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Serving the Divine Liturgy

Instructions for Servers and Subdeacons

Glossary of Names

1. Reverence = the Sign of the Cross & bow from the waist {sometimes called “the small Reverence” or the “Waist Reverence”}) For Picture: Click Here.

2. Prostration = the Sign of the Cross + kneel on the floor + bow and put forehead on the ground (sometimes call the “Full Reverence” or “Ground Reverence”, in Ukrainian “Poklon”). For Picture: Click Here.

3. Altar (the AREA behind Iconostas) [R.C.s call it the “Sanctuary”]

4. Holy Table (Table in the Altar; “Prestil” in Ukrainian), [RC's call it the “altar”]

5. High Place = the Special Chair for the Bishop only, located east of the Holy Table

a. It is symbolic of God the Father

b. We make a Reverence, whenever we pass in front of it.

c. It and the chairs/benches around it [the “Synthronos”] are for Bishop & Priests

For Map of Church Interior: Click Here

6. Sanctuary = central part of the Church, where the Faithful stand. [R.C.s call it the “Nave”]

7. Iconostas = screen of icons standing between the Altar and the Sanctuary

8. Holy Doors = the set of double doors in the middle of the Iconostas

9. North Deacon Door [the door left of the Holy Doors {if facing east/front}]

10. South Deacon Door [the door right of the Holy Doors {facing east/front}]
11. Thurible = the censor (the "incense thing") [in Ukrainian, the “Kadylo”]

12. Proskomedia = the Liturgy of Preparation, when the Priest & Deacon prepare the bread & wine for the Liturgy [Proskomedinyk: the Table in the north side of the altar, where the Proskomedia is done].

13. Ripidion [plural = Ripidia] - the Fans used during Church Services

14. At the foot of the Ambo: - at the foot of the steps that lead up to the raised part in front of the Holy Doors

15. Tetrapod - the stand (or in some parishes, a small table) in the middle of the church in front of the Holy Doors – The Tetrapod usually stands in the "Kathedra" or "Bimah" (about the middle of the Church in the centre of the Sanctuary were the people stand). The area is called the "Kathedra" because that is the same area where you put the Bishop's Throne (Chair) when he comes to visit.

16. Diskos and Potir - Holy Plate and Holy Cup used for Divine Liturgy

17. Lention - red cloth used for cleaning the Holy Potir [Cup] (R.C.s call it the “purificator”]

General Rules

• Keep Alert! PAY ATTENTION to what is going on. Keep your eye's on the Deacon & Priest for any Instructions (esp. any last minute changes). Be Alert! (Canada needs more Lerts!)

• stand for Prayer, no kneeling on Sundays.

(No kneeling even on Weekdays from Paskha to Pentecost.)

• stand straight (slouching makes you look wimpy. Worse of all, slouching actually makes you MORE tired and makes the Service seem even longer !!!)

• stand with arms at your side, hands loosely semi closed in a comfortable position.

– do not cross your hands in front or behind - some feel this is disrespectful.

– do not put your hands together in the “praying hands” position: this is only RC

- arms at side keeps you free to fight the "Spiritual Warfare" against the evil forces, which is what you are doing when you make Reverences

• sit for sermon.

• On Sundays, do not sit for the readings, because:

a. we stand to hear the Gospel, and

b. there is no time to sit for the Apostle Reading because we are preparing for the Gospel reading

• – we can sit for any Old Testament readings, e.g. during Great Vespers or Presanctified Liturgy.

• if you sit, sit outside the Altar, perhaps at a place reserved for Servers, like the Kleros.

Processions

1. For Processions, exit the altar through the North deacon doors, BUT RETURN to the altar through the deacon doors on the side on which you normally stand.

2. For the Gospel and Communion, Exit & Re-Enter through the deacons doors on the side you are standing.

3. Stand inside the Altar area. Stand near the North and South walls facing in toward the Holy Table. There should be an even number of Servers on each side. If there is only 1 Server, he stands on the north side. If there is no deacon and only 1 Sever, he stands on the south side (to help with the incense & curtain). If there is an odd number of Servers, the greater number stand on the north side.

4. never bow if you are carrying anything: eg: candles, cross, ripidion, just nod your head from the neck, do not bend at the waist or you will spill hot wax on someone (or worse, on the carpet!) or hit something (like an oil lamp with the cross you are carrying).

The Deacon Doors

• Open & Close the Deacon Doors for the Priest or Deacon as they come in or go out of the Altar

• learn to anticipate when the Deacon or Priest will come into the Altar and open the Doors for him.

Incense

• DO NOT SWING the thurible when you are carrying it, whether you are standing still or in procession.

Do not swing it even slightly, it is distracting, in our Churches, Only the Priest/Deacon/Bishop swings the thurible.

