Great to have such a thread on AR15, thanks.

I have changed my mind. Folks who are Orthodox Church members may share their lived experiences that led up to the joining of the Church, and their experience within the Church.

Folks who are strongly considering, or are in the process of joining the Church may also share their experiences.

Please keep it "real" and be mindful of the rules.

Welcome, brother! That is quite the resume'. We are blessed to have you in our midst and I am looking forward to your contributions in this forum.

Glory to God

@EastWest message sent

I went ahead and removed what you had deleted from my quote.

https://www.oca.org/news/headline-news/in-memoriam-metropolitan-kallistos-ware-of-diokleia

Just got back from tonight's Paraklesis to the Most Holy Theotokos service, after which we remembered him. My priest spent some time under his tutelage.

Memory Eternal.

Fr. Peter Heers: The Orthodox Christian and the secularized "Christian"

One of today's readings.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

"The Ladder of Divine Ascent" by St. John Climacus

Step 2 - On Detachment

Paragraph 1 (of 12)

"The man who truly loves the Lord, who has made a diligent labor to find the approaching Kingdom, who has made a start of seeing the seriousness of his sins, who is truly mindful of the eternal torture and punishment, who sincerely lives in fear of death, cannot love or concern himself with wealth, or possessions, or his family, or earthly honor, or friends, or brothers, or any of the things of this world. But shaking off all his ties with worldly things and having thus departed from every care, and coming to the point of hating his own fleshly body, and having taken off everything, he will follow Christ without worry or doubt. He looks always toward heaven, awaiting help from there, as the saint said, "My soul follows close behind you." And as the memorable author said: I have not grown tired of following you, nor have I longed for the rest of men, O Lord..."

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Gal 5:22-6:2

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
Luke 16:19-31
--------------------------------------------------

 Abraham's bosom means heaven. Abraham is mentioned among all the righteous because, in stark contrast to the rich man, Abraham showed hospitality to strangers. (GN 18:1-8). The rich man...was buried: the Fathers see this as illustrating the state of his merciless soul, buried by the pleasures of the flesh. He was already buried in life by "couches, rugs, furnishings, sweet oils, perfumes, large quantities of wine, varieties of food, and flatterers (John Chrysostom). That the rich man remains unnamed indicates that he is ultimately forgotten (see Ps 9:6).

 The rich man's appeal to Abraham as a spiritual father is not rejected. Rather, Abraham accepts this role, calling the rich man son and showing himself to be compassionate even towards the most wretched of men. The great gulf is not a geographical divide, but the complete separation between virtue and wickedness, a separation that cannot be overcome after death. Note that torments have not changed the rich man's heart, as he still sees Lazarus as a servant existing for the sake of his own comfort. Finally, this account by Christ reveals the communion of the saints: a man, not even a believer, calls out from Hades and converses with Saint Abraham!

 Some Fathers see this parable being set after the final judgement, citing the punishment and reward being received by the two men respectively. Others see this parable set at a time after death but before the second coming of Christ, as evidenced by the man interceding on behalf of his brothers who are still living. The torment he is experiencing would be but a foretaste of his final state. From this perspective, we learn that souls of the departed have awareness of and concern for the state of those still alive on earth (see 9:30, 31; 2Mc 15:12-16; Mt 2:18), but also that the intercessions of a wicked man are heard, but avail nothing (contrast Jam 5:16).

The Orthodox Study Bible

"...It is tragic that some Christians have been so battered with stories of a prideful, vindictive God that they have fled from Jesus’ fold. No wonder some become atheists; who would want to spend eternity with such a tyrant?

Yet I’m going to make a case for hell, though not the one you see in cartoons, a fiery cavern where demons poke you with pitchforks. Dante made that kind of thing look pretty exciting, but "The Inferno" was written almost 1300 years after the Gospels. When you strip away European and medieval assumptions, and look at the writings of Christians in lands and cultures closer to Jesus’ time, you get a different picture.

First of all, hell is not a place. If you’re separated from your body and exist only as a spirit, you don’t take up any room. In the Hebrew Scriptures all the dead, righteous and unrighteous, abide in Sheol (the Greek Scriptures translated it "Hades"). It is a non-physical realm where the souls of all the departed await the Last Judgment...."

Why We Need Hell By Frederica Matthewes-Green

The further the soul advances, the greater are the adversaries against which it must contend.

Blessed are you, if the struggle grows fierce against you at the time of prayer.

Do not think that you have acquired any virtue before you have shed your blood in your struggle for it. Until death you must fight against sin, resisting with all your strength.

Do not allow your eyes to sleep or your eyelids to slumber until the hour of your death, but labor without ceasing that you may enjoy life without end.

-Evagrius of Pontus

Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.

"...As a Christian of the Orthodox Church, I wish particularly to underline this need for living experience. To many in the twentieth-century West, the Orthodox Church seems chiefly remarkable for its air of antiquity and conservatism; the message of the Orthodox to their Western brethren seems to be, "we are your past". For the Orthodox themselves, however, loyalty to Tradition means not primarily the acceptance of formulae or customs from past generations, but rather the ever-new, personal and direct experience of the Holy Spirit in the present, here and now...."

From: "The Orthodox Way" by Bishop Kallistos Ware.

⁵But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent-not to be too severe. ⁶This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, ⁷so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. ⁸Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. ⁹For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. ¹⁰Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, ¹¹lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
2 Corinthians 2: 5-11

"Church discipline must not be too severe; that is, it must not go farther than the sin. And not to forgive and comfort (v. 7) the one who repents is itself a sin. Undue separation from the Church through excessive and prolonged discipline increases tension (too much sorrow, v. 7) and even division. This pleases Satan (v. 11) , the author of strife and discord, it does not please God."
Orthodox Study Bible

Protesters march against planned Pride event in Serbia

The Ladder of Divine Ascent
St. John Climacus

Step 3 - On Banishment or Living as a Stranger

Banishment implies that we forever leave the things of our past country which hinder us from attaining the aim of the religious life. Banishment involves moderate manners, a hidden wisdom, caution not known by many, a secret life, a hidden intention, secret prayer, a longing to be humiliated, a desire for difficulty, continual determination to love God, an overflowing of benevolence, an abandonment of vainglory, and a depth of stillness.

