Almoutran

Understanding the Teachings of the Orthodox Church

by Reverend Thomas Fitzgerald (edited)

“We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendor or beauty anywhere on earth. We cannot describe it to you; we only know that God dwells there among men and that their Service surpasses the worship of all other places...”

In the latter part of the tenth century, Vladimir the Prince of Kiev sent envoys to various Christian centers to study their form of worship. These are the words the envoys uttered when they reported their presence at the celebration of the Eucharist in the Great Church of Holy Wisdom in Constantinople. The profound experience expressed by the Russian envoys has been one shared by many throughout the centuries who have witnessed for the first time the beautiful and inspiring Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church.

The Holy Eucharist is the oldest experience of Christian Worship as well as the most distinctive. Eucharist comes from the Greek word which means thanksgiving. In a particular sense, the word describes the most important form of the Church's attitude toward all of life. The origin of the Eucharist is traced to the Last Supper at which Christ instructed His disciples to offer bread and wine in His memory. The Eucharist is the most distinctive event of Orthodox worship because in it the Church gathers to remember and celebrate the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ and, thereby, to participate in the mystery of Salvation.

In the Orthodox Church, the Eucharist is also known as the Divine Liturgy. The word liturgy means people's work; this description serves to emphasize the corporate character of the Eucharist. When an Orthodox attends the Divine Liturgy, it is not as an isolated person who comes simply to hear a sermon.

Rather, he comes as a member of the Community of Faith who participates in the very purpose of the Church, which is the Worship of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, the Eucharist is truly the center of the life of the Church and the principal means of spiritual development, both for the individual Christian and the Church as a whole. Not only does the Eucharist embody and express the Christian faith in a unique way, but it also enhances and deepens our faith in the Trinity. This sacrament-mystery is the experience toward which all the other activities of the Church are directed and from which they receive their direction.

The Eucharist, the principal sacrament mystery of the Orthodox Church, is not so much a text to be studied, but rather an experience of communion with the Living God in which prayer, music, gestures, the material creation, art and architecture come into full orchestration. The Eucharist is a celebration of faith which touches not only the mind but also the emotions and the senses.

Throughout the centuries, Christians have seen many dimensions in the Eucharist. The various titles which have come to describe the rite bear witness to the richness of its meaning. The Eucharist has been known as the Holy offering, the Holy Mysteries, the Mystic Supper, and the Holy Communion. The Orthodox Church recognizes the many facets of the Eucharist and wisely refuses to over-emphasize one element to the detriment of the others. In so doing, Orthodoxy has clearly avoided reducing the Eucharist to a simple memorial of the Last Supper which is only occasionally observed. Following the teachings of both Scripture and Tradition, the Orthodox Church believes that Christ is truly present with His people in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharistic gifts of bread and wine become for us His Body and His Blood. We affirm that these Holy Gifts are transfigured into the first fruits of the New Creation in which ultimately God will be "all in all".

Three Liturgies

As it is celebrated today, the Divine Liturgy is a product of historical development. The fundamental core of the liturgy dates from the time of Christ and the Apostles. To this, prayers, hymns, and gestures have been added throughout the centuries. The liturgy achieved a basic framework by the ninth century.

There are three forms of the Eucharist presently in use in the Orthodox Church:

The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, which is the most frequently celebrated.
The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, which is celebrated only ten times a year.
The Liturgy of St. James which is celebrated on October 23, the feast day of the Saint.

While these saints did not compose the entire liturgy which bears their names, it is probable that they did author many of the prayers. The structure and basic elements of the three liturgies are similar, although there are differences in some hymns and prayers. In addition to these Liturgies, there is also the Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts. This is not truly a Eucharistic liturgy but rather an evening Vesper Service followed by the distribution of Holy Communion reserved from the previous Sunday. This liturgy is celebrated only on weekday mornings or evenings during Lent, and on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week, when the full Eucharist is not permitted because of its Resurrection spirit. The Eucharist expresses the deep joy which is so central to the Gospel.

The Divine Liturgy is properly celebrated only once a day. This custom serves to emphasize and maintain the unity of the local congregation. The Eucharist is always the principal Service on Sundays and Holy Days and may be celebrated on other weekdays.However, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated by the priest privately, without a congregation. The Eucharist is usually celebrated in the morning but, with the Bishop's blessing, may be offered in the evening. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has recently encouraged the celebration of the Liturgy in the evening after Vespers, on the vigil of major Feast and Saints Days.

