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THE INSTRUCTED DIVINE

The Instructed Divine Liturgy

Narration I

To Narrator: Narration I is read before Badarak begins. The and will be in the chancel, where the vesting will eventually take place. At its conclusion, Khorhoort Khoreen is sung as the priest and deacons process into the chancel. Underlined text indicates an opportunity to visually demonstrate the action. (15 minutes).

Good morning! Welcome to this special instructed Divine Liturgy. During this Divine Liturgy, we will be pausing from time to time to explain what is happening and why. You are encouraged to follow along in the pew book, and also refer to the bulletin insert entitled “What do I say when…?” which outlines our responses at certain points during the Liturgy.

The Divine Liturgy is the Church’s way of celebrating the , the meal that celebrated with his disciples. In Armenian we call it Soorp Badarak, which means Holy Sacrifice or Holy Offering.

During the Last Supper with his twelve disciples at Passover, our Lord Jesus did something unique. He proclaimed the bread and wine that he blessed at the meal as his very own Body and Blood which were going to be sacrificed the following day on the cross. Of course, the disciples did not realize that part of it at the time. He told them to repeat this act of blessing and when he said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” And indeed, after the disciples had seen the risen Christ, they continued to break bread and share wine, remembering Jesus’ very words and actions on that holy night, as he had told them to do.

And so are we today! When we share the bread and wine, we are experiencing Christ’s real presence among and within us. That act – Holy – is also the way that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice is made effective for all time. And whenever we receive Christ in this bread and wine, we draw closer to God, the Almighty Creator, and to each other, his family.

The Divine Liturgy is also an act of love – love of God for humanity and love of human beings for God – and so we hope the following explanations will deepen our understanding and awareness of the most important act of Christian worship – Soorp Badarak – so that we can experience and participate more meaningfully in this thanksgiving celebration.

The necessary participants for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy are: priest, (or server), and congregation.

ii As the priest prepares to offer our prayers to God, he puts on special clothing which is modeled after the the Lord instructed Moses to prepare for Hebrew to wear during temple worship. The Armenian Church follows this biblical model to show that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is the fulfillment of temple worship in the .

The unique and refined vestments also convey the idea that we should offer to God the best and most beautiful that we have. They are an image of holiness and cleanliness, and a reminder that each one of us, cleansed of sin, is made holy and is in God’s presence as an heir to his heavenly kingdom.

The priest is assisted by at least one deacon, or sargavak, whose main function is to help in the celebration of the Badarak and to instruct the faithful as to what they should be saying or doing. You will hear the deacon give us directions, such as:

Ø Asdoodzo yergurbakestsook meaning, “Let us bow down to God.” Ø Yergyooghadzootyamp luvarook. “Listen with reverence.” Ø Yev yevus khaghaghootyan uzDer aghachestsook. “Again in peace let us beseech the Lord.” Ø Voghchooyn dook meemyantz ee hampooyr surpootyan. “Greet one another with a holy kiss.”

He also uses two Greek words: Ortee, which means “Stand up” and Broskhoomeh, which means “Pay attention.” The deacon also acts on our behalf as he presents the gifts of bread and wine from us to the celebrant priest.

There are also choir members who lead the congregation in sacred song. They are meant to guide us, not to perform or replace us. So whenever they sing, we should sing with them.

Finally, there is the congregation – the community who gathers together to be the Church. It is not the priest alone who celebrates Liturgy, but the entire Church, the priest and people together.

We can gain the greatest benefit from the Divine Liturgy as we ourselves become a part of it and enter into all its actions. If we just watch and say nothing, then we are only spectators, an audience, and not really participants. Crossing ourselves, bowing down, kneeling, kissing the hand-cross and book, singing, and most importantly, receiving Holy Communion, enable us to fully participate in Badarak.

During Badarak we will be blessed many times by the priest as an indication of our privileged status as children of God. When we are blessed we make the sign of the cross. We should do this deliberately and slowly, remembering that this is both an act of reverence and identification with Christ and his crucifixion.

iii You will notice the priest turn toward the people and with his right hand he will make the sign of the cross and sing “Khaghaghootyoon amenetsoon” which means “Peace to all.” Our response is to respond by singing “Yev unt hokvooyt koom” which means “And with your spirit.”

We also cross ourselves whenever the priest invokes the name of the Holy Trinity – the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit – with “Park Hor yev Vortvo yev Hokvooyn Srpo.” We also cross ourselves during the singing of Soorp Asdvadz and Soorp, Soorp, as well as other songs. As you observe the altar servers, you will see when it is appropriate to cross yourself.

