www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Current and Proposed Liturgical Texts for comparison

I post both the current text used in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh as found in the book- The Divine Liturgy- published in 1978 by Byzantine Seminary Press and the Proposed text. I also provided in parenthesis the rubrics as usually done in Pittsburgh as given in the 1978 book and from my own experience. I omitted all the silent prayers so that everyone could get a feel for what the congregation does and does not hear in both texts.

The Current Text


DEACON: Master, give the blessing.

PRIEST: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

LITANY OF PEACE

DEACON: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For peace from on high, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For peace in the whole world, for the well being of the holy Churches of God and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For this holy church and for all who enter it with faith, reverence and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For our holy ecumenical Pontiff N... the Pope of Rome, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For our most Reverend Archbishop and Metropolitan N . . . for our God-loving Bishop N . . . for the venerable priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, and all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For our civil authorities and all in the service of our country, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For this city, for every city, country, and for those living within them in faith, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For seasonable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For those who travel by sea, air, and land, for the sick, the suffering, the captive, and for their safety and salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: That we may be delivered from all affliction, wrath, and need, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Protect us, save us, have mercy on us, and preserve us O God, by Your grace.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: Remembering our most holy, most pure, most-blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life, to Christ, our God.

PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST: For to You is due all glory and honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

FIRST ANTIPHON

PEOPLE: Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth, sing praise to His name; give to Him glorious praise. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Savior, save us. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Savior, save us.
(Extra Verses are optional and usually not taken)

SECOND ANTIPHON

PEOPLE: Be gracious to us, O God, and bless us; let your face shine upon us, and have mercy on us. O Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You. Alleluia.
(Extra Verses are optional and usually not taken)

HYMN OF THE INCARNATION

PEOPLE: O Only-Begotten Son and Word of God, Who, being immortal, deigned for our salvation to become incarnate of the Holy Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, and became man without change. You were also crucified, O Christ, our God, and by death have trampled Death, being one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.

THIRD ANTIPHON
(Optional and usually not taken)

LITTLE ENTRANCE
The priest and deacon make three bows, then a procession is formed and the deacon carries the Gospel Book around the Altar.

The deacon elevates the Gospel Book and says aloud:
DEACON: Wisdom! Be attentive!

PEOPLE: Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. O Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You. Alleluia.

TROPARS AND KONDAKS
PEOPLE: (Say the Tropars and Kondaks proper to the day.)

PRIEST: For You, our God are Holy, and to You we give glory, to the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

THRICE-HOLY HYMN
PEOPLE: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen. Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us.

DEACON: Let us be attentive!

PRIEST: Peace be with all.

DEACON: Wisdom. Be attentive!

PROKIMEN

PEOPLE: (the Prokimen proper to the day.)
READER: (Verse) -usually omitted
PEOPLE: (the Prokimen proper to the day.) -usually omitted

EPISTLE

DEACON: Wisdom!

READER: A reading from the Epistle of St. N . . .

DEACON: Let us be attentive!

READER: Brothers and sisters . . .

When the Epistle is finished the priest intones:
PRIEST: Peace be with you, reader.

DEACON: Wisdom. Be attentive!

ALLELUIA

PEOPLE: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
READER: (Verse) -usually omitted
PEOPLE: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! -usually omitted
READER: (Verse) -usually omitted
PEOPLE: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! -usually omitted

GOSPEL

PRIEST: Wisdom! Let us stand and listen to the Holy Gospel.

DEACON: The reading of the Holy Gospel according to St. N. . .

PEOPLE: Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You.

PRIEST: Let us be attentive.

DEACON: At that time...

PEOPLE: Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You.

LITANY OF SUPPLICATION

DEACON: Let us all say with our whole soul, and with our whole mind, let us say.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: O Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, we pray You, hear and have mercy.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

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

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy. (3 times).

DEACON: We also pray our holy ecumenical Pontiff N . . . Pope of Rome, and for our most reverend Archbishop and Metropolitan N . . ., for our God-loving Bishop N . . ., for those who serve and have served in this holy church, for our spiritual fathers, and for all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy. (3 times)

DEACON: We also pray for our civil authorities and for all the armed forces.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy. (3 times)

DEACON: We also pray for the people here present who await Your great and abundant mercy, for those who showed us charity, and for all Christians of the true faith.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy. (3 times)

PRIEST: For You are a merciful and gracious God, and we render glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

CHERUBIMIC HYMN

PEOPLE: Let us, who mystically represent the Cherubim, and sing the thrice- holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, now set aside all earthly cares...

THE GREAT ENTRANCE

DEACON: May the Lord God remember in His kingdom all you Christians of the true faith, always, now and ever, and forever.

PRIEST: May the Lord God remember in His kingdom, our holy ecumenical Pontiff N . . ., the Pope of Rome, our most reverend Archbishop and Metropolitan N . . ., and our God loving Bishop N . . ., and the entire priestly, diaconal, and monastic order, our civil authorities, and all our armed forces, the noble and ever memorable founders and benefactors of this holy Church, and all you Christians of the true faith, always, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen. That we may welcome the King of all, invisibly escorted by angelic hosts. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.


LITANY OF THE OFFERTORY
(Optional and usually not taken)

DEACON: Let us complete our prayer to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For the precious gifts here offered, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For this holy church and for all who enter it with faith, reverence, and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: That we be delivered from all affliction, wrath and need, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: Protect us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, O God, by your grace.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: That this whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and without sin, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: For the pardon and remission of our sins and offenses, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: For what is good and beneficial to our souls, and for peace of the whole world, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: That we may spend the rest of our life in peace and repentance, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: For a Christian, painless, unashamed, peaceful end of our life, and for a good account before the fearsome judgement-seat of Christ, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: Asking for unity in faith, and for communion in the Holy Spirit, let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ, our God.

PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST: Through the mercies of Your only-be gotten Son, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your all holy, gracious and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace be with all.

PEOPLE: And with your Spirit.

DAECON: Let us love one another, so that with one mind we may confess:

PEOPLE: The Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in substance and undivided.

DEACON: The doors, the doors, in wisdom let us be attentive.

NICENE CREED

ALL: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten. Born of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, through whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin and became man. He was also crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. And of His kingdom there will be no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father. Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I profess one baptism for the remission of sins. And I await the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the world to come. Amen.

DEACON: Let us stand aright, let us stand in awe, let us be attentive, to offer the holy oblation in peace.

PEOPLE: The offering of peace, the sacrifice of praise.

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

PEOPLE: And with your spirit.

PRIEST: Let us lift up our hearts.

PEOPLE: We have them lifted up to the Lord.

PRIEST: Let us give thanks to the Lord.

PEOPLE: It is proper and just to worship the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in substance and undivided.

PRIEST: Singing shouting, crying out and saying the triumphal Hymn:

PEOPLE: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest.

ANAPHORA

PRIEST: Take, eat, THIS IS MY BODY, which is broken for you for the remission of sins.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Drink of this, all of you, THIS IS MY BLOOD of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins.

PEOPLE: Amen.

The deacon lifts the chalice and diskos up and makes the sign of the cross with them, saying:
PRIEST: We offer to You yours of your own, in behalf of all and for all.

PEOPLE: We praise You, we bless You, we thank You, O Lord, and we pray to You, our God.

PRIEST: Especially for our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary.

PEOPLE: It is truly proper to glorify you, who have borne God, the ever-blessed and immaculate and the Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who, a Virgin, gave birth to God the Word, you, truly the Mother of God, we magnify.

PRIEST: Among the first, O Lord, remember our holy ecumenical Pontiff N . . ., the Pope of Rome, our most reverend Archbishop and Metropolitan N . . ., our God-loving Bishop N . . ., preserve them for Your holy churches, in peace, safety, honor, and health, for many years, as they faithfully dispense the word of Your truth.

PEOPLE: And remember all Your people.

PRIEST: And grant that we, with one voice and one heart, may glorify and praise Your most honorable and sublime name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: And may the mercies of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, be with all of you.

PEOPLE: And with your spirit.

LITANY OF INTERCESSION
(Usually taken silently)

DEACON: Now that we have remembered all the saints, again in peace, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For the precious gifts offered and consecrated, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord have mercy.

DEACON: That Our God, in His love for mankind, may receive them on His holy and heavenly and mystical altar, as an aroma of spiritual fragrance, and may send down upon us in return His divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: That we be delivered from all affliction, wrath and need, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord have mercy.

DEACON: Protect us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, O God, by your grace.

PEOPLE: Lord have mercy.

DEACON: That this whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and without sin, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: For an angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: For the pardon and remission of our sins and offenses, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: For what is good and beneficial to our souls, and for peace of the whole world, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: That we may spend the rest of our life in peace and repentance, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: For a Christian, painless, unashamed, peaceful end of our life, and for a good account before the fearsome judgement-seat of Christ, let us beseech the Lord.

PEOPLE: Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON: Asking for unity in faith, and for communion in the Holy Spirit, let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ, our God.

PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST: And grant, O Lord, that we may with confidence and without condemnation dare call You, the God of heaven, Father, and say:

OUR FATHER

ALL: Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

PRIEST: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen

PRIEST: Peace be with all.

PEOPLE: And with your spirit.

DEACON: Bow your heads to the Lord.

PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST: Through the grace, the mercies and the loving kindness of Your only-begotten Son with Whom You are blessed, together with Your all-holy, gracious, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

DEACON: Let us be attentive.

PRIEST: Holy Things to the holy.

PEOPLE: One is holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ, for the glory of God the Father. Amen.

COMMUNION HYMN
PEOPLE: Praise the Lord from the heavens, Praise Him in the highest. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

ALL: O Lord, I believe and profess that You are truly Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the World to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Accept me as a partaker of your mystical supper, O Son of God, for I will not reveal Your mystery to our enemies, nor will I give you a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief will I confess to You:

Remember me, O Lord, when You shall come into Your kingdom.
Remember me, O Master, when You shall come into Your kingdom.
Remember me, O Holy One, when You shall come into Your kingdom.

May the partaking of your holy mysteries, O Lord, be not for my judgment, or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body.

O Lord, I also believe and profess that this, which I am about to receive, is truly Your most precious Body and Your life-giving Blood, which, I pray, make me worthy to receive for the remission of all my sins and for life everlasting. Amen.

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
O God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me.
O Lord, forgive me for I have sinned without number.

The deacon takes the chalice, turns to people and elevates it saying:
DEACON: Approach with fear of God and faith.

Those going to communion go to the altar.
PEOPLE: Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord: God the Lord has revealed Himself to us.

Priest giving Holy Communion to each says:
PRIEST: The servant of God N . . ., partakes of the precious, most holy and most pure Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ for the remission of his (her) sins and for life everlasting. Amen.

While the priest gives Communion to the people the congregation sings the Communion Hymn.
PEOPLE: Praise the Lord from the heavens, Praise Him in the highest. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

When he is finished distributing Holy Communion he blesses the people with the Holy Gifts saying:
PRIEST: Save Your people, O God, and bless Your inheritance.

PEOPLE: We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith, and we worship the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.

The priest goes to the Table of Preparation
PRIEST: Blessed is our God always, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PEOPLE: May our lips be filled with Your praise, O Lord, so that we may sing Your glory, for You have deemed us worthy to partake of Your holy, divine, immortal and life-creating mysteries. Keep us in Your holiness, so that all day long we may live according to your truth. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

LITANY OF THANKSGIVING
(Usully taken silently)

DEACON: Having received the divine, holy, most pure, immortal, heavenly and life-giving, awesome mysteries of Christ, arise, let us worthily thank the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: Protect us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, O God, by your grace.

