Content:

Responsabilities of the clergy. About Censing. The Deacon. The Duties of those in Minor Orders. Doors and the curtain. The Holy Doors and the Curtain with some Remarks on Orientation. Priest's Headcoverings During Divine Worship. Using the title "Father." About reverences. The Great Fast. On bells. Order of the Blessing of new Ecclesiastical Vestments.

Vespers. Vesper Prikeimenons: Lity. The Office of Matins. Kathisma. Polyeleon. The Sunday Matins Prokeimena: The Canon. Dismissal. First Hour. Festal Dismissals. Megalynaria. The Office of Vespers on Great Friday. Matins on the Holy and Great Sunday of Pascha.

Proskomede and the beginning of the Liturgy. Liturgy of the Catechumens. Reading of the Epistle and the Gospel. Litany of fervent supplication. Liturgy of the faithful. The Great Entrance. Creed and the Eucharistic Canon. Lord’s prayer. Communion of the faithful. End of the Liturgy.

Conciliar Celebration of Divine Liturgy.

A. Conciliar Serving of Liturgy with Participation of a Deacon.

Preceeding services. The Liturgy. Readings from the Old Testament. Litanies. Entrance with the Holy Gifts. Communion. Evening Divine Liturgies.

Sacrament of Penance. Hearing the Confessions of Priests and Hierarchs. Reception of Heretic Laity and Clergy into the Orthodox Church. Receiving a Priest of the Roman Church Into the Orthodox Church [1]. Marriage. Second Marriage. Burial of a Priests. How to Find the Resurrectional Matins Gospel Lesson. Some differences between Greek and Russian divine services (Basil Krivoshein, Archbishop of Brussels and Belgium). Glossary of Liturgical Terminology. The Late, Great Typikon. Date of Pascha, Orthodox Names (by Priest Andrew Philips). Notes on the "Western Rite" (Father Alexander Schmemann).

The clergy are responsible for the conduct of the Church's worship. In the liturgies of the Church, a clear distinction is made between "clergy" and "people;" for example, every Great Litany, or Irenicon contains these words in the petition for the hierarchy: "for all the clergy and the people." Further, in the traditional service books, some utterances are designated for "Hierarch," "Priest," "Deacon," or "Reader," on the one hand, while other parts are designated for "The Choir," "The People," or just "We." Neither the Typikon nor any of the liturgical books provides any rubric which gives responsibility for conduct of any service to the people. The very prayers at the Laying-on-of-hands and at the setting apart or tonsuring of minor orders, as well as the promises executed in writing at the time of Laying-on-of-hands, clearly direct the clergy to be responsible for the conduct of worship.

Ideally, the Church's temples are constructed and the services taking place in them conducted so that the worshipper in Church would be occupied with prayer, with worship, and with nothing else. All the church's sacred utensils, all the furnishings and vestments, indeed the building itself is set aside by prayers and blessings for sacred purposes. It is always improper and inconsistent with the "good order" of the Church, then, that the building or any of its furnishings would be used for anything else. Likewise, the vestments of the clergy are also blessed according to the rubrics and set aside for use during the sacred services and for no other purpose and at no other time. Therefore, the rule that one does not make conversation with anyone while wearing the blessed vestments set aside for worship should be observed strictly in the parishes of the Diocese of the West. The temptation to engage in such informal conversations arises very often, especially when the clergy are required by rubrics to be walking among the people, as during processions and while censing. Clergy are also frequently tempted to hold conversations with each other, especially when they cannot be observed by the people. This should not be tolerated, especially by anyone who may be occupying "the first place" at any service.)

The temple must be clean and in order. So, too, the vestments and appearance of the clergy must be clean and in order and must be of the highest quality. The actions of the clergy and of all who serve in the Altar must be such as to assist the people in their prayer and worship. Anything done so as to distract the people is a sin. Making eye contact with people in church is one of the most common ways of distracting them, of directing their attention to the clergyman rather than to the progression of the service and to the content of the prayers and to worship of our Lord. Eye contact should be reserved for sermons and lectures. The clergyman would do well to always keep his main attention directed to God, while the rest is directed to the proper execution of his actions and readings. So this is how the censing will be conducted:

The Liturgy of the Catechumens begins with the opening of the Curtain and a complete censing by the Deacon. This censing, like the censing at the beginning of the All-Night Vigil, is done in silence (save for the prayer "In the grave with the body...."); however, in our time, the Hours are being read at this point[1], and usually have begun some time before the Curtain is opened and the censing starts. Censing occupies a prominent place in the Church's Ordo. Properly executed, it is an integral part of the services where it takes place, of positive value to the purposes of all our Church's services, bringing man to God in and through communal worship.

I. How to swing the censer. The directions for censing found in the Typikon were written when the censers were made differently from our present-day censers. They did not have chains. The censer consisted of a receptacle with a handle on it. The Typikon prescribes that censing be done this way: "(the celebrant) makes the (sign of the) cross with the censer." And "thereupon he censes the entire right choir brethren, doubly, raising the censer before each one vertically and then across, making the cross."

The most common style of swinging the censer, make three swings with the censer toward the person or object being censed. It is customary and proper to bow towards the object or person being censed at the second swing of the censer in both methods. Faithful churchgoers customarily return these bows. No sign of the cross is made. (There is, of course, nothing "Eastern" about bowing, as members of, for example, the Church of England are quick to point out.) While a deacon or priest must not exaggerate his bows lest he risk not edifying, but distracting the faithful, neither would he make a bow so slight as not to be recognized as a bow at all, rather a curt nod of recognition inappropriate off the military drill field.

Learning the order or sequence followed in censing frequently intimidates the novice server.

In present practice, the crosswise moving the censer is done at the Little Entrance at Vespers, as the Deacon intones, "Wisdom! Attend!" at Divine Liturgy at the words "Especially our All-holy...," and at the beginning blessing of All-Night Vigil: "Glory to the holy, Consubstantial ..." and at the beginning blessing, "Blessed is our God ..." at other services of the daily round when they are begun with the censer in hand.

A. Censing "crosswise around."

All censings begin before an object, usually a table, either the Holy Table itself, or a table (or analogion) in the center of the Temple or before an icon, or a table for the commemoration of the departed. At a funeral the table is represented by the coffin. Censing "crosswise around" means to cense first in front (while standing to the west) of the table, towards the east. Then one goes to stand on the right (south) side and censes it towards the north. Then one goes to stand on the far (east) side and censes towards the west. Finally, one goes to the left (north) side and censes towards the south. That is "censing crosswise around."

