, for it has saved us.

The priest, having bowed to the Holy Gifts, takes the Holy Chalice, saying quietly: Blessed be our God.

Priest, exclamation: Always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

The priest takes the Holy Chalice to the altar.

Chorus: Amen.

Chorus: May our lips be filled with Thy praise, Lord, for we sing Thy glory, for Thou hast made us worthy to partake of Thy Holy, Divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries, keep us in Thy shrine all day long and learn from Thy righteousness. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Deacon: Forgive us for accepting the Divine, holy, most pure, immortal, heavenly and life-giving, terrible Mysteries of Christ, we worthily thank the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy. (For every request)

Z Step, save, have mercy and preserve us, O God, by Your grace.

D Having asked for it, we will give ourselves and each other, and our whole life, to Christ our God.

Chorus: To you, Lord.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Priest. Secretly. Prayer of thanksgiving: We thank Thee, O Master who loves mankind, the Benefactor of our souls, for even today Thou hast vouchsafed us Thy heavenly and immortal Mysteries. Correct our path, establish us all in Thy passion, guard our belly, strengthen our feet, with the prayers and prayers of the glorious Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and all Thy saints.

Priest. Exclamation: For You are our sanctification, and to You we send glory, to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

The priest, bending the antimins and holding the Gospel straight, creates a cross over it.

Priest: We will leave in peace.

Chorus: About the name of the Lord.

Deacon: Let's pray to the Lord.

Chorus: Lord have mercy.

Prayer behind the pulpit.

Priest: Bless those who bless Thee, O Lord, and sanctify those who trust in Thee, save Thy people and bless Thy inheritance, preserve the fulfillment of Thy Church, sanctify those who love the splendor of Thy house: Thou glorify them with Thy Divine power, and do not forsake us who trust in Thee. Grant Thy peace to Thy churches, to the priests, to the army, and to all Thy people. For every gift is good, 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 to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest. Prayer for the consumption of the Holy Gifts: Fulfillment of the law and the prophets, Christ our God Himself, having fulfilled all the fatherly vision, fill our hearts with joy and gladness, always, now and ever, and forever and ever.

Chorus: Amen.

Chorus: Blessed be the name of the Lord from now to eternity. (3 times)

Choir: Psalm 33:

I will bless the Lord at all times; I will make His praise in my mouth. My soul will glory in the Lord, that the meek may hear and rejoice. Magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. Seek the Lord and hear me, and deliver me from all my sorrows. Come to Him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be ashamed. This beggar cried out, and the Lord heard and saved him from all his sorrows. The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear Him and deliver them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Nan. Fear the Lord, all your saints, for there is no hardship for those who fear Him. Those who are poor and hungry are rich, but those who seek the Lord will not be deprived of any good. Come, children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is a person who loves life and sees good things? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking flattery. Avoid evil and do good. Seek peace, and get married, and... The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are upon their prayer. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to consume their memory from the earth. The righteous cried out, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them from all their sorrows. The Lord is near to those who are broken in heart, and will save those who are humble in spirit. Many are the sorrows of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver me from all of them. The Lord protects all their bones; not one of them will be broken. The death of sinners is cruel, and those who hate the righteous will sin. The Lord will deliver the souls of His servant, and all who trust in Him will not sin.

The priest blesses those praying, proclaiming: The blessing of the Lord is upon you, by His grace and love for mankind always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Chorus: Amen.

Priest: Glory to Thee, Christ God, our hope, glory to Thee.

WITH lava: and Now:

G Lord, have mercy. (3 times)

B bless.

Vacation

Priest: Risen from the dead Christ, our true God, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother, the glorious and all-praised apostle, like our holy father John, Archbishop of Constantinople, Chrysostom and Saint (temple and day), and all the saints, will have mercy and save us, for He is Good and Lover of Mankind.

Many years

Chorus: Our Great Lord and Father (name), His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and Our Lord the Most Reverend (name of rivers) metropolitan (or archbishop or bishop; title of diocesan bishop), the brethren of this holy temple and all Orthodox Christians, Lord, save them for many years.

The Divine Liturgy is an eternal repetition of the great feat of love that has been accomplished for us. The word “Liturgy”, literally translated, means “common (or public) matter.” It appeared among the ancient Christians to designate worship, which was truly “common”, i.e. Every member of the Christian community took part in it - from infants to the shepherd (priest).

The Liturgy is, as it were, the pinnacle of the daily cycle of services, the ninth service performed by St. Orthodox Church services throughout the day. Since the church day begins in the evening at sunset, these nine services are performed in monasteries in this order:

Evening.

1. Ninth hour - (3 pm).
2. Vespers - (before sunset).
3. Compline - (after dark).

Morning.

1. Midnight Office - (after midnight).
2. Matins - (before dawn).
3. First hour - (at sunrise).

Day.

1. Third hour - (9 o'clock in the morning).
2. Sixth hour - (12 noon).
3. Liturgy.

During Lent it happens when the liturgy is celebrated together with Vespers. Nowadays, in parish churches, daily services most often consist of an all-night vigil or an all-night vigil, celebrated in the evening on the eve of especially revered holidays, and the Liturgy, usually celebrated in the morning. The All-Night Vigil consists of combining Vespers with Matins and the first hour. The Liturgy is preceded by the 3rd and 6th hours.

The daily cycle of services symbolizes the history of the world from creation to the coming, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus, Vespers is dedicated to Old Testament times: the creation of the world, the fall of the first people, their expulsion from paradise, their repentance and prayer for salvation, then, people’s hope, according to God’s promise, in the Savior and, finally, the fulfillment of this promise.

Matins is dedicated to the times of the New Testament: the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world for our salvation, His preaching (reading the Gospel) and His glorious Resurrection.

The clock is a collection of psalms and prayers that were read by Christians at four important times of the day for Christians: the first hour, when morning began for Christians; the third hour, when the descent of the Holy Spirit took place; the sixth hour, when the Savior of the world was nailed to the cross; the ninth hour, when He gave up His spirit. Since it is not possible for a modern Christian, due to lack of time and incessant entertainment and other activities, to perform these prayers at the designated hours, the 3rd and 6th hours are connected and read together.

Liturgy is the most important service, during which the Most Holy Sacrament of Communion is performed. The liturgy is also a symbolic description of the life and great deeds of Jesus Christ, from birth to crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension. During each Liturgy, everyone participating in the Liturgy (and precisely participating, and not just “present”) again and again confirms their commitment to Orthodoxy, i.e. reaffirms his loyalty to Christ.

The entire service, known as the “Liturgy,” is performed on Sunday mornings and holidays, and in large cathedrals, monasteries and some parishes - daily. The liturgy lasts about two hours and consists of the following three main parts:

1. Proskomedia.
2. Liturgy of the catechumens.
3. Liturgy of the Faithful.

Proskomedia

The word “Proskomedia” means “bringing”, in memory of the fact that in ancient times Christians brought everything necessary for the celebration of the liturgy - bread, wine, etc. Since all this is preparation for the liturgy, its spiritual meaning is a memory of the initial period of life Christ, from the Nativity until He went out to preach, which was a preparation for His exploits in the world. Therefore, the entire proskomedia takes place with the altar closed, with the curtain drawn, invisibly from the people, just as the entire initial life of Christ passed invisibly from the people. The priest (in Greek “priest”), who is to celebrate the Liturgy, must be sober in body and spirit in the evening, must be reconciled with everyone, must be wary of harboring any displeasure against anyone. When the time comes, he goes to church; together with the deacon, they both worship in front of the royal doors, saying a series of prescribed prayers, kiss the image of the Savior, kiss the image of the Mother of God, worship the faces of all saints, worship everyone coming to the right and left, asking for forgiveness from everyone with this bow, and enter the altar, saying Psalm 5, from the middle of verse 8 to the end:

“I will go into Your house, I will worship Your temple in Your passion”,

etc. And, approaching the throne (facing the east), they make three bows to the ground in front of it and kiss the gospel lying on it, as if the Lord Himself sitting on the throne; Then they kiss the throne itself and begin to dress themselves in sacred clothes in order to separate themselves not only from other people, but also from themselves, and not remind others of anything in themselves that is similar to a person engaged in ordinary everyday affairs. And saying:
"God! Cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me!”
the priest and deacon take the clothes in their hands, see rice. 1.