PEOPLE: Lord have mercy.

DEACON: Asking that the whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and without sin, let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ, our God.

PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.

Priest makes the sign of the cross with the Gospel Book, saying:
PRIEST: For You are our sanctification, and we render glory to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Let us go forth in peace.

PEOPLE: In the name of the Lord.

PRIEST: Let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

AMBON PRAYER

PRIEST: O Lord, blessing those who bless You, and sanctifying those who trust in You, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, preserve the fullness of Your Church, sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house; glorify them in return by Your divine power, and do not forsake us who hope in You. Grant peace to Your world, to Your churches, to the priests, to our civil authorities and to all Your people. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from You, the Father of lights; and we render glory, thanksgiving, and adoration to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen. Blessed be the name of the Lord, now and forever. (3 times).

DISMISSAL

PRIEST: The blessing of the Lord be upon you, through His grace and love for mankind, always, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Glory be to You, O Christ, our God, our hope: Glory be to You.

PEOPLE: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Give the blessing.

PRIEST: May Christ our true God, risen from the dead, have mercy on us and save us through the prayers of His most pure Mother, and of the holy, glorious and illustrious apostles, and our holy father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, and of Saint (N . . . whose church it is) and of Saint (N . . . whose feast it is) and of all the saints, for He is gracious and loves mankind.

PEOPLE: Amen.

The Proposed Text

DEACON: Father, give the blessing.
Priest makes the sign of the cross with the Gospel Book, saying:
PRIEST: Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

LITANY OF PEACE

DEACON: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For peace from on high, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For peace in the whole world, for the well being of the holy Churches of God and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For this holy church and for all who enter it with faith, reverence and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For our holy father N� the Pope of Rome, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For our most reverend Metropolitan N. , for our Bishop N. whom God loves, for the venerable priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For our civil authorities and all in the service of our country, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For this city, for every city, countryside, and for those living within them in faith, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For seasonable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For those who travel by sea, air, and land, for the sick, the suffering, the captive, and for their safety and salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: That we may be delivered from all affliction, wrath, and need, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Protect us, save us, have mercy on us, and preserve us O God, by Your grace.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: Remembering our most holy, most pure, most-blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life, to Christ, our God.

PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST: O Lord our God, Whose might is beyond description, Whose glory surpasses all understanding, Whose mercy is without limits, Whose love for us is beyond expression: do You, O Master, in your kindness, look down upon us and this holy church, and bestow on us and upon those praying with us your abundant mercies and your benefits.

For to You is due all glory and honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

FIRST ANTIPHON

PEOPLE: Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth, sing praise to His name; give to Him glorious praise. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Savior, save us. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Savior, save us.

PRIEST (quitely): O Lord, our God, save your people and bless your inheritance: preserve the fullness of your Church; sanctify those who love the beauty of your house; glorify them in return by your divine power, and do not forsake us who place our hope in You. For Yours is the might, and Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

SECOND ANTIPHON

PEOPLE: Be gracious to us, O God, and bless us; let your face shine upon us, and have mercy on us. O Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You. Alleluia.

PRIEST (quitely): You promised to grant the petitions of two or three gathered together in your name and have enabled us to offer these prayers with a single and united voice. Now hear the requests of your servants which will benefit them and give us the knowledge of your truth in the present time, granting life eternal in the age to come. For You, O Christ our God, are good and You love mankind, and we give glory to You and to the eternal Father, and your life-creating Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

HYMN OF THE INCARNATION

PEOPLE: O Only-Begotten Son and Word of God, Who, being immortal, deigned for our salvation to become incarnate of the Holy Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, and became man without change. You were also crucified, O Christ, our God, and by death have trampled Death, being one of the Holy Trinity, glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us.

THIRD ANTIPHON

PEOPLE: Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us shout with joy to god our Savior. O Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You. Alleluia.

LITTLE ENTRANCE

The priest and deacon make three bows, then a procession is formed and the deacon carries the Gospel Book around the Altar.

DEACON (quietly): Let us pray to the Lord.

PRIEST (quietly): O Lord, our Master and God, Who in heaven established orders and armies of angels and archangels for the service of Your glory, make this our entrance to be an entrance of holy angels, serving together with us, and with us glorifying Your goodness. For to You is due all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

DEACON(quietly): Father, bless the holy entrance.

PRIEST(quietly): Blessed is the entrance of Your saints, always, now and ever, and forever.

The deacon elevates the Gospel Book and says:
DEACON: Wisdom! Be attentive!

PEOPLE: Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ. O Son of God, risen from the dead, save us who sing to You. Alleluia.

TROPARS AND KONDAKS

PEOPLE: (The Tropar and Kondak according to the proper tone.)

PRAYER OF THE THRICE HOLY GOD

DEACON: (quietly) Father, bless this occasion for the thrice-holy hymn.

PRIEST (quietly): O holy God abiding in the saints, praised by the thrice-holy hymn of the Seraphim, glorified by the Cherubim and adored by all the heavenly powers, You brought all things out of nothingness into being, and created man to Your own image and likeness, and adorned him with Your every gift; You give wisdom and under standing to him who asks, and despising not the sinner, You ordain repentance for salvation. You have allowed us, Your humble and unworthy servants, to stand at this time before the glory of Your holy altar and to offer to You due adoration and praise. Accept, O Master, from the lips of us sinners the thrice holy hymn, and visit us in Your goodness. Forgive us every offense voluntary and involuntary, sanctify our souls and bodies and grant that we may serve You in holiness all the days of our life; through the prayers of the holy Mother of God and all the saints, who have pleased You from the beginning of time.