There will also be times when the priest or deacon will cense us with the poorvar. In response, we should bow and make the sign of the cross.

Please direct your attention to the chancel where we will now observe the vesting of the priest which usually takes place in the vestry prior to Badarak. Each has symbolic meaning and as the priest receives them from the deacon, he blesses them and reads a special prayer.

As the priest puts on his first vestment, the crown, or saghavart, he prays:

“Lord, put the helmet of salvation upon my head to fight against the powers of the enemy, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is befitting glory, dominion and honor, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.“

Then he puts on a white robe, and prays:

“Clothe me, Lord, with the garment of salvation and with a robe of gladness, and gird me with this vestment of salvation, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

Then he puts on the or poroorar, which was originally a symbol of office worn by Roman officials. He says:

“Clothe my neck, O Lord, with righteousness and cleanse my heart from all sin, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...”

Next comes the kodee or . The priest prays:

“May the of faith encircle me round about my heart and my mind and quench vile thoughts out of them…”

Then he puts on the cuffs, or pazban, saying:

“Give strength, Lord, to my hands and wash away all my sin, that I may be able to serve you in health of soul and body…”

iv Then the collar or vagas:

“Clothe my neck, O Lord, with righteousness and cleanse my heart of all sin…”

And finally the priest puts on the cope or shoorchar:

“In your mercy, Lord, clothe me with a radiant garment and fortify me against the influence of the evil one…”

After he puts the crown back on and is fully vested, he prays:

“My soul will rejoice in the Lord, for he has clothed me with a garment of salvation and with a robe of gladness. He has put upon me a crown as upon a bridegroom and has adorned me like a bride with jewels…”

Fully vested, the priest then places on the burning charcoal in the poorvar, recalling the words of Psalm 141, “let my prayers arise as incense before you,” symbolizing the prayers of the faithful.

After vesting, as the celebrant enters the chancel with the altar servers, the choir sings the entrance hymn Khorhoort Khoreen (“O mystery deep”). The priest will then wash his hands and confess his sins to further prepare him to stand at the altar offering our prayers before God.

During the time the priest is praying for forgiveness, we should likewise be asking God’s forgiveness for our own sins, as well as his blessing for the priest who is about to offer the Badarak which will begin now. To follow along in the pew book, please turn to page 4 and sing Khorhoort Khoreen.

Narration II

To Narrator: Narration II is read after the priest and deacons have ascended to the altar and finished their audible prayers. At its conclusion, Badarak will continue with the procession and Taporee sharagan. Demonstrate the underlined text. (5 minutes).

During this time, the curtain is usually closed. As you can see, the priest and altar servers are busy lighting candles, assembling for the procession, and preparing the gifts of bread and wine. The priest is praying over these gifts which in the course of the Badarak will be changed by the Holy Spirit to become the Body and .

During the preparation of the bread and wine, the deacon offers the celebrant the wafer of bread called a nushkhar. v The celebrant takes the nushkhar in his hand, makes the sign of the cross and places it on a flat metal plate called the maghzma, saying:

“Remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is seated on the throne not made with hands. He accepted the death of the cross for humanity. Bless, praise and exalt him forever.”

The priest then accepts the wine and blesses it in the same way. He pours it crosswise into the , or suhgee, saying:

“In remembrance of the redeeming economy of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, through the fountain of whose blood flowing from his side all creatures have been renewed and made immortal. Bless, praise and exalt him forever.”

The priest then makes the sign of the cross over the gifts and, recalling the words of the angel Gabriel spoken to the Blessed Virgin Mary, says:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.”

The chalice with the bread and wine will then be placed, in the wall niche to the side of the altar. During this part of the Badarak we offer ourselves to God as instruments for doing his will and his work in the world. Like the bread and the wine, we too are gifts offered to God.

Following this preparation, the celebrant and altar servers will descend into the sanctuary for a procession, an historical remnant of the original entrance and how our Badarak once started.

The priest’s procession through the congregation and his censing of the faithful are symbolic of Christ moving among his people when he lived on earth, a reflection of Christ’s incarnation. That is, while remaining fully divine, Jesus descended into the world as a human being to be among us. When the priest goes back up to the altar, we remember that Christ also returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father.