First, the deacon vests himself: having asked for a blessing from the priest, he puts on a surplice of brilliant color, as a sign of the luminous angelic clothing and as a reminder of the immaculate purity of heart, which should be inseparable from the office of the priesthood, saying when putting it on:

“My soul will rejoice in the Lord, for He has clothed me with the robe of salvation, and has clothed me with the robe of gladness, as you put a crown on me like a groom, and adorn me with beauty like a bride.” (That is, “My soul will rejoice in the Lord, for he has clothed me with the robe of salvation, and has clothed me with the robe of gladness, as he has placed a crown on me as a bridegroom, and has adorned me with ornaments as a bride.”)

Then he takes, with a kiss, the “orarion” - a narrow long ribbon, belonging to the deacon’s rank, with which he gives a sign to the beginning of every church action, elevating the people to prayer, the singers to singing, the priest to perform sacred acts, and himself to angelic speed and readiness in service. For the title of deacon is like the title of an angel in heaven, and with this thin ribbon raised upon him, fluttering as if in the likeness of an airy wing, and with his rapid walk through the church he depicts, according to Chrysostom’s words, an angelic flight. He kisses it and throws it on his shoulder.

After this, the deacon puts on the “bands” (or armlets), thinking at this moment about the all-creating, facilitating power of God; putting on the right one, he says:

“Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in strength: Thy right hand, O Lord, crusheth the enemies, and with the multitude of Thy glory thou hast wiped out the adversaries.” (That is, “Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorified in power: Thy right hand, O Lord, hath crushed the enemies, and by the multitude of Thy glory hath destroyed the adversaries”).

Putting on the left one, he thinks of himself as the creation of God’s hands and prays to Him, who created him, to guide him with His highest guidance, saying this:

“Thy hands make me, and create me: give me understanding, and I will learn Thy commandment.” (i.e., “Thy hands have created me and formed me: give me understanding and I will learn Your commandments”).

The priest dresses in the same way. At the beginning, he blesses and puts on the surplice (sacristan), accompanying this with the same words that the deacon accompanied; but, following the surplice, he no longer puts on a simple one-shouldered orarion, but a two-shouldered one, which, covering both shoulders and hugging the neck, is connected at both ends on his chest together and descends in a connected form to the very bottom of his clothing, thereby marking the union in his position of two positions - priestly and deaconal. And it is no longer called an orarion, but an “epistrachelion”, see fig. 2. Putting on the stole signifies the outpouring of grace on the priest and is therefore accompanied by the majestic words of Scripture:

“Blessed is God, who pours out His grace on His priests, like ointment on the head that comes down on the guard, even on the guard of Aaron, that comes down on the sweeps of his garments.” (I.e., “Blessed is God who pours out His grace on His priests, like ointment on the head, running down on the beard, Aaron’s beard, running down the hem of his robe”).

Then he puts on the girdles with the same words that the deacon said, and girds himself with a belt over the vestment and epitrachelion, so that the width of the clothing does not interfere with the performance of sacred rites and in order to thereby express his readiness, for a person girds himself, preparing for the journey, starting a task and feat. : The priest also girds himself, preparing for the journey of heavenly service, and looks at his belt as at the fortress of the power of God, strengthening him, for which he says:

“Blessed be God, gird me with strength, and make my way blameless, make my feet like trees, and set me on high.” (Ie., “Blessed be God, who gives me strength, who made my path blameless and my legs faster than a deer’s, and who raised me to the top. /Ie. to the Throne of God/”).

Finally, the priest puts on a “robe” or “felonion,” an outer all-covering garment, signifying the all-covering truth of the Lord with the words:

“Your priests, O Lord, will be clothed with righteousness, and Your saints will always rejoice with joy, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen". (That is, “Your priests, O Lord, will be clothed with righteousness, and Your saints will rejoice with joy always, now and forever, and forever and ever. Truly so.”)

And dressed in this way as an instrument of God, the priest appears as a different person: no matter what he is in himself, no matter how little he is worthy of his title, everyone standing in the temple looks at him as an instrument of God, controlled by the Holy Spirit. The priest and deacon both wash their hands, accompanying this with the reading of the 25th Psalm, from 6 to 12 verses:

“I will wash my innocent hands, and I will build Your altar.” etc.

Having made three bows before the altar (see Fig. 3), accompanied by the words:

"God! Cleanse me, a sinner, and have mercy on me.” etc., the priest and deacon rise washed, illuminated, like their shining clothes, not reminding themselves of anything similar to other people, but becoming more like shining visions than people. The deacon quietly announces the beginning of the rite:

“Bless, lord!” And the priest begins with the words: “Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.” The deacon concludes with the words: “Amen.”

This whole part of the proskomedia consists of preparing what is needed for service, i.e. in separation from the bread-prosphora (or “offerings”) of that bread, which should at the beginning be an image of the body of Christ, and then be transformed into it. All this takes place in the altar with the doors closed and the curtain drawn. For those praying, the 3rd and 6th “hours” are read at this time.

Having approached the altar, or “offering,” located to the left of the throne, marking the ancient side room of the temple, the priest takes one of the five prosphoras in order to cut out that part that will become the “lamb” (the body of Christ) - the middle with a seal marked with the name Christ (see Fig. 4). This marks the removal of the flesh of Christ from the flesh of the Virgin - the birth of the Ethereal One in the flesh. And, thinking that He who sacrificed Himself for the whole world is being born, he inevitably connects the thought of the sacrifice itself and the offering and looks: at the bread, as at a lamb being sacrificed; on the knife with which he must remove it, as if it were a sacrificial one, which has the appearance of a spear, in remembrance of the spear with which the body of the Savior was pierced on the cross. Now he does not accompany his action with the words of the Savior, nor with the words of witnesses contemporary to what happened, he does not transfer himself to the past, at the time when this sacrifice took place - that is still ahead, in the last part of the liturgy - and he turns to this future from afar with a discerning thought, which is why all sacred ceremonies are accompanied by the words of the prophet Isaiah, from afar, from the darkness of centuries, who foresaw the future wonderful birth, sacrifice and death and announced this with incomprehensible clarity.

Placing the spear on the right side of the seal, the priest pronounces the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“Leading like a sheep to the slaughter”; (i.e., “like a lamb led to the slaughter”);
then placing the spear on the left side, he says:
“And like a lamb without blemish, even the one who shears it is silent, so he does not open his mouth.”; (i.e., “like a blameless lamb, silent before its shearer, it is silent”);
After this, placing the spear in the upper side of the seal, he says:
“in His humility His judgment will be taken away”; (i.e. “bears His sentence with humility”);
Having then planted the spear in the lower part, he pronounces the words of the prophet, who thought about the origin of the condemned Lamb:
“Who can confess His generation?”; (ie, “who knows His origin?”).
And he lifts up the cut out middle of the bread with a spear, saying:
“as if His belly were lifted up from the earth; (i.e., “how His life is taken from the earth”);
and then placing the bread with the seal down, and the part taken out up (in the likeness of a lamb being sacrificed), the priest makes a cross, as a sign of His death on the cross, on it the sign of sacrifice, according to which the bread will then be divided, saying:

“The Lamb of God is devoured, take away the sin of the world, for the world’s belly and salvation.” (That is, “The Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world, is sacrificed for the life and salvation of the world”).