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by Reverend Thomas Fitzgerald (edited)

The Actions of the Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy may be divided into two major parts: the Liturgy of the Catechumens and the Liturgy of the Faithful, which are preceded by the Service of Preparation. Although there are many symbolic interpretations of the Divine Liturgy, the most fundamental meaning is found in the actions and prayers.

The Service of Preperation

Prior to the beginning of the Liturgy, the priest prepares himself with prayer and then precedes to vest himself. The vestments express his priestly ministry as well as his office. Next, the priest goes to the Proskomide Table which is on the left side of the Altar Table in the Sanctuary. There, he prepares the offering of bread and wine for the Liturgy. Ideally, the leavened loaves of bread, and the wine from which the offering is taken, are prepared by members of the congregation. The elements are presented to the priest before the service, together with the names of those persons, living and dead, who are to be remembered during the Divine Liturgy. The offering symbolically represents the entire Church gathered about Christ, the Lamb of God.

The Liturgy of the Catechumens

The Divine Liturgy begins with the solemn declaration: "Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit now and for ever more." With these words we are reminded that in the Divine Liturgy the Church becomes a real manifestation of God's Kingdom on earth. Since the first part of the Liturgy was designed originally for the Catechumens, those being schooled in the faith, had a very instructive quality. The Eucharist also has elements which are in common with other Services. We gather as Christians who share a common faith in the Holy Trinity. We sing and pray as a people united in Christ, who are not bound by time, space, or social barriers.

The Little Entrance is the central action of the first part of the Liturgy. A procession takes place in which the priest carries the Book of Gospels from the sanctuary into the nave. The procession directs our attention to the Scripture and to the presence of Christ in the Gospel. The entrance leads to the Epistle lesson, the Gospel, and the Sermon.

The Liturgy of the Faithful

In the early Church, only those who were baptized and not in a state of sin were permitted to remain for this most solemn part of the Liturgy. With the Great Entrance marking the beginning of this part of the Liturgy, the offering of bread and wine is brought by the priest from the Preparation Table, through the nave, and to the Altar Table. Before the offering can proceed, however, we are called upon to love one another so that we may perfectly confess our faith. In the early Church, the Kiss of Peace was exchanged at this point. After the symbolic kiss of Peace, we join together in professing our Faith through the words of the Creed. Only now can we properly offer our gifts of bread and wine to the Father as our Lord directed us to do in His memory. This offering is one of great joy, for through it we remember the mighty actions of God through which we have received the gift of salvation, and especially the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. We invoke the Holy Spirit upon ourselves and upon our offering, asking the Father that they become for us the Body and Blood of Christ. Through our thanking and remembering the Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Risen Christ in our midst.

The priest comes from the altar with the Holy Gifts, inviting the congregation to draw near with reverence of God, with faith, and with love." Our sharing in the Eucharist Gifts not only expresses our fellowship with one another, but also our unity with the Father in His Kingdom. Individuals approach the Holy Gifts and receive the Eucharistic bread and wine from the common chalice. The priest distributes the Holy Gifts by means of a communion spoon. Since the Holy Communion is an expression of our Faith, reception of the Holy Gifts is open only to those who are baptized, Chrismated, and practicing members of the Orthodox Church. The Liturgy comes to an end with prayer of Thanksgiving and the Benediction. At the conclusion of the Eucharist, the congregation comes forward to receive a portion of the liturgical bread which was not used for the offering.

The Divine Liturgy Explained

Adapted & Edited from "The Divine Liturgy Explained" by Fr. Nicholas Elias

In ancient times, the word "Liturgy" meant a work for the benefit of the people. In the Old Testament it denotes the worship which the people offered through priests of the Mosaic Law. Since New Testament times the word "Liturgy", preceded usually by the adjective "Divine", has signified that Church service which is filled with memories of our Lord's Life and teachings from His Nativity to His Ascension into Heaven. The Divine Liturgy is the great central act of Christian worship, offered to God for the benefit of the members of the Church, the Christians.

Our Lord Institutes the Sacrament

The belief that our Lord is present upon the altar under the appearances of the consecrated Bread and Wine is based upon the word of God Himself. Let us return to the days when our Lord dwelt on earth. He had fed five thousand men in the desert by a miraculous multiplication of five loaves and two fish. The next day He was in Capernaum, where the people asked for more of that wonderful bread. Instead of fulfilling their desire, Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger" (John 6:35). Further on, Christ said, "I am the living bread which came from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world" (John 6:51). Then Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him" (John 6:53-55).

