A Worshiper’s Guide to the

DIVINE LITURGY

Fr. Steven Tsichlis

THE LITURGY AFTER THE LITURGY: SHARING HIS PRESENCE WITH THE WORLD
What is the last thing that we do at the
Divine Liturgy? It isn't coming forward
to venerate the cross, nor is it to receive
the antidoron or blessed bread. Then
what is it? The last thing we do is leave
the Church. Father Anthony Coniaris
writes that in the Book of Genesis (12:2)
God blesses Abraham so that he, in
turn, will be a blessing to the world.
And as Christians, “We are blessed in
order to bless others. We are forgiven
in order to forgive. We are loved in
order to love. We are comforted in
order to comfort others. We are saved
to help others find salvation. Christ
came to serve in order to teach us to
serve others. We are His people. He is
in us and we are in Him. The Liturgy
continues after we leave Church. We
return to the world as “other Christs”
and the Liturgy we experienced in
Church continues when we make His love real through our acts of mercy in
the world.” The Lord Jesus is very clear about our mission as believers: we
are to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit those
Dwho are sick and
EPARTMENT OFwelcome strangers,
STEWARDSHIP always recognizing
, OUTREACH & EVANGELISMthat in our care for
G REEK O RTHODOX A RCHDIOCESE OF A
others we are caring for Him (Matthew 25:31-46). If, in fact, we are not doing
MERICA
N EW Y
these ORK 2017
things we are explicitly told in the Scriptures that our faith “is dead”
(James 2:17). Each of us is called to continue the Liturgy in the everyday
TEXT: FATHER
circumstances ofSour
TEVEN PETERlives,
personal TSICHLIS
to become a living procalmation of the
SGood
T. PAUL GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, IRVINE, CA
News for the sake of the world. We are to be missionaries of His
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Kingdom in the world.RThe finalHact
OBERT of receiving is giving.
ORNER
ST. CATHERINE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO
ICONOGRAPHY: MILTIADIS AFENTOULIS
AFENTOULIS.COM
28
A Worshiper’s Guide to the
DIVINE LITURGY

Fr. Steven P. Tsichlis

 The Apostle Paul wrote: “Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a
participation in the Blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a
participation in the Body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we who are
many are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf”
(1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Lord Jesus gives us everything, giving
Himself completely to us. The Word of God not only became flesh for us
centuries ago in a far-away country; the Word of God becomes food and
drink for us now at every celebration of the Liturgy. The word that best
expresses this mystery of God's total offering of Himself to us in love is
communion. This is the word that best contains the truth that, in and through
Jesus, God wants not only to teach us, instruct us and inspire us, but He
wants to become one with us. God desires to be fully and completely united
with us so that we will be bound together with Him in a love that will stretch
into eternity. This is what St. Paul means when he speaks of life "in Christ"
(Galatians 1:22 and 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Romans 8:1).

LIVING A EUCHARISTIC LIFE IS LIVING WITH GRATITUDE

Ultimately, the Liturgy summarizes the life we are called
to live in communion with God and is, among other
things, a school for Christian living. Within the Liturgy
we come to know God, the world, and ourselves
through Christ in the Holy Spirit, because the Liturgy
communicates the meaning and purpose of life and
helps us to understand and internalize both the tragedy
of the human condition as well as the limitless expanse
and potential of the new life in Christ offered freely to
everyone.

Living in a Eucharistic way has everything to do with

seeing life as a gift, a gift for which we are forever
grateful. It is, after all, not happy people who are grateful, but grateful people
who are happy. There should never be a Liturgy that we attend in which we
do not come away with this insight for living. There should never be a time
that we attend Liturgy when there is not a movement of our heart: from a
hardened heart to a grateful heart, from a heart of stone to a heart of
26
 WHAT IS THE DIVINE LITURGY?

The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is today the primary worship
service of over 300 million Orthodox Christians around the world, from
Greece to Finland, from Russia to Tanzania, from Japan to Kenya, Bulgaria
to Australia. It is celebrated in dozens of languages, from the original Greek
it was written into English and French, Slavonic and Swahili, Korean and
Arabic.

Liturgy is a Greek word that in classical times referred to the performance

of a public duty. In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old
Testament made some 300 years before the coming of Christ and still used
by the Church today, Liturgy referred to worship in the Temple in
Jerusalem. For Orthodox Christians it has come to mean the public worship
of the Church.

