DOCSLIB.ORG

The Church Herald Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church 2053 North Road, NE Warren, OH 44483 Church Phone: (330) 372-6240 Rectory Phone: (330) 372-9778 Pastor: the Very Rev

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Church Herald Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church 2053 North Road, NE Warren, OH 44483 Church Phone: (330) 372-6240 Rectory Phone: (330) 372-9778 Pastor: the Very Rev The Church Herald Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church 2053 North Road, NE Warren, OH 44483 Church Phone: (330) 372-6240 Rectory Phone: (330) 372-9778 Pastor: The Very Rev. Protopresbyter Kenneth M. Bachofsky, D. Min. Email: [email protected]—Parish Web Page: www.stnicholaswarren.org Volume 34 October 28, 2018 Number 45 The Meaning of Liturgical Vestments The Divine Liturgy that we celebrate today “As often as a bishop takes of the sacred did not come into existence overnight but is the mysteries, let the deacons and priests be gath- product of centuries of spiritual experience. When ered together, clothed in white robes, more archeologists excavate the ruins of an ancient city, beautiful than those of the rest of the peo- they proceed layer by layer. Sifting through the ple.” (Canon 37). artifacts, they are able to tell who lived in the city, Even at the end of the fourth century, for how long they lived there and when another the Apostolic Constitutions mention that the group took possession of it. In the same way, by bishop who will celebrate the Liturgy should be examining the Divine Liturgy in its present form, dressed in “splendid raiment.” The Greek we can see the contributions of the many peole words used here simply refer to the expensive who celebrated it in the past and handed it on to the clothing worn by the upper class members of next generation, leaving their marks for better or society. for worse. The Origin of Vestments In excavating an ancient city, archeologists How then did the current vestments for find artifacts left by the most recent inhabitants clergy originate? Our vestments derive from first, and only after careful digging do they find two sources: the style of clothing worn in the those of the earliest civilizations. In studying the ancient world and garments worn by officials in Divine Liturgy, we also find that the first things the Byzantine Empire. The sticharion or alb, the encountered are often the phelonion (the cape- latest developments. The like vestment worn by vesting of the priest before the priest) and the dal- the celebration of the Lit- matic worn by the dea- urgy was not a part of the con were all a part of ceremony of the earliest the style of clothing Christians but a ritual that worn by people in the developed later. Roman Empire during From the Old Testament the first centuries of to New the Christian era. After the priest has In addition, it entered the Church and would seem that the venerated the Icons and call of Hyppolytus and the Altar, he proceeds to other sources for white put on the vestments for garments to be worn at the celebration of the Liturgy. In the Old Testa- Liturgy is a reference to the chrisom—the Bap- ment, in chapter 28 of the Book of Exodus, the tismal Garments given to the Newly-Baptized. Lord gave Moses instructions on how to make The modern sticharion undoubtedly stems from vestments for Aaron and his sons who were to be this garment, which priests probably wore to priests, “for glory and beauty.” However, the first celebrate the Liturgy as a sign of their baptismal Christian bishops and priests did not assume the union with Christ from which their ministry in vestments of the Hebrew priesthood, since, as the the Church flowed. This baptismal garment was Letter the Hebrews explains, the Old Testament essentially the tunica of the ancient world—the priesthood and sacrifices had given way to the basic garment for men and women. High Priesthood of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice In the sixth century the styles of clothing on the Cross (Hebrews 9:10). Instead, for the first began to change, but the Church, being conser- three centuries of the Church’s existence, the bish- vative, retained the earlier style of dress for her ops, priests and deacons did not wear any special ministers. The priest’s epitrachilion or stole, the vestments, but ordinary clothes, though of finer deacon’s orarion, and