PRIEST: For You, our God are Holy, and to You we give glory, to the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever...

DEACON: And forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

THRICE-HOLY HYMN

PEOPLE: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us. (3 times)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen. Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us.

DEACON: Father, command.

PRIEST: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

DEACON: Father, bless the throne.

PRIEST: Blessed are You on the throne of the glory of Your kingdom, enthroned upon the Cherubim, always, now and ever, and forever.

DEACON: Let us be attentive!

PRIEST: Peace be with all.

DEACON: Wisdom. Be attentive!

PROKIMEN

PEOPLE: (the Prokimen proper to the tone.)
READER: (Verse)
PEOPLE: (the Prokimen proper to the tone.)

EPISTLE

DEACON: Wisdom!

READER: A reading from the Epistle of St. N . . .

DEACON: Let us be attentive!

READER: Brothers and sisters . . .

When the Epistle is finished the priest intones:
PRIEST: Peace be with you, reader.

DEACON: Wisdom. Be attentive!

ALLELUIA
While the Alleluia is sung the deacon performs the incensation.
PEOPLE: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
READER: (Verse)
PEOPLE: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
READER: (Verse)
PEOPLE: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

GOSPEL

PRIEST (quietly): 0 Gracious Master, pour forth into our hearts the spotless light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our minds that we may understand the teachings of Your Gospel. Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments, so that, having curbed all carnal desires, we may lead a spiritual life, both thinking and doing everything that pleases You. For You, O Christ, our God, are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, and to You we render glory, together with Your eternal Father, and with Your all holy, good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

DEACON (quietly): Father, bless the announcer of the Gospel of the holy Apostle and Evangelist N.

PRIEST (quietly): May God, through the prayers of the holy, glorious, and illustrious Apostle and Evangelist N., grant that you announce the Word with great power, for the fulfillment of the Gospel of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

PRIEST: Wisdom! Let us stand and listen to the Holy Gospel. Peace be with you.

PEOPLE: And with your spirit.

DEACON: The reading of the Holy Gospel according to St. N.

PEOPLE: Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You.

PRIEST: Let us be attentive.

DEACON: At that time�

PEOPLE: Glory be to You, O Lord, glory be to You.

LITANY OF SUPPLICATION

DEACON: Let us all say with our whole soul, and with our whole mind, let us say:

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: O Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, we pray You, hear and have mercy.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

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

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy. (3 times).

DEACON: We also pray our Holy Father N., Pope of Rome, and for our most reverend Metropolitan N., for our Bishop N . whom God loves, for those who serve and have served in this holy church, for our spiritual fathers, and for all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy. (3 times)

DEACON: We also pray for our civil authorities and for all in the service of our country.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy. (3 times)

DEACON: We also pray for the people here present who await Your great and abundant mercy, for those who showed us mercy, and for all Christians of the true faith.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy. (3 times)

PRIEST (quietly): Accept, O Lord our God, this fervent prayer from Your servants and have mercy on us according to Your great mercy, and send down Your benefits upon us and upon all Your people, who expect from You abundant mercies

PRIEST: For You are a merciful and gracious God, and we render glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

CHERUBIMIC HYMN

The deacon perfroms the incensation while the people say:
PEOPLE: Let us, who mystically represent the Cherubim, and sing the thrice- holy hymn to the life-creating Trinity, now set aside all earthly cares.

FIRST PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

PRIEST (quietly): We thank You, O Lord God of Powers, for having deemed us worthy to stand, at this time, before Your holy Altar, and to prostrate ourselves before Your mercy, for our sins and for the people's transgressions. Accept our prayer, O God, and make us worthy to offer to You prayers and supplications, and unbloody sacrifices for all Your people, and enable us, whom You have placed in this Your ministry through the power of Your Holy Spirit, to call upon You at all times and in all places, without condemnation and blame, with a pure testimony of our conscience, that hearing us, You may be merciful to us according to the magnitude of Your goodness. For to You is due all glory, honor, and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen

SECOND PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

PRIEST (quietly): Again and again, we fall down before You and beseech You, O gracious Lover of mankind, that You hear our prayer and cleanse our souls and bodies of every defilement of flesh and spirit. Grant that we may stand before Your Holy Altar without blame and condemnation. Bestow, O God, also upon those who pray with us, advancement in faith and life and spiritual understanding. Grant that they who serve You in fear and love, may partake of Your Holy Mysteries without blame and condemnation, and be deemed worthy of Your heavenly kingdom. That being ever protected by Your power, we may render glory to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.

Prayer of the Cherubic Hymn

PRIEST (quietly): No one who is bound by carnal desires and pleasures is worthy to come to You, to approach You, or to minister to You, the King of glory, for to minister to You is great and awesome, even to the heavenly powers themselves. Yet, because of Your ineffable and boundless love for mankind, though in nature unchanged and unchangeable, You became man and were made our high priest and, as Master of all, gave Into our keeping the holy office of this liturgical and unbloody sacrifice. For You alone, O Lord our God, rule over all things in heaven and on earth, and are borne on the cherubic throne, and are the Lord of the Seraphim and King of Israel, Who alone are holy and dwell in the saints. Therefore, I beseech You, Who alone are gracious and ready to hear me; look favorably upon me, Your sinful and unprofitable servant, and cleanse my heart and soul of an evil conscience, and by power of Your Holy Spirit, enable me, clothed with the grace of the priesthood, to stand before this Your holy altar, and offer the sacrifice of Your sacred and most pure body and precious blood. With bowed head, I approach You and implore You, turn not Your face away from me, nor exclude me from among Your children, but allow these gifts to be offered to You by me, Your sinful and unworthy servant; for it is You, O Christ, our God, Who offer and are offered, who receive and are received, and to You we render glory, with Your eternal Father, and Your all holy, gracious and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and for ever. Amen.