And, turning the seal upward, he places it on the paten and places the spear in his right side, recalling, together with the slaughter of the victim, the perforation of the Savior’s rib, made by the spear of the warrior standing at the cross, and says:

“One of the warriors pierced His side with a copy, and from it came forth blood and water: and he who saw it testified, and truly is his testimony.” (That is, “One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out; and he who saw it testified, and his testimony is true.”)

And these words also serve as a sign for the deacon to pour wine and water into the holy cup. The deacon, who until then looked reverently at everything the priest did, now reminding him of the beginning of the sacred rite, now saying within himself: “Let us pray to the Lord!” at each of his actions, having asked the priest for blessing, he pours a ladle of wine and a little water into the bowl, combining them together.

And in fulfillment of the rite of the first church and the saints of the first Christians, who always remembered, when thinking about Christ, all those who were closer to His heart by fulfilling His commandments and the holiness of their lives, the priest proceeds to other prosphoras, so that, taking out particles from them, their remembrance, placed on the same paten near the same holy bread, forming the Lord Himself, since they themselves were burning with the desire to be everywhere with their Lord.

Taking the second prosphora in his hands, he takes out a particle from it in remembrance of the Most Holy Theotokos and places it on the right side of the holy bread (on the left, when viewed from the priest), saying from the psalm of David:

“The Queen appears at Your right hand, dressed in robes of gold and adorned.” (i.e., “The Queen stood at Your right hand, adorned and dressed in gilded garments”).

Then he takes the third prosphora, in remembrance of the saints, and with the same spear takes out nine particles from it in three rows and in the same order places them on the paten, to the left of the lamb, three in each: the first particle in the name of John the Baptist, the second in the name the prophets, the third - in the name of the apostles, and this completes the first row and rank of saints.

Then he takes out the fourth particle in the name of the holy fathers, the fifth - in the name of the martyrs, the sixth - in the name of the reverend and God-bearing fathers and mothers, and with this completes the second row and rank of saints.

Then he takes out the seventh particle in the name of the unmercenary wonderworkers, the eighth - in the name of the Godfathers Joachim and Anna and the saint glorified on this day, the ninth - in the name of John Chrysostom or Basil the Great, depending on which of them is celebrating the liturgy on that day, and This completes the third row and the rank of saints. And Christ appears among His closest ones, He who dwells in the saints is seen visibly among His saints - God among gods, Man among men.

And, taking the fourth prosphora in his hands in remembrance of all the living, the priest takes out particles from it and places them on the holy paten in the name of the synod and patriarchs, in the name of the rulers, in the name of all Orthodox Christians living everywhere and, finally, in the name of each of them by name, whom wants to remember, or whom they asked him to remember.

Then the priest takes the fifth prosphora, takes out particles from it in remembrance of all the dead, asking at the same time for the remission of their sins, starting from the patriarchs, kings, the creators of the temple, the bishop who ordained him, if he is already among the dead, and all Orthodox Christians, taking out in the name of everyone he was asked for, or whom he himself wants to remember. In conclusion, he asks for absolution for himself in everything and also takes out a particle for himself, and places them all on the paten near the same holy bread at the bottom of it.

Thus, around this bread, this Lamb, representing Christ Himself, His entire church is gathered, both triumphant in heaven and militant here. The Son of Man appears among people for whose sake He became incarnate and became Man.

And, stepping back a little from the altar, the priest worships, as if he were worshiping the very incarnation of Christ, and welcomes the appearance of Heavenly Bread on earth in the form of bread lying on the paten, and greets him with incense, having first blessed the censer and reading a prayer over it:

“We offer a censer to You, Christ our God, in the stench of the spiritual fragrance, as we are received into Your heavenly altar, bestow upon us the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit.” (That is, “We offer a censer to You, O Christ our God, surrounded by spiritual fragrance, which accept into Your heavenly altar and send down upon us the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit.”)

The deacon says: “Let us pray to the Lord.”
And the entire thought of the priest is transported to the time when the Nativity of Christ took place, returning the past to the present, and looks at this altar as at a mysterious den (i.e., a cave), into which heaven was transferred to earth at that time: the sky became a den , and the nativity scene - the sky. Circle the star (two golden arcs with a star at the top), accompanied by the words:

“And a star came, a hundred above, where the Child was”; (i.e., “And when he came, a star stood above, where the Child was”), places it on the paten, looking at it as at a star shining above the Child; for holy bread, set aside for sacrifice - as for a newborn Baby; on the paten - like on a manger where the Baby lay; on the covers - like the swaddling clothes that covered the Child.

And, having sprinkled the first cover, he covers it with the holy bread with the paten, saying the psalm:

“The Lord reigned, clothed in beauty (beauty)”... and so on: Psalm 92, 1-6, in which the wondrous height of the Lord is sung.

And, having sprinkled the second cover, he covers the holy cup with it, saying:
“The heavens have covered your virtue, O Christ, and the earth has filled with your praise.”.

And, then taking a large cover (plate), called holy air, he covers both the paten and the cup together, calling on God to cover us with the shelter of His wings.

And, again retreating a little from the altar, both the priest and the deacon worship the offered holy bread, as shepherds and kings worshiped the newborn Child, and the priest censes, as if in front of the nativity scene, symbolizing or depicting with this incense the fragrance of incense and myrrh that was brought along with gold by the wise men.

The deacon, as before, is attentively present to the priest, either saying at every action, “Let us pray to the Lord,” or reminding him of the beginning of the action itself. Finally, he takes the censer from his hands and reminds him of the prayer that should be offered to the Lord about these gifts prepared for Him:

“Let us pray to the Lord for the honest (i.e., venerable, revered) gifts offered!”

And the priest begins to pray.
Although these gifts are nothing more than prepared only for the offering itself, but since from now on they can no longer be used for anything else, the priest reads a prayer for himself alone, preceding the acceptance of these gifts offered for the upcoming offering (given in Russian ):

“God, our God, who sent heavenly bread as food for the whole world, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, Savior, Redeemer and Benefactor, who blesses and sanctifies us, bless this offer yourself, and accept it on your heavenly altar, remember how good and lover of mankind, who offered, and for whom they offered, and keep us uncondemned in the sacred performance of Your divine mysteries.” And he ends loudly: “For hallowed and glorified is Thy most honorable and magnificent name, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages, Amen.” (I.e., “Since Your all-honorable and majestic name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, abides in holiness and glory, now and always, and forever and ever. Truly so.”)

And, following the prayer, he creates the release (i.e., the end) of the proskomedia. The deacon censes the sentence and then, cross-shaped, the holy meal (throne) and, thinking about the earthly birth of the One who was born before all ages, always present everywhere and everywhere, pronounces in himself (given in Russian):

“You, Christ, who fills everything, limitless, /were/ in the tomb in body, and in hell, like God, in soul, and in paradise with the thief, and reigned on the throne with the Father and the Spirit.”.

After this, the deacon comes out of the altar with a censer to fill the entire church with fragrance and greet everyone who has gathered for the holy meal of love. This chopping is always performed at the beginning of the service, just as in the domestic life of all the ancient eastern peoples, ablutions and incense were offered to every guest upon entry. This custom was transferred entirely to this heavenly feast - to the Last Supper, which bears the name of the liturgy, in which the service of God was so wonderfully combined with a friendly treat for everyone, to which the Savior Himself set an example, serving everyone and washing their feet.

Censing and bowing to everyone equally, both the rich and the poor, the deacon, as a servant of God, greets them all as the most kind guests of the Heavenly Master, censes and bows at the same time to the images of the saints, for they too are guests who came to the Last Supper: in Christ everyone is alive and inseparable. Having prepared, filled the temple with fragrance and then returned to the altar and poured it again, the deacon gives the censer to the servant, approaches the priest, and both stand together in front of the holy altar.