The ones who love the Lord are at first very disturbed by this thought, as if they are burned with divine fire. I speak of the detachment from their own, which is done by those who love perfection in order that they might have a difficult and simple life. But excellent and worthy of praise as it is, it needs great discernment. For not all types of banishments taken to their extreme are of value...

(Par. 1-2/29)

ON HOLY TRADITION
Archimandrite Cleopa (Ilie)

From The Truth of Our Faith: A Discourse from Holy Scripture on the
Teachings of True Christianity, By Elder Cleopa of Romania

"...Just as people were guided in the knowledge of God and on the path of salvation by Holy Tradition alone (that is, by a living voice—oral tradition) during the period of time before the books of the Old Testament were written, so were the people similarly guided before books of the New Testament were written. Holy Tradition was the guide by which the first Christians were directed to the path of salvation. The first Person to bring the teachings of the New Testament with a living voice to the ears of the people was our Saviour Jesus Christ Himself, Who taught the people continually for three and a half years, spreading His Gospel without writing any of it down. Inasmuch as He was fulfilling His obedience to His Father, He did not send His Apostles to write the Gospel, but rather to preach it to the whole world, saying: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Mat. 28:19-20). From its establishment in (33 AD) until the year 44 AD, when the Holy Apostle Matthew wrote the first Gospel, the Church was governed without the Scriptures of the New Testament, but by Holy Tradition, only part of which was later recorded. Although there were many other writers who were considered inspired and faithful scribes of the Apostles, it is the Church which did or did not recognize them, for She is unerring. The Church lived the truth of the Gospel even before anything was committed to writing, having lived by Holy Tradition from the outset.

Thus, Holy Tradition is this: the source and the root of the two Testaments—the Old and the New—and this is why we call it a source of Holy Revelation, for it carries the same weight as Holy Scripture..."

Much more here

Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!

Pascha celebration at Bigorski Manastir in Macedonia



Still 6+ months til the start of Great Lent.

This was our schedule for Holy Week during last years (my first!) Great Lent - Pascha in the Church. The entirety of this Great Feast ran from Mar 7 - April 24. (Fasting until the feast)

Palm Sunday evening, April 17 // Bridegroom Matins @6pm.

Great and Holy Monday, April 18:
Presanctified Liturgy @8:30am.
Bridegroom Matins @6pm.

Great and Holy Tuesday, April 19:
Presanctified Liturgy @8:30am.
Bridegroom Matins @6pm.

Great and Holy Wednesday, April 20:
Presanctified Liturgy @8:30am.
Holy Unction service @6pm.

Great and Holy Thursday, April 21:
Vesperal Divine Liturgy @10am // The Institution of the Mystical Supper.
Passion Gospels Matins @6pm

Great and Holy Friday, April 22:
Royal Hours @8am.
Plaschanitsa/ Epitaphios Vespers @4:30pm.
Praises/ Lamentations Matins @6pm with procession of the 'Epitaphios' (i.e. the One in the tomb) around the Church.

Great and Holy Saturday, April 23:
Vesperal Divine Liturgy @9:30am, with Baptism of the xxxxx family.
Paschal Nocturns/ Midnight Office @11pm with procession around the Church.

PASCHA, April 24 // Resurrection Matins @12am, followed by the Paschal Divine Liturgy.

Pascha, April 24 // Agape Vespers @4pm, followed by a festal BBQ meal.

We Orthodox do *not* believe in the immaculate conception.

"...Finally, we Orthodox do not "worship" the Virgin Mary. We "venerate" her and show her great honor. Nor have we ever, like the Latins, developed the idea that the Theotokos was born without sin (the Roman Catholic dogma of the Immaculate Conception) or that she is a co-redemptor with Christ (the cult of the Redemtrix in the Latin Church). The consensus of the Church Fathers rejects such ideas, and the Orthodox Church adheres to that consensus. However, we do believe that the Virgin Mary is an image, as St. Maximos the Confessor says, of the Christian goal of becoming Christ-like, of theosis. Just as the Theotokos gave birth to Christ in a bodily way, so we must, St. Maximos tells us, give birth to Christ in an unbodily or spiritual way. In so doing, we imitate her practical spiritual life, including the purity and humility by which she formed her free will into perfect obedience to the Will of God. Of this practical image of the Virgin Mary, one of our readers, Archdeacon Basil Kuretich, D.D., has written some words that bear repeating here. They give us a clear picture of the importance of the model which she presents for every Orthodox believer:..."

Full article

Orthodox Priest Symbolically Knocks Down the Doors of Hades




I had no idea what I was getting into when I came back to the Church a little over a year ago. Stay up all night, drink wine, play with fire, sing and holler, keep the neighbors awake.

Ha!  Local tradition is to call the police on us every Pascha...  

(There's an evangelical atheist neighbor...)

Attached File

Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

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

CHOIR: Amen.

THE GREAT EKTENIA

PRIEST: In peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For the peace from above, and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For the peace of the whole world; for the good estate of the holy churches of God, and for the union of all men, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For this holy House, and for those who with faith, reverence, and fear of God enter therein, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For our Archbishop (or Bishop, or Metropolitan) N., for the venerable Priesthood, the Diaconate in Christ, for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For the President of the United States and all civil authorities, and for the Armed Forces everywhere, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For this city, and for every city and land, and for the faithful who dwell therein, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For healthful seasons, for abundance of the fruits of the earth, and for peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For travelers by sea, by land, and by air; for the sick and suffering; for captives and their salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For our deliverance from all tribulation, wrath, danger, and neccessity, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Calling to remembrance our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

CHOIR: To thee O Lord.

(The Priest says quietly The Prayer of the First Antiphon:)

O Lord our God, whose might is beyond compare, whose glory is incomprehensible, whose mercy is infinite and whose love toward mankind is ineffable: do thou thyself, O Master, in thy tender compassion look down upon us and this holy house, and grant us and those who pray with us thy rich mercies and compassions.

PRIEST: (Aloud) For unto thee are due all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

THE REFRAINS OF THE FIRST ANTIPHON

CHOIR: Through the intercessions of theTheotokos, O Savior, save us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

Both now and ever, and to ages of ages, Amen. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Savior, save us.

THE LITTLE EKTENIA

PRIEST: Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Calling to remembrance our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

CHOIR: To thee, O Lord.

