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The Dismissal

Divine Services
The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
Greeting the Bishop
Vesting the Bishop
The Liturgy of the Catechumens
The Liturgy of Holy Communion
The Dismissal

After the Dismissal, the Bishop intones the "Polychronos", a Prayer of Blessing and Dismissal:

"May the LORD God grant Life, Health, Salvation, Peace, Success in every good endeavour, and many blessed years to the Servants to God...

The Bishop commemorates: the entire Church, the Congregation, the hierarchs and any particular individuals or groups present.

The Senior priest prays the Polychronos for the Bishop.

Myrovannya

At the end of Festal Liturgies, it is customary to anoint the Faithful upon the forehead with Blessed Oil.

On Feast days, the Bishop will wish a happy Feast Feastday upon the Faithful (lit. "I congratulate you on this Feast", otherwise he will use the standard liturgical greeting:

"Christ is in our midst." (Khrystos po cered nas)

To which the Faithful reply:

"He is and will be." (Yest' y bude)

Antidoron

As usual Antidoron is distributed - Bread Blessed by the Bishop - an alternative development of the Agape Feast of the Early Church and a symbol of the Bishop's (i.e. the Church's) care of for the poor.

For originally, at the end of Liturgy, food offerings brought by the Faithful (part of which was used for the Eucharist) were blessed by the Bishop and distributed by his delegates (the Deacons) to the poor.

Post Dismissal

After the Concluding Prayers, the Bishop and the deacons wash their hands and exits the Altar.

Turning to the icons, he makes 3 Reverences with Pastoral Staff in hand.

Before the Bishop leaves the Church, he blesses the Congregation, who respond:

"Eis polla Eti, Dhespota" ( for many Years, O Master [may God bless and keep you among us]).

Ukrainian version
Українська версія








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