B. Censing the High Place and the Icons. (Holy Gates closed.)

Frequently, after having done an "A" censing of the Holy Altar Table, the rubrics prescribe that the high place and the Icons be censed, or "all the altar," etc. This censing begins by standing opposite the High Place or a little to one side of it (or, lacking a physical High Seat or Throne, the center of the Eastern wall of the apse), and censing towards it, then proceeding to cense each icon which hangs in the south side of the Altar (area) by going to it and censing before it, then walking over to the north side of the Altar (area) and censing each icon which hangs on that side. If there is an Icon hanging within the Altar (area) over the Holy Gates, this icon is censed last. NOTE: If the Prosthesis, or Table of Oblation is "active" during the service, i.e., if it is a censing at Divine Liturgy, then the Table of Oblation is censed just prior to the High Place.

C. Censing the superior and all in the Altar.

Sometimes, after a "B" censing, the rubrics prescribe that everyone in the altar, or "the superior and the rest of the sacred servers," etc., would be censed. Unless one is a hierarch, one does no actions which involve standing or sitting at the High Place itself. The place for a deacon or priest to stand while censing those serving in the Altar (area) is exactly southeast of the Altar Table, i.e., to the south of the High Place itself. If the superior, usually, but not necessarily, the first-ranking celebrant, is standing before the Altar Table then the deacon or priest censes first in that direction; if he is standing at the High Place, then the deacon or priest censes in that direction. Next, the person censing censes all those, preferably in order of seniority (Archimandrite, Hegumen, Archpriest, Priest, Arch/Protodeacon, Deacon, Subdeacons, Readers, Church Servitors), standing in the south side of the Altar (area). Next, standing in the same place, he censes all those, preferably in order of seniority, standing in the north side of the Altar (area). He need neither move around nor cense back and forth from north side to south side strictly according to rank.

D. Censing the High Place and the Icons (if Holy Gates are open).

One does a "B" censing, but after censing the icon over the Holy Gates, one censes the icons on the open Holy Gates, first the gate opened into the south side of the Altar (area), next the gate opened into the north side of the Altar (area).

E. Censing the Icons on the Iconostasis.

One goes to stand on the Soleas, on the very center of the Ambo, facing toward the east. Whether or not the Holy Gates are open, the first censing is toward the east, i.e., one may consider oneself as censing toward the front of the Holy Altar Table or censing toward the Icon of the Mystic Supper customarily placed over the Holy Gates. Next one censes towards the Icon of the Savior (or other Icon found directly to the south of the Holy Gates) and then (in our usage), in order, one goes to cense before every icon on the first tier of the south portion of the iconostasis, and any group in the vicinity of the south end of the iconostasis. Then one goes and censes towards the Icon of the Theotokos (or other icon found directly to the north of the Holy Gates) and then (in our usage), in order, one goes to cense before every icon on the first tier of the north portion of the iconostasis.

F. Censing the choirs and the people.

While standing on the Soleas, on the very center of the Ambo, one censes first toward the choir or reader standing in the south kleros. Next, if there is a choir or reader standing in the northern kleros one censes towards him or them. Then one censes towards the southwest, i.e., toward those standing on the south side of the Temple. Next one censes towards those standing in the west or in the Narthex. Finally, one censes towards those standing in the northwest.

G. Censing the whole Temple.

One goes down from the Soleas and censes first before any icon on an analogion in the center of the nave. Next one goes and censes before all the icons on the south side of the church, starting with the icon of the Savior on the analogion placed in line with His icon on the Iconostasis and then proceeding around the Temple clockwise. When one reaches the Western doors one censes the icon over the Western doors (usually that of the Dormition of the All-Holy), proceeds into the narthex and censes clockwise around the Narthex, turning to cense toward the Holy Altar before crossing from the South to the North, then returns to the Nave and continues around on the north side of the Church until one finally censes the icon of the Theotokos on the analogion placed in line with her Icon on the Iconostasis.

H. Concluding the censing.

One stands on the Soleas, facing east and censes first towards the icon over the Holy Doors (whether or not the Holy Gates are open), next, while standing in the same spot, the icon of our Savior, then of His All Pure Mother, and then, depending on whence one has started the censing, one censes before the front of the Holy Altar Table or before the Table/icon/Gospel Book/Panikhida Table/Coffin in the center of the Nave, and then censes the Superior, or the ranking one censing, then gives the censer up.

I. Censing at Funerals and Memorials

The censer is swung throughout the prayers of panikhidas and funerals, save at the time of the reading of the Holy Scriptures and the Absolution. Near the conclusion of these services, the Priest must go the Holy Altar, pick up the Hand Cross, and then bless at the Dismissal. So, after "Most Holy Theotokos, save us," he transfers the censer to his left hand, takes up the Hand Cross that is on the Memorial Table, an Analogion, or the Coffin, then transfers the Cross to his left hand, and, censing 3x3, he exclaims, "Glory to Thee, O Christ God, our hope, Glory to Thee," and walks up to the Soleas, censes toward the Holy Table, turns and, placing the Cross again into his left hand together with the censer, crosses himself as usual upon beginning the Dismissal, then holds Cross and Censer with both hands, and blesses the Faithful while holding both, before turning, transferring the Cross to his left hand to proceed with the censing of the Iconostasis and the People ("E" & "F," above), during "Memory Eternal," then returning to conclude before the Coffin, where he finally gives up the Censer.

The name deacon in own sense designates a third rank of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. On initial assignment the deacons were servers at the meal of the Lord, i.e. at the fulfillment of the liturgy. They were also ministers of the word of God. The present circle of their liturgical actions is determined in an exact sense by the primary head of the establishment. They serve at the administration of Holy Communion for the bishops and presbyters, but do not perform sacraments, except for baptism as a last resort, according to the image fulfilled by his laity. They uplift prayers as assistants and read the Gospel.

The Deacon in the case of the absence of the priest or because of his illness can not lead the vigil or obednitsa services (5), lead or sing the burial service for the departed, serve the molieben or the panichida (6); in general, the deacon, as only a server, is the person assisting the priest in the performing the sacraments and other liturgical actions and can not perform any kind of Divine Service without the participation and blessing of the priest. It is true that the church rubrics on some days of the year permit the serving of some of the services, for example, the compline, the midnight service and others, "privately," but from here it may not be concluded in any way that the deacon may lead the services of compline, vespers, matins and so forth in the temple and as if these services were led by the priest.