(The Priest says quietly The Prayer of the Second Antiphon:)

O Lord our God, save thy people and bless thine inheritance: preserve the fulness of thy Church; sanctify those who love the beauty of thy house: do thou glorify them in recompense by thy divine power, and forsake us not who put our trust in thee.

PRIEST: (Aloud) For thine is the majesty, and thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

THE REFRAINS OF THE SECOND ANTIPHON

CHOIR: O Son of God, who art risen from the dead, save us who sing unto thee: Alleluia.

O Son of God, who art risen from the dead, save us who sing unto thee: Alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:

O Son of God, who art risen from the dead, save us who sing unto thee: Alleluia.

Both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

O Only-begotten Son and Word of God, who art immortal, yet didst deign for our salvation to be incarnate of the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary; and without change wast made man; and wast crucified also, O Christ our God, and by thy death didst Death subdue; who art one of the Holy Trinity, glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit: save us.

THE LITTLE EKTENIA

PRIEST: Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Help us; save us; have mercy upon us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Calling to remembrance our all holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves, and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

CHOIR: To thee, O Lord.

(The Priest says quietly The Prayer of the Third Antiphon:)

O thou who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee; and dost promise that when two or three are gathered together in thy Name thou wilt grant their requests: Fulfil now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be most expedient for them, granting us in this world the knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come, life everlasting.

PRIEST: (Aloud) For thou art a good God and lovest mankind, and unto thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

THE REFRAINS OF THE THIRD ANTIPHON

(The Choir sings the Troparion of the Tone of the Day, which is used as the Refrain of the Third Antiphon.)

THE LITTLE ENTRANCE

The Priest makes the Little Entrance with the holy Gospel. Standing before the Holy Doors, facing the Altar, he says:

THE PRAYER OF THE LITTLE ENTRANCE

PRIEST: (quietly) O Master, Lord our God, who hast appointed in heaven orders and hosts of Angels and Archangels for the service of thy glory: cause that with our entrance there may be an entrance of holy Angels serving with us and gloryifying thy goodness: for unto thee are due all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(Then the Priest blesses the Entrance, saying quietly:) . .

PRIEST: Blessed is the Entrance of thy Saints: Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(When the Choir has finished the Troparion, the Priest kisses the Gospel Book and lifts it up with both hands, saying in a loud voice:)

PRIEST: Wisdom! Attend!

(The Priest enters the Sanctuary through the Holy Doors and places the Gospel Book on the Altar. Meanwhile the Choir sings the Entrance Hymn.)

THE ENTRANCE HYMN

CHOIR: Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ. O Son of God, who art risen from the dead, save us who sing unto thee: Alleluia.

(Then the Choir sings the Troparia and the Kontakion of the day.)

(While the Choir sings the Troparia, the Priest prays the Prayer of the Trisagion)

THE PRAYER OF THE TRISAGION

PRIEST: O holy God, who restest in thy Holy Place; who art hymned by the Seraphim with thrice-holy cry, and glorified by the Cherubim, and worshipped by every heavenly Power; Who out of nothing hast brought all things into being; who hast created man after thine own image and likeness and has adorned him with thine every gift; who givest to him that askest wisdom and understanding; who despisest not the sinner, but hast appointed repentance unto salvation; who hast vouchsafed unto us, thy humble and unworthy servants, even in this hour to stand before the glory of thy holy Altar and to offer the worship and praise which are due unto thee: Thyself, O Master, accept even from the mouth of us sinners the Hymn of the Trisagion, and visit us in thy goodness. Forgive us every transgression both voluntary and involuntary; sanctify our souls and bodies; and grant us to serve thee in holiness all the days of our life: through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos and of all the Saints who from the beginning of the world have been well-pleasing unto thee.

PRIEST: Let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For holy art thou, O our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

THE TRISAGION HYMN

CHOIR: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us (Thrice)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Holy Immortal: have mercy on us.

Dynamis!

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us.

(The Priest also says the Trisagion; then he bows toward the Prothesis and quietly says the following prayer:)

PRIEST: (quietly) Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

(Then facing the High Place he says, quietly:)

PRIEST: Blessed are thou on the throne of the glory of thy kingdom, who sittest upon the Cherubim: always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

THE APOSTLE

PRIEST: Let us attend!

(The Reader recites the Prokeimenon of the Epistle)

PRIEST: Wisdom!

(The Reader announces the title of the Epistle)

PRIEST: Let us attend!

(The Reader sings the Epistle for the day. When he has finished the Priest says to the Reader:)

PRIEST: Peace be to thee that readest.

CHOIR: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

(During the reading of the Epistle, the Priest censes the Gospel Book, and reads quietly the prayer before the Gospel.)

THE PRAYER BEFORE THE GOSPEL

PRIEST: Illumine our hearts, O Master who lovest mankind, with the pure light of thy divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of thy Gospel teachings; implant in us also the fear of thy blessed commandments, that trampling down all carnal desires, we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living both thinking and doing such things as are wll pleasing unto thee: for thou art the illumination of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto thee we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

THE GOSPEL

PRIEST: Wisdom! Attend! Let us hear the holy Gospel. Peace be to all.

CHOIR: And to thy spirit

PRIEST: The Reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint N.

CHOIR: Glory to thee, O Lord, glory to thee.

(The Priest sings the appointed passage from the holy Gospel; when he has finished, the Choir sings:)

CHOIR: Glory to thee, O Lord, glory to thee.

(The Priest preaches the sermon.)

(The Priest makes the sign of the Cross over the Antimins with the Gospel Book, and places it before the Altar tabernacle; he unfolds the Antimins, makes the sign of the Cross above it with the sponge, and says the following prayer:)

THE PRAYER OF THE EKTENIA OF FERVENT SUPPLICATION

PRIEST: (aloud) Help us; Save us, have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace. Wisdom:

THE SECOND PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

PRIEST: Again and oftentimes we fall down before thee and beseech thee, O Good Lord who lovest mankind, that looking down upon our petition thou wilt cleanse our souls and bodies from all defilement of flesh or spirit; and grant us to stand blameless and without condemnation before thy holy Altar. Grant also, O God, to those who pray with us growth in life and faith and spiritual understanding. Grant them always blamelessly to serve thee with fear and love, and to partake without condemnation of thy Holy Mysteries, and to be accounted worthy of thy heavenly Kingdom:

That guarded always by thy might we may ascribe glory unto thee: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

(The Choir now sings the Cherubimic Hymn as far as the words "the King of all"; meanwhile, the Priest reads the Prayer of the Cherubimic Hymn, and prepares to make the Great Entrance.)