With these words, our Lord promised to give His flesh and blood to be the food and drink of the world. However, He did not explain at that time how His body and blood would serve as food and drink for spiritual nourishment of the world. A year later, the Passover (Pascha) was at hand. Jesus knew that He had to journey from that feast to the sacrifice on the Cross. He knew that His body had to be broken, and His blood had to be shed for the salvation of the world. He knew, too, that His disciples would grieve Him that night, and that one of them would even betray Him, and yet He said to them: "With desire I have desired to eat at this Passover with you before I suffer" (Luke 22:15). Knowing what was to come, our Lord, on the night before His crucifixion, gathered with His disciples in the upper room of a house in Jerusalem for the Last Supper. As they were seated before a long, white banquet table their eyes were upon Jesus. He took one of the loaves of bread, blessed it and broke it, so that each of His disciples might have a portion. Then distributing it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body" (Matt 26:25). Obediently, eagerly, the Apostles accepted the Bread of Life.

Then, taking a chalice Jesus poured into it some red wine of Palestine. He pronounced over it a blessing, rendered thanks to His Father and gave it to His disciples, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" Matt 26:27-28). The chalice was passed from one to another, and they all drank of it. Thus, in the simplest and most sublime manner, Christ fulfilled His earlier promise to give His flesh as food and His blood as drink. It was not until after the Crucifixion and Resurrection, though, that the disciples understood this. We see then that at the Last Supper, the very night when our Lord was betrayed, He instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice. In order to perpetuate the memory of this Sacrifice for subsequent centuries until He should come again, He told His Apostles, "do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19). With these words our Lord gave them the power to do what He had done, which is to change bread and wine into His Body and Blood, namely, to consecrate the Holy Eucharist, which is the highest form of Thanksgiving to God that man has in his power to render. Indeed, God directs man to render this Thanksgiving in the form of the Divine Liturgy.

The Holy Eucharist is participation in the Last Supper, and not a re-enactment of it. It is the same Sacrifice of the Cross, participated in sacramentally. The Apostles and the first Christians, obeying the Lord's words, "do this in remembrance of Me", gathered together every day in private homes and celebrated the Breaking of Bread, or what we know as the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.

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by Reverend Thomas Fitzgerald (edited)

The Divine Liturgy as celebrated In the Apostolic Age

From the beginning of the Christian Church, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist part of a common meal, called the "feast of love" (or Agapai), which was a symbol of Christian love. This Feast took place every evening and at its close the Holy Eucharist was consummated in which all participated; both rites, being regarded as forming one service, were called the "Lord's Supper". Prayers and benedictions were said, hymns were chanted and sermons were delivered (Matt 26:30, Acts 2:42 47, Eph 5: 19).

The connection of the Feast of Love with the Holy Eucharist gave rise to abuses, which led, somewhat late in the Apostolic age, to the gradual separation of the two. The Holy Eucharist was performed in the morning and the Feast of Love in the evening. After the separation of the two rites, the Holy Eucharist was not celebrated every day, but on the morning of every first day of the week, namely, the Lord's Day (Kyriaki), which the Christians set aside as the day to commemorate the Lord's Resurrection (Acts 20:7, Rev 1:10). In addition, after the separation of the two rites a likeness of the Holy Eucharist was preserved with the Love Feast: breaking of bread and blessing of wine, without being Holy Eucharist. In later years it became a separate rite, performed, usually at the close of the vespers and called "Artoklasia" (breaking of bread). In those early years the celebration of the Holy Eucharist was the task of the Apostles. It was they, after all, who had assisted at the Last Supper. Therefore, it was natural that what our Lord had done and said was indelibly impressed upon their memories. Consequently, they did not need any liturgical book.

However, as the number of Christians increased with time the celebration of the Holy Eucharist became a task of the Presbyters (priests) and Bishops, whom the Apostles ordained and to whom they transmitted, through the Grace of the Holy Spirit, the power of performing this Sacrament (in addition to the other Sacraments). Since then, prayers, supplications and hymns used in the Holy Eucharist were recorded in books. The various types of liturgies were written down for use by future generations up to and beyond our own.