Because Liturgy is always a corporate, communal action, it is often

translated as “the work of the people” and because it is prefaced by the
word “Divine” it is specifically the work of God’s people and an experience
of God’s coming Kingdom here and now by those who gather to worship
Him. This means that the Liturgy is not something that the clergy
"performs" for the laity. The Liturgy was never meant to be a performance
or a spectacle merely to be witnessed by onlookers. All who are present for
worship must be willing, conscious and active participants and not merely
31
46),
passive
that spectators.
final day when The laity
everycon-celebrate
man, woman with
andthe child
officiating
will stand clergy
before
as
what
baptized
St. Paul
believers
calls “the
anddread
members
judgment of seat
the of "royal
Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10)
priesthood…a peopleto
give
belonging
an account
to God" for(1how
Peterwe2:9).have lived. In saying “Thy will be done” we
recognize that we find meaning for our lives only by doing God's will and
not our own, by serving the Kingdom of God and not the kingdom of
“me.” The purpose of life cannot WHO beWASfound ST.in JOHN
what CHRYSOSTOM
I want. It can? be found
only in what God wants. St. John TheChrysostom
saints of the (347-407
ChurchAD), havethe 4th century
interpreted the
petition for “our daily Patriarch
bread” in of two ways: first, thatwas
Constantinople, we one of the most
are declaring our
total dependence onimportant
God for our saints and Fathers
day-to-day existenceof the
andChurch and is
that whatever
we have to sustain reveredour life isasa agift preacher,
from Him; and second,
teacher and liturgist.
that this isHea
prayer for the Breadwas so well
of Life, known forBread
the Eucharistic his preaching
that is His thatBodyafter
that his
we
death heofwas
will receive in the mystery Holy given (John 6:53-58). Next,
the title Χρυσόστομος,
Communion a word
we
ask God to forgive that us asmeans
we have “the man others
forgiven with “whothe golden mouth.”
have trespassed
against us.” In theDuring Gospelshis (Mark
sermons,11:25; hisMatthew 6:14), Christ
congregation would often
makes it
perfectly clear that burst we cannotinto ask God applause.
for forgiveness Eloquent
unless we and are
prepared to forgive uncompromising,
others. The petition,he spoke
“Lead us out
not forcefully against
into temptation...”
could be wrongly taken political and clerical
to imply that Godcorruption,
Himself tempts the conspicuous
us. Nothing
could be further from consumption
the truth. The of the wealthy,
Scriptures areand for theclear:
absolutely needs of
“No
one, when tempted,the poor
should say,and'I am disenfranchised
being tempted by of God';hisfor day.
God
cannot be tempted by Preaching
evil and He thattempts"feeding
no one.the hungry
Rather, one isistempted
a greaterby
one's own desire" (James work1:13-14).
than raising
We are the dead,"
tempted by he
ourwas ownresponsible
desires: our
egotistical arrogancefor andinitiating
selfishness,ministry to Constantinople's
hatred, cruelty, lust for power, greed,poor,
anger and a host of with
otherthe Church
vices that pull providing
us away meals from God's for several
loving
Presence, forcing us thousand
to sink back people every day.
into ourselves andMore
making than 600 of his
us children of
evil instead of children homilies
of the Godhave who is love (1Although
survived. John 4:8). the Liturgy that
bears his name has changed in a number of details
RECEIVING HOLY Cover OMMUNION : THE BODY
the centuries, it AND BLOODthat
is certain OF THE theSAVIOR
central
prayer of the Eucharistic The Tradition anaphora of - or
theprayer
Churchof
gratitude and offering describes - goesthe back
Eucharist
to him.in many
John
died in 407 AD while ways. It in
still is exile
"the Lord's
for his Supper"
preaching (1
against the excesses Corinthians
and corruption 11:20).of the It imperial
is "the
court. His final words marriage were supper
“Glory of to theGodLamb"
for
everything!” His(Revelation memory 19:9). It is about
is celebrated by
Orthodox Christians communion
on November with 13thGod,each thatyear.
we
may become sons and daughters of
God the Father; that in eating bread
24
42
and drinking wine setBapart LESSED and
IS THE KINGDOM
consecrated by…the Holy Spirit we are
participating in the crucified, risen and
The opening glorified Body
proclamation andDivine
of the Blood of Jesus. is
Liturgy It
is about fulfilling the Old theTestament
announcement sacrificesof ofourthedestination
Temple in Jerusalem.
and goal in It
is about partaking in what St.Kingdom
life: the Ignatius of of Antioch
God – and (c.115AD) calledis "the
the Liturgy our
medicine of immortality," which we,
pilgrimage who areHis
toward sick andKingdomdying, needand fora
eternal life. participation in His Kingdom. This announcement
brings out the ultimate choice that the Lord Jesus
Orthodox Christians fully asksparticipate
everyone in to the
make: Do I “seek
celebration of first the Kingdom
the Liturgy when
they receive the Body and of God
Blood andof His righteousness”
the Lord Jesus in Holy (Matthew 6:33)? We
Communion, as
the Lord Himself commands begin (John
the Liturgy by saying,
6:53-54). Because “Blessed
of Christ’s promise is the
of
Kingdom of the Father and the
eternal life for those who eat and drink at “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Corinthians Son and the Holy
Spirit” because following
11:20), frequent preparation Jesus
formeans that we have
and reception of the to Body
set theandKingdom
Blood of
God
Christ as–theathighest
every priority
Liturgy,inifour lives. – is encouraged for all Orthodox
possible
Christians. To receive communion in the Orthodox Church, one must be a
practicing Orthodox Christian. WHAT ISThis THEmeansGREATthat LITANY ?
a person must be Baptized
The
and/orLiturgy is a school
Chrismated in oftheprayer, teaching
Orthodox us how
Church and to pray and what
that one’s beliefsto pray
and
for. The are
lifestyle Great Litany is a with
in accordance seriesthe
of teachings
requests toofGod. The very first thing we
the Church.
pray for in the Great Litany is for “the peace of God that surpasses all
understanding” We truly(Philippians
receive the4:7)Body
to beand given to us,ofathe
Blood state of inner peace, the
Crucified,
ridding of ourRisen mindsand and hearts ofLord
Glorified every obsession
Jesus and anxiety, all hostile
as He promises:
feelings and fear, in order to worship the living God in a state of inner calm,
trusting
“I am theattentiveness
living Bread and that quiet
came downjoy. Infrom many of these
heaven. petitions
If anyone eatswe are
of this
prayinghefor
bread, very
will concrete
live forever.human needs:
This bread is for
mythe overall
flesh, which welfare
I willand
giveunity of
for the
ourof
life churches;
the world. for our
I telllocal
youparish andunless
the truth, the people
you in eatit;the
forflesh
religious
of theand Soncivil
of
leaders like our bishops and priests as well
Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my fleshas our national and local
political
and drinks leaders as we has
my blood are commanded
eternal life, and to do in the
I will Bible
raise him(1 up
Timothy
on the 2:1-3);
last
for an end to every war and all strife between nations
day. For my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. Whoever eats and peoples; for good
weather
my fleshand andadequate
drinks my food; forlives
blood thoseinwho me, are
andsick andinsuffering;
I live him. Justfor assafe
the
travel; and for our deliverance from distress, danger
living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who eats and want. We end by
entrusting
of me will“ourselves
live because and ofone
me. another
This is and our whole
the bread that camelife todown
Christfrom our
God”
heaven. before
Yourpraising the Holy
forefathers Trinity.and died, but he who eats this bread
ate manna
will live forever." Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in
WHY DO WE
Capernaum” SAY
(John “LORD, HAVE MERCY” SO OFTEN IN THE LITURGY?
6:51-59).
The short answer is: because we take the words of the Bible seriously as a
model for our prayer, whether we’re praying together as a community or
personally. “Lord, have mercy” is based on the cry of the blind man sitting
25
53
active the
along in oursidelives
of thesoroad
that near
we can Jericho:
become “Jesus,
the Son
living of icons
David, ofhave
His glory
mercythat on
me.” (Luke
we're called18:38);
to be? the cry of the 10 lepers for healing: “Jesus, Master, have
mercy on us.” (Luke 17:13); and the prayer of the tax collector in the parable
that the Lord Jesus REMEMBERING
told “to some OURwho ARCHBISHOP
were confident …. of their own
righteousness and looked down on everyone The leadership
else” about officetheoftaxbishop
collector is
and the Pharisee: “God, have mercy mentioned in the Bible
on me, a sinner.” (Luke by St. Paul
18:14). “Lord, (1
have mercy” is a prayer that engenders Timothy humility,
3:1-7; Philippians
enables us1:1). to seeIn
remembering
ourselves more clearly - and therefore be less harsh and judgmental of our local Archbishop,
others. we are reminded that we are part of
the Church as a whole, in this country
“Keep yourselves in God’s love and as you waitthe
around forworld.
the mercy of our
The Orthodox
Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal
Church is, in somelife.”ways,
(Jude a1:21)
family of
Churches that share the same faith
COMMEMORATINGand ….ALL THE SAINTS
sacramental life. It is composed
Throughout the Liturgy we are asked to
primarily of fourteen autocephalous (or self-governing) “commemorate…all the saints”
Churches:
beginning with “the Theotokos and ever-virgin
Constantinople, Moscow, Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Georgia, Mary” and her “yes”
Serbia,to
God’s planBulgaria,
Romania, for her life (Luke 1:38);
Greece, Cyprus, andAlbania,
then, likePoland,
all of them, to commit
the Czech “our
Republic
whole life to Christ our God.” The saints are those
and Slovakia. Among these, in accordance with the canons of several men and women who,
throughout the
Ecumenical centuries
Councils, the and in every
Patriarch culture, have loved
of Constantinople God and
(in modern borne
Istanbul,
witness to
Turkey) the Good
is ranked Newsamong
as "first of Jesus Christ Every
equals." in the bishop
power of the Holy
is equal; Spirit,
however,
and remained
some bishopsfaithfulhold atocertain
Him topre-eminence,
the end, often atare thethe
costchairmen
of their own of lives.
their
They are people who have been transformed by their
respective synods of bishops and have special responsibilities. In the Unitedfaith and truly are the
"real deal"
States, as Christians.
the Greek Orthodox They are men and
Archbishop women
of New York,from whoeveryservesgeneration
under the
who have been canonized, i.e. set up as models of
Patriarch of Constantinople, holds this primacy of responsibility. Within what it means to truly
the
follow Christ and be faithful to Him, seeking and striving
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America of which we are a part, in addition for His kingdom
as the
to their first priority in
Archdiocesan life (Matthew
District of New6:33).York, there are eight Metropolises in the
U.S. (territories based around a large city; metropolis is a Greek word
“To know the saints is to deepen our relationship with
meaning "mother city"): Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, New
their Master and ours—the Lord Jesus.”
Jersey, Pittsburgh and San Francisco. Together they form a governing synod
of bishops,
When we speak chaired by thePeter
of Saints Archbishop
and Paul ofand
New theYork, under
apostles, the auspices
Saints Katherine, of
the Patriarchate
Irene and Barbara of Constantinople
the martyrs, (locatedSaints in the modern
Basil, city of Istanbul,
John Chrysostom and
Turkey). However, Orthodox Christians – while
Nektarios the bishops, we are speaking of people who chose to live honoring and continually
praying
their for our
lives in spiritual
complete leaders – must always
dedication to God, bearnever
in mind that it is Christ
betraying their
Himself who
innermost is the and
beliefs only striving
true Head to of
livethewith
Church (Ephesians
integrity and 5:23) and the
honesty, no
chief
matterShepherd
what the of our
cost.souls ( 1 Peterthe
To know 5:4).
saints is to deepen our relationship
with their Master and ours—the Lord Jesus.
22
64
WHY DO WE “COMMEMORATET”HE THELORD
VIRGIN’S PRAYER
MARY AND CALL HER THEOTOKOS?
The Lord's Prayer is prayed not only during the celebration of the Divine
Liturgy, but at every sacrament and service of prayer in the life of the
Church. It should also be part of our personal discipline of prayer on a daily
basis. It is important to say that this is the Lord's Prayer: it is the prayer of the
Son of God Himself given to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount as
recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. All too often we say the Lord's Prayer
by rote, without thinking about what the words we're saying really mean.
But according to the ancient North African Christian writer Tertullian (160-
220AD), it is a "summary of the whole Gospel." In the words of this prayer
are contained the height, breadth and depth of the Gospel and the purpose
and meaning of our lives: that we are called to be the beloved children of the
one, true and living God, the Creator of the universe who has loved
everything – from hummingbirds to galaxies – into existence.
The Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Messiah, our Savior and King,
By the words, "Our Father" the Lord Jesus teaches us to pray not merely as
the Mother of the Lord Jesus, the Theotokos or Mother of God. The
individuals but as members of His community, the Church. St. Paul writes:
theological significance of this title for Mary lies in the fact that in the
"because we have received adoption as God's children, God has sent the
womb of this teen-aged Jewish girl the Word of God, who was with
Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out Abba, Father!" (Galatians 4:5-6).
God and was God from all eternity, and through whom all things
Through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, Christians joyfully address the God who
were created, became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-3, 14).
created the universe with stunning intimacy, as our Father. "Hallowed" is
Theotokos as a title for the Virgin Mary is found in ancient Christian
the old English word meaning "to make holy" or "to sanctify." How do we
writings and is used for the first time in surviving documents by an
sanctify God's holy name? We sanctify God's name by how we live our
early Christian scholar named Origen (185-254AD). Theotokos was
lives as believers, by being holy ourselves. The words “Thy Kingdom
officially proclaimed as a title to be used by Christians to describe the
Virgin Mary Theatpurpose
the Third Ecumenical
of life cannot be Council held in
found in what the ancient city
I want.
of Ephesus in 431AD.
It can be found only in what God wants.
WHERE DOES
come” should THEmake
WORD us “AMEN” COME FROM AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The wordbecause
tremble "Amen" here
is an ancient
we Hebrew word used throughout the Liturgy.
It is always
pray for thean affirmation
end of theof the certainty and truth of what has just been
said. Most simply,
world and the coming it meansof "Yes!" Amen is our "Yes" to God. The Hebrew
root four
the meanshorsemen
"to be firm,ofconfirmed,
the to be reliable." We find the word “amen”
used by the apostle
Apocalypse to end two of his letters (Romans 15:33; Galatians
Paul6:1-
(Revelation
8). We pray for the Last
"…in saying ‘Amen!’ our whole life and being are
Judgment (Matthew 25:30-
engaged in an act of faith and ardent trust."
23
75
 6:18); and it is the very last word of the Bible, closing it like a seal: "The grace
of our
the vision
Lord contained
Jesus Christ
in thebe words
with of youtheall.
Creed.
Amen!" In the(Revelation
end, we 22:21).
are what Thus,
we
when
believe.we say amen, we are expressing our assent and confirming that
which is said in the Scriptures and the Liturgy as being true and the
“Ifoundation
T IS PROPER AND on which
RIGHTwe …WORSHIP
TObuild YOUFather
our lives. IN ALLLev PLACESGillet YOUR DOMINION
OFwrites that "…in ”
What is‘Amen!’
saying worship? ourWhy
whole is life
it important?
and being In areEnglish,
engagedthe words
in an act of“worship”
faith and
and “worth”
ardent trust." have
To say the same
this word root. We
is to worship
reaffirm ourwhatever
commitment is of ultimate
to Christ.value
to us. Orthodox Christians believe that worship of the one, true and living
God is our highest calling WHAT as human ANTIPHONS
ARE THEbeings and gives? our lives meaning,
Structurally,
purpose andthe Great Litany
direction. or Litanyworship
True worship, of Peaceinisthe followed by what
Holy Spirit, most
happens
Liturgy
when – asbooks call “the
the Lord Antiphons”:
Jesus commandsain series of verseson
the Sermon from the Bible
the Mount thatput
– we on
Sundays
God and aretheusually,
seeking although
of His Kingdom not always,as ourdrawn from Psalms
first priority, above103 and 146
anyone or
and sungelse.
anything by aWorship
chanter, each verseGod
is to love thenwith
followed by amind,
all of our refrainallthat
ourwas to all
heart, be
sungstrength
our by the congregation
and all our soul as a(Mark
whole.12:30).
TheFortwothisrefrains
reason,are: “Through
worship the
should
intercessions
not be thought ofof Theotokos,
themerely part of life.
as aSavior, saveReal
us” worship
and “Save us, O
is the Son ofof
offering God,
the
whole
risen from
of ourthe dead,
lives we sing tothat
– everything You:we Alleluia!”
are and everything that we have – to
God. In this sense, worship is more than simply going to Church for
We are called
Liturgy to praise
on Sunday God in everything
mornings. It is a way thatof lifewe– asay and everything
lifestyle of complete that
andwe
do, by the to
total surrender content
God, of our character
a burning desireand to dothe His
quality
willof inour lives.
every facet of
one’s life – that is nurtured by the Liturgy.
“PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL...” (PSALM 146:1)
In the
We goLiturgy
to Church we constantly
to participate praise the Liturgy,
in the Name ofsettingthe Lord. AllaChristians
apart specific timeare
to “proclaim
each week to the offerpraises
ourselvesof Himto God who incalled you out of
love, gratitude anddarkness into His
joy for what He
marvelous
has done for us; (1
light” andPeter 2:9). Praising
in return, at eachGod is notwe
Liturgy simply onethe
attend, thing
giftthat
of we
the
do among
Holy Spirit is many
renewedothers;
in us is everything!
it and we receive We theare
giftscalled
of thetoBodypraise
andGodBlood in
everything
of His beloved that Sonwe say
Jesusand everything
Christ to nurturethat His
we do,life by theso
in us, content
that we of can
our
charactermore
become and the quality of
Christ-like: moreour loving,
lives. Inmore
this sense,
patient, praise
moreand worship are
compassionate
not merely
towards something
others, more we occasionally
forgiving, moredo on Sunday
grateful, moremornings:
peaceful, itmoreis a
lifestyle, more
faithful, an entire wayIn
joyful. oftheliving that expresses
Liturgy, we are calledour commitment to Christ.
to be transformed, to
Worshiplike
become “inthe Spirit
Godandwhom in Truth”
we worship.(John In 4:24)
ouralways
Tradition, implies integrity,
this process is
commitment
called theosis, and a Greekcompassion
word that in means
our day-to-day
“becoming living. As Metropolitan
like God.” We are to
Anthonywhat
become Bloom we(1914-2003)
worship. once remarked, Christians “should try to live
in such a way that if the Gospels were lost, they could be re-written by
looking at us.”

