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2nd in Luke # 7 Liturgy Continuing our explanation of our Liturgy, we learned already that the Divine Liturgy is composed of three parts. The first is the "Proskomide" on the little sub-altar, or "Prothesis." where the preparation is made for the Holy Gifts. This part is not witnessed by the Faithful. The second part is the "Liturgy of the Catechumens," which commences as we learned last Sunday with the glorification of the Holy Trinity, when the Priest raises the Golden Book of the Gospels in the form of a cross. As explained, the 9 Petitions follow, after which we commemorate our Holy Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary. That's where we stopped last Sunday. Today, I would like to note, that in the Ancient Church, and the Churches in Greece, as well as the Slavic Countries, there are Deacons in every Church, who offer all the Petitions throughout the Liturgy. Here in America, there is a shortage of Clergy, and we have very few Deacons. I mention this, because, in the Liturgy, while the Deacon is offering the Petitions, the Priest prays inaudibly, and only the conclusion of various prayers is heard aloud, Thus, for lack of a Deacon, the Priest has no choice, but to offer silent Prayers, while the Hymns are being sung. But, if we had a Deacon offering the Petitions, the Priest would silently pray while the first hymn, is sung: "O Lord our God, whose might is beyond compare, whose glory is incomprehensible, whose mercy is infinite, and whose love toward humankind is ineffable; do You Yourself, O Master, in Your tender compassion look down upon us, and upon this Holy Temple, and grant us and those, who pray with us, Your rich mercies and compassion. "The Priest concludes this prayer of the first Antiphon by saying that, which we hear now, simply because there being no Deacon, the Priest prays all the Petitions. After finding time to offer inaudibly the prayer of the first Antiphon, he completes it aloud saying: "For unto You are due all glory, honor and worship; to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages. Then the first hymn or Antiphon is chanted: "Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Saviour, save us." Through this hymn, we ask our Holy Mother to pray for us, which is an _expression of our humility, and our feeling, that we are unworthy to amply lift up our heads and pray to God. We ask Her to pray for us, because She, being close to her Son and God, would speak in our behalf. As mentioned, the first hymn is known as the first "Antiphon." In our Churches, there is a Chanter on the right, and one on the left. They sing the Antiphons, in a sense responding to one another, confirming their identical Faith. After the first Antiphon the Priest prays "Again and again, in peace let us pray to the Lord." The Congregation seals this with the "Kyrie Eleison." Then, we repeat the commemoration of our Holy Mother, as we know, to which the Congregation responds: "To You, O Lord." The Priest inaudibly offers the Prayer for the 2nd Antiphon. "O Lord our God, save Your people and bless Your inheritance; preserve the fullness of Your Church; sanctify those, who love the beauty of Your Temple; glorify them in return by Your Power, and do not forsake us, who put our trust in You." This second prayer is completed by the Priest praying aloud: "For Yours is the majesty, and Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory; of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages. " The Congregation, "Amen." The Congregation then sings the 2nd Antiphon: "O Son of God, Who has risen from the dead, save us, who sing unto You: Alleluia.": Having all our hopes in the Grace of our Lord, who has risen from the dead, that He will save us, we sing praises unto Him by chanting "Alleluia." a Hebrew word, which the Christian Church adopted, meaning: "Praise be unto God." The 2nd Antiphon having been sung twice, the Congregation sings "Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages. Amen," and continues to sing the 3rd Antiphon, a deeply theological hymn as follows: "O only Begotten Son and Word of God, Who being immortal., yet condescended, for our Salvation, to be incarnate through our most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and without any change, You became Man, and was crucified O Christ our God, trampling down death by death; You, Who being One of the Holy Trinity, and glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us." This 3rd Antiphon describes to us: 1. That Jesus is the only Begotten Son and Word of God. 2. That He is immortal. 3. The He came to save the human race. 4. That He pre-existed with the Father. 