Parts of the Divine Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy is divided into several parts. Each part corresponds to a particular event of our Lord's Life, thus giving to the Divine Liturgy the form of a corporate dramatic action, by which the whole Life of Christ is re-enacted, The priest and the worshippers (the latter's role having been replaced now by the chanters or the choirs) have their distinct roles for the proper representation of the Divine Drama. Before every Divine Liturgy the Offertory is made, in which the priest in the Sanctuary prepares the Elements of the Sacrament for consecration. This part of the Liturgy commemorates Christ's early Life, which was a preparation for His public ministry. The Offertory service is performed during Matins without being seen by the congregation, just as Christ's early Life was not shown to the world as being the revelation of God's Life (Matt 11:27, John 14:9). The Liturgy is divided into the Proskomide Service (preparation of the Offerings), Liturgy of the Catechumens, and Liturgy of the Faithful.

These parts of the Divine Liturgy are so closely connected with each other that they form but one single act of worship. For this reason, Orthodox Christians must attend the entire Divine Liturgy; and this they do not as a duty, but as a distinct privilege. They may feel unworthy to attend it, and yet they know that they are welcome by our Lord, Who numbers them among His chosen people (Matt. 20:16, John 10:14 16).

The Proskomide

The Proskomide is the service of "bringing the offered Gifts". It is performed at a small side-altar to the left of the Holy Altar behind the Icon Screen where the gifts are prepared. It is also called Prothesis, the place and the act of placing and preparing the gifts. The Priest does the Proskomide while the morning prayer service (the Matins) is being sung by the chanters. The Priest takes a loaf of bread called Prosphoron which means "offering". This has been specially prepared and has a seal impressed on the top. The center square of the seal has the initials of Jesus Christ and the Greek verb NIKA, which means "is victorious", and represents the Lord, the Lamb of God. It is this which will be consecrated as the Body of Christ. The large triangle to the left represents the Virgin Mary. The nine smaller triangles to the right represent the Orders of Angels, Prophets, Saints, and Martyrs. The lower part of the Cross is removed and particles are taken from it to represent the souls of the living and of those departed this life.

The Priest takes the Spear which represents the spear used by the Roman soldier who pierced the side of our Lord as He hung upon the Cross. With this the Priest cuts around the Lamb (the center square) and places it on the Disk. While piercing the left side with the Spear, he says, "One of the soldiers pierced His side and immediately blood and water came forth". At the same time he pours wine and water into the Chalice. Then he cuts out the triangle representing the Virgin Mary as well as the nine smaller triangles representing the Heavenly Hosts. At this point he mentions the names of the living and departed, placing a particle on the Disk for each one. Finally the Priest offers a prayer for himself, and places an additional particle there. Then he places over the Disk the Asteriskos (Star). This object is formed of two strips of metal (either gold-plated or silver-plated), joined at the center and bent at the ends so that it will stand on the Disk. The Asteriskos symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. Now the symbolism is complete: the newly born Christ surrounded by His Holy Mother, the ranks of the heavenly Hosts, and the earthly visitors who were privileged to see the Christ child, while over Him hangs the Star of Bethlehem. As the Priest places the Star over the Lamb, he recites the words, "And the star came and stood over the place where the child was" (Matt 2:19). Then he censes the Gifts. The smoke from the incense symbolizes prayer. As the smoke rises to Heaven, so the Prayers of the Priest and the faithful rise to Heaven. Next the Priest takes two small covers (Veils) shaped like crosses, and places one over the Disk and the other over the Chalice. Then he takes a large rectangular cover called the Aer and places this over the two together. Meanwhile he recites Psalm 93 praising the wonders of the universe. The covers represent the layers of the firmament. Aer means "air", which in terms of our modern concept of the universe would be "space".

The Proskomide ends with the prayer of benediction. The Gifts have been prepared and remain at the side altar until the proper time for their removal during the Liturgy of the Faithful. The Liturgy of the Catechumens begins with the pronouncement, "Blessed be The Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit now and ever and unto ages of ages".