In the order of the church services (in their beginning, in the middle, and also at their end), usually, are clear instructions on the participation in performance of the Divine Services of the priest and on the necessity of his blessing during the performance of church services (for example: "the priest at the beginning does," "the priest begins," "having been blessed by the priest," "an exclamation from the priest," "the priest prays," "the priest says to the deacon," "the priest says the dismissal," "the priest does the dismissal"; in other respects there are remarks: "if there is no deacon the priest says," but there are no remarks: "if there is no priest, the deacon says." As is evident the church services are adapted by the Church for their performance by the priest, quite often together with the deacon, but certainly with the participation of the priest and from his blessing.

The priestly blessing to teach, the exclamations, the many prayers and closing priestly dismissals say that the deacon has no right to say, between the former as well as those, and others what begins, is accompanied and fulfilled in each general church service in the Orthodox Church. From here it is clear, that the deacon may not and must not begin, nor independently perform, any general church service without the participation of the priest. The Deacon is the servant, and not the performer of the Divine Services; he has no right without the blessing and the participation of the priest to vest himself with the sticharion (7), to cense, to recite the litanies. The Deacon's Certificate of Ordination clearly expresses the command to the deacon "to serve at (but not to perform) the Divine Liturgy and other sacraments performed by the priest, and at other divine services and orders."

Independently deacons may perform (without a vestment, in the rasson) only those Divine Services, that are also permitted to the laity, namely those in which begins with the rubric: "if the priest says: Blessed is our God, and we say: amen; if there is no priest, we say: Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus the Christ our God, have mercy on us"; thus the so-called home canons and prayers begin; the church services all without exception begin with the blessing of the priest and without him in any case they may not be performed.

If the priest illegally blesses the deacon to perform in place of himself he must stand before the church meeting. The priest receives by ordination in his rank the authority only personally to perform the known priestly functions and the known function of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, but he has no right of assignment to whomever of the full powers of his priesthood. In this case is one of the essential ways of distinguishing the holy rank of the bishop from the rank of the presbyter. Differing from the deacon by many privileges in the divine service, the presbyter is similar to him in that personally, by himself, he can not change anything in the precisely specified norms of activity, which properly belongs to him, and the clergy with whom he concelebrates. Therefore, the priest blessing deacon to perform instead of himself the church order of services (as, for example, the funeral procession of the departed), and he himself is carried away with the right of the bishop, exceeds his position, and blessing the deacon to fulfill this is the same crime, i.e. the excess of authority given him by ordination.

But also inarguably the right of assignment belonging to the bishop is not unconditional: even the bishop cannot give to each of the clergymen any kind of an assignment, but only that consistently with the degree he carries, and with his clerical position. The bishop cannot order, for example, the deacon to sanctify an altar, perform the liturgy, or other priestly activities; because to fulfill these priestly activities there simply is not enough authority in the assignment, but an ordination to the degree of presbyter is necessary. If even the bishop is inarguably constrained in the application of the authority belonging to him; then the priest may use it: he is personally obliged to send a petition for his need, and must not charge the deacon to direct a service, for which he is not authorized even by the bishop's ordination. In general the spirit and letter of the priest's canon do not give any right 1) for the deacon to replace the priest in performing any priestly activities, and 2) for the priest to agree and assign the deacon to do any of these priestly duties.

Thus, unfairly, those priests behave reprehensibly and with harm for the Church who assign the deacons to perform any kind of church services, in church vestments and in their absence; equally it is unlawful and criminal for the deacons to act also, if he soon is independent, without the participation of the priest, even with his consent, performs in the place of the priest this or that Divine Service — general or particular — in the temple or outside of it.

The Deacon should perform (see the Certificate of Ordination) only "the services belonging to the deacon" and moreover "according to the rubrics and the order of the Holy Eastern Church" (1); "in place of the priest, as the Blessed Augustine says, only priest may serve, and not a deacon."

Tonsured Readers and Ordained Subdeacons, when serving or reading, should wear the vestments appropriate to their function. The garment of a Reader is the Sticharion; that of the Subdeacon is the Sticharion and Orarion worn crossed about the torso . The cassock (podriassnik, anderi, or undercassock) is not the garment or sign of a Reader or Subdeacon, but is a garment which is appropriately worn under the sticharion.

Tonsured Readers may make ready the vestments in the Altar for the Sacred Servers and Church Servers before a service. They may prepare the censer, and carry lights, or fans, during processions and entrances, hold the holy water vessel and brush, hold the vessel with blessed oil or the dish with the blessed bread at Vigil, and they may cut up and otherwise prepare that blessed bread. They may themselves light the lights and lamps when prescribed by the ritual. They may prepare the vessels which contain w ine and water and fill them before the Divine Liturgy, and they may operate the altar curtain according to the prescribe ritual. They may prepare the warm water and bear it to the Deacon or Priest during the Divine Liturgy. They may bear the episcopal st aff, ascend the ambo to sing the trio at the Trisagion of the Divine Liturgy, bear and page the Bishop's Service Book, may secure the train of the Bishop's mantle, and may distribute the hierarchical Eagle-rugs. These privileges are all in addition to the ir assigned responsibility of reading in Church (not only in Church but from the Ambo, or on the raised "Vesting Place").

Ordained Subdeacons may do all those things permitted to Readers. In addition, they may touch the Holy Altar Table, when there is a necessity or direction to do so. For example, a Subdeacon may remove the large cloth which covers the Holy Table and everything on it between services. He may prepare the Table of Oblation for Divine Liturgy. A Subdeacon may remove the Dikirion and/or Trikirion from the Holy Table, if these have been placed there (i.e., when there is no special stand for them behind the Holy Table). Subdeacons may open the Holy Doors, as at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, when a hierarch is serving. Subdeacons vest a hierarch in his holy vestments when there are not enough deacons to do so.

Untonsured Readers are a regular part of our Church life, and will continue to be so. Where there are many Readers, then they should read according to a (fair) schedule made up by the Senior Priest of the Cathedral or the person he appoints to do so. There is certainly no reason to exclude women from reading.

(1) The Deacon, with two priests, is obliged to serve with one and the other, according to the idea of his rank and duties, he is present during the Divine Services, as the helper of the priest (C. M. 1891, 27). The Deacon must not be relieved from the duty to serve with the employed Priest: the employed priest is in place of the present priest of the church, but for this or that reason does not serve personally (C. M. 1892, 42).

