140810 Confessor's Tongue
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The Confessor’s Tongue August 10, 2014; page 2 2. At Divine Liturgy, the clergyman, like each with appropriate scriptural readings and personal Christian person, must be at peace with all people. prayer by a personal designated for preparing it. The Though others may not be at peace with him, he bread must be well-baked. himself must harbor no anger, resentment, or ill will 12. The wine should be sweet, made from red against anyone. grapes, without additives or fortifications. 3. As part of the necessary preparation demanded 13. The Holy Table and Table of Oblation are to of the clergy in order to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, be covered with clean cloths. It is the responsibility he must fast from the previous evening, celebrate (or of the priest to see that the sanctuary (altar) and all of read) Vigil (or, at least, Vespers), the canons and its appointments are clean and well maintained at all prayers before Holy Communion, and be clean in times. body and conscience. 14. Only the tabernacle and the articles necessary 4. If a clergyman develops any health problem for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy should be that may be an impediment to the celebration of the on the Holy Table. These include the Book of holy services or to his daily ministry, he must make Gospels, the antimension, and hand cross(es). There this known to his hierarch without delay and follow is a general practice to decorate the sanctuary with his advice. The hierarch shall make every attempt flowers, both cut flowers and potted plants. Neither first to consult with medical experts about the matter should be placed on the Holy Table itself, but may be before he makes his decision. placed on a stand behind the Altar Table. We are 5. In addition to Vigil, or Vespers and Matins, warned by St. Basil the Great to take great care that and the Divine Liturgy celebrated on Sundays and on insects and other foreign objects do not fall into the the prescribed Great Feasts, the priest must strive to holy vessels and onto the gifts. The presence of enhance the daily liturgical life of his parish by flowers and plants in the sanctuary increases this celebrating these services and other devotional possibility. The appropriate place for flowers is services at appropriate times. Whether or not a around the icons placed for veneration or adorning clergyman publicly serves Vigil or Great Vespers and the narthex of the temple. The use of artificial Matins, he must pray these services and the canons flowers inside the altar and in the temple should be and prayers before Holy Communion before the discouraged. celebration of each Divine Liturgy. 15. No one is permitted to enter the sanctuary 6. In all holy services, the clergy are to follow the unnecessarily. A person having a specific purpose in order and rubrics prescribed by the service books the sanctuary may enter only with the blessing of the approved for use in the Church, giving priority to priest. those of the Orthodox Church in America. Any 16. No layman, including altar servers, and all the departure from the usual order or rubrics must meet laity, including elected parish officials, is permitted to with the specific approval of the diocesan hierarch. touch anything on the Holy Table or on the Table of 7. Before beginning the Proskomedia, the serving Oblation. Money should not be brought into the clergy must read in full the Entrance Prayers and, as Sanctuary. they dress themselves, must pray the Vesting prayers. 17. A priest is to celebrate the Divine Liturgy 8. The Divine Liturgy is normally celebrated in a each Sunday and Feast day as prescribed. A priest is consecrated temple. The holy gifts are brought in not permitted to celebrate the Divine Liturgy twice procession and placed on a consecrated antimension in the same day, nor may he permit the celebration of that remains on the Holy Table. The priest is two Divine Liturgies on the same Holy Table or responsible for the good maintenance of liturgical antimension in the course of one day in any Temple. vestments and the sacred vessels. He may assign to 18. If, during the course of the Divine Liturgy, the deacon duties appropriate to his rank. particles placed on the discos have fallen onto the 9. In the case of a specific necessity, the Divine antimension or its illiton, the serving clergy are Liturgy may be celebrated outdoors or in a suitable responsible to gather them and place them in the place other than a consecrated temple. This may chalice. The communion cloths must be clean. If they occur only with the blessing of the diocesan hierarch. are no longer serviceable, they should be burned in an Before the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the site appropriate place and the ashes disposed of in a must be blessed with holy water. In such an instance, fitting manner. To be continued.... the priest celebrates on the antimension that is placed on an appropriate table that should be set Upcoming Events 2014 aside for this purpose. 13 August: St. Maximus & Leavetaking of 10 Only an antimension authorized or signed by Transfiguration the ruling diocesan hierarch can be used on the Holy 15 August: Dormition of the Theotokos Table. Antimensia are not to be washed or burned. If 18 August: Fr. Justin leaves on vacation the antimension needs replacing, the diocesan 14 September: Church School Begins hierarch must be contacted. Glory be to God in all things! 11. Prosphora for the Divine Liturgy are prepared from pure wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast, using no other ingredients. It is carefully prepared, usually - 2 The Confessor’s Tongue for August 10, A. D. 2014 Ninth Sunday After Pentecost; Martyr Lawrence, Postfeast of Transfiguration In honor of St. Maximus the Confessor, whose tongue and right hand were cut off in an attempt by compromising authorities to silence his uncompromising confession of Christ’s full humanity & divinity. Le An Address by St. Tikhon like children! If you do, the Orthodox Church, like a San Francisco, February 23, 1903 loving mother, may forgive you your coldness and St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Russia and Enlightener of North slights, and will receive you back into Her embrace. America, was once the ruling bishop in America. This The light of Orthodoxy was not lit to shine only address speaks to us still. on a small number of people. Orthodox people ought to spread it among people of other beliefs. The Orthodoxy is a precious treasure: in it we were Orthodox Church is universal; it remembers the born and raised; all the important events of our life words of its Founder: Go ye into all the world, and are related to it, and it is ever ready to give us its help preach the gospel to every creature, (Mark 16:15). We and blessing in all our needs and good undertakings, ought to share our spiritual wealth, our truth, light, however unimportant they may seem. and joy with others who are deprived of these Orthodoxy supplies us with strength, good cheer, blessings, but often are seeking them and thirsting for and consolation; it heals, purifies, and saves us. The them. We live in a country surrounded by people of Orthodox Faith is also dear to us because it is the other creeds; in the sea of other religions our Church Faith of our Fathers. For its sake the apostles bore is a small island of salvation, towards which swim pain and labored; martyrs and preachers suffered for some of the people, plunged in the sea of life. Are we it; champions who were like unto saints shed their to remain deaf and insensible? God save us from such tears and blood; pastors and teachers fought for it; a lack of sympathy! and our ancestors stood up for it, whose legacy it was The spread of Christ’s Faith ought to be near and that to us it should be dearer than the apple of our precious to the heart of every Christian. Pastors are eyes. not alone in the work of spreading the Orthodox Today there are many who were born, raised, and Faith. Every member of the Church ought to take a glorified by the Lord in the Orthodox Faith, yet who lively and heartfelt interest in spreading the Faith. deny their faith, pay no attention to the teachings of This interest may show itself in personal preaching of the Church, do not keep its injunctions, do not listen the Gospel of Christ. In many places of the United to their spiritual pastors and remain cold towards the States, those who have joined Orthodoxy point out divine services and the Church of God. How speedily that the truth was found by their being disposed to it some Orthodox people lose their Faith in America— by the laity. this country of many creeds and tribes of peoples! Earnest prayer and material support are also They begin their apostasy with things which in their essential to the work of spreading the Gospel. We eyes have little importance. They judge the Church as pray with our lips but seldom with our hearts. If you “old-fashioned” and “not accepted among educated can offer much, offer all you can, but do offer. Do not people” to observe all such customs as praying before be ashamed of the smallness of your offering. and after meals, or even morning and evening prayers, Orthodox people! you must devote yourselves to to wear the holy cross, to keep icons in their house the Faith, not only in word or tongue, but in deed and to keep Church holy days and fast days.