20
86
 THE HYMN “O THENLY H-BEGOTTEN
OLY SPIRITS INONTHEAND LITURGY
WORD OF GOD…”
The Divine Liturgy is a charismatic, The second Antiphon is followed by
Pentecostal event – an event in which thethesinging of a kind of mini-Creed,
Holy Spirit makes the Risen and Living the hymn ‘Only-begotten Son and
Christ present among us. In the Liturgy, Word of God…’ The opening words
all things are accomplished by ofGod this hymn are taken from John 1:14,
through Christ in the Spirit. Where18the and John 3:16. It is an excellent
Spirit is, there is Christ; and where Christ summary of the essentials of the
is, there is the Spirit. Christ is present in Christian
the faith in the Holy Trinity, the
Divine Liturgy by the power and presence one God in three Persons—Father,
of the Holy Spirit, making the Eucharist Son and Holy Spirit—and in the
the source and summit of the Christian incarnation, life, whatcrucifixion
St. Maximos and the
Confessor
resurrection (580-662AD)
of Christ Jesus, calledwho"theismystery
the immortal
of mysteries."
and eternalAndWord whenof weGod are
receiving
made fleshthe inBody
the womband Bloodof the Theotokos
of Christ and in Holyever-Virgin
Communion, Mary. we Wellareworth
also
participating
learning by heart, in what
this hymnSt. Pauldatesand from thethetext
sixthofcenturythe Liturgy
and is attributed
calls "the
by
communion
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Holy Spirit" liturgical scholars 13:14).
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entering on the
day
Church of Pentecost,
from the at narthex,
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Liturgy.
of the building, together
with the laity.
...SEND UPON US DIVINE GRACE AND THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT...
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NTRANCE and” be in
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God means (1921-1983)
that no matter wrote:who "Wewe meetaretheorexpression
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with the
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to Himself sopractice, that we can this
entrance is
become, byabove all thelike
His grace, Entrance
Him in with the Gospels,
every possible i.e. way. theGod
solemn carrying
is good, of
holy,
the Gospelmerciful,
righteous, book outtrue, fromforgiving,
and then back loving into
andthecompassionate
altar area through – and thewe,royal
as
doors.
baptized In several manuscripts
Christians, are given it isthe
evengift called 'the Entrance
of the Holy Spirit withsothethat Gospels.'
these
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qualities entrance consists
theblossom in us. St.inPaul
drawingwrites, near
"Theto thefruitaltar, which
of the was,
Spirit is from
love,
the
joy,beginning, the focus
peace, patience, of the Temple,
kindness, generosity, its holy place. Therefore
faithfulness, gentleness the entrance,
and self-
this (Galatians
drawing
control" near to 5:22).
theDoes
altar, this
is always
describe an ascent.
us? Are Inwe it the Churchand
generous ascends
gentle,to
the
kindplaceand where
loving,her genuine
patient “life is hidden
and joyful? Have we with Christthe
allowed in Holy
God”Spirit(Colossians
to be
21
97
3:3).
are the
Shebonds
ascends of mutual
to heaven love
where
andthe forgiveness
Eucharistthat
is celebrated.
bind Christians
The Eucharist
together. is
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alwayscustomary
a goinggreeting
out from is “Christ
'this world'
is in our
andmidst”
an ascent and totheHeaven.
responseAll is “He
our
is
worship
and will services
alwaystherefore,
be!” are an ascent to the altar and a return back to 'this
world' for us to bear witness to “what no eye has seen nor ear heard, nor the
heart of man conceived, what CONFESSING THE CREED
God has prepared for those who love Him” (1
Do you know
Corinthians 2:9).”what you believe? The Creed is a brief summary of the
essentials of the Christian faith. Every Sunday, millions of Orthodox
Christians around the world BOOKthe
THErecite THE GOSPELS
OFCreed. When we say the Creed, do
Adorned
we realizeinwhatgold aorremarkable
silver out ofthing
reverence andwe’re
it is that kept on the altar,
doing? Do we it contains
realize
only the
how four Gospels:
different this makes Matthew,
us from Mark, Luke, around
the world and John. us?It In
is a sacramental
society that
embodiment
celebrates of Christ and
individuality above in the Liturgy
all else we are and is kissed
doing and treated
something together likeasana
icon of Christ,in
community; anan iconagewritten
where in words, not paint.ofTraditionally,
the avoidance commitment thehas
Entrance
been
with the Gospels
elevated is said
to a virtue, webyare
St. Nicholas
pledgingCabasilas
ourselves (1322-1391),
to a verytospecific
represent setthe
of
entrance of and
convictions Christto into
one the world.
another; in The Entrance
a culture that hymn sungnovelty,
celebrates by the we clergy,
are
taken from
using words Psalm
written95:6,long
professes
ago; what our responseconsumerist
in a throwaway, ought to be toworld the Lordwe
Jesus:
preserve“Come let us worship
the tradition of theand bowthat
“faith downwasbefore
onceChrist.” The centrality
for all delivered of
to the
the Gospels
saints” (Jude in3) the Liturgytwo
for nearly of the Word and
millennia; in atheir placement
society where the on accepted
the altar
signifies
wisdomthat Christfrom
changes is theminute
center toof the Church
minute, weand
insistthat Christ
that some ought
truths to are
be the
so
center
critical of
thatour lives.
they It ischange
do not throughand themust
Gospels that we over
be repeated comeand to know who
over again.
Christ
Reciting is. the
As St. Tikhon
Creed of Zadonsk
during the Liturgy (1724-1783) wrote:cultural
is a counter "Whenever act andyou goes
read
the Gospel,
against the Christ
grain of Himself
many isofspeaking
the values to you. And espoused
currently while you by read, you are
American
praying
society. and talking to Him."