THE CHERUBIMIC HYMN

CHOIR: We who mystically represent the Cherubim, and sing to the life-giving Trinity the thrice-holy hymn, let us now lay aside all earthly care: that we may receive the King of all, who comes invisibly upborne by the Angelic Hosts. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

THE PRAYER OF THE CHERUBIMIC HYMN

PRIEST: (quietly) No one who is bound with the desires and pleasures of the flesh is worthy to approach or draw nigh or to serve thee, O King of Glory: for to serve thee is a great and terrible thing even to the Heavenly Powers. Nevertheless, through thine unspeakable and boundless love toward mankind thou didst become man, yet without change or alteration, and as Lord of all didst take the name of our High Priest, and deliver unto us the ministry of this liturgic and unbloody sacrifice. For thou alone, O Lord our God, rulest over those in heaven and on earth; who art borne on the throne of the Cherubim; who art Lord of the Seraphim and King of Israel, who alone art holy and restest in thy Holy Place.

Wherefore I implore thee who alone art good and art ready to listen: Look down upon me, a sinner, and thine unprofitable servant, and cleanse my soul and my heart from an evil conscience; and by the power of thy Holy Spirit enable me, who am endued with the grace of the priesthood, to stand before this thy Holy Table, and perform the sacred Mystery of thy holy and immaculate Body and precious Blood. For I draw near unto thee, and bowing my neck I pray thee: turn not thy face from me, neither cast me out from among thy servants; but vouchsafe that these gifts may be offered unto thee by me, thy sinful and unworthy servant: for thou thyself are he that offers and is offered, that accepts and is distributed, O Christ our God: and unto thee we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who is from everlasting, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(The Priest now says the Cherubimic Hymn, censes the Altar, the ikons, and the people, saying Psalm 50 as he goes. He makes three low bows before the Altar, kisses the Antimins and the Altar, turns and bows to the people, and goes to the Prothesis Table; he censes the holy Gifts, bows, and says:)

PRIEST: (quietly) O God, be gracious unto me a sinner, and have mercy upon me. (Then he takes up the Aer and places it upon his shoulders saying:)

PRIEST: (quietly) Lift up your hands to the holy Places, and bless ye the Lord. (The Priest takes up the Diskarion in his left hand, and the holy Chalice in his right hand, and preceded by the Cross and the taper and censer-bearers proceeds around the Temple, saying aloud:)

PRIEST: The Lord God remember us all in his kingdom, always: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

(In many Churches, the Priest also stands at the foot of the Altar steps and makes remembrances in the following fashion:)

PRIEST: (aloud) Our Most Reverend Archbishop (or Bishop, or Metropolitan) N.: the Lord God remember him in his Kingdom always; now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: The President of the United States and all civil authorities, and our Armed Forces everywhere: the Lord God remember them in his Kingdom always: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: The Orthodox servant (s) of God N., (NN.): that they may have mercy, life, peace, health, salvation and visitation, and pardon and remission of sins: the Lord God remember them in his Kingdom always; now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: The Orthodox servant (s) of God departed this life N. (NN.): the Lord God remember them in his Kingdom always: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

(Then the Priest enters the Sanctuary while the Choir sings the remainder of the Cherubimic Hymn; he places the holy Gifts on the Altar, saying quietly:)

PRIEST: The noble Joseph, when he had taken down thy spotless body from the tree, wrapped it in fine linen and spices, and sorrowing placed it in a new tomb.

In the Grave with the body, but in Hades with the Soul, as God; in Paradise with the Thief, and on the Throne with the Father and Spirit wast thou, O Christ, filling all things, thyself uncircumscribed.

As giving life, as more splendid than Paradise, and more radiant than any royal chamber, O Christ, is shown forth thy tomb, the fountain of our resurrection.

(The Priest censes the holy Gifts thrice, saying quietly the last part of Psalm 50:)

PRIEST: Then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.

THE EKTENIA OF THE PROTHESIS

PRIEST: Let us complete our prayer unto the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For the precious Gifts now offered, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For this holy House, and for those who with faith, reverence, and fear of God enter therein, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For our deliverance from all tribulation wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: That the whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: An angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: Pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: All things good and profitable for the souls and peace for the world, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentence, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful; and a good defense before the dread Judgement Seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: Calling to remembrance our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

CHOIR: To thee, O Lord.

THE PRAYER OF THE PROTHESIS

PRIEST: (quietly) O Lord God Almighty, who alone art holy: who dost accept the sacrifice of praise from those who call upon thee with their whole heart: Accept also the prayer of us sinners, and bear it to thy holy Altar, and enable us to offer unto thee gifts and spiritual sacrifices for our sins and for the errors of the people; And make us worthy to find grace in thy sight, that our sacrifice may be acceptable unto thee; and that the good spirit of thy grace may rest upon us and upon these gifts here offered, and upon all thy people:

PRIEST: (aloud) Through the compassions of thine Only-Begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace be to all.

CHOIR: And to thy spirit.

PRIEST: Let us love one another, that with one accord we may confess:

CHOIR: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in Essence and undivided.

(The Priest makes three low bows before the Altar, kisses the veil covering the holy Gifts, and says quietly thrice:)

PRIEST: I will love thee, O Lord, my strength: the Lord is my firm foundation, my refuge, and my deliverer.

PRIEST: (aloud) The Doors! The Doors! In Wisdom let us attend.

THE CREED

PEOPLE: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, Begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made:

Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man;

And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried;

And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures;

And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father;

And He shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spake by the Prophets;

And I believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins.

I look for the Resurrection of the dead,

And the Life of the world to come, Amen.

THE ANAPHORA

PRIEST: Let us stand aright; let us stand with fear; let us attend, that we may offer the Holy Oblation in peace.

CHOIR: A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.

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

CHOIR: And with thy spirit.