the bishop’s omophorion quality than those worn every day. This is all that are all derived from “scarves of office” that can be gathered from the few references to liturgi- were worn by the Emperor and awarded to other cal dress dating form this time period. officials in the Empire, arranged in different The Canons of Hyppolytus, dating from the ways over the shoulder. These served as insig- beginning of the third century, contains this rubric nia of office in the political and social life of the for the celebration of the Eucharist: late Roman Empire. It was not until after the fall of the Byz- antine Empire in 1453 that Orthodox bishops Our Worship Schedule began to wear the mitre or crown. Originally, this was only worn by the Emperor in Constan- Sunday, Oc- tinople. The bishop’s sakkos, the Episcopal outer tober 28th vestment, along with the cuffs—all part of the 9:30 a.m. Emperor’s dress—were adopted at this same The Reading time. Before this Orthodox bishops wore priest of the Third vestments with the omophor over them. After the Hour. Turkish armies took the city of Constantinople in 10:00 1453, the Patriarch became the civil head of the a.m. The Greek-speaking population as well as remaining 22nd Sunday head of the Church. As such, the Patriarchs After Pente- adopted the dress of the Emperor. The belt was a cost, Tone 5. sign of military as opposed to civil office in the (Page ). The Empire. However, because the belt served to M a r t y r s : gather up the loose fitting sticharion, it may have T e r r a n c e , been adopted for more practical reasons than any Neonila, the other. V e n e r a b l e The Meaning of Liturgical Dress J o b o f As liturgical vestments became a part of Pochaev and the spiritual experience of the Church, they were St. Arsenius given a symbolic meaning, often based on events are commemorated. in the life of Christ. The sticharion, for example, Epistle—Galatians 6:11-18 was seen as the seamless robe which Christ wore Gospel—Luke 8:26-39 to His Crucifixion and for which the soldiers gambled. The cuffs were symbols of the Lord’s TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30TH 9:00 A.M. LIT- hands which were bound as He stood before Pi- URGY OF THANKSGIVING FOR THE late. The bishop’s omophorion was seen as a WEEPING ICON AT ST. NICHOLAS symbol of the lost sheep being carried by the CHURCH! Good Shepherd and so forth. The priest’s epitrachil became the symbol of the oil was Wednesday, October 31st 4:00 p.m. The poured over the head of Aaron, when he was Akathist Service to the Theotokos with prayers consecrated, that ran down his beard to the hem for the sick and anointing of the faithful. of his garments. The Orthodox Church, starting from the Book of Revelation, sees Her worship Saturday, October 3rd 4:00 p.m. The Evening as the experience of the worship fo heaven in Vesper Service with Bible Study Class. earthly forms. The vestments of the priest re- mind him and all of the faithful that he is to be Sunday, October 4th 9:30 a.m. The Reading of clothed with the divine grace that will enable the Third Hour. Christ to lead the Church through him. The 10:00 a.m. The 22nd Sunday After Pente- priest, fully vested before the Alter, is no longer cost, Tone 6. (Page ) The Venerable Joannicus an individual, but a sign to all of the “beauty and the Great, Hieromartyrs Nicander and Hermas the glory” that will belong to each of us in the are commemorated. Kingdom of Heaven! Epistle—Ephesians 2:4-10 The Church in the early Middle Ages saw Gospel—Luke 8:41-56 Herself as the New Israel of God and interpreted Her worship as the fulfillment of the forms of the MONDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH 9:30 A.M. A Old Testament. Many people began to interpret LITURGY OF THANKSGIVING: COM- the priest’s vestments as stemming from the MEMORATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY clothing of the Levitical priesthood, though, as OF THE ORDINATION OF FATHER KEN TO mentioned already, the early Christians did not THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD! model their vestments after those of the Jewish Temple. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH 4:00 P.M. Originally, the vestments were put on in THE MAGNIFICANT—FOLLOWED BY silence, but by the late Middle Ages, the service GREAT VESPERS FOR THE FEAST OF THE books began to prescribe various Psalm verses to SYNAXIS OF THE ARCHANGELS! be said as each item was put on. In the 14th cen- tury, Patriarch Philotheos’ Diataxis prescribed THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH 9:00 A.M. the order for putting on the vestments and the THE FEAST OF THE SYNAXIS OF THE Psalm verse to be recited for each garment. This ARCHANGELS MICHAEL, GABRIEL & ALL pattern, with minor variations, was adopted THE HEAVENLY HOSTS! throughout the Orthodox word to this day. EPISTLE—HEBREWS 2:2-10 - Protopresbyter Lawrence Barriger - GOSPEL—LUKE 10:16-21 Saturday, November 10th 4:00 p.m. The Vesper Bon Voyage Party held in honor of Deacon Ed Service followed by Bible Study Class. Brisbine! Faithful are asked to go to the Fellow- ship Hall and find a seat so that we can being the Sunday, November 11th 9:30 a.m. The Reading dinner. After the dinner there will be a Free Will of the Third Hour.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Tradition of the Female Deacon in the Eastern Churches
    The Tradition of the Female Deacon in the Eastern Churches Valerie Karras, Th.D., Ph.D. and Caren Stayer, Ph.D. St. Phoebe Center Conference on “Women and Diaconal Ministry in the Orthodox Church: Past, Present, and Future” Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY December 6, 2014 PURPOSE OF HISTORY SESSION • To briefly review the scholarship on the history of the deaconess, both East and West • To lay the groundwork for discussions later in the day about the present and future • To familiarize everyone with material you can take with you • Book list; book sales • We ask you to share and discuss this historical material with others in your parish TIMELINE—REJUVENATION FROM PATRISTIC PERIOD (4TH -7TH C.) • Apostolic period (AD 60-80): Letters of Paul (Rom 16:1 re Phoebe) • Subapostolic period (late 1st/early 2nd c.): deutero-Pauline epistles (I Tim. 3), letter of Trajan to Pliny the Younger • Byzantine period (330-1453) − comparable to Early, High, and Late Middle Ages plus early Renaissance in Western Europe • Early church manuals (Didascalia Apostolorum, late 3rd/early 4th c.; Testamentum Domini, c.350; Apostolic Constitutions, c.370, Syriac) • 325-787: Seven Ecumenical Councils • Saints’ lives, church calendars, typika (monastic rules), homilies, grave inscriptions, letters • 988: conversion of Vladimir and the Rus’ • 12th c. or earlier: office of deaconess in Byz. church fell into disuse • Early modern period in America • 1768: first group of Greek Orthodox arrives in what is now Florida • 1794: first formal Russian Orthodox mission arrives in what is now Alaska BYZANTINE EMPIRE AND FIVE PATRIARCHATES CIRCA 565 A.D.
    [Show full text]
  • A Dictionary of Orthodox Terminology Fotios K. Litsas, Ph.D
    - Dictionary of Orthodox Terminology Page 1 of 25 Dictionary of Orthodox Terminology A Dictionary of Orthodox Terminology Fotios K. Litsas, Ph.D. -A- Abbess. (from masc. abbot; Gr. Hegoumeni ). The female superior of a community of nuns appointed by a bishop; Mother Superior. She has general authority over her community and nunnery under the supervision of a bishop. Abbot. (from Aram. abba , father; Gr. Hegoumenos , Sl. Nastoyatel ). The head of a monastic community or monastery, appointed by a bishop or elected by the members of the community. He has ordinary jurisdiction and authority over his monastery, serving in particular as spiritual father and guiding the members of his community. Abstinence. (Gr. Nisteia ). A penitential practice consisting of voluntary deprivation of certain foods for religious reasons. In the Orthodox Church, days of abstinence are observed on Wednesdays and Fridays, or other specific periods, such as the Great Lent (see fasting). Acolyte. The follower of a priest; a person assisting the priest in church ceremonies or services. In the early Church, the acolytes were adults; today, however, his duties are performed by children (altar boys). Aër. (Sl. Vozdukh ). The largest of the three veils used for covering the paten and the chalice during or after the Eucharist. It represents the shroud of Christ. When the creed is read, the priest shakes it over the chalice, symbolizing the descent of the Holy Spirit. Affinity. (Gr. Syngeneia ). The spiritual relationship existing between an individual and his spouse’s relatives, or most especially between godparents and godchildren. The Orthodox Church considers affinity an impediment to marriage.