We believe that our THEGod TRISAGION

is the one OR THRICE
God HOLYinHthe
revealed YMN book of Genesis as
the
Whatutterly
does transcendent
it mean for us creator of this
to sing everything,
ancient both
hymnvisible andGod
and call invisible
thrice-–
holy?whales
from First, it and
signifies
starsthat the God whom
to mountains we worship is from
and grasshoppers, completely,
photons totally
and
quarks to black
and utterly holes andThe
transcendent. angelic
one, hosts – and
true and thatGod
living in Jesus Christ
stands we the
outside are
able to address
created universeHim withand
of time intimacy
space as our Father.it.We
we know believe
Because of that
this Jesus
we can is
the Christ,
never fully the
graspMessiah awaited
the divine by ancient
Reality and must Israel, the only-begotten
approach God in worship and
unique Son of
with a sense ofGod, of theand
reverence sameawe.essence
God is, as as
thetheFather, being
Liturgy willfully
laterdivine;
say in
and
one yet,
of itsin prayers,
taking flesh from thebeyond
“ineffable, Virgin comprehension,
Mary, becoming invisible,
fully human. We
beyond
believe that in the
understanding, Wordforever
existing of Godandbecoming
alwayshuman
the same, and being
You andcrucified
Your only-for
our salvation,
begotten Son andwe have
Your been
Holy set free from
Spirit.” sin;
In fact, St.and
JohninChrysostom
His rising fromwrote thea
dead, death has
book entitled Onbeen
the Incomprehensibility
conquered by Godofand Godthein possibility
which some of of
eternal
theselife in
very
His kingdom
phrases are used“that
towill have no
describe end”
God. Foristhis
now open to
reason, theus.
oneWeGod,
believe
ourthat the
Father,
Holy Spiritshould
is not and is alsonever
divinebeand proceeds
pictured as anonly from the Father
old, white-bearded manandsitting
is to on
be
18
10
8
a throne. Whenever
worshipped by us together
this occurs
withintheart,
Father
evenandin so-called
the Son. Christian
We believe art,
initthe
is
Church, theidolatrous
completely community and
of wrong.
believersYet,
thatthis
theutterly
apostletranscendent
Paul says isand
the Body
holy
of Christ and which the Creed describes as one, holy, catholic and apostolic
– as“human
possessing beings and angels
the fullness of faithform
and one
openChurch and
to all; as onerooted
being choir.” in the
teaching of the apostles and sent out into the world to proclaim the truth of
God, the Creator of the universe whom we cannot even begin to
God’s love for the human race. We believe in the necessity of the sacrament
comprehend, has chosen to reveal Himself to us as complete and total
of baptism for the forgiveness of our sins and to fully participate in the
Love, Truth, Light and Life in the person of Jesus, the “Christ in whom the
death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-11).
fullness of the Deity dwelt in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). Second, because
the Trisagion is based on the hymn of the angels heard by Isaiah the prophet
We believe that Christ will come once again and that the entire human race
(Isaiah 6:3), St Nicholas Cabasilas (1322-1392) says that in singing the
– both those who are alive and those who are dead – will be under His
Trisagion during the Liturgy “human beings and angels form one Church
judgment for how they have lived (Matthew 25:31-46; Romans 2:6). We look
and one choir.” During the celebration of the Liturgy, heaven and earth
forward to that day when Christ will return in glory and eagerly await the
intersect and our worship here becomes an icon of the worship going on
resurrection of all the dead, and the life of the age to come, that time “which
around the throne of God in heaven (Revelation 4:1-10). Third, to call God
no eye has seen nor ear heard, nor has the human mind even conceived,
thrice-holy implies His absolute purity. For us this carries moral
what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
connotations, for “Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil and You cannot
tolerate wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13). The holiness of God demands repentance:
the cleansing and purification of one’s mind and heart, and the consecration
The Creed is a summary of how
of one’s life in love to Him. In the Old Testament, God said to the people of
we as Christians view God, the
Israel through Moses, “Be holy because I, the Lord Your God, am holy”
world and ourselves. It is, in fact,
(Leviticus 19:2) prior to issuing the commandment to “love your neighbor as
a very specific view of the world,
yourself” (19:18). And in the Sermon on the Mount, after the Lord Jesus tells
a worldview that constitutes the
us to love even our enemies, He concludes by issuing, in essence, the same
lens through which we are to see
challenge: “Be perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect”
everything and the structure by
(Matthew 5:48). This call by God for us to share in and reflect His holiness is
which we frame our thoughts,
the fundamental axiom of the Christian life. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta
experiences and ideas. What we
(1910-1997) has said, “As Christians, we have been created for great things.
believe about the relationship
We have been created to be holy since we have been created in the image of
between God and humanity, sin,
God.”
redemption and forgiveness,
good and evil, heaven and hell, as well as our responsibilities in this life, will
THE EPISTLE READING
affect what we do and determine how we live. For an Orthodox Christian
The word "epistle" simply means "letter." Such Scripture readings are also
to simply say the Creed by rote, without understanding what these words
sometimes called "the apostolic reading." Based on a lectionary - an order of
imply for our lives, is to stumble through life as if blindfolded, unable to see
readings - that was established in the 7th century, during the course of the
reality as it truly is. When we say “I believe” we are affirming that we see
year the Church reads the writings of the Apostles in the order in which
things as they really are and that we have a personal responsibility to live
11
19
9
they are found in the New Testament. We start realityat Pascha
of with angels
the Acts from
of
the Apostles written by St. Luke the Evangelist beginning
as a companionto end, volume from
to
his Gospel. It is the earliest history of the Church Genesisand tells
to the thestory Book
of howof
the Good News of the Resurrection of Christ Revelation.
traveled fromWhatJerusalem
are angels? to
Rome itself, the center of the Empire, and Thefocuses
word “angel”
primarily is aon Greek
the
missionary preaching and teaching of the Apostles word Peterthat and Paul.means After
Pentecost we read from the Letters of St. Paul, “messenger.”
more or less inAngels the orderare of
their length, beginning with his Letter to the Romans, purely spiritual
and thenbeings the Letters
that
of the other Apostles: St. James, St. Peter, St. John often and St.
serve
Jude. Thisas takes God’s
us
to the beginning of Lent and during Lentmessengers we read theduring Letter critical
to the
Hebrews. In the reading of these letters we are times reminded
in human of thehistory.
Apostles’In
witness to Christ and are called to imitate them thein their
Old willingness
Testament, to offer
the
themselves wholly to the proclamation of the Archangel
Gospel. “Therefore
Michael appears I urge
you, be imitators of me,” the Apostle Paul wrote (1 Corinthians
to the prophet Daniel4:13). (10:13)
and is mentioned again in
THE GOSPEL READING Jude 9 and the Book of
At every Liturgy we read from one of the Revelation (12:7). In the New
four Gospels
Testament, theof Matthew,Gabriel
Archangel Mark,appears
Luke to both Zechariah to announce
and John,
the birth of all of which
his son, John theconvey
Baptistthe(Lukelife,1:10-20); and to Mary the Theotokos
teachings,
to announcecrucifixion
the birth ofand resurrection
her son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 1:26-37). An
from the
angel dead the
comforts of Lord
our Lord
Jesusandin thesavior,
Garden of Gethsemane shortly before
His Christ. (Luke
Jesuscrucifixion But,22:43);
in addition,
and angels theannounce His resurrection to the
Scriptures
women often
who speak
come Histhetomb
to of Gospelandand find it empty (Luke 24:4-7). At the
we sometimes
Second Coming, forget that theofGospel
the Gospel Matthew itself(25:31) tells us that the Lord will be
is a message
escorted and
by “all thenot merely a collection
angels.”
of books: in fact, it is the most important
message in history. The word THE SGospel THE CROSS
IGN OF derives from the Old English “God-
spell,” meaning in more modern The SignEnglish,
of the Cross “goodisnews.”
one of Christianity’s
It is a translation most
of
the Greek word evangelion ancient customs.
that is used inItthe is New
a sign of blessing
Testament and and
the
an evangelion was
Liturgy. In ancient times commitment to theoften Crucified Lord. A
a proclamation simple
of victory
in battle: a herald proclaimed custom, theit good
is a statement
news thatofthe Christian
war was faith which
over, the
emperor was victorious, incorporates
the enemy had thebeenentire body. and
defeated Likethe manycity ancient
and its
people had been savedcustoms, it has been
from calamity and donecertainindestruction.
a variety ofItways is a
proclamation to be celebrated! over the
Onecenturies.
thinks of the Current Orthodox
relief and joy found Christian
in old
practice,
photos on used by allof
the faces since the 17th
the men andcentury,
women involves
in Timescombining the thumb,
Square celebrating the
pointer and middle
end of World War II.finger
For us, while placing
the Good the ring
News finger
is that in JesusandChrist
the pinky
“the
12
16
10
Word of
against palm.(John
theGod” 1:14) and
The unity of the“the
threeKing
fingers
of kings
represents
and the
Lord unity
of lords”
of the
(Revelation 17:14), the
undivided Trinity: Father,
GodSonof and
Abraham,
Holy Spirit,
Isaac three
and Jacob
persons (Acts
but 3:13),
one God.has
become
The twohuman
fingersandpressed
been victorious
against theover palmsin,represent
evil and death;
the two having
natures
“diedof
to
Christ:
sin once
human and(Romans
for all” divine. 6:10)
It indicates
and rising
our from
beliefthe
in Jesus,
dead, who
He has is both
delivered
fully
us
God from
andour
fully
mortality.
human.Death,
Our motion,
for us, of
hascourse,
now become
recalls the
a Passover
cross: forehead,
to what
the
stomach,
Gospelright
of John
shoulder
calls “eternal
and leftlife” (John 3:16).
shoulder, but also the God who is Trinity:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As one moves through the sign, one recites, at
“…there
the are 98“In
forehead, quotations
the namefrom theFather”;
of the Old Testament and 114“and
at the navel, quotations from
of the Son”;
and acrossthethe
New Testament
shoulders, “andwoven into
of the theSpirit,
Holy prayers of the Liturgy.”
Amen.” It is as if to say “I
love you Lord with all of my mind (forehead), with all my soul (navel),
PRAYING THE BIBLE IN THE LITURGY
with all my strength (right shoulder) and with all my heart (left shoulder).”
Orthodox Christians are not merely to read the Bible; we are also to pray the
Done at various time as a sign of reverence, it is traditionally made before
Bible. This takes place most clearly and completely in the Liturgy of St. John
kissing an icon or the Gospel book; and during the Liturgy, whenever the
Chrysostom on a Sunday to Sunday basis. Yes, there are two readings
Holy Trinity or the Virgin Mary is mentioned; before and after the Gospel is
from the New Testament during the Liturgy – an Epistle reading from one
read; when lighting candles and during the Creed. In short, few actions are
of the Letters of the apostles Paul, Peter, James and John or other
so simple and yet symbolize so much of our Christian life.
apostolic writings; and a Gospel reading from one of the four evangelists –
but we pray the Lord’s Prayer and also sing
FOR A CHRISTIAN END TO OUR LIVES...
verses from the Book of Psalms. In the priest’s
This is a petition prayed at every Liturgy. The Liturgy confronts us with the
blessing, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
fact that death is something that awaits all of us. As Orthodox Christians,
and the love of God the Father and the
we understand earthly death to be an encounter with the Risen Christ and
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you
the door to what the Lord Jesus calls “eternal life” (John 3:16). For believers,
all,” we hear St. Paul’s final farewell to the
death is not the end but a new beginning. Because of the resurrection of the
Church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 13:13); and in
Lord Jesus from the dead, Christians – as St. Paul wrote – know that “to die
the choir’s singing of “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord
is gain” (Philippians 1:22) and “do not grieve as others do who have no
God of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of
hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Indeed, “here we have no lasting city but are
Your glory,” we hear the song of the angelic cherubim first heard by the
looking for the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14).
Old Testament prophet Isaiah in the Temple in Jerusalem (Isaiah 6:1-5). The
prayers of the Liturgy are full of biblical imagery and shot through with
THE KISS OF PEACE
hundreds of Biblical quotes. In fact, the late French Orthodox theologian,
The Kiss of Peace is one of the oldest liturgical customs of the Church, as St.
Paul Evdokimov (1902-1970), once calculated that there are 98 quotations
Paul reveals in his letters: “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Romans
from the Old Testament and 114 quotations from the New Testament
16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12). St. Cyril of Jerusalem, writing
woven into the prayers of the Liturgy. The language of the Liturgy is the
in the 4th century, discusses the exchange of the kiss of peace in his
language of the Bible! To come to Liturgy attentively is to learn to pray the
Catechetical Orations. This kiss, he says, is not an ordinary kiss but a “kiss of
Bible!
love,” and a “holy kiss” by which we demonstrate that the source of our
love for one another is the love of God, and that Christ and the Holy Spirit
17
13
11
“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.”

But more than this: the priesthood, the vestments, the altar, the tabernacle,
the oil lamps, the incense, and so much else of the Church’s structures for
worship are taken directly from the Old Testament, particularly from the
books of Exodus, Leviticus and the Psalms – and, as the New Testament
Letter to the Hebrews teaches, all of these ancient elements of worship in the
Temple and the synagogue which we still use to this day in the Liturgy,
have now been brought to fulfillment in the life and teaching, crucifixion
and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, always pointing to Him.

THE GREAT ENTRANCE

Following the censing of the
interior of the Church by the
celebrating clergy, the Great
Entrance is the solemn
procession during which the
gifts of bread and wine are
carried by the clergy from
the special side altar (called
the Prothesis) where the gifts
have been prepared before
the beginning of Liturgy to
the main altar of the Church.

WHY DO WE USE INCENSE IN OUR WORSHIP? BECAUSE IT’S BIBLICAL!

Incense has always been intimately connected with worship in the Bible.
Both in the Tabernacle during their wandering in the desert for 40 years,

“…the offering of incense represents the prayers of the saints

ascending before Him (Revelation 5:8; 8:4).

and later in the Temple in Jerusalem, God commanded the people of Israel
to offer incense in the morning and in the evening as part of their daily
worship of Him (Exodus 30:7-8; Psalm 141:2); and in Malachi, the last book
14
12
of the Old Testament, it is prophesied that there will come a time when
incense will be offered to the Name of the Lord even among the Gentiles
(Malachi 1:11). And in the very last book of the Bible, the Apostle John
describes the use of incense as
an integral part of the worship
of God in His heavenly
Kingdom, and that the offering
of incense represents the
prayers of the saints ascending
before Him (Revelation 5:8; 8:4).

WHERE DOES THE WORD “ALLELUIA” COME FROM AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
One of several ancient Hebrew words found in the Liturgy, “Alleluia”
literally means “Praise God” and in the Scriptures is found primarily in the
Old Testament Book of Psalms, where it is used 24 times in Psalms 104, 111-
117 and 145-150. It is also found four times in chapter 19 of the Book of
Revelation where it is the word of praise and worship used by all creation
“for the wedding of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7). Meant to be a joyful word
of thanksgiving and praise, it is sung throughout the Liturgy: with verses
from the Psalms after the Epistle reading; just before the Gospel is read; at
the end of the Cherubic Hymn during the Great Entrance; and as part of
the normal Sunday Communion hymn taken from Psalm 148:1. In our
Church Alleluia is also sung during Lent and Holy Week as well as at
funerals and memorial services.

ANGELS IN THE BIBLE AND THE LITURGY

For an angel of peace…One of the things we pray for at every Liturgy is for
an angel to guard us and guide us. Each of us has been given a guardian
angel. It is about our guardian angels that the Lord Jesus spoke when He
admonished His disciples not to “look down” on children, “for I tell you
that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven”
(Matthew 18:10-11). And during Baptism, the celebrating priest prays
specifically that an angel of light be assigned to the child being baptized.