About the Holy Altar, When it is Opened and When it is Closed

The curtain is opened at the beginning of Vespers, and stays open even until the Dismissal. At Matins likewise, from the beginning until the end. At the Hours, when they are read outside of Liturgy, it is opened for the reading of the Apostle, and stay s open until the dismissal. But at the dismissal it is closed indeed. At the beginning of Liturgy the curtain is opened and stays opened until (through) the Great Entrance. After the Entrance it is closed again, until the priest, or deacon, cries, "The doors, the doors, in Wisdom let us attend!" It is opened then and remains open until the exclamation, "Holy Things are for the Holy!" And again it is closed. After Communion it is opened again, and it stays open until the end of the Holy Liturgy. After the Dismissal of the Liturgy, it is again completely closed. But if a Molieben is sung, then it remains open from beginning to end of that. NOTE: Be aware that the Holy Doors are never opened, except at the beginning of Great Vespers when there is a Vigil, when the priest censes, and for all entrances, i.e., of Vespers and Liturgy, and with the Holy Gospel: likewise, they are opened for the appearance of the Holy Gifts, even until the completion of the Divine Liturgy.

The Holy Doors (and the north and south doors, as well) are of course still to remain opened through the entire Bright Week, until the Ninth Hour on Bright Saturday evening, i.e., during the entire period when, according to ancient practice, those newly illuminated through Holy Baptism remained in the Temple wearing their Baptismal garments.

The curtain is opened at the beginning of Vespers, and stays open even up to the Dismissal. At Matins likewise, from the beginning to the end. At the Hours, when read apart from Liturgy, it is opened for the Apostolic reading and stays open until the dismissal.(1) At the Dismissal it is indeed closed. At the beginning of Liturgy, though, the curtain is opened, and it stays opened all the way to the Great Entrance. After the entrance, though, it is again closed, until the Priest, or Deacon, exclaims: "The Doors! The Doors! In wisdom let us attend!" Then it is opened, and it stays opened until the cry: "Holy Things are for the Holy!" Then it is iclosed again. After the Communion(2) it is again opened, and it stays opened until the end of the Holy Liturgy. After the Dismissal of the l liturgy, though it is closed for good. When a Molieben is sung, the curtain remains open from beginning to end.(3) Be aware that the Holy Doors are never ever(4) openedonly at the beginning of Great Vespers, when there is a Vigil and the Priest therefore censes, and at all entrances, i.e., vespers and liturgy entrances, and for the reading of the Gospel. They are likewise opened also from the Appearance of the Holy Mysteries, even up to the completion of the Divine Liturgy.

As for the curtain, it is well known that in the developments and refinements that have taken place in our Church, always under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and always with the Faithful people GUARDING What has been passed on to them, the curtain was in use long before the development of the Iconostasis as we know it. The reason (not rationale) for the curtain is made particularly plain in the Typikon's direction that it be opened at the words "The Doors! The Doors!" This is that moment when the Subdeacons of old, or those having the office then known as Door-Keeper, made their final "security check" as we would say. Then not only could the curtain be opened, but the Aer could be lifted up from the Gifts placed on the Altar at the Great Entrance and since then protected by that curtain and Aer. (The curtain could even be considered, in a sense, another larger Aer.) It is of course, incorrect to interpret the words "The Doors! The Doors!" as being any kind of direction to OPEN any doors! Here that the Peace that is given to the people before that moment, with the signing of them with the sign of the precious cross, is given with the curtain closed. The action in no way diminishes the Blessing or the Peace.

Some Presbyters, perhaps feeling relieved of their burden of following the Typikon vis-a-vis doors and curtain, also allow themselves to face the people, in the style of an hierarch, for the opening phrases of the Anaphora: "The Grace of our Lord..." "Let us lift up our hearts.." and "Let us give thanks unto the Lord..." This practice is not followed by nor has it been authorized for Presbyters. The Presbyter, in accordance with received practice, DOES turn to the West only when he blesses the People with his hand at the conclusion of the phrase "The Grace of our Lord Jesus Chris, the Love of God the Father, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit BE WITH YOU ALL." This is the same style he follows when he blesses at the end of the phrase: "And the mercies of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, BE WITH YOU ALL."

With regard to such QUASI-hierarchical emulations, for some time our Local Church has left off following the practice (introduced from above very late in the history of the Russian Church) of permitting AS AN AWARD OF DISTINCTION some distinguished Presbyters to serve with open Holy Doors "Up to the Great Entrance," and "Not only up to the Great Entrance, but through the Lord's Prayer." There is, of course, nothing ESSENTIALLY hierarchical about open Holy Doors. In fact, relative to, especially, the curtain, the practice of keeping the Holy Doors open all the way to the time of the Holy Communion of the clergy would appear obviously to conflict with the ancient practice of the curtain as prescribed in our Typikon. No such practice is followed, for example, at an hierarchical celebration of the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts.

The Hours. The Typikon and received practice make no general distinctions amongst the different Hours nor any distinction relative to the curtain particularly, even when some are celebrated just before the Divine Liturgy. The Hours are, in fact, services of the Narthex, and they are to be served, save for those exceptions quoted above in chapter 23 of the Typikon, with CLOSED Doors and Curtain. The Curtain is opened for Divine Liturgy at the point when the Deacon's censing of Altar and Church begins, after the conclusion of the Dismissal of the Service of the Proskomedia. This censing, like the censing done before the Blessing that begins the All-Night Vigil, is done (at least theoretically) in silence, although in our times we permit it to be done before the Hours are concluded. Therefore, at the time the Deacon goes before the Holy Table and begins to cense, repeating quietly the troparion, "In the grave with the body but in Hades with the soul as God; in paradise with the thief, and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit wast Thou, O Christ, filling all things, Thyself uncircumscribed," THEN the Curtain is opened for Divine Liturgy, NOT at the beginning blessing of the Hours.

Orientation. For most of the Divine Services, whether the Divine Liturgy or the Services of the Office, the essential unity of the entire People of God, including Deacons, Priests, and Bishops, is realized in many ways, and one of them is in orientation. That is, by and large all prayers in our services from beginning to end are said with all facing the East, including Deacons, Priests, and Bishops. Some Deacons who turn to the faithful in order to repeat the phrase, "Let us love one another that with one mind...." This is inexplicable. EVERY petition of the Great Litany contains the phrase "LET US..." "LET US pray to the Lord..." Other Litanies contain the phrase "LET US ask of the Lord" And so forth. If the Deacon turns to the People, it would seem that he is separating himself from the people in his posture, or that he is addressing them AND NOT HIMSELF. It is as if he were a specialist following this kind of rubric: "When the specialist or professional is addressing God (on behalf of the layman), then he faces East: when the specialist or professional is addressing the layman as their director, then he faces them." Let Deacons avoid this novelty and, by so doing show forth the CONCILIARITY of the Church, not only in their posture, but in following the consensus of not only our short time on earth, but the consensus of those who went before us.(7)

Be it known that at Liturgy we uncover our heads at the Entrance, and for the hearing of the holy Gospel, and at the Cherubim Hymn of the Great Entrance, and at the Savior's Words, and at "It is truly meet, and at "Our Father," and at the appearance of the Holy Mysteries, and at the entrance at Vespers.