    [Show full text]
  • Blessing of New Priestly Vestments
    The Blessing of New Priestly Vestments Holy Trinity Orthodox Church Willimantic, Connecticut At table, is set and placed before the Ambon, the new Vestments. For the sanctification, the Priest, vested in Epitrachelion and Phelonion, proceeds through the Holy Doors with the censer. Having censed the vestments, he begins: Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Reader: Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It is like the myrrh upon the head, that runs down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron, that runs down the collar of his robe. It is like the dew of Hermon that descends upon the Mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commands the blessing, life for evermore. Glory … now and ever. Alleluia (3x). Priest: Let us pray to the Lord. Choir: Lord, have mercy. Priest: O Lord God Almighty, who sets in motion from the beginning all that is profitable for the human race; Who willed that temples should be erected to Thy holy Name by hands of men, and that these should be consecrated to Thy glory, and that these places should be called the abode of Thy glory; Who through Thy servant Moses commanded that the vestments of the high priest, the priests and the Levites, and other various adornments should be made for the magnificence and beauty of Thy sanctuary and altar: Do Thou hearken now mercifully unto our supplication and bless, purify and sanctify these Vestments (Epitrachelion, Belt, Cuffs, Phelonion) in honor of, and to the glory of Thy most-holy Name, for the adornment and splendor of
    [Show full text]
  • The Mysteries of Christian Initiation with the Divine Liturgy of Our Holy Father John Chrysostom
    The Mysteries of Christian Initiation with The Divine Liturgy of Our Holy Father John Chrysostom Foreword This edition of the Mysteries of Christian Initiation with the Divine Liturgy of Our Holy Father John Chrysostom has been excerpted from the Rite of Christian Initiation, which was approved and promulgated for use in the Eparchy of Passaic on the 1st Day of January 1997, and published by Eastern Christian Publications, Fairfax, VA. The original text has been updated for consistency with the official English translation and musical settings of the Carpathian Plainchant as rendered in The Divine Liturgies of our Holy Fathers Saint John Chrysostom and Basil the Great, which was promulgated by the Byzantine Metropolitan Church Sui Juris of Pittsburgh, U.S.A. in 2007. This edition is intended for the Mysteries of Christian Initiation with the Divine Liturgy of Our Holy Father John Chrysostom when celebrated outside the Paschal Season. This booklet is for private use only. Mysteries of Christian Initiation STAND The faithful stand when the preparatory rites are completed and the great incensation of the church takes place. Then the clergy quietly say the prayers before commencing the Divine Liturgy, and the holy doors are opened. The celebrant meets the candidate in the vestibule, to enroll (him-her) into the Catechumenate. The candidate and sponsors face east (i.e., toward the altar). The celebrant breathes three times upon the face, signs the forehead and chest three times and, placing his hand upon the candidate’s head, says the following: Celebrant: In your name, O Lord, the God of truth, and in the name of your only Son and of your Holy Spirit, I lay my hand upon your servant (Name) whom you have deemed worthy to take refuge in your holy name and to be protected under the cover of your wings.