The Liturgy speaks over and over again about the reality of angels and
archangels, the cherubim and the seraphim. The Scriptures witness to the
15
13
they are found in the New Testament. We start realityat Pascha
of with angels
the Acts from
of
the Apostles written by St. Luke the Evangelist beginning
as a companionto end, volume from
to
his Gospel. It is the earliest history of the Church Genesisand tells
to the thestory Book
of howof
the Good News of the Resurrection of Christ Revelation.
traveled fromWhatJerusalem
are angels? to
Rome itself, the center of the Empire, and Thefocuses
word “angel”
primarily is aon Greek
the
missionary preaching and teaching of the Apostles word Peterthat and Paul.means After
Pentecost we read from the Letters of St. Paul, “messenger.”
more or less inAngels the orderare of
their length, beginning with his Letter to the Romans, purely spiritual
and thenbeings the Letters
that
of the other Apostles: St. James, St. Peter, St. John often and St.
serve
Jude. Thisas takes God’s
us
to the beginning of Lent and during Lentmessengers we read theduring Letter critical
to the
Hebrews. In the reading of these letters we are times reminded
in human of thehistory.
Apostles’In
witness to Christ and are called to imitate them thein their
Old willingness
Testament, to offer
the
themselves wholly to the proclamation of the Archangel
Gospel. “Therefore
Michael appears I urge
you, be imitators of me,” the Apostle Paul wrote (1 Corinthians
to the prophet Daniel4:13). (10:13)
and is mentioned again in
THE GOSPEL READING Jude 9 and the Book of
At every Liturgy we read from one of the Revelation (12:7). In the New
four Gospels
Testament, theof Matthew,Gabriel
Archangel Mark,appears
Luke to both Zechariah to announce
and John,
the birth of all of which
his son, John theconvey
Baptistthe(Lukelife,1:10-20); and to Mary the Theotokos
teachings,
to announcecrucifixion
the birth ofand resurrection
her son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 1:26-37). An
from the
angel dead the
comforts of Lord
our Lord
Jesusandin thesavior,
Garden of Gethsemane shortly before
His Christ. (Luke
Jesuscrucifixion But,22:43);
in addition,
and angels theannounce His resurrection to the
Scriptures
women often
who speak
come Histhetomb
to of Gospelandand find it empty (Luke 24:4-7). At the
we sometimes
Second Coming, forget that theofGospel
the Gospel Matthew itself(25:31) tells us that the Lord will be
is a message
escorted and
by “all thenot merely a collection
angels.”
of books: in fact, it is the most important
message in history. The word THE SGospel THE CROSS
IGN OF derives from the Old English “God-
spell,” meaning in more modern The SignEnglish,
of the Cross “goodisnews.”
one of Christianity’s
It is a translation most
of
the Greek word evangelion ancient customs.
that is used inItthe is New
a sign of blessing
Testament and and
the
an evangelion was
Liturgy. In ancient times commitment to theoften Crucified Lord. A
a proclamation simple
of victory
in battle: a herald proclaimed custom, theit good
is a statement
news thatofthe Christian
war was faith which
over, the
emperor was victorious, incorporates
the enemy had thebeenentire body. and
defeated Likethe manycity ancient
and its
people had been savedcustoms, it has been
from calamity and donecertainindestruction.
a variety ofItways is a
proclamation to be celebrated! over the
Onecenturies.
thinks of the Current Orthodox
relief and joy found Christian
in old
practice,
photos on used by allof
the faces since the 17th
the men andcentury,
women involves
in Timescombining the thumb,
Square celebrating the
pointer and middle
end of World War II.finger
For us, while placing
the Good the ring
News finger
is that in JesusandChrist
the pinky
“the
12
16
14
Word of
against palm.(John
theGod” 1:14) and
The unity of the“the
threeKing
fingers
of kings
represents
and the
Lord unity
of lords”
of the
(Revelation 17:14), the
undivided Trinity: Father,
GodSonof and
Abraham,
Holy Spirit,
Isaac three
and Jacob
persons (Acts
but 3:13),
one God.has
become
The twohuman
fingersandpressed
been victorious
against theover palmsin,represent
evil and death;
the two having
natures
“diedof
to
Christ:
sin once
human and(Romans
for all” divine. 6:10)
It indicates
and rising
our from
beliefthe
in Jesus,
dead, who
He has is both
delivered
fully
us
God from
andour
fully
mortality.
human.Death,
Our motion,
for us, of
hascourse,
now become
recalls the
a Passover
cross: forehead,
to what
the
stomach,
Gospelright
of John
shoulder
calls “eternal
and leftlife” (John 3:16).
shoulder, but also the God who is Trinity:
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As one moves through the sign, one recites, at
“…there
the are 98“In
forehead, quotations
the namefrom theFather”;
of the Old Testament and 114“and
at the navel, quotations from
of the Son”;
and acrossthethe
New Testament
shoulders, “andwoven into
of the theSpirit,
Holy prayers of the Liturgy.”
Amen.” It is as if to say “I
love you Lord with all of my mind (forehead), with all my soul (navel),
PRAYING THE BIBLE IN THE LITURGY
with all my strength (right shoulder) and with all my heart (left shoulder).”
Orthodox Christians are not merely to read the Bible; we are also to pray the
Done at various time as a sign of reverence, it is traditionally made before
Bible. This takes place most clearly and completely in the Liturgy of St. John
kissing an icon or the Gospel book; and during the Liturgy, whenever the
Chrysostom on a Sunday to Sunday basis. Yes, there are two readings
Holy Trinity or the Virgin Mary is mentioned; before and after the Gospel is
from the New Testament during the Liturgy – an Epistle reading from one
read; when lighting candles and during the Creed. In short, few actions are
of the Letters of the apostles Paul, Peter, James and John or other
so simple and yet symbolize so much of our Christian life.
apostolic writings; and a Gospel reading from one of the four evangelists –
but we pray the Lord’s Prayer and also sing
FOR A CHRISTIAN END TO OUR LIVES...
verses from the Book of Psalms. In the priest’s
This is a petition prayed at every Liturgy. The Liturgy confronts us with the
blessing, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
fact that death is something that awaits all of us. As Orthodox Christians,
and the love of God the Father and the
we understand earthly death to be an encounter with the Risen Christ and
communion of the Holy Spirit be with you
the door to what the Lord Jesus calls “eternal life” (John 3:16). For believers,
all,” we hear St. Paul’s final farewell to the
death is not the end but a new beginning. Because of the resurrection of the
Church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 13:13); and in
Lord Jesus from the dead, Christians – as St. Paul wrote – know that “to die
the choir’s singing of “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord
is gain” (Philippians 1:22) and “do not grieve as others do who have no
God of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of
hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Indeed, “here we have no lasting city but are
Your glory,” we hear the song of the angelic cherubim first heard by the
looking for the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14).
Old Testament prophet Isaiah in the Temple in Jerusalem (Isaiah 6:1-5). The
prayers of the Liturgy are full of biblical imagery and shot through with
THE KISS OF PEACE
hundreds of Biblical quotes. In fact, the late French Orthodox theologian,
The Kiss of Peace is one of the oldest liturgical customs of the Church, as St.
Paul Evdokimov (1902-1970), once calculated that there are 98 quotations
Paul reveals in his letters: “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Romans
from the Old Testament and 114 quotations from the New Testament
16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12). St. Cyril of Jerusalem, writing
woven into the prayers of the Liturgy. The language of the Liturgy is the
in the 4th century, discusses the exchange of the kiss of peace in his
language of the Bible! To come to Liturgy attentively is to learn to pray the
Catechetical Orations. This kiss, he says, is not an ordinary kiss but a “kiss of
Bible!
love,” and a “holy kiss” by which we demonstrate that the source of our
love for one another is the love of God, and that Christ and the Holy Spirit
17
13
15
3:3).
are the
Shebonds
ascends of mutual
to heaven love
where
andthe forgiveness
Eucharistthat
is celebrated.
bind Christians
The Eucharist
together. is
The
alwayscustomary
a goinggreeting
out from is “Christ
'this world'
is in our
andmidst”
an ascent and totheHeaven.
responseAll is “He
our
is
worship
and will services
alwaystherefore,
be!” are an ascent to the altar and a return back to 'this
world' for us to bear witness to “what no eye has seen nor ear heard, nor the
heart of man conceived, what CONFESSING THE CREED
God has prepared for those who love Him” (1
Do you know
Corinthians 2:9).”what you believe? The Creed is a brief summary of the
essentials of the Christian faith. Every Sunday, millions of Orthodox
Christians around the world BOOKthe
THErecite THE GOSPELS
OFCreed. When we say the Creed, do
Adorned
we realizeinwhatgold aorremarkable
silver out ofthing
reverence andwe’re
it is that kept on the altar,
doing? Do we it contains
realize
only the
how four Gospels:
different this makes Matthew,
us from Mark, Luke, around
the world and John. us?It In
is a sacramental
society that
embodiment
celebrates of Christ and
individuality above in the Liturgy
all else we are and is kissed
doing and treated
something together likeasana
icon of Christ,in
community; anan iconagewritten
where in words, not paint.ofTraditionally,
the avoidance commitment thehas
Entrance
been
with the Gospels
elevated is said
to a virtue, webyare
St. Nicholas
pledgingCabasilas
ourselves (1322-1391),
to a verytospecific
represent setthe
of
entrance of and
convictions Christto into
one the world.
another; in The Entrance
a culture that hymn sungnovelty,
celebrates by the we clergy,
are
taken from
using words Psalm
written95:6,long
professes
ago; what our responseconsumerist
in a throwaway, ought to be toworld the Lordwe
Jesus:
preserve“Come let us worship
the tradition of theand bowthat
“faith downwasbefore
onceChrist.” The centrality
for all delivered of
to the
the Gospels
saints” (Jude in3) the Liturgytwo
for nearly of the Word and
millennia; in atheir placement
society where the on accepted
the altar
signifies
wisdomthat Christfrom
changes is theminute
center toof the Church
minute, weand
insistthat Christ
that some ought
truths to are
be the
so
center
critical of
thatour lives.
they It ischange
do not throughand themust
Gospels that we over
be repeated comeand to know who
over again.
Christ
Reciting is. the
As St. Tikhon
Creed of Zadonsk
during the Liturgy (1724-1783) wrote:cultural
is a counter "Whenever act andyou goes
read
the Gospel,
against the Christ
grain of Himself
many isofspeaking
the values to you. And espoused
currently while you by read, you are
American
praying
society. and talking to Him."