Standing before the altar, the priest and deacon bow three times and, preparing to begin the liturgy, call on the Holy Spirit, for all their service must be spiritual. The Spirit is the teacher and mentor of prayer: “We do not know what to pray for,” says the Apostle Paul, “but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed” (Rom. 8:26). Praying the Holy Spirit to dwell in them and, having settled in, cleanse them for service, the priest twice pronounces the song with which the angels greeted the birth of Jesus Christ:

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men”.

Following this song, the church curtain is pulled back, which opens only when the thoughts of those praying should be raised to higher, “mountain” objects. Here the opening of the heavenly doors signifies, following the song of the angels, that the Nativity of Christ was not revealed to everyone, that only the angels in heaven, Mary and Joseph, the Magi who came to worship, and the prophets saw about it from afar, knew about it.

The priest and deacon say to themselves:
“Lord, you have opened my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise.”(i.e., “Lord, open my mouth, and my lips will glorify You”), after which the priest kisses the Gospel, the deacon kisses the Holy Altar and, bowing his head, reminds of the beginning of the liturgy: he raises the orarion with three fingers and says :

“It’s time to create the Lord, bless the Lord ,
in response to which the priest blesses him with the words:
“Blessed be our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”.

The deacon, thinking about the service ahead of him, in which he must become like an angelic flight - from the throne to the people and from the people to the throne, gathering everyone into one soul, and be, so to speak, a holy exciting force, and feeling his unworthiness for such service - humbly prays the priest:

“Pray for me, master!”
To which the priest replies:
“May the Lord correct your feet!”(i.e., “May the Lord direct your steps”).

The deacon asks again:
“Remember me, holy lord!”
And the priest answers:
“May the Lord God remember you in His kingdom, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”.

“Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will declare Your praise,” after which he loudly calls out to the priest:

“Bless, lord!”

The priest exclaims from the depths of the altar:
“Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”
(blessed - worthy of glorification).

The face (i.e. the choir) sings: “Amen” (i.e. truly so). This is the beginning of the second part of the liturgy, Liturgy of the Catechumens.

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

Shouts of the priest and deacon

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

Then the deacon pronounces the great litany.

Fine and festive antiphons

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

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

Hymn “Only Begotten Son”

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

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

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

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

GOSPEL “BLEATS AND TROPARIA BLESSED”

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

Small entrance with the Gospel

During the reading or singing of the Gospel beatitudes, the royal doors open, the priest takes from St. Throne Gospel, hands over his to the deacon and leaves the altar together with the deacon. This exit of the clergy with the Gospel is called the “small entrance” and means the appearance of the Savior to preach.

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

As we approach the northern doors, the deacon, with the words “Let us pray to the Lord,” invites everyone to pray to the Lord who is coming to us. The priest secretly reads a prayer, asking that the Lord would make their entrance the entrance of the Saints, would deign to send Angels to serve Him worthy, and thus would arrange a kind of heavenly service here. That is why further, blessing the entrance, the priest says: “Blessed is the entrance of Thy Saints,” and the deacon, holding up the Gospel, proclaims, “Forgive Wisdom.”

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

Singing the troparion and kontakion

To the singing: “Come, let us worship...” is also joined by the singing of the daily troparion and kontakion for. images of memories for this day and those saints who, by fulfilling the commandments of Christ, themselves receive bliss in heaven and serve as an example for others.

Entering the altar, the priest in secret prayer asks the “Heavenly Father,” sung by the Cherubim and Seraphim, to accept from us, the humble and unworthy, the trisagion, to forgive our voluntary and involuntary sins, to sanctify us and give us strength to serve Him immaculately and righteously until the end of our lives.” .

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

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

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

Those who were baptized in the name of Christ, in Christ and clothed with the grace of Christ. Alleluia.

The prayer “Holy God” should now arouse feelings of repentance for one’s sins and an appeal to God for mercy.

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

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

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

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

In the litanies for the catechumens, the deacon prays on behalf of all people, so that the Lord will enlighten the catechumens with the word of the Gospel truth, honor them with Holy Baptism and join them to the Holy Church.

Simultaneously with the deacon, the priest reads a prayer in which he asks that the Lord “who lives on high” and pays attention to the humble, would also look upon His servants, the catechumens, and grant them the “bath of rebirth,” that is, Holy Baptism, clothing of incorruptibility and would unite the Holy Church. Then, as if continuing the thoughts of this prayer, the priest says the exclamation:

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

So that those (that is, the catechumens) together with us glorify, Lord, Your Most Pure and Majestic Name - the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

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

Litany on the Exit of the Catechumens

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

Scheme or order of the Liturgy of the Catechumens

The Liturgy of the Catechumens contains the following parts:

1. Initial exclamations of the deacon and priest.

2. Great Litany.

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

4. Small Litany.

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

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

7. Small Litany.

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

9. Small entrance with the Gospel.

10. Singing “Come, let us worship.”

11. Singing the troparion and kontakion.

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

13. Singing the Trisagion.

14. Singing “prokeimenon”.

15. Reading the Apostle.

16. Reading the Gospel.

17. A special litany.

18. Litany for the departed.

19. Litany of the Catechumens.

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

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

At the Liturgy of the Faithful, the most important sacred actions are performed, the preparation for which is not only the first two parts of the Liturgy, but also all other church services. Firstly, the mysteriously grace-filled, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Transfiguration or Transubstantiation of bread and wine into the true Body and Blood of the Savior, and secondly, the communion of believers with the Body and Blood of the Lord, introducing into unity with the Savior, according to His words: “Eat of My flesh and drink My Blood abides in Me and I in him.” (John VI, 56).

Gradually and consistently, in a series of significant actions and deeply meaningful prayers, the meaning and significance of these two liturgical moments is revealed.

Abridged Great Litany.

When the Liturgy of the Catechumens ends, the deacon pronounces an abbreviated great litany. The priest secretly reads a prayer, asking the Lord to cleanse those praying from spiritual impurity, so that, having received the success of a good life and spiritual understanding, he can stand before the Throne worthily, without guilt or condemnation, and so that he can partake of the Holy Mysteries without condemnation to receive the Kingdom of Heaven. Finishing his prayer, the priest says loudly.

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

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

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

Then the Royal Doors are opened to carry through them the prepared substance for the Holy Eucharist from the altar to the Throne. The transfer of the substance prepared for the performance of the Sacrament from the altar to the throne is called the “GREAT ENTRANCE” in contrast to the “Little Entrance”.

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

When the reading of the Gospel approached, the deacons went to the Conservatory or Diaconnik and brought the Gospel for reading in the middle of the Church. Likewise, before the consecration of the Holy Gifts, the deacons from the Offering brought the Gifts to the celebrant of the Liturgy to the Throne. Thus, in ancient times, the transfer of bread and wine was practically necessary, because the altar was not in the altar, as it is now, but in an independent part of the temple.

Now the Great Entrance has a more allegorical meaning, depicting the procession of Jesus Christ to free Passion.

Cherubic Song

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

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

We, who mysteriously depict cherubim and sing the trisagion of the life-giving Trinity, will now put aside all everyday worries in order to raise the King of all, Who is invisibly and solemnly accompanied by the angelic ranks with the singing of “Alleluia.”

Although the Cherubic Hymn is usually divided into two parts by the Great Entrance when performed, in fact it represents one harmonious, coherent prayer, so integral that not a single point can be placed throughout its entire length.

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

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

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

Great Entrance(transfer of prepared Gifts).

Stopping on the sole, facing the people, they prayerfully commemorate the local Bishop and all Orthodox Christians - “may the Lord God remember them in His Kingdom.” Then the priest and deacon return to the altar through the Royal Doors.