PRIEST: Let us lift up our hearts.

CHOIR: We lift them up unto the Lord.

PRIEST: Let us give thanks unto the Lord.

CHOIR: It is meet and right to worship Father, Son and Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in Essence, and undivided.

(The Priest turns toward the Altar and prays quietly:)

PRIEST: It is meet and right to hymn thee, to bless thee, to praise thee, to give thanks unto thee, and to worship thee in every place of thy dominion: for thou art God ineffable, inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible, ever existing and eternally the same, thou and thine Only-begotten Son and thy Holy Spirit. Thou it was who didst bring us from non-existence into being, and when we had fallen away didst raise us up again, and didst not cease to do all things until thou hadst brought us back to heaven, and hadst endowed us with thy kingdom which is to come. For all these things we give thanks unto thee, and to thine Only-begotten Son, and thy Holy Spirit; for all things of which we know, and of which we know not, and for all the benefits bestowed upon us, both manifest and unseen. And we give thanks unto thee also for this ministry which thou dost vouchsafe to receive at our hands, even though there stand beside thee thousands of Archangels and ten thousands of Angels, the Cherubim and the Seraphim, six-winged, many eyed, soaring aloft, borne on their pinions,

PRIEST: (aloud) Singing the Triumphal Hymn, shouting, proclaiming, and saying:

CHOIR: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of thy glory; Hosanna in the highest: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

PRIEST: (quietly With these blessed Powers we also, O Master who lovest mankind, cry aloud and say: Holy art thou and all-holy, thou and thine Only-begotten Son, and thy Holy Spirit: holy art thou and all-holy, and magnificent is thy glory: Who hast so loved thy world as to give thine Only-begotten Son, that all who believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life; Who when he had come and had fulfilled all the dispensation for us, in the night in which he was betrayed,-- or rather, gave himself up for the life of the world,--took bread in his holy and pure and blameless hands; and when he had given thanks and blessed it, and hallowed it and broken it, he gave it to his holy Disciples and Apostles, saying:

PRIEST: (Aloud) Take, eat: this is my Body which is broken for you, for the remission of sins.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: (quietly) Likewise, after supper, he took the cup, saying:

(Aloud) Drink ye all of this: this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for any, for the remission of sins.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: (quietly) Having in remembrance, therefore, this saving commandment and all those things which have come to pass for us: the Cross, the Grave, the Resurrection on the third day, the Ascension into heaven, the Sitting at the right hand, and the second and glorious Coming:

(The Priest takes up the Diskarion and the Chalice and elevates them over the Antimins; he makes the sign of the Cross with them over the Antimins as he lowers them, saying:)

(Aloud) Thine own of thine own we offer unto thee, in behalf of all, and for all.

CHOIR: We praise thee, we bless thee, we give thanks unto thee, O Lord, and we pray unto thee, O our God.

(The Priest makes a low bow before the Altar, and continues with the Prayer of Consecration)

PRIEST: (Quietly) Again we offer unto thee this reasonable and unbloody service, and beseech thee and pray thee and supplicate thee: send down thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these Gifts here spread forth:

(The Priest signs the Holy Bread with the sign of the cross, saying quietly:)

And make this bread the precious Body of thy Christ; Amen.

(The Priest makes the sign of the Cross over the Chalice, saying quietly:)

And that which is in this cup, the precious Blood of thy Christ; Amen.

(The Priest makes the sign of the Cross over both the holy Gifts, saying quietly:)

PRIEST: Changing them by thy Holy Spirit; Amen, Amen, Amen.

(The Priest makes a low bow before the Altar and continues the prayer quietly:)

That to those who shall partake thereof they may be unto cleansing of soul, unto the remission of sins, unto the communion of thy Holy Spirit, unto the fulfilment of the kingdom of Heaven, unto boldness toward thee, and not unto judgement nor unto condemnation.

And again we offer unto thee this reasonable service for all those who in faith have gone before us to their rest: Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Preachers, Evangelists, Martyrs, Confessors, Ascetics, and every righteous spirit made perfect in faith:

PRIEST: (Aloud) Especially our all-holy, immaculate, most blessed and glorious Lady Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary:

CHOIR: It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos, who art ever blessed and all-blameless, and the mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, thou who without stain barest God the Word, and art truly Theotokos: we magnify thee.

(Meanwhile the Priest continues the prayer quietly)

PRIEST: (quietly) And for the holy Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John; the holy glorious, and all-laudable Apsotles; Saint (s) N. (NN.), whose memory we celebrate; and all thy Saints, at whose supplications look down upon us, O God. And be mindful of all those who have fallen asleep before us in the hope of Resurrection unto life eternal; (especially N, NN), and grant them rest, O our God, where the light of thy countenance shines upon them.

And again we beseech thee: be mindful, O Lord, of every Bishop of the Orthodox, who rightly divide the word of thy truth; of all the Priesthood, the Diaconate in Christ, and of every priestly and monastic order.

And again we offer unto thee this reasonable service, for the whole world, for the holy catholic and apostolic Church, for those who live in chastity and holiness of life, for all civil Authorities, and our Armed Forces everywhere; grant them, O Lord, peaceful times, that we, in their tranquility, may lead a calm and peaceful life in all godliness and sanctity.

PRIEST: (Aloud) Among the first be mindful, O Lord, of our Metropolitan N., whom do thou grant unto thy holy churches in peace, safety, honor, health and length of days, and rightly dividing the word of thy truth.

CHOIR: And of all mankind.

PRIEST: Be mindful, O Lord, of this city in which we dwell, and of every city and countryside, and of those who in faith dwell therein. Be mindful, O Lord, of those who travel by sea, by land, and by air; of the sick, the suffering, captives, and their salvation. Be mindful, O Lord, of those who bear fruit and do good works in thy holy churches, and who remember the poor; and upon us all send forth thy mercies:

PRIEST: (aloud) And grant us with one mouth and one heart to glorify and praise thine all-honorable and majestic name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

(The Priest, turning towards the people, blesses them, saying:)

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

CHOIR: And with thy spirit.