We believe that our THEGod TRISAGION

is the one OR THRICE
God HOLYinHthe
revealed YMN book of Genesis as
the
Whatutterly
does transcendent
it mean for us creator of this
to sing everything,
ancient both
hymnvisible andGod
and call invisible
thrice-–
holy?whales
from First, it and
signifies
starsthat the God whom
to mountains we worship is from
and grasshoppers, completely,
photons totally
and
quarks to black
and utterly holes andThe
transcendent. angelic
one, hosts – and
true and thatGod
living in Jesus Christ
stands we the
outside are
able to address
created universeHim withand
of time intimacy
space as our Father.it.We
we know believe
Because of that
this Jesus
we can is
the Christ,
never fully the
graspMessiah awaited
the divine by ancient
Reality and must Israel, the only-begotten
approach God in worship and
unique Son of
with a sense ofGod, of theand
reverence sameawe.essence
God is, as as
thetheFather, being
Liturgy willfully
laterdivine;
say in
and
one yet,
of itsin prayers,
taking flesh from thebeyond
“ineffable, Virgin comprehension,
Mary, becoming invisible,
fully human. We
beyond
believe that in the
understanding, Wordforever
existing of Godandbecoming
alwayshuman
the same, and being
You andcrucified
Your only-for
our salvation,
begotten Son andwe have
Your been
Holy set free from
Spirit.” sin;
In fact, St.and
JohninChrysostom
His rising fromwrote thea
dead, death has
book entitled Onbeen
the Incomprehensibility
conquered by Godofand Godthein possibility
which some of of
eternal
theselife in
very
His kingdom
phrases are used“that
towill have no
describe end”
God. Foristhis
now open to
reason, theus.
oneWeGod,
believe
ourthat the
Father,
Holy Spiritshould
is not and is alsonever
divinebeand proceeds
pictured as anonly from the Father
old, white-bearded manandsitting
is to on
be
10
18
16
a throne. Whenever
worshipped by us together
this occurs
withintheart,
Father
evenandin so-called
the Son. Christian
We believe art,
initthe
is
Church, theidolatrous
completely community and
of wrong.
believersYet,
thatthis
theutterly
apostletranscendent
Paul says isand
the Body
holy
of Christ and which the Creed describes as one, holy, catholic and apostolic
– as“human
possessing beings and angels
the fullness of faithform
and one
openChurch and
to all; as onerooted
being choir.” in the
teaching of the apostles and sent out into the world to proclaim the truth of
God, the Creator of the universe whom we cannot even begin to
God’s love for the human race. We believe in the necessity of the sacrament
comprehend, has chosen to reveal Himself to us as complete and total
of baptism for the forgiveness of our sins and to fully participate in the
Love, Truth, Light and Life in the person of Jesus, the “Christ in whom the
death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:3-11).
fullness of the Deity dwelt in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). Second, because
the Trisagion is based on the hymn of the angels heard by Isaiah the prophet
We believe that Christ will come once again and that the entire human race
(Isaiah 6:3), St Nicholas Cabasilas (1322-1392) says that in singing the
– both those who are alive and those who are dead – will be under His
Trisagion during the Liturgy “human beings and angels form one Church
judgment for how they have lived (Matthew 25:31-46; Romans 2:6). We look
and one choir.” During the celebration of the Liturgy, heaven and earth
forward to that day when Christ will return in glory and eagerly await the
intersect and our worship here becomes an icon of the worship going on
resurrection of all the dead, and the life of the age to come, that time “which
around the throne of God in heaven (Revelation 4:1-10). Third, to call God
no eye has seen nor ear heard, nor has the human mind even conceived,
thrice-holy implies His absolute purity. For us this carries moral
what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
connotations, for “Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil and You cannot
tolerate wrong” (Habakkuk 1:13). The holiness of God demands repentance:
the cleansing and purification of one’s mind and heart, and the consecration
The Creed is a summary of how
of one’s life in love to Him. In the Old Testament, God said to the people of
we as Christians view God, the
Israel through Moses, “Be holy because I, the Lord Your God, am holy”
world and ourselves. It is, in fact,
(Leviticus 19:2) prior to issuing the commandment to “love your neighbor as
a very specific view of the world,
yourself” (19:18). And in the Sermon on the Mount, after the Lord Jesus tells
a worldview that constitutes the
us to love even our enemies, He concludes by issuing, in essence, the same
lens through which we are to see
challenge: “Be perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect”
everything and the structure by
(Matthew 5:48). This call by God for us to share in and reflect His holiness is
which we frame our thoughts,
the fundamental axiom of the Christian life. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta
experiences and ideas. What we
(1910-1997) has said, “As Christians, we have been created for great things.
believe about the relationship
We have been created to be holy since we have been created in the image of
between God and humanity, sin,
God.”
redemption and forgiveness,
good and evil, heaven and hell, as well as our responsibilities in this life, will
THE EPISTLE READING
affect what we do and determine how we live. For an Orthodox Christian
The word "epistle" simply means "letter." Such Scripture readings are also
to simply say the Creed by rote, without understanding what these words
sometimes called "the apostolic reading." Based on a lectionary - an order of
imply for our lives, is to stumble through life as if blindfolded, unable to see
readings - that was established in the 7th century, during the course of the
reality as it truly is. When we say “I believe” we are affirming that we see
year the Church reads the writings of the Apostles in the order in which
things as they really are and that we have a personal responsibility to live
19
11
17
 6:18); and it is the very last word of the Bible, closing it like a seal: "The grace
of our
the vision
Lord contained
Jesus Christ
in thebe words
with of youtheall.
Creed.
Amen!" In the(Revelation
end, we 22:21).
are what Thus,
we
when
believe.we say amen, we are expressing our assent and confirming that
which is said in the Scriptures and the Liturgy as being true and the
“Ifoundation
T IS PROPER AND on which
RIGHTwe …WORSHIP
TObuild YOUFather
our lives. IN ALLLev PLACESGillet YOUR DOMINION
OFwrites that "…in ”
What is‘Amen!’
saying worship? ourWhy
whole is life
it important?
and being In areEnglish,
engagedthe words
in an act of“worship”
faith and
and “worth”
ardent trust." have
To say the same
this word root. We
is to worship
reaffirm ourwhatever
commitment is of ultimate
to Christ.value
to us. Orthodox Christians believe that worship of the one, true and living
God is our highest calling WHAT as human ANTIPHONS
ARE THEbeings and gives? our lives meaning,
Structurally,
purpose andthe Great Litany
direction. or Litanyworship
True worship, of Peaceinisthe followed by what
Holy Spirit, most
happens
Liturgy
when – asbooks call “the
the Lord Antiphons”:
Jesus commandsain series of verseson
the Sermon from the Bible
the Mount thatput
– we on
Sundays
God and aretheusually,
seeking although
of His Kingdom not always,as ourdrawn from Psalms
first priority, above103 and 146
anyone or
and sungelse.
anything by aWorship
chanter, each verseGod
is to love thenwith
followed by amind,
all of our refrainallthat
ourwas to all
heart, be
sungstrength
our by the congregation
and all our soul as a(Mark
whole.12:30).
TheFortwothisrefrains
reason,are: “Through
worship the
should
intercessions
not be thought ofof Theotokos,
themerely part of life.
as aSavior, saveReal
us” worship
and “Save us, O
is the Son ofof
offering God,
the
whole
risen from
of ourthe dead,
lives we sing tothat
– everything You:we Alleluia!”
are and everything that we have – to
God. In this sense, worship is more than simply going to Church for
We are called
Liturgy to praise
on Sunday God in everything
mornings. It is a way thatof lifewe– asay and everything
lifestyle of complete that
andwe
do, by the to
total surrender content
God, of our character
a burning desireand to dothe His
quality
willof inour lives.
every facet of
one’s life – that is nurtured by the Liturgy.
“PRAISE THE LORD, O MY SOUL...” (PSALM 146:1)
In the
We goLiturgy
to Church we constantly
to participate praise the Liturgy,
in the Name ofsettingthe Lord. AllaChristians
apart specific timeare
to “proclaim
each week to the offerpraises
ourselvesof Himto God who incalled you out of
love, gratitude anddarkness into His
joy for what He
marvelous
has done for us; (1
light” andPeter 2:9). Praising
in return, at eachGod is notwe
Liturgy simply onethe
attend, thing
giftthat
of we
the
do among
Holy Spirit is many
renewedothers;
in us is everything!
it and we receive We theare
giftscalled
of thetoBodypraise
andGodBlood in
everything
of His beloved that Sonwe say
Jesusand everything
Christ to nurturethat His
we do,life by theso
in us, content
that we of can
our
charactermore
become and the quality of
Christ-like: moreour loving,
lives. Inmore
this sense,
patient, praise
moreand worship are
compassionate
not merely
towards something
others, more we occasionally
forgiving, moredo on Sunday
grateful, moremornings:
peaceful, itmoreis a
lifestyle, more
faithful, an entire wayIn
joyful. oftheliving that expresses
Liturgy, we are calledour commitment to Christ.
to be transformed, to
Worshiplike
become “inthe Spirit
Godandwhom in Truth”
we worship.(John In 4:24)
ouralways
Tradition, implies integrity,
this process is
commitment
called theosis, and a Greekcompassion
word that in means
our day-to-day
“becoming living. As Metropolitan
like God.” We are to
Anthonywhat
become Bloom we(1914-2003)
worship. once remarked, Christians “should try to live
in such a way that if the Gospels were lost, they could be re-written by
looking at us.”