The singers begin to sing the second part Cherubic song:“Like the Tsar.”

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

During the Great Entrance, Christians stand with bowed heads, expressing respect for the Gifts being transferred and asking that the Lord remember them too in His Kingdom. Placing the paten and the Holy Chalice on the throne and covering them with air signifies the transfer of the body of Jesus Christ for burial, which is why the prayers that are sung when the shroud is taken out on Good Friday (“Blessed Joseph”, etc.) are read.

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

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

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

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

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

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

By the mercy of Your Only Begotten Son, with whom You are glorified, with the most holy, good, life-giving Holy Spirit, at all times.

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

The deacon's instillation of peace and love

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

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

Symbol of faith

Before the next moment - the confession of the Creed, the deacon exclaims: “Doors, doors, let us smell of wisdom.” The exclamation: “Doors, doors” in the Christian Church in ancient times referred to the vestibule of the temple, so that they would carefully watch the doors, so that at this time one of the catechumens or penitents, or in general from persons who do not have the right to be present at the celebration of the Sacrament, would not enter Communions.

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

During the singing of the Creed, the curtain of the Royal Doors opens as a sign that only under the condition of faith can the Throne of Grace be opened to us, from where we receive the Holy Sacraments. While singing the Creed, the priest takes the “air” cover and shakes the air over the Holy Gifts with it, that is, lowers and raises the cover above them. This breath of air means the overshadowing of the Holy Gifts by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Then the Church leads the worshipers to prayerful contemplation of the Sacrament itself. The most important moment of the Liturgy begins - the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

New Invitation for Deacons to Worthy Standing

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

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

Having heard the readiness of the believers to turn to the Lord, the priest blesses them in the name of the Most Holy Trinity: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love (love) of God and the Father, and the communion (i.e. communion) of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” The singers, expressing the same feelings to the priest, answer: “And with your spirit.”

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

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

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

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

To announce to persons who are not present in the Temple that the most important moment of the Liturgy is approaching, there is a Blagovest, called the ringing of “Worthy.”

Eucharistic prayer

At this time, the priest secretly reads a thanksgiving (Eucharistic) prayer, which represents one inseparable whole up to the singing of a prayer of praise in honor of the Mother of God (“It is worthy to eat, as truly”) and is divided into three parts.

In the first part of the Eucharistic Prayer, all the blessings of God revealed to people from their creation are remembered, for example: a) the creation of the world and people, and b) their restoration through Jesus Christ and other blessings.

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

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

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

We thank Thee for this service, which Thou hast deigned to receive at our hands; and before Thee are thousands of Archangels, and ten thousand Angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, towering feathers, a victorious song singing, crying out, calling out and saying: Holy, Holy ; Holy, Lord of hosts, fill heaven and earth with Your glory: Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest.

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

While the choir is singing “Holy, Holy...”, the priest begins to read second part The Eucharistic prayer, in which, after praising all the persons of the Holy Trinity, and separately the Son of God the Redeemer, we remember how the Lord Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Communion.

The establishment of the Sacrament of Communion in the Eucharistic Prayer is conveyed in the following words: “He who (that is, Jesus Christ) came, and fulfilled all his care (care) for us, at night, giving himself over to Himself, and moreover, giving Himself up for the worldly life, the reception of bread, into His holy and most pure and immaculate hands, thanking and blessing, sanctifying, breaking, giving to His Disciple and Apostle, the rivers: “Take, eat, this is My Body, which was broken for you for the remission of sins”;

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

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

Consecration or Transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts

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

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

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

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

Then the priest says three times a prayer to the Most Holy Spirit (Lord, who is Your Most Holy Spirit) and then the words: “And create this bread, the Honest Body of Thy Christ.” "Amen". “And in this cup, the Honest Blood of Thy Christ.” "Amen". “Transformed by Your Holy Spirit. Amen, Amen,

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

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

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

Glorification of the Mother of God

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

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

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

The priest continues to secretly pray: 1) for all the departed and 2) for the living - bishops, presbyters, deacons and for all Orthodox Christians “who live in purity and honest living”; for the established authorities, and the army, for the local Bishop, to which the believers answer: “And everyone and everything.”

The priest's instillation of peace and unanimity

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

2nd Petitionary Litany
(Preparing worshipers for communion)

Then, after blessing the believers with the words: “And may the mercies of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ be with you all,” the preparation of the believers for Communion begins: the second petitionary litany is read, to which petitions are added: Let us pray to the Lord for the offered and consecrated Honest Gifts...

For if our God, who loves mankind, receives me (them) into my holy and heavenly mental altar, into the stench of the spiritual fragrance, he will bestow upon us Divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray.

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

During the second litany of petition, the priest in secret prayer asks the Lord to deign us to partake of the Holy Mysteries, this sacred and spiritual meal for the forgiveness of sins and the inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Lord's Prayer

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

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

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

Ascension of the Holy Gifts

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

Communion of clergy and the “sacrament verse”

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

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

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

After the deacon’s exclamation: “Come with the fear of God and faith,” and the singing of the verse “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” “God the Lord has appeared to us,” the priest reads prayer before communion and imparts to the laity the Body and Blood of the Savior.

Prayer before Communion
St. John Chrysostom

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

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

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

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

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

Singers are responsible for the people:

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

We, having seen the true light and accepted the Heavenly Spirit, have acquired true faith, worship the Undivided Trinity, because She saved us.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanksgiving for Communion

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer behind the pulpit

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

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

“Be the Name of the Lord” and Psalm 33

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

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

The priest's last blessing

After Psalm 33, the priest blesses the people for the last time, saying: “The blessing of the Lord is upon you, through His grace and love for mankind always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”

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

Scheme or order of the Liturgy of the Faithful

The Liturgy of the Faithful consists of the following parts:

1. Abbreviated Great Litany.

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

3. Great Entrance and Transfer of the Holy Gifts.

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

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

6. Suggestion deacon peace, love and unanimity.

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

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

9. Eucharistic prayer (Three parts).

10. Consecration of the Holy Gifts (during singing; “We sing to you...”)

11. Glorification of the Mother of God (“It is worthy to eat...”)

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

13. Suggestion priest peace, love and unanimity.

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

15. Singing the “Lord’s Prayer.”

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

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

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

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

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

21. Litany of thanksgiving for Communion.

22. Prayer behind the pulpit.

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

24. The last blessing of the priest.

It is noteworthy that many of those who attend divine services may not understand at all the meaning and deep meaning of the Divine Liturgy. The words spoken in chants also remain misunderstood. A gap in knowledge of this kind deprives prayer of meaning, therefore, when talking with God - our Heavenly Father - we must consciously approach this issue. Christians must understand what the words they hear and speak mean.

For many, visiting church becomes almost a feat in the spiritual sense, because you have to wait a long time for your turn at confession, and then listen to the incomprehensible speeches of the churchman. In fact, when we come to Church, we essentially find ourselves in the Upper Room of Zion, where we await our hour of spiritual cleansing.

You need to be ready for Orthodox worship, so that together with everyone, with one heart and mouth, you can sing the glory of the Lord. This article will reveal the meaning and give an explanation of this church service, talk about its origin, what types there are, how they are performed, what the order is.

Divine Liturgy with explanations - download, listen online

There is also a wonderful lecture by Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev on the Divine Liturgy, in which a detailed explanation of the Orthodox rite is given in clear language and easy style (understandable even for dummies in this matter).

Lectures by Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev, replete with explanations, can be found in video and audio format, watch and listen online, and also download. Such materials are recommended for familiarization both to people beginning their Orthodox path and to churchgoers.

The Divine Liturgy should not be confused with the funeral service, which is called a memorial service. This service is distinguished by the fact that it commemorates the deceased; it is served on the day of death of the deceased, also on the 3rd, 9th, 40th day, and on every anniversary after death, on birthdays, name days.