Liturgy of the Catechumens

As he recites these words, the Priest makes the sign of the Cross with the Gospel Book. Then follow prayers in the form of petitions to which the choir responds with "Kyrie Eleison" (Lord, have mercy); hymn in honor of the Theotokos, the Son of God, and the Holy Trinity; also the hymn for the feast day and for the dedication of the Church. Then follows the most dramatic part of the Liturgy of the Catechumens, the Small Entrance. It is called "Small" because it anticipates the "Great Entrance" which is to come later. The Priest, accompanied by altar boys bearing candles or lamps, takes the Gospel Book, moves to the right of the Holy Altar and around behind it in order to come out of the left side door of the Icon Screen. He pauses facing the Royal Doors, holds up the Gospel Book and says, "Wisdom, Arise!". This directs the congregation to be attentive to the wisdom contained in Jesus' Gospels. The procession represents the coming of Christ to preach His Gospel message of salvation to the people. It dates back to the time when Christians were persecuted and had no place where they could openly display the Gospel Book. At this point in the service the Priest would go to the secret hiding place accompanied by his altar boys, remove the Book and bring it before the people to read from it. The candles carried by the altar boys symbolize the light of Christ's teaching. "I am the Light of the world", says the text on the Book which Christ is pictured holding on the icon to the right of the Royal Gate. The Small Entrance is followed by the readings. First comes the reading from the Apostle. This is in the form of an "Epistle" or letter. It is usually read by one of the chanters, since it can be read by a layman. Then follows the reading from the Gospel which is always read by the Priest, or by a Deacon, if there is one present. The readings are intended for instruction, and since the purpose of the sermon is to instruct and frequently to explain the Scripture readings, the traditional place for it is after the readings.

The Liturgy of the Catechumens ends with the priest's exhortation, "Let us stand well; let us stand with fear". This part of the Divine Liturgy is the most sacred, because in it the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist is consummated.

The Liturgy of the Faithful

It is hard to imagine anyone, however small his acquaintance with the Liturgy, who will not be affected by the change in mood and atmosphere which occurs when the choir begins to sing the Cherubic Hymn. This marks the transition from Christ's teaching mission to the soul-stirring events leading to His Great Sacrifice and death on the Cross. While the hymn is being sung, the Priest unfolds the Antimension. This is a rectangular cloth on which are printed Christ in the Tomb with the Holy Trinity, Angels and Prophets looking down from above. Below is the Last Supper, the cock that crowed when St Peter denied Christ (for the third time), the dice that the soldiers cast for Jesus' robe; above are the Cross and Resurrection. In the corners are the four Evangelists, and under the Cross is sewn a Holy relic. This is because the Antimension (the word means "instead of a table") is a form of portable altar. The Altar always represents the Tomb of Christ. The Antimension dates from early Christian times when Christians had no permanent places of worship. Then, as now, each Priest was given an Antimension blessed by his Bishop when he was ordained.

Wherever the Antimension is unfolded, the Divine Liturgy may be celebrated. While the choir continues the Cherubic Hymn, in which the faithful liken themselves to the Cherubim who surround the Throne of God, the Priest recites a beautiful prayer asking Christ to forgive him for his human frailties, yet accept him as worthy to consecrate the offered Gifts on behalf of himself and the faithful who are present. He then recites the 51th Psalm, a psalm of repentance. He censes the Altar Table, the Icon Screen, the congregation, and the side altar where the offered Gifts were prepared during the Proskomide. After asking forgiveness of the faithful, he goes to the side altar, takes the Gifts and leaves the sanctuary in procession with the altar boys. The procession is called the Great Entrance.

The Great Entrance

The Great Entrance procession symbolizes Christ's Great Sacrifice in behalf of the people. The elements of bread and wine on the Disk and in the Chalice represent the Sacrifice which is to be offered. The procession is reminiscent of Jesus' Entrance into Jerusalem and culminates with the Cross at Golgotha. As the thief on Jesus' right said,"Be mindful of me, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom"; so the Priest in behalf of the faithful says, "Be mindful of us, O Lord, when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom". The Priest then re-enters the sanctuary through the Royal Doors, places the Gifts on the Antimension (a cloth depicting Christ in the Tomb) which lies there unfolded on the altar table. Then begins another series of petitions to which the choir responds. The Priest prays for peace, safety and remission of sins. He then asks for the spirit of unity that all together may confess their Faith in the form of the Nicene Creed.