(Only R.C. altar boys swing it because they keep the thurible's lid closed (which we never do), so that is how they give their charcoal air - besides their altar boys act as Thurifers [they do the incensing] {also not something we do}).

• all you need to do is make sure the thurible is wide open when you are holding it.. Charcoal must have oxygen to live, so never leave the thurible closed, otherwise it will smother & die! (No smoke, no smells, Big Trouble!)

• Putting on Incense is a 3 step process:

• 1. Scrap away the ash from the top of the charcoal, a little before you need it

• 2. Get ready: put incense on the spoon and hold the spoon at the ready

• 3. At the last moment, when the Priest/Deacon needs it, put incense on FAST !!!

–too soon and it will burn out & not last till the end of the incensation

–too late and it will interrupt the Service and make Church lonnnnnnger...

• do not put on too much incense, as it could smother and kill the charcoal.

The Holy Doors and the Curtain

• Servers: open and close the Curtain Subdeacons (or the Deacon) open & close the Holy Doors.

• - If there is no subdeacon or priests or deacons to close the Holy Doors, Servers should open one door each, from either side - without going between Holy Table and Holy Doors.

• - If there is only one Server, he should be patient and remind the deacon or priest to open/close the Holy Doors.

• Never stand in space between the Holy Doors & the Holy Table. Never cross between the Holy Door & the Holy Table to get to the other side of the Altar - instead go "behind" the Holy Table, i.e. go between the High Place (making a Reverence) and the Holy Table to get to the other side of the Altar.

Preparing for Divine Liturgy

• Ask for a Blessing by bringing to the Priest your stikhar [robe] with its Cross on top. The Priest will bless you and place his hand on the cross. Then kiss the priests hand. Then make 3 Reverences facing East, and put on the stikhar. If the stikhar is too short, wear a pidriasnyk (the black robe) under the stikhar.

• make sure there is Boiling Water in the Thermos & the Thermos is at a side table.

• Light the candles and lamps [if they have not already been lit]

• Light the Charcoal while the priest finishes the Proskomedia prayers, keep thurible Open

• Bring the thurible with incense, to the priest at the end of the Proskomedia prayers.

• Hold the thurible Up and Open and still, for the priest, while he blesses the Veils

• Then give him the thurible for the incensation of the Gifts.

• He may need more incense in the thurible for the Great Incensation at the start of the Divine Liturgy. Keep alert!

The Divine Liturgy:

• At the beginning of Divine Liturgy, open the Curtain, but the Holy Doors stay closed.

• According to the rules, the ONLY time the Holy Doors stay open all throughout Liturgy is (1) Pascha or (2) when the Bishop is serving Liturgy.

• - take the Thurible from the Priest after the Great Incensation, and put it away until the Little Entrance.

• – pray along with the Service using a Liturgy book, & Join in the singing - It glorifies God and helps other people too!

Little Entrance = a Procession

• Take your candle or ripidion, and get ready for the Little Entrance:

• if there is room, line up between the Holy Table & High Place, facing west.

• if not room there, line up between the Proskomedinyk & the North Deacon Door

• The procession begins with the singing of the 3rd antiphon, p. 25.

• Lead the procession through the north deacon door out to the Tetrapod Area,

• – if 1 Server only: stand on the south side of the Tetrapod facing north.

• – if several Servers, stand on opposite sides of the Tetrapod, facing each other.

• – if there are two Servers with ripidia, they should stand opposite each other

• When the priest or deacon raises the gospel book, the Servers should hold the ripidia above the gospel, like a roof [over but not touching the gospel, with the fan parts not facing the congregation but rather with the seraphim facing down toward the gospel book].

• When the clergy go inside the altar, Servers should go into the altar by their Deacon. Doors.

Gospel = Incense and Procession

• The cue to prepare the charcoal - wait till 3/4 way through the Apostol Reading.

• put the incense on the charcoal immediately after the Apostol Reading!

• Since the gospel is not a true entrance, Servers should not all exit from the north door, but from the Deacon doors on the side on which they are standing.

• – Servers may hold candles on either side of the Gospel at the Tetrapod

• – 2 Servers may hold ripidia over the gospel book [in the roof-like way].

• – during the Gospel reading, a Server may hold the Gospel book for the Priest or Deacon by taking it on the forehead and 2 hands.

• after the gospel reading, return to the altar.

• - [if it is the custom, Servers may wait at the foot of the Ambo for the Priest to bless the Faithful with the Gospel Book, before returning to the altar]

• Subdeacons close the Holy Doors after the sermon

Great Entrance = Incense and Procession

• The cue to prepare the charcoal is the end of the Insistent Litany, p. 37

• Put the incense on the charcoal when the Deacon or Priest says: “Wisdom!” p. 41

The Great Entrance Procession

• Line up inside the North Deacon Doors with a candle/ripidia for the Great Entrance.