THE EKTENIA BEFORE THE LORD'S PRAYER

PRIEST: Calling to remembrance all the Saints, again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For the precious Gifts which have been offered and sanctified, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: That our God, who loveth mankind, receiving them upon his holy, heavenly, and ideal Altar for an odor of spiritual fragrance, will send down upon us in return his divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: For our deliverance from all tribulation, wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

PRIEST: That the whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us ask of the Lord

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: An angel of peace, a faithful guide, a guardian of our souls and bodies, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: Pardon and remission our sins and transgressions, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: All things good and profitable for our souls, and peace for the world, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: That we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: A Christian ending to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful; and a good defense before the dread Judgement Seat of Christ, let us ask of the Lord.

CHOIR: Grant this, O Lord.

PRIEST: Asking for the unity of the Faith, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

CHOIR: To thee, O Lord.

PRIEST: (quietly) Unto thee we commend our whole life and our hope, O Master who lovest mankind; and we beseech thee, and pray thee, and supplicate thee: make us worthy to partake of the heavenly and terrible Mysteries of this sacred and spiritual table, with a pure conscience: unto remission of sins, unto forgiveness of transgressions, unto communion of the Holy Spirit, unto boldness towards thee, and not unto judgement nor unto condemnation.

PRIEST: (aloud) And vouchsafe, O Lord, that with boldness and without condmnation we may dare to call upon thee, the heavenly God, as Father, and to say:

(The People Stand.)

THE LORD'S PRAYER

PEOPLE: 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: (aloud) For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: Peace be to all.

CHOIR: And to thy spirit.

PRIEST: Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.

CHOIR: To thee, O Lord.

PRIEST: (quietly) We give thanks unto thee, O King invisible, who by thy measureless power hast made all things, and in the multitude of thy mercy hast brought all things from nothing into being. Do thou thyself, O Master, look down from heaven upon those who have bowed their heads unto thee; for they have not bowed down unto flesh and blood, but to thee, the terrible God. Therefore, O Master, do thou thyself distribute these gifts here spread forth, unto all of us for good, according to the individual need of each: voyage with those who sail by sea and air; journey with those who travel by land; heal the sick, thou who art the physician of our souls and bodies:

PRIEST: (aloud) Through the grace and compassion and love torward man of thine Only-begotten Son, with whom thou art blessed, together with thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

THE ELEVATION

PRIEST: (quietly) Look down, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, from thy holy dwelling-place, and from the throne of the glory of thy kingdom; and come to sanctify us, O thou who sittest on high with the Father, and art here invisibly present with us; and vouchsafe by thy mighty hand to impart unto us thine immaculate Body and precious Blood, and through us unto all the people.

(The Priest makes three low bows before the Altar, saying quietly:)

PRIEST: O God, be gracious unto me, a sinner, and have mercy upon me.

(Then the Priest takes up the holy Bread in both hands and elevates it above the Diskarion, saying aloud:)

PRIEST: Let us attend! Holy Things are for the holy.

As the Priest lowers the holy Bread, he makes with it the sign of the Cross, above the Diskarion. Meanwhile, the Choir sings the following Hymn; the people sit.

CHOIR: One is Holy, One is Lord: Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen. (The Choir sings the Communion Hymn of the day; on most Sundays, the following Hymn:)

THE COMMUNION HYMN

CHOIR: Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise Him in the Highest. Alleluia.

THE COMMUNION

The Priest breaks the holy Bread into four parts with great reverence and care, saying quietly:

PRIEST: Divided and distributed is the Lamb of God, who is divided, yet not disunited; who is ever eaten, yet never consumed, but sanctifies those who partake thereof.

The Priest arranges the pieces on the rim of the Diskarion in the form of a cross. Then he takes the portion IC and makes with it the sign of the cross over the Chalice, and places it in, saying quietly:

PRIEST: The fulness of the Cup of the Faith, of the Holy Spirit.

Then the Priest takes the warm water from the Acolyte and blesses it, saying, quietly:

PRIEST: Blessed is the fervor of thy Saints, always: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Priest pours a sufficient quantity of the warm water into the Chalice crosswise, saying quietly:

PRIEST: The fervor of faith, full of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Then the Priest says quietly the following prayers of preparation for the Holy Communion:

PRIEST: I believe, O Lord, and I confess that thou art truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who didst come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that this is truly thine own immaculate Body, and that this is truly thine own precious Blood. Wherefore I pray thee, have mercy upon me and forgive my transgressions both voluntary and involuntary, of word and of deed, of knowledge and of ignorance; and make me worthy to partake without condemnation of thine immaculate Mysteries, unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting. Amen.

Of thy Mystic Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant: for I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither will I give thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the thief will I confess thee: Remember me, O Lord, in thy Kingdom.

Not unto judgment nor unto condemnation be my partaking of thy Holy Mysteries, O Lord, but unto healing of soul and body

Then the Priest makes a low bow before the Altar and says quietly:

PRIEST: Lo, I draw near unto Christ, our immortal King and our God.

The Priest partakes of the particle of the holy Bread XC, saying quietly:

PRIEST: The precious and all-holy Body of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ is imparted unto me, the unworthy Priest N., unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting.

Then the Priest takes up the Chalice with its veil, and drinks from it, saying quietly:

PRIEST: The precious and all-holy Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ is imparted unto me, the unworthy Priest N., unto remission of my sins and unto life everlasting.

The Priest wipes his lips and the Chalice with the veil, kisses the Chalice and says quietly:

PRIEST: Lo, this hath touched my lips, and shall take away mine iniquities, and purge away my sins.

Then the Priest divides the particles NI and KA of the holy Bread and places them in the Chalice for the Communion of the People.

The Priest turns and elevates the Chalice before the people, saying aloud:

PRIEST: With fear of God, and faith and love, draw near.

CHOIR: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord; The Lord is God and hath revealed himself unto us.

Then the people who wish to communicate draw near. The Priest communicates those who have come forward, saying to each person:

PRIEST: The servant of God N. partakes of the precious and all-holy Body and Blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, unto the remission of sins and unto life everlasting.

Meanwhile the Choir sings the Hymn:

CHOIR: Of thy Mystic Supper, O Son of God, accept me today as a communicant: for I will not speak of thy Mystery to thine enemies, neither will I give thee a kiss as did Judas; but like the theif will I confess thee: Remember me, O Lord, in thy Kingdom.

When all have communicated, the Priest covers the Chalice with the veil and blesses the people with it, saying aloud:

PRIEST: O god, save thy people and bless thine inheritance.