The memorial service can be served either in church by a priest or at home by a layman. During this service, trusting in God’s mercy, the Lord asks for forgiveness of sins for the deceased and eternal life.

What is liturgy in church

This is the main Christian service, it is also called mass - the basis and center of the entire church world.

The purpose of this sacred tradition is preparation for the sacrament of the Eucharist or Communion, which occurs at the end of the service.

The first Eucharist was celebrated by Jesus Christ on Maundy Thursday.

This is interesting: Maundy Thursday (otherwise Maundy Thursday, Holy Thursday) is the fourth day of Great Week. On this day, followers of the Christian faith remember the Last Supper. It was then that Jesus Christ washed the feet of the apostles and established the sacrament of Communion. Surrounded by His disciples, Christ blessed the bread, which is His Body, and the wine, which is His Blood, and said: “Take, eat: this is My Body” (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19 ).

It is during this main church service that the remembrance of the deceased takes place according to notes “For the Repose” and for health according to the notes “For Health” submitted by Christians. It is recommended to submit notes before the start of the service, and preferably in the evening - during the evening service.

Origin of the Orthodox Liturgy

As stated earlier, the Eucharist forms the basis of liturgical worship. In Ancient Greece there was such a thing as the “Eucharist”.

Translated from Greek into Russian, this word means “common cause.” As history testifies, after the Savior’s ascension into heaven, the apostles broke bread in remembrance of Him.

Subsequently, the tradition was passed on to all followers of this religion. Christians, having accepted the teachings of the apostles, also began to perform this sacrament, and do so to this day.

The service itself has changed over time. If at first the sacred rites were carried out in the order that was established in the time of the Apostles (when communion was combined with meals, prayers and communication), then in modern realities the liturgy was separated from the meal and turned into an independent ritual. The rites began to be held in churches and temples.

What are the liturgies?

Liturgical rites vary depending on the location. For example, in Israel the rite of the liturgy of the Apostle James was formed.

The essence and meaning of the various versions of the sacred rite are absolutely the same, and the difference lies in the prayer texts pronounced by the priests and priests.

I would like to note that in various churches there are two services at once - early and late. The first, as a rule, begins around 7 a.m., and the second at 10 a.m. Services are held in different chapels, different priests serve, and confession occurs at both early and late mass.

This was done for the parishioners themselves - those who work can attend early services, as well as mothers and fathers of families can attend such services without children, and bring their household members to the late service. In this way, every Christian believer can enjoy prayerful communication with God.

Liturgy of the Apostle James

This rite belongs to the Jerusalem type, compiled by the Apostle James. In the 30s, the rite was also introduced in the Russian Orthodox Church, however, not in Russia, but abroad. 40 years later, this type of church service became widespread in the Moscow Patriarchate.

Today, services are held in Orthodox churches in our country several times a year.

The difference between this rite and others similar to it is the way the service is conducted for the laity. Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ occurs separately: first they eat bread from the hands of a priest, and then they accept the Cup of the Blood of Christ from another minister.

Such a service is performed on the day of remembrance of St. James - October 23, and is also served in the East and in some Russian churches.

Liturgy of the Apostle Mark

This rank belongs to the classical Alexandrian type. The features of worship in this case include conciseness, expressiveness, and clarity.

Thanks to these qualities, the ritual became very popular in several countries at once - first it was carried out in Alexandria, then in Egypt, and then in Italy, Armenia and Syria.

The conduct of the liturgy consists in the fact that first there is a procession of clergy (small entrance), then there are vocal prayers.

Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

This is one of three services performed in the Russian Orthodox Church, which include the liturgy of St. Basil the Great, on the basis of which the rite of John Chrysostom was compiled, and the liturgy of St. Gregory Dvoeslav.

Worship is held almost all year round, with the exception of some special days.

Liturgy of St. Basil the Great

Services are held 10 times a year, including Christmas and Epiphany.

The procedure and content of the service, with some exceptions, coincide with the previous rite.

Liturgy of St. Gregory Dvoeslov

This service is also called the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. This is explained by the fact that the Body and Blood are consecrated during this service, and then parishioners and clergy receive communion with them.

The Orthodox rite is performed on Wednesday and Friday of Lent.

The order of performing the full liturgy and its explanation

Before performing the main church service, clergy must prepare themselves. Without yet putting on any vestments, standing in the temple in front of the royal urats, the priests pray, reading the so-called “Entrance Prayers.”

Then the ministers bow and kiss the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God and recite troparia.

After this, the priests secretly pray in front of the gates that the Lord will strengthen them for the upcoming service. Next, they bow to each other, to the holy icons and to the people, and enter the altar.

The service lasts about two hours and takes place mainly in the morning. The duration, however, can be completely different, and in addition, services can even be held at night or in the evening.

As a rule, the ceremony is carried out on Sundays, as well as on holidays, on the days of remembrance of Saints and the celebration of icons. The entire ceremony of worship is a sequential series of actions, divided into several stages, which have their own names and are performed in accordance with certain rules.

The church service consists of three parts:

• proskomedia;
• Liturgy of the Catechumens;
• liturgy of the faithful.

The Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dvoeslov is not included in the full rites. The procedure and scheme for performing a full church service is as follows.

First, the clergy prepare the substance for celebrating the sacrament of the Eucharist from bread and wine. Secondly, preparation for the Sacrament is underway. And thirdly, the Eucharist is celebrated, during which the Holy Gifts are consecrated, and Holy Communion occurs for the participants in the service.

Proskomedia

This is the first stage. The process consists of preparing and bringing the necessary attributes of worship - bread and wine. Proskomedia is performed on the altar during the reading of the hours (prayer blessings that sanctify a certain time of day).

At the very beginning of the proskomedia, church ministers put on sacred attire and read the entrance prayers. Next, on the first prosphora, an image of a cross is made three times and a prayer is said. The middle of the prosphora is cut out in the form of a cube - the Lamb. It is placed on one of the liturgical vessels - the paten.

Next, the priest pours wine into the chalice. On three sides there are particles from five prosphoras. At the end, the priest covers the vessels with the Gifts with coverings and “air” and asks God to give a blessing to the Gifts.

Liturgy of the Catechumens

In the past, participation in church rituals required serious, lengthy preparation. People had to study religious dogmas and attend church, but they had the right to read prayers during church services only before bringing the Gifts from the altar to the throne.

First, prayer requests are said, psalms and troparia are sung. Next, the catechumens must leave the place where the Orthodox ceremony is taking place, since the main stage of the Divine Liturgy begins.

Liturgy of the Faithful

As soon as the call to the catechumens to leave the temple sounds, the third part of the service begins. Prayer requests are said and chants are sung. At the same time, the transfer of the Gifts to the throne occurs. This process is called the great move, which symbolizes the procession of the Savior to suffering and death.

Before the consecration of the Holy Gifts, a litany of petition is pronounced. A litany is also pronounced, which prepares those present for communion, then the prayer “Our Father” is sung. Next comes the communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ to all those who have prepared for this and received the blessing of the clergyman.

It is important to know: In order to become a participant in the great sacrament of Communion, believers must undergo a liturgical fast and clear their conscience - not eat or drink after 00 o'clock the day before and come to confession.

After bringing the Chalice to the altar, a short litany is said. At the end of the church service, the priest calls a blessing on those praying, the parishioners kiss the cross, and prayers of thanks are read.

Conclusion

This is the essence and order of the Divine Service. Everyone who considers himself a member of the Christian faith must know everything about the liturgy and understand the meaning of all actions in order to conduct a dialogue with God and make his faith truly meaningful.