The first component of the Divine Liturgy is called the Synaxis, a Greek word meaning “gathering.” In the Synaxis, Jesus Christ comes to his people by means of his Word in the reading of sacred Scripture, especially the Gospel. It is the teaching portion in which we hear about God’s participation in history and his relationship with creation.

After the deacon chants “Orhnya, Der” (“Bless, Lord”), the Synaxis of the Divine Liturgy will begin when the priest intones:

“Orhnyal takavorootyoonun Hor yev Vortvo yev Hokvooyn Srpo ayzhm yev meeshd yev haveedyans yev haveedeneets. Amen.” (“Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.”) vi The procession with the Gospel book expresses our belief that the Gospel is the Word of God. The deacon asks us to pay special attention to the Gospel or Good News, the Avedis of the Lord, for in reading it we encounter not only Christ’s words, but Christ himself. To him we sing the ancient Christian hymn of the “Three Holies,” Soorp Asdvadz, proclaiming the one who rose from the dead to be “Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal.”

Notice when the deacon raises the Gospel book over his head, symbolizing the authority that the Gospel – embodied in the person of Jesus Christ – has over our lives.

Immediately following the Scripture reading is the (Havadamk) which was composed in the 4th century at the first two Ecumenical Councils of the Christian Church. It is a summary of fundamental Christian beliefs. While reciting the Creed, we join our palms together and cross the right thumb over the left thumb, a reminder of our unity in the Orthodox faith.

The Synaxis concludes when the priest blesses the people saying “Der Asdvadz orhnestseh zamenesyan” (“May the Lord God bless you all”). The celebrant then removes his crown and slippers as a sign of his humility and unworthiness to offer this sacrifice. It is also his acknowledgement that there is only one king present – Jesus Christ.

The procession will now take place as the Taporee sharagan is sung. To follow along in the pew book, please turn to page 11.

Narration III

To Narrator: Narration III is read after the Synaxis concludes. At its conclusion, Badarak will continue with the singing of Mee vok. (3 minutes).

So we’ve completed the Synaxis where God came to us through his Word. Now we’ll move to the most important part of the Divine Liturgy where God meets us in a very different way, where Jesus comes to his people by means of his Body and Blood in Holy Communion. And so the focus will shift from the Gospel book to where the one King, as we mentioned, is present – the chalice.

In the early years of the Church, this was a great and holy mystery. So those who were not baptized, called catechumens, or even those who had committed grave sins and were in a state of penance, were not permitted to remain for this portion of the Divine Liturgy. The deacon’s words make this plain when he intones:

“Mee vok herakhayeets…” (“Let none of the unbaptized or those of little faith draw near to this divine mystery”)

We’ll hear him issue that warning in a moment. vii In a moment, we’re going to see the bread and wine taken from the wall niche to be placed on the altar. Once more we should join in, through song and action, offering ourselves to the Father as Christ offered himself on the cross – with love.

The deacons will now sing Mee vok. To follow along in the pew book, please turn to page 23.

Narration IV

To Narrator: Narration IV is read before the bidding of Voghchooyn by the deacons. At its conclusion, Badarak will continue with the bidding. Demonstrate the underlined text. (5 minutes).

When the bread and wine have been brought to the altar before God, we demonstrate how we have been joined together in the love of God by embracing each other in the name of Christ’s revelation. The originated with the earliest Christians greeting one another with a holy kiss, a sign of their unity and love in Christ.

When the Kiss of Peace is given, we turn to the person next to us, place our hand on our heart, and incline our heads first to the left, and then to the right.

When you offer the greeting, say “Kreesdos ee mech mer haydnetsav” (“Christ is revealed among us.”). When you receive the greeting, say “Orhnyal eh haydnootyoonun Kreesdosee” (“Blessed is the revelation of Christ.”).

Shortly after that, we’ll hear The or Soorp, Soorp. Its words are taken, in part, from the book of the prophet Isaiah, while the phrase “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” was used by the crowds hailing Jesus on the first Palm Sunday. The Sanctus is understood to be the song that the heavenly host of angels sings in praise to God for all eternity.

Immediately following this, we’ll hear the very words Jesus used as he blessed the bread and wine at the Last Supper. They are solemnly restated and repeated by the priest. Listen for the by the priest who will say aloud:

“Arek, gerek, ays eh marmeen eem vor vasun tser yev pazmats pashkhee, ee kavootyoon yev ee toghootyoon meghats.” (“Take, eat; this is my body, which is distributed for you and for many, for the expiation and remission of sins.”)