• Process out to the Tetrapod in the usual way [as at the Little Entrance]

• Stand in the usual positions, during the Commemoration Prayers of the Clergy

• –the Ripidia may be held [in a roof like manner] over the Priest holding the Holy Cup

• Return to the altar by the in the usual way, following the clergy and immediately bring the thurible to the priest & hold it for him to bless the Aer [big Veil], then give him the thurible & wait at the Holy Table for him to finish & give it back to you.

After the Great Entrance:

• Subdeacons, close the Holy Doors.

• Servers: close the Curtain, after the Great Entrance.

• Open the Curtain: at the Symbol of Faith: when the Deacon proclaims: “The Doors, the Doors...” p. 49.

• - a Server rings the bell 12 times: 1x during the beginning of the 9 verses & 3x at the end.

Epiclesis (Holy Spirit Prayer) = Incense

• The cue to prepare the charcoal is after the Elevation: after the Priest sings: “We offer to You, Yours of Your Own...”, after the Deacon lifts up the Diskos & Potir. & makes 3 bows, p. 55.

• Put the incense on the charcoal when the Priest finishes the Epiclesis: “Changing them by your Holy Spirit”. p. 57.

Hymn to the Theotokos:

• Ring Bell 9x.

• During the Hymn to the Mother of God: “It is truly meet to fitting and proper...” p. 57, bring the “Antidor” (the Bread on the tray) to the Priest for his blessing. Wait at the Holy Table to take it from him. Put it back on the side table.

Holy Communion

The Boiling Water (Teplota)

• prepare the Boiling Water (Teplota) Only after the Priest sings: "Holy Things for the Holy", p. 67. (you want the water as HOT as possible!)

• Be careful, it’s really HOT!

• Do not put it on the Holy Table, give it either to the Deacon or the Priest.

–pour it from the Thermos into the Teplota cup.

• Give the Teplota to the Deacon when Priest after he breaks the Holy Lamb

- do not put the Teplota cup on the Holy Table

- hold it with the plate underneath, or it will burn your fingers

- hold it with the handle away from you, so the Deacon can take it easily

• Close the Curtain, just before the communion of the clergy,

• Put a Tall Candle in front of the Holy Doors during the Communion of the Clergy

The Zapivka

• Prepare the "Zapivka" (the wine & bread for people to take after they receive Holy Communion.

a. put out a small table at the front of the Sanctuary, a couple of metres away from the Communion station(s);

b. prepare the Zapivka Tray: a trap with

b.1. a plate of some small pieces of bread

b.2. a couple of cups of wine

b.3. a caraf of wine to refill the cups

c. during the Communion of the Clergy, bring out the Zapivka tray and set it on the table prepared for it

d. during the Communion of the Faithful, a Server should stand by the Zapivka to refill the cups and bread plate when necessary.

Holy Communion

• Open the Curtain [Subdeacons Open the Holy Doors] after the communion of the clergy. The cue: deacon or priest tells you

• Remove the Candle Before the opening of the Holy Doors when the clergy are finished Holy Communion: cue: after the last Deacon has received from the Holy Cup.

• Leave the Altar [in the same way as the gospel - straight out the Deacon Door on your side]

• Receive Holy Communion first, before the faithful.

• Hold the lention (the red cloth) under the chins of the Faith when they come for Holy Communion

After Communion

• Prepare the incense right after the Communion of the Faithful: give the thurible to the priest

• Go to the Proskomedinyk to receive the thurible and return it to its place

• take the Antidor (Blessed Bread) and prepare for the Dismissal

Dismissal

• At the beginning of the Ambo Prayer, when the Priest, leaving the altar, says: “Let us go forth in peace”, p. 75, take the Antidor, go to the Kathedra (just like for the Gospel [through the Deacon. Door on your side]), and stand at the Tetrapod in the usual way.

• Stay outside at the Tetrapod, even if Priest and Deacon. go into the altar again.

• At the Dismissal Blessing: bow & remain facing each other on either side of the Tetrapod

• After the Dismissal Blessing, line up and kiss the Cross and the hand of the Priest holding the Cross.

• 1 Server holds the Antidor while standing on the right hand side of the Priest, while the Faithful venerate the icon, cross, and the Priest distributes the Antidor 1 Server hold the glass of Holy Oil if there is Myrovania

After Divine Liturgy:

• Close the Curtain

• Subdeacons close the Holy Doors

• un-vest and hang up the vestments nicely

• collect the Service Books and the Apostol book, and put them in the Sacristy

• put everything away

• return the bookstands to their places

• extinguish the Candles

With thanks to Cyril Kennedy in acknowledgement of his erudite collaboration

Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his Temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

(Rev. 7:15)

Ukrainian version
Українська версія

CONTACT

Fr. Roman Galadza
25 Harold Street
Brampton, ON
L6Y 1C9
Canada
(905) 459-8888