The above rubric pertains, of course, to the wearing of headgear by Monastics standing in Church; moreover, not to those who are actually serving, but to those that are simply present at the services. As for those Priests that have the right of wearing Mitres, Kamilavkas, and Skufiyas, the following is the received practice of our Church, and is to be followed in the Diocese of the West.

For Divine Liturgy, the Priest enters the Church wearing his Skufiya or Kamilavka and, usually, begins reading the prayers of preparation in front of the Holy Doors without uncovering his head until the end of the penitential troparia, "Have mercy on us, O Lord..." and "Open unto us the door of thy tender-heartedness, O Theotokos." When he has to kiss the Icons, the Priest bares his head. He also reads the Prayer: "O Lord, stretch forth Thy hand," with uncovered head and, without re-covering it, he enters the Altar, makes his reverences before the Holy Table, kisses the Book of Gospels, the Cross and the Holy Table and proceeds to vest, as usual.

He also serves the Proskomedia with uncovered head.[1] He puts on his Mitre, Kamilavka, or Skufiya at the beginning of the Liturgy proper, before uttering "O Heavenly King" and "Glory to God in the highest." He continues with covered head all the way to the Gospel. At the Gospel he takes off his head-covering. He puts it back on again after the reading and stands with covered head up to the Cherubim Hymn or, more exactly, till the Great Entrance. From that point on the Priest leaves his head bare until the exclamation "Always, now and ever and unto ages of ages," and the placing of the Holy Gifts on the Table of Oblation, whereupon, returning to stand before the Holy Table, while the Choir is singing "Let our mouths be filled," the Priest puts on his head-covering, refolds the Antimension and Iliton, reads the Prayer before the Ambo, and proceeds straight through to the conclusion of the Liturgy with covered head.

When serving the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Priests take off their Kamilavkas and Skufiyas to kiss the holy Icons during the reading of their (abbreviated) Entrance Prayers while the Choir is chanting the Beatitudes of the Typica. They put them back on again before beginning the Liturgy and take them off again to make a Great Reverence before the Holy Table and take the Presanctified Gifts from the Tabernacle and place Them on the Paten. They put them on again and leave them on until it comes time to make three Great Reverences and transport the Presanctified Gifts from the Holy Table to the Table of Oblation. After placing Them on the Table of Oblation and making a prostration, they put their headgear on again. Headgear are taken off before the blessing with candle and censer and the words: "Wisdom. Attend. The Light of Christ illuminateth all." Then they are put on again. They are again taken off for the chanting of "Let my prayer arise," with its verses, and put on again after three Great Reverences and the Prayer of St. Ephraim. They are put on again for the Fervent Litany and remain on until the time of "Now the Powers of Heaven." Priests then stand bare-headed through the rest of the Service until "Let our mouths be filled," as at Eucharistic Liturgies.

As for other services, in general our practice is not to keep our heads covered during prayers in general — Prayers of Light, Prayers at the bowing of heads, during the Hexapsalmos, Molieben Prayers, and during the time of other such sacred utterances as the reading of Akathists and Gospels. And this usage applies not only to Priests that are serving, but also to those only present at a given Service.

Some Priests have asked if Kamilavkas and Skufiyas can be placed on the Holy Table. This has not been received practice from very early times, and is is best to avoid it. As for Miters, since they have holy icons on them, they may be, and usually are, placed on the Holy Table.

Finally a word about black Skufiyas. These may be worn by any clergy from the rank of Reader if they receive a blessing to do so from their Bishop. If the blessing to wear a black Skufiya is asked for and given for health reasons, then that Skufiya should only be worn for such reasons as protection from the cold and for performing services of need outside the Temple, for such occasions as burials and Cross processions, or in winter in an unheated Church, and even during Services and the Divine Liturgy, in which case the same rules are followed as are given above for the Violet Skufiya.

Here is another item of priestly courtesy: while priests call each other (and deacons) "Father," they do not speak of themselves as "Father" to another priest (or to the bishop), nor do they sign their correspondence to one another as "Father so-and-so." Priests speak of themselves to each other (and to the bishop) as "Priest so-and-so," (or Archpriest or Protopresbyter so-and-so. Deacons speak of themselves to other deacons or to priests or the bishop, as "Deacon so-and-so," while always addressing other deacons as "Father Deacon" or "Father so-and-so."

Our Orthodox Typikon knows or recognizes two kinds of reverences, reverence being defined as the customary posture of an Orthodox Church member when adoring God in Church. One of them is a "reverence down to the ground" (Slavonic: zemnoy poklon). The other is a "waist reverence" (Slavonic: poiasnyi poklon). In English, it's become quite usual to refer to the first as a "prostration," though it is not a prostration. A prostration is when one lies stretched out on the ground, face down, while our zemnoy poklon or "Reverence down to the ground" is a posture whereby the forehead touches the ground while the body is in a kneeling, not a lying position. A better term for "reverence down to the ground," or "prostration," is "full reverence. " The other reverence, the "waist reverence," is a substitute for the full reverence. A "waist reverence" is described this way in the Typikon: (this is taken from the section giving directions on how to venerate the Gospel at a Resutrection Vigil): "And the Superior comes alone and makes two reverences, then kisses the Gospel, and again makes one reverence (not to the earth does he make reverences, but little (ones), bowing down his head, until he reaches the ground with his hand)." A better name for the waist reverence is "little reverence."

Reverences are prescribed at various points and during certain times in our services. Whether or not the words "full" or "earthly" precede the word "reverence," a full reverence is meant. The waist reverence is the substitute, prescribed for use when full reverences are not permitted by the Canons of the Church.

One may see from the above that neither those that bend their knees, in a kind of curtsy, looking straight ahead, then reach down to touch the ground, nor those that make a perfunctory bow while stretching out their right hand momentarily towards the ground, would seem to know how to indicate reverence as the Church finds to be appropriate.

THE GREAT FAST begins after Vespers in the evening on Forgiveness Sunday. Until then, we all should take some time for an especially intensive self-examination.

We should ask ourselves:

What is the condition of my relationship with God and His Body, the Church, and how has it improved from previous years?

What is the condition of my relationship with my family and neighbors, and how has it improved from previous years?

What is the condition of my own spiritual life, and how has it improved over the previous years?