CHOIR: We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit; we have found the true faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity: for He hath saved us.

Meanwhile the Priest wipes the remaining particles on the Diskarion into the Chalice, saying quietly:

PRIEST: Wash away, O Lord, the sins of all those here commemorated, by thy precious Blood: through the prayers of thy Saints.

Then the Priest covers the Chalice and censes it thrice, saying quietly:

PRIEST: Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth. Blessed is our God.

The Priest takes the Chalice in his right hand and the Diskarion in his left and turns torward the people; he raises both slowly, with the Chalice above the Diskarion, saying aloud:

PRIEST: Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen. Let our mouths be filled with thy praise, O Lord, that we may sing of thy glory: for thou hast permitted us to partake of thy holy, divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries. Establish us in thy Sanctification, that all the day long we may meditate upon thy righteousness. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Meanwhile the Priest places the Chalice and Diskarion upon the Prothesis Table, and returns to the Altar and folds up the Antimins.

THE EKTENIA OF THANKSGIVING

PRIEST: Attend! Having partaken of the divine, holy, immaculate, immortal, heavenly, life-giving and terrible Mysteries of Christ, let us worthily give thanks unto the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord have mercy.

PRIEST: Help us; save us; have mercy on us; and keep us, O God, by thy grace.

CHOIR: Lord have mercy.

PRIEST: Asking that the whole day may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and sinless, let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.

CHOIR: To thee, O Lord.

THE PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

PRIEST: (quietly) We give thanks unto thee, O Lord who lovest mankind, benefactor of our souls and bodies, for that thou hast vouchsafed this day to feed us with thy heavenly and immortal Mysteries. Make straight our path; establish us all in thy fear; guard our life; make firm our steps: through the prayers and intercessions of the glorious Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary and of all thy Saints:

(And making the sign of the Cross over the Antimins with the Gospel Book, the Priest says:)

PRIEST: (aloud) For thou art our sanctification, and unto thee we ascribe glory: to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

PRIEST: Let us go forth in peace.

CHOIR: In the name of the Lord.

PRIEST: Let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord, have mercy.

The Priest comes out the Holy Doors and stands before the Ikon of Christ, and says aloud the following prayer:

THE PRAYER BEHIND THE AMBON

PRIEST: O Lord, who blessest those who bless thee, and sanctifiest those who put their trust in thee: save thy people and bless thine inheritance; preserve the fulness of thy Church; sanctify those who love the beauty of thy House; glorify them in recompense by thy divine power, and forsake us not who hope on thee. Give peace to thy world, to thy Churches, to the priests, to all civil authorities, to our Armed Forces, and to all thy people: for every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from thee, the Father of Lights, and unto thee we ascribe glory, thanksgiving, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen. Blessed be the name of the Lord, henceforth and forevermore. (Thrice).

The Priest goes into the Sanctuary through the Holy Doors and goes to the Prothesis Table, and there quietly says the following prayer:

PRIEST: O Christ our God, who art thyself the fulfilment of the law and the Prophets, who didst fulfil all the dispensation of the Father: fill our hearts with joy and gladness, always: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Priest returns to the Altar and says aloud:

PRIEST: Let us pray to the Lord.

CHOIR: Lord have mercy.

Turning and facing the people, the Priest blesses them saying:

PRIEST: The blessing of the Lord and his mercy come upon you through his grace and love towards man, always: now and ever and unto ages of ages.

CHOIR: Amen.

THE DISMISSAL

PRIEST: Glory to thee, O Christ our God and our hope, glory to thee.

CHOIR: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: both now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy. Father, bless.

PRIEST: May He who rose again from the dead, Christ our true God,--through the intercessions of his all-immaculate and all-blameless holy Mother, by the might of the precious and life-giving Cross; by the protection of the honorable Bodiless Powers of heaven; at the supplication of the honorable, glorious Prophet, Fore-runner and Baptist John; of the holy, glorious, and all-laudable Apostles; of our father among the Saints John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople; of the holy, glorious and right-victorious Martyrs; of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers; of (patron Saint of the Church); of the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna;) of Saints (s) N. (NN.), whose memory we celebrate, and of all the Saints, have mercy upon us and save us, forasmuch as he is good and loveth mankind.

Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us and save us.

CHOIR AND PEOPLE: Amen.

The Priest stands on the lowest step of the stairs before the Holy Doors and gives the people the Antidoron, saying meanwhile:

PRIEST: The blessing of the Lord and his mercy come upon you; always: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

(The people receive the Antidoron and leave the Church quietly and with due reverence.)
​

Sir Steven Runciman: Only Orthodoxy Will Survive
By Helleniscope -June 13, 2022

https://www.helleniscope.com/2022/06/13/sir-steven-runciman-only-orthodoxy-will-survive/

Sir Steven Runciman Obituary

The whole interview

EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis): Sir Steven Runciman is the greatest Byzantine scholar of the 20th century who was baptized an Orthodox Christian in his late life. Please link here for his obituary from the Guardian… Also you may link here for the whole interview of Sir Steven Runciman with “Pemptousia” published by Fr. John Peck…

BELOW THE EXCERPT IN ENGLISH AND GREEK

=======================

Sir Steven Runciman: Only Orthodoxy Will Survive

I have great respect for Christian doctrines, and especially for Orthodoxy, because only Orthodoxy recognizes that religion is a mystery.

Roman Catholics and Protestants want to explain everything. It is pointless to believe in one religion, believing that this religion will help you to understand everything.

The very purpose of religion is to help us understand the fact that we can not explain everything. I think Orthodoxy preserves this precious sense of mystery.

The Roman Catholic Church has always been a political institution, apart from a religious one, and has always been interested in the law. We must remember that when the Roman Empire collapsed in the West and the barbarian kingdoms came, the Roman rulers were lost, but the ecclesiastical men remained, and they were the only ones with a Roman education.

So, they were used by the barbaric kings to enforce the law. Thus, the Western Church “interfered” with the law. You see the law in the Roman Catholic Church: he wants everything to be legal. In Byzantium – and it is interesting how after the Turkish conquest the substrates remain – the Church is only interested in the Canon, the law of the scriptures. It has no desire to determine everything. In the Western Churches that followed from Roman Catholicism, the need for law, for absolute determination, has been inherited. It is very interesting to study – and I have been studying for a long time – the dialogue between the 17th century Anglican Church and the Orthodox Church.