    [Show full text]
  • The Acolyte Service Handbook
    St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church 815 NE 15th Street • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 PHONE (954)-467-1515• FAX (954)-467-0212 THE ACOLYTE SERVICE HANDBOOK Thank You to Fr. Christos Mars for creating such a wonderful resource for Acolytes and allowing us to customize it for our use here at St. Demetrios. 2 Acolyte PLEDGE HEAVENLY HIGH PRIEST JESUS CHRIST— I, an Acolyte of the Annunciation Cathedral, solemnly promise to serve You faithfully, obediently, and reverently. Let nothing separate me from You. If I am weak in my faith, strengthen me. Help me to devote myself to Your Holy Gifts. Guide me in the path that leads to Your Kingdom. Teach me to become a better Christian so that I may wear the Altar Boy’s robe worthily and in humility. My prayer is to serve You in all my thoughts, words and deeds and to become a better Orthodox Christian so that in all I do I may testify to Your glory. For blessed is the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever and unto the ages of ages Amen. 3 FOR THOSE SERVING IN THE HOLY ALTAR 1. Remember that you serve in the holiest and most sacred part of the Church. Being in the Altar is a rare honor and privilege. You are close to Jesus Christ and His Holy Angels. You are at the Altar Table where the sacrificial offering of the precious Body and Blood of Christ is made. 2. Christ wants those who serve Him in the Altar to be reverent and clean in body and soul.
    [Show full text]
  • Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 18, No. 2 Robert C
    Ursinus College Digital Commons @ Ursinus College Pennsylvania Folklife Magazine Pennsylvania Folklife Society Collection Winter 1969 Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 18, No. 2 Robert C. Bucher Don Yoder Harry H. Hiller Henry Glassie Donald F. Durnbaugh Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/pafolklifemag Part of the American Art and Architecture Commons, American Material Culture Commons, Christian Denominations and Sects Commons, Cultural History Commons, Ethnic Studies Commons, Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts Commons, Folklore Commons, Genealogy Commons, German Language and Literature Commons, Historic Preservation and Conservation Commons, History of Religion Commons, Linguistics Commons, and the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons Click here to let us know how access to this document benefits oy u. Recommended Citation Bucher, Robert C.; Yoder, Don; Hiller, Harry H.; Glassie, Henry; and Durnbaugh, Donald F., "Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 18, No. 2" (1969). Pennsylvania Folklife Magazine. 35. https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/pafolklifemag/35 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Pennsylvania Folklife Society Collection at Digital Commons @ Ursinus College. It has been accepted for inclusion in Pennsylvania Folklife Magazine by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Ursinus College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Contributors to This Issue ROBERT C. BUCHER, Schwe nksville, R.D., Pennsyl­ vania, whose long-time interest in Pennsylvani a's colonial architecture and its restoration involves him in both Gosch­ enhoppen Historians and HistOric chaefferstOwn, has con­ tributed several major articles to Pemzs')'lvania Folklife, on such varied subj ects as Grain in the Attic, Red Tile Roof­ ing, Irrigated Meadows, and the Continental Central-Chim­ ney Log H ouse.
    [Show full text]
  • Towards Liturgies That Reconcile 1St Edition Download Free
    TOWARDS LITURGIES THAT RECONCILE 1ST EDITION Author: Scott Haldeman Number of Pages: --- Published Date: --- Publisher: --- Publication Country: --- Language: --- ISBN: 9781351878517 DOWNLOAD: TOWARDS LITURGIES THAT RECONCILE 1ST EDITION Towards Liturgies that Reconcile 1st edition PDF Book Sep 24, Alexandra rated it it was amazing. Funny thing is, plenty of white people have not been born into privileged homes and have been labeled derogatory terms such as "white trash". The Catholic Church has never maintained a principle of uniformity in rite. The Priest, blessing the zeon, says: Blessed is the fervor of Your saints, always, now and forever and to the ages of ages. User icon An illustration of a person's head and chest. Rating details. The Priest says in a low voice: For Saint John the prophet, forerunner, and baptist; for the holy, glorious, and most praiseworthy apostles; for Saint s Name , whose memory we celebrate; and for all Your saints, through whose supplications, visit us, O God. Yes: The laity prays the Mass. If you are already on the journey of being a bridge-builder, Be the Bridge is for you. Catholics are united in faith and discipline, but in their manner of performing the sacred functions there is room for variety based on essential unity, as there was in the first centuries. Hatchett A true classic - the standard commentary on the U. This book is a good introduction to the work that Latosha Morrison started in Austin with a group of women in her circle to help her process through racists incidents that her white-majority church was not addressing and has continued through a private Facebook group of the same name.