After serious attention to those questions, we should be able to focus on some clear goals for the period of the Fast in order to experience with greater joy and spiritual benefits the celebration of Holy Pascha and the next period of our life that begins then. We all should conclude that visits to Holy Confession during the pre-Fast period and one or more times during the Fast itself are indicated. Probably we all need to take a more serious attitude towards what we know very well is what is expected of Orthodox Christians. Probably the most common error we make is procrastination — procrastination that is indefinite and almost final. We like to tell ourselves that we will take this or that step forward "just as soon as I am ready," "just as soon as these other things are in order," and so forth. The advice of the Saints is always "Do it now." The advice of Satan is, "There's no rush: anyhow, you're not ready yet."

The ringing of the bells serves two functions in the Orthodox Church. The first is for calling the faithful to divine services, and the second is to announce the beginning of various parts of the services to those faithful who are absent from the church.

The different manners or ways of ringing

1) Blagovest — literally "Good News." This is the measured striking of one bell for the beginning of a service.

2) Zvon — literally "Peal." This is the ringing of all bells.

3) Dvuzvon — literally "Double Peal." This is the ringing of all bells then an interval of silence, followed by a second ringing of all bells. Simply put, this is the ringing of all bells twice.

4) Trezvon — literally "Treble Peal." This is the ringing of all bells three times.

5) Perezvon — "Chain-peal." This is the striking of each bell several times beginning with the largest bell and proceeding to the smallest bell. This chain is repeated as long as necessary. This is used before any Blessing of Water.

6) Perebor — "Chain-toll." The slow striking of each bell once beginning from the largest bell and proceeding to the smallest bell. After the chain, all bells are rung together. This is repeated several times. This is also called burial or funeral ringing.

Bell Ringing at All-Night Vigil

The blagovest is rung before the service and is immediately followed by the trezvon. At the beginning of the reading of the Hexapsalmion or before it the dvuzvon takes place. Immediately before the reading of the Gospel, the zvon takes place. During the Magnificat the bell is struck nine times. At the conculsion of the Vigil, the trezvon is rung.

Bell Ringing at the Divine Liturgy

The blagovest is rung at the appointed time and ceases at the beginning of the Hours. At the endof the 6th hour the trezvon is rung. At the end of the Creed, which consists of 12 parts, the bell is struck 12 times in a unhurried fashion to inform those Christians who are absent that the time of the Consecration of the Holy Gifts approaches. After the Liturgy the trezvon is rung.

At Lenten and Royal Hours

Before the Hours during Great Lent and at Royal Hours, the number of times the bell is struck corresponds to which Hour is being read. At the Third Hour, the bell is struck three times, at the 6th, six times, and at the 9th, nine times.

Vespers of Holy Friday

At the bringing out of the Plaschanitsa and before the procession around the church the perebor is rung and immediately thereafter the trezvon.

Bell Ringing at Funerals

The perebor is used at the carrying out of the deceased from the temple for burial. There is no trezvon after this bell.

Bell Ringing at Moliebens with the Blessing of Water

When the cross is immersed into the water, a short trezvon takes place.

Bell Ringing at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy

The blagovest is sounded at appointed time. As the Hierarch approaches the temple, all the bells are rung. When the Hierarch enters the temple, the ringing stops and the blagovest is resumed until the beginning of the vesting of the Hierarch. At the beginning of the Sixth hour the trezvon is sounded unless there is an ordination to the rank of reader or to the subdiaconate, in which case the trezvon is sounded after the Bishop's prayers before the Divine Liturgy.

That is, the sticharion, epitrochelion, belt, cuffs, and phelonion

Blessed is our God always, now and ever and to the ages of ages.

Reader: Amen.

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth …

….

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name….

Priest: For Yours is the Kingdom, and the power….

Reader: Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (12)

Come! Let us worship God, our King!

Come! Let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God!

Come! Let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God!

And Psalm 132 (133): Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity …

Glory to the Father, and to the Son … Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia. Glory to You, O God. (3)

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.

People: Lord, have mercy.

The priest reads this prayer: O Lord, God Almighty, Who from the beginning performs all things useful for the human race, to create temples made by human hands in Your holy Name, to sanctify them in Your own glory, and to name the delightful place of the tent of Your glory: Who had ordered by Your servant Moses the vestments of the high priest, priestly and Levitical, and those various decorations in comeliness and beauty of the temple and Your sanctuary; mercifully hear now our entreaty, and bless, cleanse, and sanctify these vestments (name them), in honor and glory of Your all holy Name, prepared for the adornment of Your holy mysteries, through me Your humble and unworthy servant, so that they be worthily revealed for the service for Your holy Mysteries, and for every Doxology of Your all holy Name, and for Your consecrated servers to be vested with them, that they be for the deliverance and protection from all wiles and temptations of enemies, in Your pleasantness, and for the proper service for Your holy Mysteries, and in provision of Your grace and mercy;

Through the grace and compassion and love toward mankind of Your only begotten Son, with whom You are blessed, together with Your all holy, good, and life creating Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.

People: Amen.

Priest: Peace be to all.

People: And to your Spirit.

Deacon: Bow your heads to the Lord.

People: To You, O Lord.

The Priest, bowing his head, reads this prayer: O Master, God Almighty, Source of every good gift and sanctification, look down now on our prayer, and these vestments (he names them), made for the adornment and comeliness of Your priestly servers, by the grace of Your all holy Spirit, through the sprinkling of this holy water, are blessed, holy, and sanctified, that all those who are worthily vested for Your holy Mysteries, serve, and accept You always as Creator.

And he exclaims: For You are our Sanctification, and to You we ascribe glory, together with Your only begotten Son, and Your all holy, good, and life creating Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.

People: Amen.

These vestments (he names them) are sanctified by the grace of the all Holy Spirit, through the sprinkling of this sanctified water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen (3)

And if it be the Divine Liturgy, not performing the dismissal, the priest himself carries them into the Sanctuary, vests himself in them, and continues the service: if there is no service, he performs the usual daily dismissal, carries them into the sanctuary, and lays them on the Holy Altar.

deacon exclaims: Arise. Master, bless.

The priest, before the holy table, traces the sign of the cross with the censer, and says: Glory to the holy, consubstantial, life-creating ….

Choir: Amen.

Priest: Come, let us worship God our King… Then in a very loud voice: Come, let us worship and fall down before Him.

Choir: Bless the Lord, O my soul . . . selected verses

Deacon: In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Choir: To Thee O Lord.

Exclamation: For to thee belong all glory, honor, and worship…

Choir: Amen. Blessed is the man ….

Deacon: Again and again in peace let us pray to the Lord…

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Choir: To thee, O Lord.