Liturgy is the main divine service of the Orthodox Church. It is served in the morning, on the day of the holiday: on Sunday or on some other holiday. The Liturgy is always preceded by a service in the evening called the All-Night Vigil.

Ancient Christians gathered, read and sang prayers and psalms, read Holy Scripture, performed sacred acts and received Holy Communion. At first, the Liturgy was performed in memory. Because of this, there were differences in the reading of prayers in different churches. In the fourth century, the Liturgy was set down in writing by St. Basil the Great, and then by St. John Chrysostom. This Liturgy was based on the Liturgy of St. Apostle James, the first Bishop of Jerusalem. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is celebrated in the Orthodox Church throughout the year, except for 10 days a year, on which the Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated.

1000 years ago, when the envoys of Prince Vladimir were in the Orthodox Church in Byzantium, they later said that they did not know where they were, in heaven or on earth. So these pagans were struck by the beauty and splendor of the divine service. Indeed, Orthodox worship is distinguished by its beauty, richness and depth. There is an opinion that Russian people studied the Law of God and Christian life, not from catechism textbooks, but from prayers and services - since they contain all theological sciences, as well as by reading the lives of saints.

St. Righteous John of Kronstadt wrote a lot about the Liturgy. Here are his words: “When entering a church,... you enter, as it were, some kind of special world, unlike the visible one... In the world you see and hear everything earthly, transitory, fragile, perishable, sinful... In the temple you see and hear the heavenly, the imperishable, the eternal, the holy.” (“Heaven on earth, the teaching of St. John of Kronstadt on the Divine Liturgy, compiled from his works by Archbishop Benjamin, p. 70).

The liturgy consists of three parts:

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

The catechumens are those who are preparing to be baptized, and the faithful are already baptized Christians. Below is a table of contents of the Liturgy, and then there is an overview and explanation of the main points.

Proskomedia

Liturgy of the Catechumens:(201) Initial exclamations; (202) Great Litany; (203) Psalm 102; (204) Small Ektinya; (205) Psalm 145; (206) Singing the hymn “The Only Begotten Son and Word of God”; (207) Small Ektinya; (208) Singing the Gospel Beatitudes; (209) Small Entrance with the Gospel; (210) Singing “Come Let Us Worship”; (211) Singing of the Troparion and Kontakion; (212) The cry of the deacon: “Lord save the pious”; (213) Chanting the Trisagion; (214) Singing “Prokymna”; (215) Reading of the Apostle; (216) Reading the Holy Gospel; (217) Sublime Ektinya; (218) Prayer for the Salvation of Russia; (219) Litany for the departed; (220) Litany for the catechumens; (221) Litany with the command to the catechumens to leave the temple.

Liturgy of the Faithful:(301) Abbreviated Great Litany; (302) Cherubic Song (1st part); (303) Great Entrance and Transfer of the Holy Gifts; (304) Cherubic Song (2nd part); (305) Petitionary Litany (1st); (306) The deacon’s instillation of peace, love and unanimity; (307) Chanting the Creed; (308) “Let’s become kind”; (309) Eucharistic prayer; (310) Consecration of the Holy Gifts; (311) “It is worthy to eat”; (312) Commemoration of the living and the dead; (313) The priest’s instillation of peace, love and unanimity; (314) Petitionary Litany (2nd); (315) Singing “Our Father”; (316) Ascension of the Holy Gifts; (317) Communion of the Clergy; (318) Communion of the laity; (319) The cry “Save, O God, Thy people” and “We have seen the true light”; (320) “Let our lips be filled”; (321) Lit of thanksgiving for communion; (322) Prayer behind the pulpit; (323) “Be the name of the Lord” and Psalm 33; (324) The last blessing of the priest.

Brief overview and explanation of the main points of Proskomedia:(100) this is the first part of the Liturgy. During Proskomedia, the priest prepares bread and wine for the sacrament of Communion. At the same time, the reader reads two short services called “3rd hour” and “6th hour”. They consist mainly of reading psalms and prayers. There is no choir. This is the little-known first part of the Liturgy.

Beginning with the choir:(201) “The Liturgy of the Catechumens” (the second part of the Liturgy) begins when the deacon, standing in front of the royal doors, exclaims “Bless, Vladyka!” The priest, at the altar, replies, “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.” To which the choir responds “Amen.” This is how the Liturgy begins, or more precisely the second part of the Liturgy (Liturgy of the Catechumens).

Ektiny:(202) A litany is a special, lengthy prayer to God about our needs, which consists of many short prayers. The deacon or priest says short prayers at the end of which the words “Let us pray to the Lord” or “We ask the Lord,” and the choir answers “Lord have mercy” or “Lord grant.” A distinctive part of not only the Liturgy, but also other church services, is a large number of prayers called Ektinya. Litanys are: great, small, intense, petitionary, Litany of catechumens, etc. In the Liturgy of the Catechumens there are 7 Litany (202, 204, 207, 217, 219, 220, 221), and in the Liturgy of the Faithful there are 4 (301, 305, 314, 321).

Immediately after the initial exclamations follows the Great (Peaceful) Litany, which begins with the deacon’s cry, “Let us pray to the Lord in peace,” and the response of the choir, “Lord, have mercy.”

Psalms 102 and 145:(2.3,5) Psalms 102 and 145 are sung in chorus. They are called "pictorial" because they depict and describe the Lord God. Psalm 102 says that the Lord cleanses our sins, heals our illnesses, and that He is generous, merciful and patient. It begins with the words: “Bless the Lord, my soul...”. Psalm 145 says that the Lord created the heavens, the earth, the sea and everything that is in them and keeps all the laws forever, that He protects the offended, feeds the hungry, frees the imprisoned, loves the righteous, protects travelers, protects orphans and widows, and sinners corrects. This psalm begins with the words: “Praise the Lord, my soul: I will praise the Lord in my belly, I will sing to my God until I am...”.

Small entrance:(208, 209) The choir sings the Beatitudes (“Blessed are the poor in spirit, ...”). Christian teaching about life is found in the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. The first, the Lord God gave to Moses for the Jews, about 3250 years ago (1250 BC). The second, Jesus Christ gave in His famous “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7), almost 2000 years ago. The Ten Commandments were given in Old Testament times to keep wild and rude people from evil. The Beatitudes were given to Christians who were already at a higher spiritual development. They show what spiritual dispositions one must have in order to approach God in one’s own qualities and acquire holiness, which is the highest happiness.

While singing the Beatitudes, the royal doors open, the priest takes the Holy Gospel from the throne, hands it to the deacon and, together with it, leaves the altar through the northern doors and stands in front of the royal doors, facing the worshipers. Servants with candles walk in front of them and stand behind the pulpit, facing the priest. A candle in front of the Holy Gospel means that the Gospel teaching is a blessed light for people. This exit is called the “Small Entrance” and reminds those praying of the sermon of Jesus Christ.

Troparion and Kontakion:(211) Troparion and kontakion are short prayer songs dedicated to a holiday or saint. Troparions and kontakia are Sundays, holidays, or in honor of a saint. They are performed by a choir.

Reading the Apostle and the Holy Gospel:(214, 215, 216) Before reading the Apostle and the Gospel, the deacon says “Prokeimenon.” The prokeimenon is a verse that is pronounced either by the reader or the deacon and which is repeated in chorus before the reading of the Apostle and the Gospel. Usually the prokeimenon is taken from Holy Scripture (the Bible) and it briefly expresses the meaning of the subsequent reading or service.

The Holy Scriptures are divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament describes events before the birth of Jesus Christ, and the New Testament after His birth. The New Testament is divided into "Gospel" and "Apostle". The “Gospel” describes the events from the birth of Jesus Christ to the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. These events were described by four evangelists; the same events, but each in their own way. Thus, there is the Gospel of the Holy Apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The events after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles are described by different apostles in “The Apostle.”