20
8
18
 THE HYMN “O THENLY H-BEGOTTEN
OLY SPIRITS INONTHEAND LITURGY
WORD OF GOD…”
The Divine Liturgy is a charismatic, The second Antiphon is followed by
Pentecostal event – an event in which thethesinging of a kind of mini-Creed,
Holy Spirit makes the Risen and Living the hymn ‘Only-begotten Son and
Christ present among us. In the Liturgy, Word of God…’ The opening words
all things are accomplished by ofGod this hymn are taken from John 1:14,
through Christ in the Spirit. Where18the and John 3:16. It is an excellent
Spirit is, there is Christ; and where Christ summary of the essentials of the
is, there is the Spirit. Christ is present in Christian
the faith in the Holy Trinity, the
Divine Liturgy by the power and presence one God in three Persons—Father,
of the Holy Spirit, making the Eucharist Son and Holy Spirit—and in the
the source and summit of the Christian incarnation, life, whatcrucifixion
St. Maximos and the
Confessor
resurrection (580-662AD)
of Christ Jesus, calledwho"theismystery
the immortal
of mysteries."
and eternalAndWord whenof weGod are
receiving
made fleshthe inBody
the womband Bloodof the Theotokos
of Christ and in Holyever-Virgin
Communion, Mary. we Wellareworth
also
participating
learning by heart, in what
this hymnSt. Pauldatesand from thethetext
sixthofcenturythe Liturgy
and is attributed
calls "the
by
communion
the majority of of
thecontemporary (2 Corinthians
Holy Spirit" liturgical scholars 13:14).
to theInRoman
Orthodoxy, Emperor the
epiclesis
Justinianor(482-565AD),
invocation, the the"calling
man responsible
forth" of the forHoly
the construction
Spirit uponof thethefaithful
Great
and
Church the of
gifts
theofHoly
bread Wisdom
and wine in Constantinople.
being offered, isThis an essential
hymn, whichelement endsin the
Eucharistic
second Antiphon,action, affirming
was originally the factthethat
Entrance
it is onlyHymn in andof the
by theLiturgy,
power asofit
the
still Holy
is today
Spiritinthat
thethe Liturgy
Church of worships,
St. James:lives this and
wasacts. the The
beginning
Churchof is the
Body
Liturgy ofwhen
Christtheandclergy
it is the
came,
Holy notSpirit
fromthat within
constitutes
the Altar, thebutChurch
entering on the
day
Church of Pentecost,
from the at narthex,
every baptism
throughand the main
at every doors
Liturgy.
of the building, together
with the laity.
...SEND UPON US DIVINE GRACE AND THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT...
To have ENTRANCE
THEreceived "divine
WITH THE grace GOSPEL
and the BOOK gift: of
“THEtheLHoly ITTLE ESpirit"
NTRANCE and” be in
Father
communion Alexander
withSchmemann
God means (1921-1983)
that no matter wrote:who "Wewe meetaretheorexpression
whatever
'Little
language Entrance'
we speak (as distinct
or countryfromwe're the Great
from,Entrance)
whether for therich
we're firstortimepoor,in
manuscripts
white, black, of redtheor14th
yellow,century.
God hasWe touched
know that our forlives
a longandtime
filledthis
us Entrance
with the
was the beginning
inexpressible joy ofofHis thelove.
Liturgy.
GodHowever,
has calledin uscontemporary
to Himself sopractice, that we can this
entrance is
become, byabove all thelike
His grace, Entrance
Him in with the Gospels,
every possible i.e. way. theGod
solemn carrying
is good, of
holy,
the Gospelmerciful,
righteous, book outtrue, fromforgiving,
and then back loving into
andthecompassionate
altar area through – and thewe,royal
as
doors.
baptized In several manuscripts
Christians, are given it isthe
evengift called 'the Entrance
of the Holy Spirit withsothethat Gospels.'
these
In essencecan
qualities entrance consists
theblossom in us. St.inPaul
drawingwrites, near
"Theto thefruitaltar, which
of the was,
Spirit is from
love,
the
joy,beginning, the focus
peace, patience, of the Temple,
kindness, generosity, its holy place. Therefore
faithfulness, gentleness the entrance,
and self-
this (Galatians
drawing
control" near to 5:22).
theDoes
altar, this
is always
describe an ascent.
us? Are Inwe it the Churchand
generous ascends
gentle,to
the
kindplaceand where
loving,her genuine
patient “life is hidden
and joyful? Have we with Christthe
allowed in Holy
God”Spirit(Colossians
to be
21
9
19
active the
along in oursidelives
of thesoroad
that near
we can Jericho:
become “Jesus,
the Son
living of icons
David, ofhave
His glory
mercythat on
me.” (Luke
we're called18:38);
to be? the cry of the 10 lepers for healing: “Jesus, Master, have
mercy on us.” (Luke 17:13); and the prayer of the tax collector in the parable
that the Lord Jesus REMEMBERING
told “to some OURwho ARCHBISHOP
were confident …. of their own
righteousness and looked down on everyone The leadership
else” about officetheoftaxbishop
collector is
and the Pharisee: “God, have mercy mentioned in the Bible
on me, a sinner.” (Luke by St. Paul
18:14). “Lord, (1
have mercy” is a prayer that engenders Timothy humility,
3:1-7; Philippians
enables us1:1). to seeIn
remembering
ourselves more clearly - and therefore be less harsh and judgmental of our local Archbishop,
others. we are reminded that we are part of
the Church as a whole, in this country
“Keep yourselves in God’s love and as you waitthe
around forworld.
the mercy of our
The Orthodox
Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal
Church is, in somelife.”ways,
(Jude a1:21)
family of
Churches that share the same faith
COMMEMORATINGand ….ALL THE SAINTS
sacramental life. It is composed
Throughout the Liturgy we are asked to
primarily of fourteen autocephalous (or self-governing) “commemorate…all the saints”
Churches:
beginning with “the Theotokos and ever-virgin
Constantinople, Moscow, Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Georgia, Mary” and her “yes”
Serbia,to
God’s planBulgaria,
Romania, for her life (Luke 1:38);
Greece, Cyprus, andAlbania,
then, likePoland,
all of them, to commit
the Czech “our
Republic
whole life to Christ our God.” The saints are those
and Slovakia. Among these, in accordance with the canons of several men and women who,
throughout the
Ecumenical centuries
Councils, the and in every
Patriarch culture, have loved
of Constantinople God and
(in modern borne
Istanbul,
witness to
Turkey) the Good
is ranked Newsamong
as "first of Jesus Christ Every
equals." in the bishop
power of the Holy
is equal; Spirit,
however,
and remained
some bishopsfaithfulhold atocertain
Him topre-eminence,
the end, often atare thethe
costchairmen
of their own of lives.
their
They are people who have been transformed by their
respective synods of bishops and have special responsibilities. In the Unitedfaith and truly are the
"real deal"
States, as Christians.
the Greek Orthodox They are men and
Archbishop women
of New York,from whoeveryservesgeneration
under the
who have been canonized, i.e. set up as models of
Patriarch of Constantinople, holds this primacy of responsibility. Within what it means to truly
the
follow Christ and be faithful to Him, seeking and striving
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America of which we are a part, in addition for His kingdom
as the
to their first priority in
Archdiocesan life (Matthew
District of New6:33).York, there are eight Metropolises in the
U.S. (territories based around a large city; metropolis is a Greek word
“To know the saints is to deepen our relationship with
meaning "mother city"): Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, New
their Master and ours—the Lord Jesus.”
Jersey, Pittsburgh and San Francisco. Together they form a governing synod
of bishops,
When we speak chaired by thePeter
of Saints Archbishop
and Paul ofand
New theYork, under
apostles, the auspices
Saints Katherine, of
the Patriarchate
Irene and Barbara of Constantinople
the martyrs, (locatedSaints in the modern
Basil, city of Istanbul,
John Chrysostom and
Turkey). However, Orthodox Christians – while
Nektarios the bishops, we are speaking of people who chose to live honoring and continually
praying
their for our
lives in spiritual
complete leaders – must always
dedication to God, bearnever
in mind that it is Christ
betraying their
Himself who
innermost is the and
beliefs only striving
true Head to of
livethewith
Church (Ephesians
integrity and 5:23) and the
honesty, no
chief
matterShepherd
what the of our
cost.souls ( 1 Peterthe
To know 5:4).
saints is to deepen our relationship
with their Master and ours—the Lord Jesus.
22
6
20
WHY DO WE “COMMEMORATET”HE THELORD
VIRGIN’S PRAYER
MARY AND CALL HER THEOTOKOS?
The Lord's Prayer is prayed not only during the celebration of the Divine
Liturgy, but at every sacrament and service of prayer in the life of the
Church. It should also be part of our personal discipline of prayer on a daily
basis. It is important to say that this is the Lord's Prayer: it is the prayer of the
Son of God Himself given to His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount as
recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. All too often we say the Lord's Prayer
by rote, without thinking about what the words we're saying really mean.
But according to the ancient North African Christian writer Tertullian (160-
220AD), it is a "summary of the whole Gospel." In the words of this prayer
are contained the height, breadth and depth of the Gospel and the purpose
and meaning of our lives: that we are called to be the beloved children of the
one, true and living God, the Creator of the universe who has loved
everything – from hummingbirds to galaxies – into existence.
The Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Messiah, our Savior and King,
By the words, "Our Father" the Lord Jesus teaches us to pray not merely as
the Mother of the Lord Jesus, the Theotokos or Mother of God. The
individuals but as members of His community, the Church. St. Paul writes:
theological significance of this title for Mary lies in the fact that in the
"because we have received adoption as God's children, God has sent the
womb of this teen-aged Jewish girl the Word of God, who was with
Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out Abba, Father!" (Galatians 4:5-6).
God and was God from all eternity, and through whom all things
Through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, Christians joyfully address the God who
were created, became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1-3, 14).
created the universe with stunning intimacy, as our Father. "Hallowed" is
Theotokos as a title for the Virgin Mary is found in ancient Christian
the old English word meaning "to make holy" or "to sanctify." How do we
writings and is used for the first time in surviving documents by an
sanctify God's holy name? We sanctify God's name by how we live our
early Christian scholar named Origen (185-254AD). Theotokos was
lives as believers, by being holy ourselves. The words “Thy Kingdom
officially proclaimed as a title to be used by Christians to describe the
Virgin Mary Theatpurpose
the Third Ecumenical
of life cannot be Council held in
found in what the ancient city
I want.
of Ephesus in 431AD.
It can be found only in what God wants.
WHERE DOES
come” should THEmake
WORD us “AMEN” COME FROM AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
The wordbecause
tremble "Amen" here
is an ancient
we Hebrew word used throughout the Liturgy.
It is always
pray for thean affirmation
end of theof the certainty and truth of what has just been
said. Most simply,
world and the coming it meansof "Yes!" Amen is our "Yes" to God. The Hebrew
root four
the meanshorsemen
"to be firm,ofconfirmed,
the to be reliable." We find the word “amen”
used by the apostle
Apocalypse to end two of his letters (Romans 15:33; Galatians
Paul6:1-
(Revelation
8). We pray for the Last
"…in saying ‘Amen!’ our whole life and being are
Judgment (Matthew 25:30-
engaged in an act of faith and ardent trust."
23
7
21
46),
passive
that spectators.
final day when The laity
everycon-celebrate
man, woman with
andthe child
officiating
will stand clergy
before
as
what
baptized
St. Paul
believers
calls “the
anddread
members
judgment of seat
the of "royal
Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10)
priesthood…a peopleto
give
belonging
an account
to God" for(1how
Peterwe2:9).have lived. In saying “Thy will be done” we
recognize that we find meaning for our lives only by doing God's will and
not our own, by serving the Kingdom of God and not the kingdom of
“me.” The purpose of life cannot WHO beWASfound ST.in JOHN
what CHRYSOSTOM
I want. It can? be found
only in what God wants. St. John TheChrysostom
saints of the (347-407
ChurchAD), havethe 4th century
interpreted the
petition for “our daily Patriarch
bread” in of two ways: first, thatwas
Constantinople, we one of the most
are declaring our
total dependence onimportant
God for our saints and Fathers
day-to-day existenceof the
andChurch and is
that whatever
we have to sustain reveredour life isasa agift preacher,
from Him; and second,
teacher and liturgist.
that this isHea
prayer for the Breadwas so well
of Life, known forBread
the Eucharistic his preaching
that is His thatBodyafter
that his
we
death heofwas
will receive in the mystery Holy given (John 6:53-58). Next,
the title Χρυσόστομος,
Communion a word
we
ask God to forgive that us asmeans
we have “the man others
forgiven with “whothe golden mouth.”
have trespassed
against us.” In theDuring Gospelshis (Mark
sermons,11:25; hisMatthew 6:14), Christ
congregation would often
makes it
perfectly clear that burst we cannotinto ask God applause.
for forgiveness Eloquent
unless we and are
prepared to forgive uncompromising,
others. The petition,he spoke
“Lead us out
not forcefully against
into temptation...”
could be wrongly taken political and clerical
to imply that Godcorruption,
Himself tempts the conspicuous
us. Nothing
could be further from consumption
the truth. The of the wealthy,
Scriptures areand for theclear:
absolutely needs of
“No
one, when tempted,the poor
should say,and'I am disenfranchised
being tempted by of God';hisfor day.
God
cannot be tempted by Preaching
evil and He thattempts"feeding
no one.the hungry
Rather, one isistempted
a greaterby
one's own desire" (James work1:13-14).
than raising
We are the dead,"
tempted by he
ourwas ownresponsible
desires: our
egotistical arrogancefor andinitiating
selfishness,ministry to Constantinople's
hatred, cruelty, lust for power, greed,poor,
anger and a host of with
otherthe Church
vices that pull providing
us away meals from God's for several
loving
Presence, forcing us thousand
to sink back people every day.
into ourselves andMore
making than 600 of his
us children of
evil instead of children homilies
of the Godhave who is love (1Although
survived. John 4:8). the Liturgy that
bears his name has changed in a number of details
RECEIVING HOLY Cover OMMUNION : THE BODY
the centuries, it AND BLOODthat
is certain OF THE theSAVIOR
central
prayer of the Eucharistic The Tradition anaphora of - or
theprayer
Churchof
gratitude and offering describes - goesthe back
Eucharist
to him.in many
John
died in 407 AD while ways. It in
still is exile
"the Lord's
for his Supper"
preaching (1
against the excesses Corinthians
and corruption 11:20).of the It imperial
is "the
court. His final words marriage were supper
“Glory of to theGodLamb"
for
everything!” His(Revelation memory 19:9). It is about
is celebrated by
Orthodox Christians communion
on November with 13thGod,each thatyear.
we
may become sons and daughters of
God the Father; that in eating bread
24
4
22
and drinking wine setBapart LESSED and
IS THE KINGDOM
consecrated by…the Holy Spirit we are
participating in the crucified, risen and
The opening glorified Body
proclamation andDivine
of the Blood of Jesus. is
Liturgy It
is about fulfilling the Old theTestament
announcement sacrificesof ofourthedestination
Temple in Jerusalem.
and goal in It
is about partaking in what St.Kingdom
life: the Ignatius of of Antioch
God – and (c.115AD) calledis "the
the Liturgy our
medicine of immortality," which we,
pilgrimage who areHis
toward sick andKingdomdying, needand fora
eternal life. participation in His Kingdom. This announcement
brings out the ultimate choice that the Lord Jesus
Orthodox Christians fully asksparticipate
everyone in to the
make: Do I “seek
celebration of first the Kingdom
the Liturgy when
they receive the Body and of God
Blood andof His righteousness”
the Lord Jesus in Holy (Matthew 6:33)? We
Communion, as
the Lord Himself commands begin (John
the Liturgy by saying,
6:53-54). Because “Blessed
of Christ’s promise is the
of
Kingdom of the Father and the
eternal life for those who eat and drink at “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Corinthians Son and the Holy
Spirit” because following
11:20), frequent preparation Jesus
formeans that we have
and reception of the to Body
set theandKingdom
Blood of
God
Christ as–theathighest
every priority
Liturgy,inifour lives. – is encouraged for all Orthodox
possible
Christians. To receive communion in the Orthodox Church, one must be a
practicing Orthodox Christian. WHAT ISThis THEmeansGREATthat LITANY ?
a person must be Baptized
The
and/orLiturgy is a school
Chrismated in oftheprayer, teaching
Orthodox us how
Church and to pray and what
that one’s beliefsto pray
and
for. The are
lifestyle Great Litany is a with
in accordance seriesthe
of teachings
requests toofGod. The very first thing we
the Church.
pray for in the Great Litany is for “the peace of God that surpasses all
understanding” We truly(Philippians
receive the4:7)Body
to beand given to us,ofathe
Blood state of inner peace, the
Crucified,
ridding of ourRisen mindsand and hearts ofLord
Glorified every obsession
Jesus and anxiety, all hostile
as He promises:
feelings and fear, in order to worship the living God in a state of inner calm,
trusting
“I am theattentiveness
living Bread and that quiet
came downjoy. Infrom many of these
heaven. petitions
If anyone eatswe are
of this
prayinghefor
bread, very
will concrete
live forever.human needs:
This bread is for
mythe overall
flesh, which welfare
I willand
giveunity of
for the
ourof
life churches;
the world. for our
I telllocal
youparish andunless
the truth, the people
you in eatit;the
forflesh
religious
of theand Soncivil
of
leaders like our bishops and priests as well
Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my fleshas our national and local
political
and drinks leaders as we has
my blood are commanded
eternal life, and to do in the
I will Bible
raise him(1 up
Timothy
on the 2:1-3);
last
for an end to every war and all strife between nations
day. For my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. Whoever eats and peoples; for good
weather
my fleshand andadequate
drinks my food; forlives
blood thoseinwho me, are
andsick andinsuffering;
I live him. Justfor assafe
the
travel; and for our deliverance from distress, danger
living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who eats and want. We end by
entrusting
of me will“ourselves
live because and ofone
me. another
This is and our whole
the bread that camelife todown
Christfrom our
God”
heaven. before
Yourpraising the Holy
forefathers Trinity.and died, but he who eats this bread
ate manna
will live forever." Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in
WHY DO WE
Capernaum” SAY
(John “LORD, HAVE MERCY” SO OFTEN IN THE LITURGY?
6:51-59).
The short answer is: because we take the words of the Bible seriously as a
model for our prayer, whether we’re praying together as a community or
personally. “Lord, have mercy” is based on the cry of the blind man sitting
25
5
23
 The Apostle Paul wrote: “Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a
participation in the Blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a
participation in the Body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we who are
many are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf”
(1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the Lord Jesus gives us everything, giving
Himself completely to us. The Word of God not only became flesh for us
centuries ago in a far-away country; the Word of God becomes food and
drink for us now at every celebration of the Liturgy. The word that best
expresses this mystery of God's total offering of Himself to us in love is
communion. This is the word that best contains the truth that, in and through
Jesus, God wants not only to teach us, instruct us and inspire us, but He
wants to become one with us. God desires to be fully and completely united
with us so that we will be bound together with Him in a love that will stretch
into eternity. This is what St. Paul means when he speaks of life "in Christ"
(Galatians 1:22 and 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Romans 8:1).