    [Show full text]
  • Paschal Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom
    The Paschal Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom THE PREPARATION AND OPENING DIALOGUE The priest and deacon stand together before the holy table, the priest in the center and the deacon at his place at the southwest corner. The priest with hands uplifted says the following prayer while the deacon lifts his orarion. Priest: Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. The priest and deacon make three metanias while the priest says: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men. (twice) O Lord, thou shaft open my lips, and my mouth shall declare thy praise, (once) The priest then kisses the gospel book and the holy table, while the deacon kisses only the southwest corner of the holy table. The deacon then bows his head to the priest and holding his orarion with three fingers on his right hand says: Deacon: It is time for the Lord to act. Bless, master. The priest makes the sign of the cross over the deacons head, saying: Priest: Blessed is our God, always now and ever and unto ages of ages. Deacon: Amen. Pray for me, master. Priest: The Lord direct thy steps unto every good work. 696 Great and Holy Pascha Deacon: Remember me, holy master. Blessing the deacon, the priest says: Priest: The Lord God remember thee in his kingdom, always now and ever and unto ages of ages. Deacon: Amen. Having kissed the priests hand, the deacon exits the sanctuary, passing the high place, through the north door.
    [Show full text]
  • CHRIST AS PRIEST in BYZANTINE CHURCH DECORATION of the 11TH and 12TH CENTURIES in Acts
    1 Alexei M. Lidov CHRIST AS PRIEST IN BYZANTINE CHURCH DECORATION OF THE 11TH AND 12TH CENTURIES in Acts. XVIIIth International Congress of Byzantine Studies. Selected Papers. Moscow,1991. Vol.III: Art History,Architecture, Music. Shepherdstown, WV, 1996, pp.158-170 The latest studies ever more often regard the 11th century as a watershed in Byzantine church decoration1. This era introduced in altar apses, as innovations of principle, such scenes as "The Communion of the Apostles" and "Officiating Bishops", which determined the purely liturgical nature of mid-Byzantine iconographic programs. The changes were not limited by these two scenes. As shown earlier, the 11th century introduced and spread the image of Christ Emmanuel in the garments of a bishop at the moment of church consecration2. As we see it, the image of Christ the Priest, which emerged in mid-11th century murals (the mosaics of St.Sophia of Kiev present the best-known example), deserve examination among the new liturgical themes of the 11th and 12th centuries3. The unusual haircut (with short hair taking the shape of a double crown round the tonsure) is the main characteristic feature of the iconographic type. Such a haircut was the mostgeneral token of belonging to one of the priesthood degrees4, which corresponded to the idea of Christ as the great patriarch above all the levels in the church hierarchy. We can notice other features of this type: the short beard, pointing to the youth of Christ, the scroll in His hand as symbol of the Logos and token of Master, and, finally, the special cuffs or epimanikia, a characteristic detail of the Byzantine liturgical vestments--another tactful indication of His priestly rank5.