Priest and deacon raise up their hands and quietly say the Cherubimic Hymn 3 times.

THE GREAT ENTRANCE

The deacon and priest go to the Table of Preparation, the priest incenses the holy gifts saying:

PRIEST: O God be merciful to me a sinner.

DEACON: Lift up, Father.

Placing the large veil on the deacon's left shoulder the priest says:
PRIEST: Lift up your hands to the holy things, and bless the Lord.

He takes the diskos and gives it to the deacon and taking the chalice himself they make the Great Entrance.

DEACON: May the Lord God remember in His kingdom all you Christians of the true faith, always, now and ever, and forever.

PRIEST: May the Lord God remember in His kingdom, Our Holy Father N. , the Pope of Rome, our most reverend Archbishop and Metropolitan N. , and our Bishop N. whom God loves, and the entire priestly, diaconal, and monastic order, our civil authorities, and all our armed forces, the noble and ever memorable founders and benefactors of this holy Church, and all you Christians of the true faith, always, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen. That we may welcome the King of all, invisibly escorted by angelic hosts. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Covering the holy gifts, the priest says:
PRIEST (quietly): The noble Joseph took down Your most pure body from the cross, wrapped it in a clean shroud, and with fragrant spices laid it in burial in a new tomb.

Incensing the holy gifts, he says:
PRIEST (quietly): In Your goodness, O Lord, show favor to Zion; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will be pleased with lawful sacrifice, burnt offerings wholly consumed; then You will be offered young bulls on Your Altar.

PRIEST: Remember me brother and fellow celebrant.

DEACON: May the Lord God remember your priesthood in His kingdom.

PRIEST: Pray for me my fellow celebrant.

DEACON: The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you.

PRIEST: May the Spirit Himself join with us in our celebration all the days of our lives.

DEACON: Remember me, father.

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

DEACON (quietly): Amen.

LITANY OF THE OFFERTORY

DEACON: For the precious gifts placed here, let us pray to the Lord.

PRIEST: Lord God Almighty, Who alone are Holy and receive the sacrifice of praise from those who call upon You with their whole heart, accept the prayer also of us sinners; bring us to Your holy altar, enable us to offer to You gifts and spiritual sacrifice for our sins, and for the people's transgressions; and deem us also worthy to find favor in Your sight, that our sacrifice may be pleasing to You, and that the good Spirit of Your grace may rest in us and upon these gifts here present, and upon all Your people.

Grant this through the mercies of Your only-be gotten Son, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your all holy, gracious and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace be with all.

PEOPLE: And with your Spirit.

DAECON: Let us love one another, so that with one mind we may confess:

PEOPLE: The Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in substance and undivided.

The priest makes three bows, kisses the holy gifts covered with the holy veil, the diskos, the chalice, then the edge of the Altar and prays each time:
PRIEST (quietly): I will love You, O Lord, my strength, the Lord is my fortress and my refuge.

DEACON: The doors, the doors, in wisdom let us be attentive.

NICENE CREED
ALL: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten. Born of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, through whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin and became man. He was also crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. He rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. And of His kingdom there will be no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father. Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I profess one baptism for the remission of sins. And I await the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the world to come. Amen.

DEACON: Let us stand aright, let us stand in awe, let us be attentive, to offer the holy oblation in peace.

PEOPLE: Mercy, peace, the sacrifice of praise.

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

PEOPLE: And with your spirit.

PRIEST: Let us lift up our hearts.

PEOPLE: We have them lifted up to the Lord.

PRIEST: Let us give thanks to the Lord.

PEOPLE: It is proper and just.

PREFACE

PRIEST: It is proper and just to sing hymns to You, to bless You, to praise You, to thank You, to worship You in every place of Your kingdom; for You are God ineffable inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible, ever existing, yet ever the same, You, and Your only-begotten Son, and Your Holy Spirit; You brought us forth from non-existence into being, and raised us up again when we had fallen, and left nothing undone, until You brought us to heaven and bestowed upon us Your future kingdom. For all this we give thanks to You, and to Your only-begotten Son, and to Your Holy Spirit, for all that we know and that we do not know, the manifest and the hidden benefits bestowed upon us. We thank You also for this liturgy, which You have willed to accept from our hands, even though there stand before You thousands of archangels, tens of thousands of angels, Cherubim and Seraphim, six winged, many-eyed, soaring aloft on their wings.

PRIEST: Singing shouting, crying out and saying the triumphal hymn:

PEOPLE: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest.

ANAPHORA

PRIEST: With these blessed powers, O loving and kind Master, we too cry out and say: Holy are You and all holy, You, and Your only-begotten Son, and Your Holy Spirit; holy are You and all holy and magnificent is Your glory, who so loved Your world that You gave Your only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but should have life everlasting; Who, having come and having fulfilled the whole Divine plan concerning us, on the night when He was betrayed, or rather, when He surrendered Himself for the life of the world, He took bread into His holy and all pure and immaculate hands, gave thanks and blessed, sanctified, broke and gave it to His holy disciples and apostles, saying:

PRIEST: Take, eat, THIS IS MY BODY, which is broken for you for the remission of sins.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Likewise He took the chalice after the supper, saying:

PRIEST: Drink of this, all of you, THIS IS MY BLOOD of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many, for the remission of sins.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Remembering, therefore, this salutary command, and all that was done in our behalf: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the sitting at the right hand, the second and glorious coming again.

The deacon lifts the chalice and diskos up and makes the sign of the cross with them:
PRIEST: We offer to You yours of your own, in behalf of all and for all.

PEOPLE: We praise You, we bless You, we thank You, O Lord, and we pray to You, our God.