Exclamation: For thine is the strength…

Choir: Amen.

Then Lord, I have called is sung in the appointed tone of the stichera. When the choir begins to sing, Lord, I have called, the deacon, after the priest has blessed the incense, censes the altar on its four sides, the icons, the choirs, and the people, and returns to the sanctuary to the priest. At the Glory, the deacon opens the holy doors. Then the priest, preceded by the deacon with the censer, (or, if the Gospel is to be read, with the Gospel Book), goes around the right side of the altar, and comes out by the north door and stands before the holy doors.

The deacon, bowing slightly and holding the orarion with the first three fingers of his right hand, says to the priest secretly: Let us pray to the Lord.

The priest, bowing also, says secretly the Prayer of the Entrance: In the evening, and in the morning, and at noonday…

Then the deacon, holding the orarion with three fingers of his right hand, facing east, says to the Priest: Bless, Master, the holy entrance.

Blessed is the entrance of thy Saints, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Deacon: Amen.

And standing in the holy doors, tracing the sign of the cross with the censer, or, if he holds the Gospel Book, elevating it, he exclaims: Wisdom. Attend.

Choir: O Joyful Light of the holy glory of the Immortal Father …

Deacon: Let us attend. Priest: Peace be to all. Again the Deacon: Wisdom. Let us attend.

If lessons from the Old Testament are appointed, they are read here. Before each, the deacon exclaims, Wisdom, and the reader announces the title of the reading, and again the deacon exclaims, Let us attend.

Let us all say with all our soul…

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

O Lord Almighty, God of our fathers, we pray thee, hearken and have mercy.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Have mercy on us, O God, according to thy great mercy, we pray thee, hearken and have mercy.

Choir: Lord, have mercy. thrice

Exclamation: For Thou art a merciful God …

Choir: Amen.

Reader: Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this evening . . .

Deacon: Let us complete our evening prayer unto the Lord.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

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

Choir: Grant this, O Lord.

Exclamation: For thou art a good God who lovest mankind …

Choir: Amen.

Priest: Peace be to all.

Choir: And to thy spirit.

Deacon: Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.

Choir: To thee, O Lord.

Prayer at the Bowing of Heads: O Lord our God, who didst bow down the heavens …

Exclamation: Blessed and glorified be the might of thy kingdom, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

If there is no Lity, the choir begins to sing the Aposticha, then Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart. . ., the Trisagion, and after Our Father . . ., the exclamation, For Thine is the kingdom . . ., and after this, the troparia according to the rule

The priest, finishing Vespers with the words, The blessing of the Lord be upon you . . ., and having closed the holy doors, takes off the phelonion.

The reader then: Glory to God in the highest . . . thrice, and O Lord, open thou my lips... twice, and then the Six Psalms.

Deacon says the Great Litany: In peace let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Exclamation: For to thee belong all glory…

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: God is the Lord and hath revealed Himself unto us….

Verse: O confess unto the Lord…

Verse: They encompassed me round about ….

Verse: I shall not die but live …

Verse: The stone which the builders rejected …

God is the Lord is sung four times.

After exclaiming again God is the Lord… the deacon goes into the sanctuary.

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

Exclamation:For thine is the strength, and thine are the kingdom ….

Choir: Amen.

The choir sings Praise ye the name of the Lord, and O confess unto the Lord…

And the Resurrectional Troparia: The Angelic Council ...

The priest then, wearing the phelonion, censes the sanctuary and the whole temple, accompanied by the deacon with a candle. After the troparia, The Angelic Council …

Exclamation: For blessed is thy name, and glorified is thy kingdom…

Choir: Amen.

After the anabathmoi, the deacon then: Let us attend. Wisdom. Let us attend.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.

Priest: For holy art thou, O our God, who restest in the Saints…

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: Let every breath praise the Lord.

Choir: Let every breath praise the Lord.

Deacon: Praise ye God in His Saints; praise ye Him in the establishment of His power.

Choir: Let every breath praise the Lord.

Deacon: Let every breath

Choir: praise the Lord.

Deacon:And that He may vouchsafe unto…

Choir: Lord, have mercy. thrice

Deacon: Wisdom. Attend. Let us hear the holy Gospel.

Priest: Peace be to all.

Choir: And to thy spirit.

Priest: The reading from the holy Gospel according to Name.

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

Deacon: Let us attend. And the priest reads the Matins Gospel.

After the reading of the Gospel, the priest brings the Gospel Book to the center of the church, preceded by the deacon with a lighted candle, and places it on the analogion, having kissed it together with the deacon. And the choir sings: The Resurrection of Christ . . . The reader reads Psalm 50, and the rest.

Deacon, in the usual place, says the prayer: O God, save thy people …

Choir: Lord, have mercy. twelve times

The priest exclaims: Through the mercy and compassion …

Choir: Amen.

Again and again . . . Help us... Remembering ...

Exclamation:For thou art our God ….

Choir: Amen.

After the 6th Ode, the litany: Again and again . . . Help us.. . Remembering...

Exclamation: For thou art the King of peace and the Savior of our souls…

Choir: Amen.

At the beginning of the 8th Ode, the deacon, taking the censer, and receiving the blessing of the priest, censes the sanctuary. After the completion of the katabasia of the 8th Ode, standing before the icon of the Mother of God, he exclaims: The Theotokos and Mother of the Light… And he censes the choirs and the whole temple, and, having finished the censing, enters the sanctuary.

After the 9th Ode the litany: Again and again . . . Help us. . . Remembering. . .

Exclamation: For all the powers of heaven praise thee…

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: Holy is the Lord our God.

Choir: Holy is the Lord our God.

Verse: For holy is the Lord our God.

Choir: Holy is the Lord our God.

Verse: Over all peoples is our God.

Choir: Holy is the Lord our God.

Glory… and the proper Gospel Sticheron; Both now . . . and Most blessed art thou . . .

At Both now. . . the deacon opens the holy doors. The priest, wearing the phelonion, stands before the altar, and the deacon stands to the right side of the priest. At the conclusion of the last sticheron, the priest exclaims with a loud voice:

Priest: GLORY to thee who hast shown us the light.

The choir sings the Great Doxology.

Deacon: Have mercy on us, O God, according to thy great mercy….

Choir: Lord, have mercy. thrice

Exclamation: For thou art a merciful God who lovest mankind …

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: Let us complete our morning prayer unto the Lord…

Exclamation: For thou art the God of mercies and compassion and of love…

Choir: Amen.

Priest: Peace be to all.

Choir: And to thy spirit.

Deacon: Let us bow our heads unto the Lord.