5. That he received His complete Human Nature from our Holy Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary. 6. That His Divine Nature did not change in the least, after having received the human flesh. He was perfect God and perfect man; two distinct Natures in one Person. 7. That He was crucified and shed His Blood to cleanse our sins. 8. That through His Death and Resurrection, death was trampled down and defeated. 9. That He is glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. While this 3rd Antiphon is being sung, the Priest prays inaudibly: "You, 0 Lord, Who has given us Grace at this time, that with one accord to make our common supplications unto You, and do promise, that when two or three are gathered together in Your Name, You will grant their requests, fulfill now, O Lord, the petitions of Your servants, as may be most expedient for them, granting us in this world knowledge of Your Truth, and in the world to come, Life Everlasting." Completing this prayer the Priest prays aloud: "For You, O God, are good and a lover of humankind, and unto You we ascribe glory, to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the Ages of Ages." The Congregation chants: "Amen." Then follows the "Minor Entrance" with the Golden Book of the Gospels. While one of the 8 Resurrectional Hymns is being sung, the Priest, holding the Holy Gospel, preceded by the Altar Boys around the Holy Altar, and coming to stand in front of it, he blesses saying: "Blessed is the Entrance of Your Saints, always, now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages. Amen." Raising the Holy Gospel Book, he exclaims: "Wisdom, rise!" He then chants with the Congregation: "Come, let us worship, and bow down to Christ; save us O Son of God, Who rose from the dead, and to Whom we sing: Alleluia." The Priest re-enters the Sanctuary and censer, while the hymns of the particular day are being sung. Prior to the Minor Entrance, while proceeding around the Altar, the Priest prays inaudibly: "O Master, Lord our God, Who has established the Orders and Legions of Angels and Archangels to serve Your Glory in Heaven, grant, that there may be with our entrance, an Entrance of Holy Angels, serving with us, and glorifying You for Your goodness." "For to You belong all glory, honor and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the Ages of Ages. Amen." We note here, that the Minor Entrance symbolizes the coming of Christ among the people, and Whose wisdom and teachings are given to us, through the Holy Gospels. After the Minor Entrance the Priest says: "Let us pray to the Lord." The Congregation responds with "Kyrie Eleison." The Priest continues: "For You. our God. are Holy, and unto You we ascribe Glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages." The Congregation seals with "Amen." Then the Thrice Holy Hymn is sung: "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us." (Twice). Then: "Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages. Amen. Holy Immortal have mercy on us." The Priest proclaims one word: "Thinamis," meaning, with strength and enthusiasm let us repeat the hymn: The Congregation repeats: "Thinamis" and continues, "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us." While the Congregation is singing the thrice-Holy hymn, the Priest recites a relative prayer. Truthfully, we stand in amazement, reading this prayer, and other very significant prayers of our Liturgy. He prays: "O Holy God, Who rests in Your Holy Place, Who are praised by the Seraphim (six winged Angels), who praise You with the thrice-holy hymn, and are glorified by the Cherubim, and worshiped by every Power in Heaven; Who out of nothing has brought all things 'into being; Who has created man after Your own image and likeness, and has adorned him with Your every gift; Who gives to him that asks, wisdom and understanding; Who despises not, the sinner, but has appointed repentance unto salvation; Who has deemed your humble and unworthy servants worthy, even at this hour, to stand before the Glory of Your Altar, and to offer the worship and praise, which are due to You; accept O Master even from the mouth of us sinners the thrice Holy hymn, and visit us in Your Goodness. Forgive us of every transgression, both voluntary and involuntary; sanctify our souls and bodies; and grant us to serve You in Holiness, all the days of our life; through the intercessions of the Holy Theotokos, and of all the Saints, who from the beginning of the world have been well-pleasing unto You. For You, our God, are Holy, and unto You we ascribe glory, now and ever and to the Ages of Ages. Amen. We stop here today, to continue next Sunday with the Apostolic and Gospel Lessons, which signify the end of the 2nd part of the Liturgy, which is the "Liturgy of the Catechumens." +Fr George Papadeas
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