EPICLESIS

PRIEST: Moreover we offer to You this spiritual and unbloody sacrifice, and we implore and pray, and entreat You, send down Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts lying before us.

DEACON: Father, bless the holy bread.

PRIEST: And make this bread (+) the precious body of Your Christ.

DEACON: Amen

DEACON: Father, bless the holy chalice.

PRIEST: And that which is in this chalice (+) the precious blood of your Christ.

DEACON: Amen

DEACON: Father, bless both.

PRIEST: Changing them (+) by Your Holy Spirit.

DEACON: Amen, amen, amen.

PRIEST: That to those who partake of them, they may be for the purification of the soul, for the remission of sins, for the communion in Your Holy Spirit, for the fullness of the heavenly kingdom, for confidence in You, not for judgment or condemnation.

PRIEST: Moreover, we offer You this spiritual sacrifice for those who departed in the faith; the forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, ascetics and for every righteous spirit who has died in the faith.

Especially for our most holy, most pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary.

PEOPLE: It is truly proper to glorify you, who have borne God, the ever-blessed and immaculate and the Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who, a Virgin, gave birth to God the Word, you, truly the Mother of God, we magnify.

PRIEST (quietly): For the holy prophet, precursor and Baptist John, for the holy glorious and illustrious apostles, for Saint N., whose memory we celebrate, and for all Your saints, through whose prayers, O God, visit us.

Remember also all who have departed in the hope of resurrection unto eternal life. And grant them rest where the light of Your face shines.

Moreover, we pray You, O Lord, remember the entire episcopate of the true believers, who faithfully dispense the word of Your truth, the entire priesthood, the diaconate in Christ, and all others in holy orders.

We further offer You this spiritual sacrifice for the whole world, for the holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, for those who live in chastity and venerable conduct; for our civil authorities and for all in the service of our country. Grant them, O Lord, a peaceful rule, that we also, sharing their tranquillity, may lead a tranquil and calm life in all piety and dignity.

PRIEST: Among the first, O Lord, remember our holy father N., the Pope of Rome, our most reverend Metropolitan N., our Bishop N . whom God loves, preserve them for Your holy churches, in peace, safety, honor, and health, for many years, as they faithfully dispense the word of Your truth.

PEOPLE: And remember all Your people.

PRIEST: Remember, O Lord, this city in which we dwell and every city and country, and those who live with faith therein. Remember, O Lord, those who travel by sea, air and land, the sick, the suffering, the captive, and their safety and salvation. Remember, O Lord, those who bear offerings and perform good deeds in Your holy churches, and those who remember the poor, and upon all of us send down Your mercies.

And grant that we, with one voice and one heart, may glorify and praise Your most honorable and sublime name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: And may the mercies of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, be with all of you.

PEOPLE: And with your spirit.

LITANY OF INTERCESSION

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

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: For the precious gifts offered and consecrated, that Our God, in His love for mankind, may receive them on His holy and heavenly and mystical altar, as an aroma of spiritual fragrance, and may send down upon us in return His divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

DEACON: Asking for unity in the faith, and for communion in the Holy Spirit, let us commend ourselves and one another, and our whole life to Christ, our God.

PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST: In You, O Gracious Master, we place our whole life and hope, and we beseech, pray and implore You: make us worthy to partake with a pure conscience of Your heavenly and awesome mysteries from this sacred and spiritual altar, for the remission of sins, for the pardon of transgressions, for the communion of the Holy Spirit, for the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven, for confidence in You, and not for judgment, nor condemnation.

And make us worthy, O Lord, that we may with confidence and without condemnation dare call You, the God of heaven, Father, and say:

OUR FATHER

ALL: Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

PRIEST: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen

PRIEST: Peace be with all.

PEOPLE: And with your spirit.

DEACON: Bow your heads to the Lord.

PEOPLE: To You, O Lord.

PRIEST: We give You thanks, O invisible King, Who by Your immeasurable power has fashioned all things, and in the greatness of Your mercy has brought all things out of nonexistence into being. Look down from heaven, O Lord, upon those who have bowed their heads unto You, for they do not bow to flesh and blood, but to You, the awesome God. Therefore, O Master, make straight for our good, the present way, according to the need of each: sail with those who sail, travel with those who travel, cure those who are sick, O Healer of souls and bodies.

Through the grace, the mercies and the loving kindness of Your only-begotten Son with Whom You are blessed, together with Your all-holy, gracious, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST (quietly): Look down, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, from Your holy dwelling place and from the throne of glory of Your kingdom, and come to sanctify us, You Who are seated on high with the Father, and dwell here invisibly among us, and deem it proper to impart to us, with Your mighty hand, Your most pure body and precious blood, and through us, to all Your people.

PRIEST and DEACON (quietly): O God, be merciful to me, a sinner. (3 times).

DEACON: Let us be attentive.

PRIEST: Holy Gifts to the holy.

PEOPLE: One is holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ, for the glory of God the Father. Amen.

COMMUNION HYMN

PEOPLE: Praise the Lord from the heavens, Praise Him in the highest. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

DEACON: Father, break the holy bread.

The priest reverently breaks the Lamb into four parts and says:
PRIEST: Broken and distributed is the Lamb of God, broken yet not divided, ever eaten yet never consumed, but sanctifying those who partake thereof.

DEACON: Father, fill the holy chalice

The priest taking the IC particle, makes the Sign of the Cross with it over the chalice and placing it in it saying:
PRIEST: The fullness of the Holy Spirit.

The deacon presents the warm water saying:
DEACON: Father, bless the warm water.

The priest blesses it saying:
PRIEST: Blessed be the fervor of your saints, always, now and ever and forever. Amen.

The deacon pours it into the chalice in the form of a cross saying:
DEACON: The fervor of the faith, full of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

PRIEST: Deacon, approach!