    [Show full text]
  • Vestments of a Russian Bishop. a Cultural Study, W: Szata Liturgiczna, Red
    Per-Arne Bodin, Vestments of a Russian Bishop. A Cultural Study, w: Szata liturgiczna, red. Adelajda Sielepin CHR, Jarosław Superson SAC, Kraków 2016, s. 87–108. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15633/9788374386029.06 Per-Arne Bodin Stockholm Vestments of a Russian Bishop. A Cultural Study The aim of the present article is to investigate from a cultural perspective the Russian Orthodox garment tradition, particularly the bishop’s robes and dressing ritual. Its primary focus is the use and significance of these phenom- ena rather than their history. My methodology is based on Russian semiotics and the conviction that every component of a cultural tradition has something to contribute to our understanding of the entire culture. The vesting ceremony is almost identical for bishops, metropolitans or patriarchs, and it is the ritual as a whole that is of interest here. In his memoirs, the Russian émigré Bishop Johann von Gardner recalls a scene from his childhood in 1914 in which he witnessed the ceremony in the Uspenskij Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. Concluding the narrative he wrote much later in emigration he notes: I marveled at the structured, measured, symmetrically synchronized move- ments of the subdeacons vesting the bishops. And again, in them as well, one sensed the traditions that had been established over the centuries, something inexpressible in words, the centuries-old tradition of our pious fathers. It was expressed in everything: in the movements of the clergy, and in how the people stood in church, and in how and what the choir sang. One had the sensation that here the best of the best had been assembled.
    [Show full text]
  • Hierarchical Divine Liturgy NOTE: in Most Cases, Only Rubrics That Are Unique to the Bishop’S Presence Are Noted Here
    Hierarchical Divine Liturgy NOTE: In most cases, only rubrics that are unique to the Bishop’s presence are noted here. After making three metanias in their respective places, the Priest and the Deacon bow together to the Bishop and then the Deacon says in a loud voice, “Bless, Master!” After the Priest completes, “Blessed is the Kingdom…” the Deacon and the Priest turn and bow together to the Bishop. The bow to the Bishop is repeated after every exclamation by the Priest. The Priest takes his place on the south side of the Holy Table facing north. The Deacon intones the Great Ektenia. At the commemoration of the Hierarchs, the Deacon turns, points his orarion and bows to the Bishop being commemorated while the Priest bows from the Royal Doors., and the choir quickly sings, "Eis polls eti, Despota." At the conclusion of the Ektenia, the Priest moves in front of the Holy Table to intone the exclamation. This process is repeated after each Ektenia. During the singing of the Antiphon, the first Deacon moves from the Icon of Christ back to his place near the Bishop, while the second Priest and second Deacon approach the Bishop, make one metania, ask the Bishop’s blessing and kiss his right hand. The second Priest proceeds through the Royal Doors and the second Deacon proceeds to stand before the Icon of the Theotokos. If there is only one Deacon serving, a Subdeacon may be asked to do this. If there is no Subdeacon, the Deacon remains in his place before the Icon of Christ and from there intones the two Little Ektenias.
    [Show full text]
  • Diaconate a Call to Humble Service
    DIACONATE A CALL TO HUMBLE SERVICE Diaconate Program Guide Diaconate Program Guidelines “Therefore, brothers, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of Wisdom…” Acts 6:3 Contents Preface Admission Requirements 1 Governance 2 Program Structure 3 Sessions Part 1 Clergy Mentoring Part 2 Metropolis/Regional Fellowship Groups Part 3 Alumni & Outreach Part 4 Ordination application and general information Appendix A Testimonials Appendix B DIACONATE PROGRAM PREFACE Do you hear God’s call to the Diaconate office in the Greek Orthodox Church? Do you pray and open your mind, heart and soul to what God is asking of you? Do you have a servant’s heart? Do you find your greatest joy is when you are helping others in a humble way all for the honor and glory of our Almighty and Immortal God? Do you strive to live a righteous life because that is what Jesus taught us to do? Do you invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in you and work through you? Do you feel a burning desire to help your parish priest and your local Church community? If you answer yes to these questions and have your Hierarch’s blessing then welcome to the Diaconate Program! The Body of Christ has many moving parts. A Deacon is just one of those moving parts. If we look in our liturgical books we see that we all take part in the Divine Liturgy in different ways. There is the Hierarch’s part, the Priest’s part, the Deacon’s part, the Altar Server’s part, the Choir’s part and the part of the people.
    [Show full text]