“Arpek ee sumaneh amenekyan, ays eh aryoon eem noro ookhdee, vor haghakus tser yev pazmats heghanee, ee kavootyoon yev ee toghootyoon meghats.” (“Drink this all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the expiation and remission of sins.”).

When you hear those words, you’re hearing the voice of Jesus speaking to us through the ages. viii At this point, referred to as the , the priest calls on God the Father to send his Holy Spirit upon all of the assembled faithful, and on the gifts of the bread and wine to make them truly the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As you will see, the deacon censes the bread and wine while the priest prays three times, “Whereby blessing this bread and wine, make them truly the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, changing them by your Holy Spirit.”

Our ultimate desire and prayer should be for the Holy Spirit to unite all the faithful together with each other and with Christ by way of his Body and Blood so that we will truly become the Church in its fullest sense.

After this, all the great saints, martyrs and patriarchs of the Church are remembered before God. It has also been a tradition from the earliest days of the Church to remember the local or priests which for the Armenian Church includes the Catholicos of All Armenians for whom we also pray God’s blessings. And of course, we pray for the celebrant who is offering the Badarak.

Badarak will now continue with the deacon’s bidding of Voghchooyn to the end of the Intercessions where the priest makes the sign of the cross and says, “Yev yegheetsee voghormootyoon medzees Adsoodzo…” just before the Lord’s Prayer. To follow along in the pew book, please turn to page 27.

Narration V

To Narrator: Narration V is read before the bidding for Hayr Mer. At its conclusion, Badarak will continue with the bidding. Demonstrate the underlined text. (3 minutes).

There is no gesture or ritual that more clearly demonstrates our redeemed status than when we, the privileged faithful, stand boldly before the almighty God of the universe, and sing and call him “Our Father” or Hayr Mer.

The priest makes the point earlier that the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament did not have this privilege, and that it’s only through Jesus that human beings could think of themselves as children of God. And as his children, standing and facing the altar, we will ask our Father to “Give us this day our daily bread.” We typically demonstrate these words by holding our palms open and lifted at chest level.

And now we closely approach the climax of the whole Divine Liturgy – Holy Communion. We should approach this mystery with both reverence and joy, for the reception of Holy Communion is the reason why we are here today.

ix Christ invites us to his Holy Banquet each time we attend Badarak, and so after preparing ourselves through fasting, recalling our wrongdoings, and confession and prayer, we should joyfully receive Holy Communion. Receiving Holy Communion is the best and most important way we participate in Soorp Badarak, and we should receive it as often as possible.

But that’s still ahead. Now the priest bids us to sing together the prayer that Jesus himself taught: the Lord’s Prayer. To follow along in the pew book, please turn to page 41.

Narration VI

To Narrator: Narration VI is read after the singing of Kohanamk. At its conclusion, Badarak will continue to the end. (3 minutes).

Following Holy Communion, we give heartfelt thanks for the great mercy and goodness of God in allowing us to receive his very life and power. We sing Kohanamk with the choir saying, “We give thanks, Lord, to you who have fed us at your table of immortal life, distributing your Body and your Blood for the salvation of the world and for life to our souls.”

Having received the food of eternal life, we now prepare to leave with the Last Blessing and . The last Scripture reading taken from St. John’s Gospel reminds us that in the beginning was God and through him, light and life.

After the final blessing from the celebrant, the faithful come forward to kiss the Gospel book and receive his personal blessing.

After Badarak, unleavened bread called mahs, which means “portion,” is distributed. From the bread offered for Holy Communion, a portion is set aside to be blessed by a priest, but not offered in the chalice as Christ’s Body. It may be eaten by those who were unable to receive Holy Communion, or may be taken home to loved ones who were prevented from coming to Badarak.

Mahs should not be understood as replacing or somehow equivalent to Holy Communion. But it does signify that this Christian community, of which we are all members, is sharing in God’s life and work.

Most importantly, with the final blessing, the Church is sending us out into the world to live and work and to reflect the love and goodness of God in our lives and to those we will meet around us. The Light and Life we have received here today is what we should shine forth to the world for the rest of the week.

The curtain will open and the remainder of the Divine Liturgy will proceed until the end. To follow along in the pew book, please turn to page 52. x

Instructed Divine Liturgy – Narrator Guide Department of Christian Education Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) 630 Second Avenue, New York NY 10016 (212) 686-0710 [email protected] www.armenianchurch-ed.net A Parish Resource, 2015

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