DEACON: Father, give me the precious and holy body of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

PRIEST: The presious and holy and most pure body of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ is given to Deacon N., for the remission of his sins and for life everlasting.

Priest takes the Holy Eucharist, saying:
PRIEST: The precious and most holy body of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, is given to me, Priest N., for the remission of my sins and life everlasting. Amen.

ALL: O Lord, I believe and profess that You are truly Christ, the Son of the living God, Who came into the World to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Accept me as a partaker of your mystical supper, O Son of God, for I will not reveal Your mystery to our enemies, nor will I give you a kiss as did Judas, but like the thief will I confess to You:

Remember me, O Lord, when You shall come into Your kingdom.
Remember me, O Master, when You shall come into Your kingdom.
Remember me, O Holy One, when You shall come into Your kingdom.

May the partaking of your holy mysteries, O Lord, be not for my judgment, or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body.

O Lord, I also believe and profess that this, which I am about to receive, is truly Your most precious Body and Your life-giving Blood, which, I pray, make me worthy to receive for the remission of all my sins and for life everlasting. Amen.

O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
O God, cleanse my sins and have mercy on me.
O Lord, forgive me for I have sinned without number.

The priest partakes of the Precious Blood and says:
PRIEST: I the servant of God, Priest N., partake of the precious and Holy Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, for the remission of my sins and for life everlasting. Amen.

He wipes his lips, and the edge of the chalice with the towel and says:
PRIEST: Behold, this has touched my lips, and shall take away my iniquities, and shall cleanse my sins.

PRIEST: Deacon approach!

DEACON: Behold, I approach the immortal king and our God. Give me, Father, the precious and holy blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

PRIEST: The servant of god, Deacon N., partakes of teh precious and holy blood of our Lord and god and Svior jesus Christ, for the remission of his sins and for life everlasting.

PRIEST: Behold, this has touched your lips, and shall take away your iniquities, and shall cleanse your sins.

The deacon takes the chalice, turns to people and elevates it saying:
DEACON: Approach with fear of God and faith.

Those going to communion go to the altar.
PEOPLE: Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord: God the Lord has revealed Himself to us.

Priest giving Communion to each says:
PRIEST: The servant of God N., partakes of the precious, most holy and most pure Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ for the remission of his (her) sins and for life everlasting. Amen.

While the priest gives Communion to the people the congregation sings an appropriate hymn. After all have received the priest blesses the people with the Holy Gifts saying:
PRIEST: Save Your people, O God, and bless Your inheritance.

PEOPLE: We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith, and we worship the undivided Trinity, for the Trinity has saved us.

The priest places the Holy Gifts on the altar incensing them saying:
PRIEST (quietly): Be exalted, above the heavens, O God, and let Your glory be over all the earth.

Taking the Holy Gifts to the Table of Preparation he says:
PRIEST: Blessed is our God always, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

The priest goes to the Table of Preparation
PEOPLE: May our lips be filled with Your praise, O Lord, so that we may sing Your glory, for You have deemed us worthy to partake of Your holy, divine, immortal and life-creating mysteries. Keep us in Your holiness, so that all day long we may live according to your truth. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

DEACON: Having received the divine, holy, most pure, immortal, heavenly and life-giving, awesome mysteries of Christ, arise, let us worthily thank to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: We give thanks to You, O Master, Lover of mankind, Benefactor of our souls, that this day You have deemed us worthy of Your heavenly and immortal mysteries. Make straight our path, confirm us in our fear of You, guard our life, make firm our steps, through the prayers and intercession of the glorious Mother of God and ever-Virgin Mary, and of all Your saints.
Priest makes the sign of the cross with the Gospel Book, saying:
For You are our sanctification, and we render glory to You. Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Let us go forth in peace.

PEOPLE: In the name of the Lord.

PRIEST: Let us pray to the Lord.

PEOPLE: Lord, have mercy.

Ambon Prayer

PRIEST: O Lord, blessing those who bless You, and sanctifying those who trust in You, save Your people and bless Your inheritance, preserve the fullness of Your Church, sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house; glorify them in return by Your divine power, and do not forsake us who hope in You. Grant peace to Your world, to Your churches, to the priests, to our civil authorities and to all Your people. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from You, the Father of lights; and we render glory, thanksgiving, and adoration to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen. Blessed be the name of the Lord, now and forever. (3 times).

The deaon goes to the Table of Preparation to consume the Holy Gifts and the priest says:
PRIEST(quietly): You, O Christ, Our God, Who are the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, have fulfilled the whole plan of the Father, fill our hearts with joy and gladness, always, now and ever and forever. Amen.

DISMISSAL

PRIEST: The blessing of the Lord be upon you, through His grace and love for mankind, always, now and ever, and forever.

PEOPLE: Amen.

PRIEST: Glory be to You, O Christ, our God, our hope: Glory be to You.

PEOPLE: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Give the blessing.

PRIEST: May Christ our true God, risen from the dead, have mercy on us and save us through the prayers of His most pure Mother, and of the holy, glorious and illustrious apostles, and our holy father John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, and of Saint (N. whose church it is) and of Saint (N. whose feast it is) and of all the saints, for He is gracious and loves mankind.

PEOPLE: Amen.

Lance,

Is there a differenc between "silently" and "quietly"? Will we hear the parts taken quietly in the new liturgy?

djs

DJS,

In the current way things are done, at least in my experience, silently means the priest reads the prayer from the Liturgicon inaudibly or in a voice so low not even the servers can hear it.

The proposed Liturgy while requiring some prayers to be said quietly expects that they are said in a low voice but one which someone standing reasonably close will be able to hear. So depending on the size of the church and a person's location they may well be able to hear the quiet prayers.