The English were very upset because they could not understand what the Orthodox thought about the change of wine and bread into blood and body. The Orthodox said “it is a mystery that we can not understand. We believe that it is possible, but we do not know how “. The English – like the Roman Catholics – wanted a clear explanation. This is the typical difference between the Churches and that is why I love the Orthodox.

I rejoice in the thought that in the next 100 years Orthodoxy will be the only Historical Church to exist.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent
St. John Climacus

Step 4 - On blessed and ever-memorable obedience

"...Obedience is absolute rununciation of our own life, clearly expressed in our bodily actions. Or, conversely, obedience is the mortification of our limbs while the mind remains alive. Obedience is unquestioning movement, voluntary death, simple life, carefree danger, spontaneous defense by God, fearlessness of death, a safe voyage, a sleeper's progress. Obedience is the tomb of the will and the resurrection of humility. A corpse does not argue or reason as to what is good or what seems to be bad. For he who has devoutly put the soul of a novice to death will  answer for everything. Obedience is a renunciation of discrimination in a treasure of discernment...."

(Par. 3/126)

Orthodoxy is NOT a Religion! - Then what is It?~

from Luke 6

¹⁷And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, ¹⁸as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. ¹⁹And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

The Beatitudes

²⁰Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
²¹Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
²²Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
²³Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

This is Orthodoxy.

"...The Church is a hospital. The priest is a doctor of the soul..."

The Church is the body of Christ. We are each a member, but we act as one. Being "knit together in love" (Col. 2:2), we help those who need help, and we receive help from those who can give it. There *is* a hierarchy of honor in the Church of the NT, as there is in the Church today.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

¹²For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴For in fact the body is not one member but many.

¹⁵If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? ¹⁸But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

²⁰But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. ²¹And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²²No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. ²³And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, ²⁴but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, ²⁵that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. ²⁶And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. ²⁸And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

---------------------------------------------

"When the Church oversight is in order, the rest of the Church is free to function at the optimal level. But even with all the gifts in place and operative, there is something more excellent (v. 31). It is the love of God, the true sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit."

-Orthodox Study Bible.

I hope this answers your question.

The Lord is King (Saturday Prokeimenon)

Today's scripture readings

Ephesians 3:8-21

⁸To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, ⁹and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; ¹⁰to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, ¹¹according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, ¹²in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. ¹³Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Luke 4:1-15

¹Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, ²being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

³And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

⁴But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

⁵Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. ⁷Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

⁸And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

⁹Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. ¹⁰For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’

¹¹and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

¹²And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

¹³Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

¹⁴Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. ¹⁵And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

You don't have to be Orthodox, and you won't be sorry.

Scripture readings for today

Matthew 11:
²⁷All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. ²⁸Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Galatians 5:22-6:2
²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

¹Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ²Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Luke:
¹⁷And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, ¹⁸as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. ¹⁹And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

²⁰Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
²¹Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
²²Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
²³Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

10/10/22 Scripture readings

Ephesians 4:25-32
²⁵Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. ²⁶“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷nor give place to the devil. ²⁸Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. ²⁹Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. ³²And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Luke 4:37-44
³⁷And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

³⁸Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was [o]sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. ³⁹So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.

⁴⁰When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. ⁴¹And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.

⁴²Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; ⁴³but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.” ⁴⁴And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

Edifying entertainment time. This wonderful film was made in Greece and is not dubbed, so you have to read it. The font is large and easy to read.

Titled "ΤΟ ΔΕΙΠΝΟ ΤΟΥ ΒΟΣΚΟΥ" - (The Shepherd's Supper) it is based on a true story about a simple, kind, shepherd who has supper with Christ.

There's a lot of interesting stuff here, I'll just point out two.

The energy thing is a very very old concept, I've read everything from Theology to schitzo stuff to scientific study about that. To make a really long story short, a lot of this is blatantly obvious. A deep low growl is menacing where a gleeful hello is welcoming. Most Christian churches are in higher keys for hyms and stuff, and often utilize boys choirs. There is some theological thought the higher pitch is glory to God. Just reading the words "The angels sang' makes you think of beautiful singing, but certainly not a bassist doing the singing.

There's also supposedly energies which you can engage with, light and dark. I don't practice the dark obviously, but I read about the virtue of praise many months ago and I have very much enjoyed it. For example, you see a beautiful sunset and you actively praise God for the sunset and it fills you with happiness. Or it is a very hot day and you get a nice breeze and you say "Thank you for the breeze". It is not only humbling, but aside from Theology there's some scientific evidence to it as well.

Don't get too carried away looking at philosophy and science as it relates to God. It can take away from where our focus should be.

The first piece is the Lord's Prayer in Basso Profundo by the Don Cossack Choir and the second is a Bulgarian Hymn to the Virgin...

Orthodox Elder Cleopa - There are 9 stages of Prayer

Monk Arseniye: Ancient Answers to Modern Challenges - Orthodox Spirituality

From the readings for today.

Phillipians 1-8
¹Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

²Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! ³For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, ⁴though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: ⁵circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

@OP this was recommended to me, have you read it by chance?

It's a philosophic work against communism during the Russian Revolution

I have not read it, but I will! Thank you.

Too bad Nicholas ll refused to deal with the widespread suffering in his own country.

I haven't read it yet, but I ordered it and then posted it in your thread.

My Jewish friend recommended it to me. His grandfather was Jewish and fought with the Whites and I guess they still had issues sometimes. However, apparently both Eastern Orthodox and Jewish alike respected this guy.

Separate from the book I thought about what you said, but I disagree. I understand your natural skepticism of both, however, so please allow me to explain.

Respectfully brother, I think both science and philosophy glorify God. And I'm fully aware you might come from a position or observation that those in those fields are not trying to glorify God, which must certainly can be true.

However, human wonder mixed with philosophy and deference to God is a wonderful thing. I think it is in our nature to go into space and explore, and heal the sick. I think Aquinas did excellent work with his philosophical writings on a human trying to understand and glorify God.

But one thing we can both certainly agree on is that all professional fields are better when they are grounded in the belief that everyone answers to God himself,