Choir: To thee, O Lord.

And the priest says this prayer secretly: O holy Lord, who dwellest on high and lookest upon …

Exclamation: For thine it is to have mercy on us and to save us…

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Choir: Bless.

Priest: He Who is, is blessed… .

Choir: Amen. Establish, O God, the holy Orthodox Faith …

Priest: Most holy Theotokos, save us.

Choir: More honorable than the Cherubim ...

Priest: Glory to thee, O Christ God, our Hope, glory to thee.

Choir: Glory... Now and ... Lord, have mercy. thrice Bless.

Reader: Come, let us worship . . . and the Psalms.

After Our Father, the priest, For thine is the kingdom . . .

At In the name of the Lord, bless, Father, the priest wearing the epitrachelion, and standing before the holy doors, exclaims:

O God, be compassionate unto us, and bless us, and make the light of thy face to shine upon us, and have mercy on us.

Reader: Amen.

Then the priest prays: O Christ the true Light, who illuminest and sanctifiest every man …

After the prayer, the choir sings: O Chosen Leader . . .

Priest:Glory to thee, O Christ God, our Hope, glory to thee.

Choir: Glory . . . Now and . . . Lord, have mercy. thrice Bless.

May Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His immaculate Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and loveth man.

May He who was born in a cavern, and lay in a manger for our salvation, Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-immaculate Mother, of our Venerable and God-bearing Fathers, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and loveth man.

May He who was born in a cavern, and lay in a manger for our salvation, Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-immaculate Mother, of the holy, glorious and all-laudable Apostles, of our Father among the Saints, (name of the Saint whose Liturgy is celebrated), of our Venerable and God-bearing Fathers and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and loveth man.

May He who on the eighth day did deign to be circumcised in the flesh for our salvation, Christ our true God . . .

May He who did deign to be held in the arms of the righteous Simeon for our salvation, Christ our true God

May He who on Mount Tabor was transfigured in glory before His holy Disciples and Apostles, Christ our true God . . .

May He who did deign to sit upon an ass's colt, for our salvation, Christ our true God . . .

May the Lord who came to His voluntary passion for our salvation, Christ our true God.. .

May He who through His surpassing goodness did show the most excellent way of humility, when He washed the Disciples' feet and did condescend even to the Cross and burial for us, Christ our true God . . .

May He who endured spitting, scourging, slapping, the Cross and death for the salvation of the world, Christ our true God . . .

May He who for us men and for our salvation did condescend to the dread passion and the life-creating Cross, and voluntary burial in the flesh, Christ our true God . . .

May Christ, who is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life, our true God . . .

May He who in glory did ascend from us into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, Christ our true God . . .

May He who in the shape of fiery tongues from heaven did send down the All-holy Spirit upon His holy Disciples and Apostles, Christ our true God . . .

May He who did empty Himself from the Paternal Divine Bosom, and came down from heaven upon the earth, and took upon Himself all our nature, and made it divine, and after these things, again ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, and did send down the divine and holy Spirit, one in essence, equal in power, and equal in glory, and ever-existing with Him, upon His holy Disciples and Apostles, and through Him did enlighten them, and through them the whole world, Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His allimmaculate and all-blameless holy Mother, of the holy, glorious, all-laudable Preachers of God, the Spirit-bearing Apostles, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is good and loveth man.

We magnify thee, O all-holy Virgin, and we honor thy holy Parents, and we glorify thy most glorious Nativity.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, and we honor thy holy Cross, whereby thou hast saved us from bondage to the enemy.

We magnify thee, O all-holy Virgin, and we honor thine honorable protection, thee whom Saint Andrew beheld in the air praying to Christ for us.

We magnify thee, O all-holy Virgin, Maiden chosen of God, and we honor thine entrance into the Temple of the Lord.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, who for our sake now art born in the flesh of the unwedded and most pure Virgin Mary.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, who for our sake now art baptized in the flesh by John in the waters of the Jordan.

We magnify you, O Hierarchs of Christ, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, and we honor your holy memory, for ye do pray for us unto Christ our God.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, and we honor thy most pure Mother, who now bringeth thee, according to the Law, into the Temple of the Lord.

The Archangel's cry we sing to thee, O Pure One, Hail, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, and we sing to thee, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, who for our sake didst descend into Hell, and with thyself dost raise all things.

We magnify you, O Methodius and Cyril, Equal to the Apostles, who enlightened all the Slavic lands with your teachings, and brought them to Christ.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, and we venerate thy divine Ascension with thy most pure flesh into heaven.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, and we honor thine all-holy Spirit, whom thou didst send from the Father unto thy divine Disciples.

We magnify you, all ye Holy Ones who have shone forth in the Land of Russia, and we honor your holy memory, for ye do pray for us unto Christ our God.

We magnify thee, O John, Forerunner of the Savior, and we honor thy most glorious nativity from the barren one.

We magnify you, O Apostles of Christ, Peter and Paul, who have enlightened all the world with your teachings and have brought all the ends of the earth unto Christ.

We magnify thee, O Holy Great Prince Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles, and we honor thy holy memory, who trampled the idols and enlightened the whole land of Russia by Holy Baptism.

We magnify thee, O glorious Prophet Elijah, and we venerate thy fiery ascent in the flesh into heaven.

We magnify thee, O Christ, Giver of Life, and we venerate the most glorious Transfiguration of thy most pure flesh.

We magnify thee, 0 all-immaculate Mother of Christ our God, and we glorify thy most glorious failing-asleep.

We magnify thee, O John, Baptist of the Savior, and we venerate thine honorable beheading.

We magnify you, O ye Archangels and Angels, and all ye Hosts, ye Cherubim and ye Seraphim, who glorify the Lord.

We magnify thee, Chief Captain of God, Michael, and all ye Archangels, Angels, Principalities, Authorities, Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Cherubim, and ye fearful Seraphim, who glorify the Lord.

We magnify thee, O Apostle of Christ, Name, and we honor thine afflictions and toils, whereby thou didst labor for the Gospel of Christ.

We magnify thee, O Holy Name, who endured passion, and we honor thine honorable sufferings, which thou hast endured for Christ.

We magnify thee, O Father and Hierarch Name, and we honor thy holy memory, for thou dost pray for us unto Christ.

We bless thee, O Venerable Father Name, and we honor thy holy memory, Instructor of monks, who dost converse with angels.

We magnify thee, O Holy Name, who didst endure passion, and we honor thy holy memory, for thou dost pray for us unto Christ our God.

We magnify thee, O wonderworking glorious Name, and we honor thine honorable sufferings, which thou hast endured for Christ.