One of the reasons I am for saying more of the paryers aloud is because as a server I have seen the liturgical laziness and/or hurriedness that silent prayers create. While only God knows what really went on, I have served with priests whom with the quickness they got through their silent prayers made me wonder whether they did them at all or if they were the world's fastest speed readers.

I have also seen priest's complete things in a hurried manner so they are done before they people are done singing. I've seen one priest fly through the epiclesis in five seconds, and this I know for a fact because you can see how fast he is blessing the Gifts. Done aloud it takes at least 15 seconds. Some will say this the fault of the priests not the prayers, but as long as the prayers are said silently the temptation to skip or hurry them is there.

In Christ,
Lance

Lance,

Will the prayers taken quietly be said while the chanting is going on (for example during the 2nd antiphon)or will they be said when the singing is over? I get the point about saying them audibly to ensure that the reading is done at a reasonble speed, but just wanted to clarify this particular point.

Will the former silent prayers now taken aloud be spoken or chanted? Please say chanted.

djs

[ 07-14-2002: Message edited by: djs ]

DJS,

Things done quietly are done while the chanting is going on.

All prayers said aloud are to be simply chanted. At least that is the only way I have seen it done.

In Christ,
Lance

First and foremost, there are two separate issues here:

1) The rubrics of the Divine Liturgy
2) The translations of the Divine Liturgy

There are so many points to be discussed here that one hardly knows where to begin. But I will make a few based upon the conversation thus far. I will also state that my major problems with are with the rubrical changes that distinguish us even more from the rest of Orthodoxy but that a clear explanation of all the changes, rubrical and textual, should be provided to the faithful for review and comment years before any consideration of implementation.

A) All of the direction that has come from Rome, from the Decree on the Eastern Churches at the Second Vatican Council to the more recent liturgical directives has specifically told us to recover our tradition where it has been lost. Nowhere does it say we are to revise it, especially in such a manner that will distinguish us further from the rest of Orthodoxy.

B) No one in our Church has provided any explanation of the philosophy behind the revisions. They have just appeared. Our hierarchy owes the laity an explanation of why the current liturgy and the rubrics in our official books need to be improved upon.

C) If there is merely a desire for some of the now private prayers to be taken aloud then allowing the local priest to choose to take them aloud or not as is currently the custom in the rest of Orthodoxy. The desire for such a strict uniformity is the sign of a Latin mindset, not a Byzantine one. Certainly, the mandating of the priest to take specific texts aloud only so that they do not rush through them because of laziness is a poor reason for the revision of the Divine Liturgy. One does not abandon an entire inherited patrimony merely because of lazy priests!

D) I have already commented upon many of the rubrical revisions in another thread and do not see a need to re-post them here. See the thread entitled Proposed Text of the Byzantine Liturgy .

In that thread I ask for the rationale of why only certain prayers are mandated by the rubrics to be taken aloud while others are mandated to be taken silently. I also ask how these changes (both rubrical and texutal) conform to the various Vatican documents on how we are to restore, not revise, our Byzantine patrimony where it has been lost.

Lance's description of how he has seen the liturgy to be shortened and how is has been sloppily celebrated is clear evidence that we first need to understand the beauty and majesty of our inheritance before we begin to revise it.

Sometimes when I have attended a celebration of the revised Liturgy, I have heard these prayers 'recited' in a spoken voice.

Lance:

Is the Ektenia before the Lord's Prayer really to be so severely abbreviated? Will there be at least the option to take the full ektenia, including "Grant it, O Lord"?

...and I do wish they wouldn't shy away from the expression "Orthodox Christians"!

Thanks!

This appears to be the current mandate in the Eparchy of Passaic. Whether or not this is part of the proposed liturgical revision has not been disclosed to the laity.



The current rubrics mandated in the Eparchy of Passaic combine the first three petitions of the this litany (which makes no sense at all) while omitting the rest of the litany with the directive that prayer the litany be taken aloud and combined with the intonation of the "Our Father". There are those who argue that this litany is a late addition to the Divine Liturgy (and they are correct) but that argument in itself does not justify jettisoning it.

I fully support the restoration of the term "Orthodox" though I do understand the reluctance of those of an older generation for whom this term carries bad connotations. My solution would be to restore it and then allow the priests who choose not to use it the freedom to continue using the term "true faith". In 20-30 years the term "Orthodox" will have been fully restored to its proper place.

GLORY TO JESUS CHRIST!
GLORY TO HIM FOREVER!

In Passic, we have also dropped "...to worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in substance and undivided" from the "It is proper and just...."

We also do not do the "Let us be attentive" at the beginning of the Epistle reading.

I hope we will ALL be using the same Divine Liturgy some day soon....

mark

What I find strange and extremely disturbing is that they are CUTTING antiphonal verses. One "through the prayers of the Mother Of God" seems weird. If we are to recover the Byzantine tradition, we should be ADDING MORE psalm verses to the prayer. Also, will a priest have sufficient time to recite his silent prayer during this cut antiphon?

anastasios

For greater ease of comparison, I am preparing a Word document in two columns in which each component is exactly the same location in the column. If anyone would like to have this document, please email me at vlwilliams@comcast.net

Vicki

I saw this thread pop up recently and gave it a glance. Many new items in the "Proposed text" have been around since Bishop Andrew was bishop of Parma in the late 1980s! I remember a former pastor passing out in the bulletin a description and explanation of each change. I think I still have it somewhere in a storage box. It was somewhat strange seeing the text Pittsburgh was using. It brought back so many memories from long ago ...

Joe

Wow, y'all Easterners put up with a lot of variations, it seems. Gosh knows what the implementation of the Mass of Paul VI has done to Latin Catholics. It's a major deal. Heck, Pope Gregory the Great wanted to add one sentence to the Collects of Mass and received numerous death threats for it!

Logos Teen