We have now come to the core of the Divine Liturgy. All parts have been designed to lead us up to this most Sacred and eventful moment. We have been present at the Nativity when the Maker of Heaven and Earth entered the universe that He created. We have watched Him, in the Person of Jesus Christ, as He came to the people to preach His sermon of love to a troubled and hopeless world. He has taught, healed, and performed miracles. He has won followers. Through our participation in the Liturgy, we have followed Him and asked Him to watch over us and heal us and teach us as He did those who lived so many years ago. We have watched the drama unfold as He carried His Cross to Golgotha, the place of His Sacrifice. Here in the form of the Cross, Jesus restored man's relationship with God, and with His Resurrection, He has opened the way for all time for His followers to enter into the Heavenly Kingdom. However, how are we to overcome the difficulties of the journey when He is no longer in our midst? Our Lord and Savior has not only shown us the way, but He has also given us the spiritual Food to strengthen us on our journey.

This spiritual Food is the Gift of the Last Supper. Now begins a dialogue between the Priest and Choir which sets the scene for the Last Supper. The Priest enjoins us to give all our attention so that we may offer the Holy Oblation in Peace. What is this Holy Oblation offered in peace? It is God's Grace, Love and Mercy which were bestowed upon us in the awesome Sacrifice on the Cross. Jesus died on the Cross to redeem us from the bondage of sin. His Sacrifice was so great that whatever sin we may commit, if we sincerely and penitently ask His forgiveness, we will be saved. This is the Grace that flows from the Cross. God loves His creations - the creatures that He has made - as parents love their children. As parents try to help their children, protect them from injury and harm, welcome them back after they have gone astray, so God loves us. It is the Communion of the Holy Spirit which we are about to receive. "Let as lift up our hearts!" says the Priest. The people chant, "We lift them up unto the Lord". The Priest instructs, "Let us give thanks unto the Lord", and we reply "It is meet and right". This is one of the most ancient parts of the Liturgy, dating from the very first century.

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by Reverend Thomas Fitzgerald (edited)

The words of Institution

The choir takes up the triumphal Hymn: "Holy, Holy, Holy", while the Priest silently begins a prayer in which he recalls the events that took place on the night when Christ was betrayed; he recalls how Christ took bread and blessed it, and said to His disciples, "Take, eat; this is my Body which is broken for you for the remission of sins" and then how He took the cup and blessed it saying: "Drink ye all of it. This is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for you and far many for the remission of sins". The words which Christ spoke (The Words of Institution) are spoken by the Priest out loud. The choir responds with "Amen". Then the Priest recites the Epiclesis, or Prayer invoking the Holy Spirit.

The Prayer of Sanctification

This is the most precious and sacred moment of the entire Divine Liturgy. All the people kneel, unless kneeling is not appropriate for the season, while the Priest asks the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Even though outwardly they may appear to be still bread and wine, they are now the Real Body and the Real Blood of Jesus. The Orthodox Church has never attempted to explain in philosophical or any other terms how this change takes place, but this is the Orthodox Church's belief without any qualifications, and this is her unchanging teaching. We must have a full understanding and complete realization of this fact; otherwise Holy Communion can never provide the spiritual strength and uplifting exaltation that it should. Our attitude as we kneel during the Prayer of Sanctification should represent the highest form of spiritual receptiveness and devotion of which we are capable. We have prepared for it by visualizing the scene at Golgotha, Christ's death on the Cross. In dying on the Cross for us, He took our place.

We in turn take the place of those who stood at the foot of the Cross, and try to offer love, devotion, and humility. The eyes of our souls must try to visualize Jesus descending in that moment from Heaven and imparting His Body to the bread on the Disk and His Blood to the wine in the Chalice, thus once again offering Himself to the faithful as He did at the Last Supper with His Disciples. Whether we are prepared to receive Holy Eucharist or not, our hearts and souls should be filled with spiritual joy and exaltation and thankfulness as Jesus offers Himself to us with His undying love. This is what transpires in the Divine Liturgy, and this is what should be in our souls and minds as the choir sings "We praise Thee" and we kneel before our Savior to ask Him for understanding and guidance and help in all our needs. The Prayer of Sanctification is followed by prayers remembering all those who have gone before us, especially the Holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, in whose honor the choir sings a beautiful hymn.

