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The Liturgy of Holy Communion

At the Great Entrance, the Bishops washes his hands before the Holy Doors, aided by servers with ewer, basin, and towel.

Then the Bishop goes to the Prothesis Table and finishes the Proskomidia.

Placing a prosphora particle on the Diskos, he prays for both the living and the dead, any special prayer requests.

The Clergy also ask to be remembered by name in the Bishop's prayers. Each in turn approach the Bishop, and bowing say:

Remember Vladyko your servant (name).

They then kiss the Bishop's shoulder.

The bishop concludes the Proskomidia with the Prayer of Offering: "O God, our God, who sent the Bread from heaven, Food for the whole world, our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour, Redeemer...:

Remember those who offered it and those from whom it was offered....Preserve us blameless in the celebration of Your Divine Mysteries"

The Bishop places the Diskos on the head of the Protodeacon and distributes the remaining holy vessels to the Priest according to rank.

The Senior Priest is given the holy Cup to carry. The Bishop puts on his Mitra again.

The clergy exit the Altar with the Gifts and process to the Ambo.

First is the main Server with a lighted Lamp or Candle, then a Subdeacon with the Pastoral Staff.

Then the Protodeacon with the Diskos.

He is followed by 2 deacons holding Ripidia over the holy Diskos.

The Priests follow in ascending rank.

Following the senior Priest - who is last - are 2 deacons holding Ripidia over the holy Cup.

The Protodeacon: May the LORD God remember in His Kingdom, all you Orthodox Christians, now and ever, and for ages of ages.

The Bishop, having censed the Diskos thrice, receives it from the Protodeacon and places it on the Holy Table.

Then the senior Priest commemorates the Bishop.

After having censed the holy Cup three times and receiving it from the Priest, the Bishop prays for:

the entire Church, its Hierarchs and Ministers, Monastics, the Nation and its people, the founders and benefactors of the parish, any special prayers requests, and all orthodox christians.

Placing the holy Gifts upon the Holy Table, the Eparch prays: "Deal favourably, O Lord, in Your good will with Zion, that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up..." (Ps. 50:18-19)

Before we profess our Faith, we exchange the "Kiss of Peace" - reconciling one with another before we bring our Offering to the Holy Temple (Matt 5:24; I Thess. 5:26; and I Peter 5:14-15)

At the Symbol of Faith, after the veneration of the gifts, having removed his Mitra, the Bishop bows before the Gifts and professes his Faith according to the Nicean Creed.

Priests, holding the Aer over the Bishop's head, wave it over him, ritually symbolizing the action of the Holy Spirit which reveals to us the Faith, the Truth, and the Love of God.

Having professed the Faith together with his Flock, the Bishop puts on his Mitra and, using the Trikeri and Dikeri, blesses the Faithful with the Pauline Blessing:

"May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you." (II Cor. 13:14)

Removing his Mitra, the Bishop begins the Anaphora's Prayer about God the Father, giving:

"...thanks, worship, praise to God, the ineffable, inconceivable, invisible, in comprehensible...who brought us from nothingness into being; who after we fell, raised us up again, who did not cease doing everything for us...leading us to heaven and granting us God's future Kingdom."

After the Faithful sing the Thrice Holy Hymn of the Angels (Isaiah 6:3) and Hosannas of Psalm 117:26 (cf. Mark 11:9-10), the Bishop continues the Anaphora with the Prayer about the Salvation wrought by God the Son,

"...You so loved the world, that you gave your only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him, might not perish, but might have eternal life.

After He had come and fulfilled the whole Divine Plan for our sake, on the night He was given over - or rather, gave Himself - for the life of the world..."

After the elevation, putting aside the Ripidion, the Protodeacon, directs the Bishop to make the Prayer to the Holy Spirit, beseeching the Spirit to descend upon the entire Faithful and the holy Gifts.

Thus he invokes Divine action whereby God transforms the blessed Bread and Wine into his very Body and Blood, wherein we might find Holy Communion with God.

The Clergy and Faithful receive the with great reverence Holy Communion from the hands of the Bishop.

At the Prayer before the Ambo, the Bishop blesses the junior most priest who, goes to the Bema and prayers:

O Lord, You bless those who bless You, and sanctify those who trust in You.

The Bishop responds:

Save Your people and bless Your inheritance. Sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house, glorify them by Your divine power, and do not forsake us who hope in You.

The Priest continues:

Grant Peace to your world, to Your churches,... and to all Your people.

For all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from you the Father of Lights,

and we give glory, thanks, and worship to you: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and for ages of ages.

The Faithful respond: "Amen. Blessed be the Name of the Lord, now and forever, and for ages of ages. Amen."

Ukrainian version
Українська версія

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