For every day of the year it is necessary to read a small passage from the “Apostle” and from the “Gospel”. There are special tables according to which these readings should be performed. When there are two holidays on one day, say Sunday and some other holiday, then there are two readings; one for Sunday and the other for the holiday.

So, from the “Apostle” a passage is read that is set for this day - it is read in the middle of the church. Usually the reader reads, but any other God-loving Christian can read; man or woman. During reading there is censing. It depicts the joyful, fragrant spread of Christian preaching.

After reading the “Apostle”, the “Gospel” is read, that is, an excerpt from the “Gospel”. The deacon reads, and if he is not there, then the priest.

Which passage from the “Apostle” and “Gospel” should be read on what day can usually be found in Orthodox calendars. It is good to find out what readings will be at the Liturgy and read them from Holy Scripture in advance.

Prayer for the salvation of Russia:(218) In all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, this prayer has been read by the priest in the altar since 1921, for over 70 years. This prayer is a wonderful example of Christian love. We are taught not only to love our family and relatives, but also all people, including our enemies. It contains the following touching words: “remember all our enemies who hate and offend us...”, “The suffering Russian land from the fierce atheists and the power of their freedom...” and “Grant peace and silence, love and affirmation and speedy reconciliation for Your people..."

“Izhe Cherubim” and the great entrance:(302, 303, 304) The Liturgy of the Catechumens begins imperceptibly with the liturgy (301). Immediately after the litany, approximately in the middle of the service (at the beginning of the 3rd part), the choir sings “Like the Cherubim...” and the Great Entrance takes place. After the first part of the Cherubic Song, the priest and deacon leave the altar with the Holy Gifts through the northern doors and stand in front of the royal doors, facing the worshipers. Servants with candlesticks walk in front of them and stand behind the pulpit, facing the priest. The priest and deacon prayerfully commemorate: Church government, civil authority, the suffering Russian country, the clergy, all those persecuted for the Orthodox faith, the parish and all Orthodox Christians. After this, the priest and deacon return to the altar through the royal doors, and the acolytes through the southern doors, and the choir sings the second part of the Cherubic Song.

Symbol of faith:(307) The Creed is the shortest definition of the Orthodox Christian faith. It consists of 12 parts (members). The Creed was approved at the 1st and 2nd Ecumenical Councils (325 and 381). The unchanged Creed remained only among Orthodox Christians - Western Christians changed the 8th member. The Creed is sung by the choir and each member is celebrated by ringing a bell. In some churches, all worshipers sing it along with the choir. Before singing the Symbol, the deacon exclaims, “Doors, doors, let us hear wisdom.” In our time, this means that we must close our “heart doors” from everything extraneous and prepare to hear the “wise word.” The Creed begins with the words: “I believe in one God, Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible...”.

Consecration of the Holy Gifts:(309, 310) The most sacred part of the Liturgy, the consecration of the Holy Gifts, begins with the Eucharistic prayer, when the choir sings “It is worthy and righteous to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit...”. At this time, the bell is rung 12 times to indicate the beginning of the consecration. Then the priest exclaims, “Thine from Thine is offered to Thee for all and for all.” The choir responds, “We sing to You, we bless You, we thank You, O Lord, and we pray to You, our God.” At the same time, the priest reads prayers to himself and then the consecration of the Holy Gifts occurs.

Our Father:(315) In His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7), Jesus Christ explained how to pray to God, saying the prayer “Our Father” for the first time (Matthew 6:9-13). This prayer is the most famous and most beloved by all Christians. From that time on, it was repeated by millions of believers throughout their lives, for almost 2000 years. In textbooks on the Law of God it is treated as a model of Christian prayer.

Communion:(317, 318) One of the most basic points in the Orthodox faith is that you need to live kindly and not sin. In addition, you need to engage in spiritual self-education, drive out evil, sinful thoughts, words and deeds; that is, gradually correct yourself and become better, kinder, more honest, etc. Before major holidays, Orthodox Christians fast. During fasting, he tries to move away from everything sinful and get closer to everything good and good. This mood is maintained by bodily fasting; removal from meat and animal foods in general, as well as limiting oneself in food. Usually during Lent they confess and receive communion. Fasting, confession and communion are called the general word “fasting” and are spiritual cleansing. An Orthodox Christian fasts several times a year: before major holidays, before Angel's Day and on other significant days.

When the choir sings, “Praise the Lord from heaven, praise Him in the highest. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,” the priest takes communion. After the priest has given communion, the royal doors are opened for the laity to receive communion. The priest reads a prayer before communion and the communicants approach the Chalice and take communion, and the choir sings: “Receive the Body of Christ...”. After communion, relatives and friends congratulate the recipient of the sacrament with the words “Congratulations on your communion.”

Prayer behind the pulpit:(322) The priest leaves the altar and, descending from the pulpit to where the worshipers stand, reads the “Beyond the Pulpit” prayer. It contains an abbreviation of all the liturgies that were read during the Divine Liturgy. The prayer begins with the words “Bless you who bless You, O Lord...”.

End:(324) Just before the end of the Liturgy there is a sermon, usually on the topic of the read passage from the Gospel (216). Then the priest’s final exclamation follows: “Christ our true God has risen from the dead...” and the choir sings for many years, “Your Eminence Bishop......Lord, save for many years.” The priest comes out with a cross in his hands. If there are announcements of a non-spiritual nature, then the priest speaks at this place. For example, if someone wants to get married, or there will be a special fundraiser for some charitable purpose, or maybe some church organization is hosting a dinner, etc. After this, the worshipers approach the cross, cross themselves, kiss the cross and the priest’s hand, and take or receive a prosphora from the priest.

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

In your home prayer rule, you can use the chants of the choir, the prayers of the reader presented in the text of the Liturgy, but you cannot include the words of the priest in your personal prayer; upon ordination, clergy are given special boldness towards God, which the laity do not have. Therefore, for the sake of your own spiritual health, you should not violate this prohibition.

Bibliography

Holy Scripture - the Bible.

Contains the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament". The “Old Testament” was written at the birth of Jesus Christ, and the “New Testament” after. There are many books (now sections) in the “Old Testament”, and the most famous in the Orthodox Church is the “Psalter”. The "New Testament" consists of the "Gospel" and the "Apostle." There are four Gospels in the “Gospel”: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They describe incidents during the life of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth. The Apostle contains the epistles and other works of the apostles. They describe events after the ascension of Jesus Christ and the beginning of Christ's Church.

Since the Bible is the basis for our civilization, for better orientation it is divided into books (now these are departments) and these into chapters. Every few lines are called a “verse” and are designated by a number. This way you can easily and quickly find any place in the book. For example “Matt. 5:3-14" means: "Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, verse 13 and up to 14." The Holy Scriptures have been translated into all languages ​​of the world.

There is Holy Scripture in the “Church Slavonic language” and in “Russian”. The first is considered more accurate than the second. The Russian translation is considered worse, since it was made under the influence of Western theological thought.

Every Orthodox Christian should have the “Holy Scripture” and “Prayer Book”.

Holy Bible. Bible Archpriest Seraphim of Slobodskaya. God's law for family and school. 2nd edition. 1967 Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, New York. Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY. Reprinted many times in Russia and translated into English. 723 pages, hard. lane, according to old orf.

An excellent elementary textbook for children and adults. Preliminary concepts, Prayer, Sacred History of the Old Testament and New Testament, The beginning of the Christian Church, About faith and Christian life, About Divine services. It would be good for every Orthodox Christian to purchase this textbook.

Available on our site: The Law of God. O. S. Slobodskaya Priest N. R. Antonov. Temple of God and church services. 2nd edition expanded. Textbook of Worship for high school. 1912 St. Petersburg. Reprinted by Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, and also in Russia. 236+64 pp., soft. interstitial