LIVING A EUCHARISTIC LIFE IS LIVING WITH GRATITUDE

Ultimately, the Liturgy summarizes the life we are called
to live in communion with God and is, among other
things, a school for Christian living. Within the Liturgy
we come to know God, the world, and ourselves
through Christ in the Holy Spirit, because the Liturgy
communicates the meaning and purpose of life and
helps us to understand and internalize both the tragedy
of the human condition as well as the limitless expanse
and potential of the new life in Christ offered freely to
everyone.

Living in a Eucharistic way has everything to do with

seeing life as a gift, a gift for which we are forever
grateful. It is, after all, not happy people who are grateful, but grateful people
who are happy. There should never be a Liturgy that we attend in which we
do not come away with this insight for living. There should never be a time
that we attend Liturgy when there is not a movement of our heart: from a
hardened heart to a grateful heart, from a heart of stone to a heart of
26
2
24
flesh, from a heart oftenWfilled with
HAT IS DIVINE LITURGY
THEresentment ? or self-righteousness
or anger
to a heart filled with gratitude, compassion, faith, hope, and love.

Our communion with Jesus in the Liturgy means becoming like Him. When,
after the Liturgy, we leave the Church we must live what we’ve just
celebrated as long and as fully as we can. Because Christ is holy, just,
forgiving, merciful, and loving, Christians are called to participate in His
holiness and express His love, mercy, forgiveness and justice in their
everyday lives.

REPENTANCE: RE-ORIENTING OUR LIVES

Repentance is a word found numerous times throughout the Divine Liturgy.
What does it mean to repent? What is repentance? The Lord Jesus began His
ministry by saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew
4:17). Repentance
The Divine is thus
Liturgy theJohn
of St. beginning of the Gospel,
Chrysostom is today the
thestarting
primary point of our
worship
lives as Christians,
service of over 300the foundation
million uponChristians
Orthodox which everything
aroundelse themust
world,be from
built.
The Greek
Greece term metanoia
to Finland, that is used
from Russia in the Gospels
to Tanzania, and normally
from Japan to Kenya,translated
Bulgaria
as “repentance,” primarily means “a change of mind.”
to Australia. It is celebrated in dozens of languages, from the original GreekRepentance is to
change the way
it was written weEnglish
into think about God, ourselves
and French, Slavonicand andthe worldKorean
Swahili, aroundand us,
seeing
Arabic.everything in a new way. Repentance is not only negative, it is not
merely regret over past actions; it is also positive. It is not merely to wallow in
guilt,
Liturgyself-pity and despair
is a Greek word thatbecause of our sins,
in classical times but rather ittoisthe
referred a transformation
performance
of outlook,
a publica change
duty. In of direction, a re-orientation
the Septuagint, the Greek of our lives, a re-centering
translation of the Old of
our minds made
Testament and hearts
some 300on years
Christbefore
and His commandments.
the coming of Christ and Thestill
life used
of a
Christian, as a disciple of the Lord Jesus, is one
by the Church today, Liturgy referred to worship in the Temple in of continual repentance.
Metropolitan
Jerusalem. ForKallistos
Orthodox Ware has written:
Christians it has"In thisto
come sense,
mean repentance
the publicisworship
not just
aofsingle act, an initial step, but a continuing state, an attitude of heart and will
the Church.
that needs to be ceaselessly renewed up to the end of our life." Repentance is
therefore to “take every
Because Liturgy thought
is always captive to obey
a corporate, (2 Corinthians
Christ” action,
communal 10:5)
it is often
and so acquire
translated as “the“theworkmindof the people”(1and
of Christ” Corinthians
because 2:16). As St. Isaac
it is prefaced by theof
Ninevah (c.700AD)
word “Divine” said: "This life
it is specifically thehas
work been given people
of God’s to you for andrepentance.
an experience Do
not waste it on other things." Or, as St. Basil the Great
of God’s coming Kingdom here and now by those who gather to worship (330-379AD) put it even
more
Him. succinctly:
This means "Repentance
that theisLiturgy
salvation."is not something that the clergy
"performs" for the laity. The Liturgy was never meant to be a performance
or a spectacle merely to be witnessed by onlookers. All who are present for
worship must be willing, conscious and active participants and not merely
27
3
25
THE LITURGY AFTER THE LITURGY: SHARING HIS PRESENCE WITH THE WORLD
What is the last thing that we do at the
Divine Liturgy? It isn't coming forward
to venerate the cross, nor is it to receive
the antidoron or blessed bread. Then
what is it? The last thing we do is leave
the Church. Father Anthony Coniaris
writes that in the Book of Genesis (12:2)
God blesses Abraham so that he, in
turn, will be a blessing to the world.
And as Christians, “We are blessed in
order to bless others. We are forgiven
in order to forgive. We are loved in
order to love. We are comforted in
order to comfort others. We are saved
to help others find salvation. Christ
came to serve in order to teach us to
serve others. We are His people. He is
in us and we are in Him. The Liturgy
continues after we leave Church. We
return to the world as “other Christs”
and the Liturgy we experienced in
Church continues when we make His love real through our acts of mercy in
the world.” The Lord Jesus is very clear about our mission as believers: we
are to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit those
who are sick and welcome strangers, always recognizing that in our care for
others we are caring for Him (Matthew 25:31-46). If, in fact, we are not doing
these things we are explicitly told in the Scriptures that our faith “is dead”
(James 2:17). Each of us is called to continue the Liturgy in the everyday
circumstances of our personal lives, to become a living procalmation of the
Good News for the sake of the world. We are to be missionaries of His
Kingdom in the world. The final act of receiving is giving.

28
26
A Worshiper’s Guide to the
DIVINE LITURGY

Fr. Steven P. Tsichlis

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