The Eucharist

After another series of petitions we recite together the Lord's Prayer. The Holy Gifts are uncovered. "Holy things are for the Holy", says the Priest. The choir responds with "One is Holy, One is the Lord". At this point warm water is added to the Cup because the Blood and water that flowed from the side of our Lord was warm living blood. The Priest breaks the Host into four parts, One part he places in the Cup, and after asking forgiveness of the faithful and reciting the appropriate prayers, he partakes of the Holy Communion from one of the parts. Then he puts the remaining three portions in the Cup. With the Communion Spoon, the red cloth, and the Chalice, he turns toward the people and says, "With fear of God and faith and love, draw near". At this time all the faithful who have prepared themselves for Holy Communion come forward and partake, When all have received the Priest says, "O Lord, save Your people and bless Your inheritance". The choir responds with a hymn of thanksgiving.

The Dismissal

On the fortieth day after the Resurrection, Jesus went to Bethany with His Disciples. There, after giving them His final instructions, He ascended into Heaven. When the Priest turns and faces the congregation with the Holy Vessels and says, "Now and ever and unto ages of ages", making the Sign of the Cross over the faithful, this symbolizes Christ's Ascension into Heaven. After this, he recites a few petitions, a prayer before the icon of Christ, and the final dismissal prayer. The people of the congregation all pass by and receive “blessed bread” from the offering loaves which were not consecrated for Holy Communion. It was originally intended only for those who did not receive Communion, but today it is offered to all.

Benefits received from the Divine Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy, although its intention is primarily for man to worship God and to give thanks to Him, also showers actual grace and blessings upon those in attendance to aid them as the Lord's chosen people. There, in the atmosphere of the worship, a spiritual renewal comes to each of them from the higher thoughts the Liturgy suggests to them, from the sacred hymns, from the reading and teaching of the Gospel, from prayer and from the Grace of our Lord, Who is actually present in the Divine Liturgy. Worshipping together with others is very beneficial, too. It strengthens the faith of each one and lifts one, as in no other possible way, into the very presence of God. Thus the spirit of each worshipper soars upward into the realm of inspirational thought and purpose, which cannot be reached in any other atmosphere or relationship. The mind and the heart of each worshipper becomes responsive to the influences that make him a receiver of and instrument for witnessing to righteousness, benevolence, and truth.

However, during the six days of the week, our work, earthly cares, worries, anxieties and disappointments, temptations and provocations to sin, all these worldly things, exhaust us spiritually and physically. God, in His infinite mercy provides us with Sunday, the day of the Lord, when by going to Church we are supplied with new spiritual and moral nourishment for our needs for the coming week. When God, in His wisdom, set apart one day out of every seven and hallowed it as His own day, He was not thinking of any need to be worshipped, but of our need for renewal of our spiritual energies. Therefore, attending, Church on Sunday is like the winding of a clock. Spiritual life cannot go too long without "rewinding". By attending the Divine Liturgy every Sunday we are equipped spiritually and morally for whatever lies ahead.

All these benefits and blessings are conferred upon us in even greater abundance, when we partake of Holy Communion. This is the purpose of the institution and consummation of the Holy Eucharist. Holy Communion, being divine food and medicine, affords our souls nourishment, growth, strength, health, and, even more important, eternal life. It is also a safeguard and cure for the ills of our bodies, because the abundance of Grace, with which the Eucharist enriches the soul, is also communicated by it to the body, which is so intimately united with the soul. The Grace that the soul receives exercises wholesome influence on the body, whose sensual nature is consequently weakened. Partaking of the Holy Eucharist as often as possible, we really partake of Christ's Life, so that our lives might be transformed into the very likeness of His Life (John 6:54 56). Christ's life, which is imparted to us through reception of Holy Communion, removes the barriers which separate the poor from the rich, the ignorant from the learned, …and thus strengthens the bonds of Christian love and harmony among all men (1 Cor 10:17).

There are people, however, who attend the Divine Liturgy and receive Holy Communion regularly, yet they receive little or no benefit from it, because they do not prepare themselves properly. It is similar to a student in a class room, who does not pay attention to what the teacher says and never does his homework. He gets very little out of school. Likewise, those who arrive late to church and do not understand the meaning of Divine Liturgy or those who are hypocrites in their lives, and those who go to church as mere spectators, or to hear the choir, or to indulge passively in praise and prayer much as they go to see a ball game; all such people cannot be fully benefited from the Divine Liturgy.

The worshippers who are richly blessed by attending the Divine Liturgy are those who are present for the entire Liturgy and follow it with a spiritual understanding. These are those who are sincere and well disposed to it, and those who receive Holy Communion only after being properly prepared and approach the altar "With fear of God, with faith and love".