The Diataxis of St. Philotheos Kokkinos: The Liturgy of the Faithful (II)

[WR: The conclusion of the Diataxis of St. Philotheos Kokkinos. This is a machine-assisted translation, so there are probably mistakes. Someday, I will post a proper translation. I will take a short break from posting and return in September.]

The priest divides the holy bread into portions, arranging them in the holy diskos in the form of a cross, saying: The Lamb of God is divided and distributed; divided but not disunited; always eaten yet never consumed, but sanctifying those who partake.

And the deacon, pointing to the holy chalice with his orarion, says: Fill, Master, the holy chalice.

And the priest, taking the upper portion, makes with it the sign of the cross over the holy chalice, saying: The fullness of the Holy Spirit. And thus he places it in [the chalice].

And the deacon, having said Amen, receives the hot water that has been brought in and, offering it, says to the priest: Bless, Master, the hot water. And the priest blesses it.

The deacon, holding the holy chalice with his left hand, pours the hot water in the form of a cross, while the priest says: The warmth of the Holy Spirit...

And the deacon: Amen.

Having made obeisances themselves likewise three times and prayed, the deacon girds his orarion crosswise and stands a little distance away, while the priest, having made an obeisance to the deacon and asked for forgiveness, takes a portion of the holy bread and, dividing it into two, takes half for himself and holds it in the palm of his right hand, while holding the other part in his left hand with the same reverence, says quietly: Deacon, approach.

And the deacon, having approached, makes a bow with all reverence, asking for forgiveness. And thus he approaches. The priest, giving it to him, says: The precious and all-holy body of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ is given to [Name] the deacon, for the remission of his sins and for life eternal.

And the deacon, having kissed the hand that gives it to him and received it, goes to one side of the holy table behind and, bowing his head and praying, says: I believe, Lord, and I confess that you are truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, who came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit for the salvation of sinners, of whom I am first...

And Of Your Mystical Supper... and finally Let not the communion of your Holy Mysteries be to me for judgment or condemnation, O Lord, but for the healing of soul and body. He partakes of what is in his hands with fear and all precaution.

The priest, also holding the holy portion he has received, bows his head before the holy table. And having prayed and said the aforementioned, he also partakes of what is in his hands with all precaution. Then, rising, he takes the holy chalice with both hands, covered with the veil, and partakes three times from it. And after this, he wipes both his own lips and the sacred chalice with the veil in his hands, and having kissed the chalice somewhere near the rim on the outside, he calls the deacon again, saying: Deacon, approach.

And approaching and making an obeisance to him and again asking for forgiveness, he also touches the sacred chalice with the priest, along with the veil. And he also partakes three times, while the priest says: [Name] the deacon partakes of the precious and holy blood of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins and for life eternal.

Then, wiping his own lips and those of the sacred chalice with the veil in his hands, [the deacon] kisses the priest on the cheek, while the priest says: Christ is in our midst.

And the deacon: He is and shall be.

And after this, the deacon himself, taking the holy diskos and the so-called sponge in his hands and wiping everything in the holy chalice with fear and all precaution so that not even the tiniest particle falls or is left behind. While this is happening, the priest recites the prayer of thanksgiving.

Then, placing the holy spoon in the holy chalice and covering it with one of the veils, the deacon lifts it with the priest's permission and, turning towards the west, shows it to those outside, saying Approach.

The priest himself, first saying With the fear of God and faith... after proclaiming, as we said, Approach, if there are any who wish to partake, takes from the deacon's hands the holy chalice and distributes to them. And thus, having blessed the people, he returns. If there are none, he blesses the people while the deacon holds the holy chalice, saying quietly also Save, O God, your people…

When the holy chalice has been placed on the holy table, the priest takes the prepared censer and, having blessed the incense, censes the holy things three times, saying quietly Be exalted to the heavens… Then he gives the censer to the deacon's right hand, and also places the holy diskos on his head, having the asterisk with the veils.

The priest himself, taking the holy chalice in his own hands, says quietly first Blessed is [our] God, and then aloud for all to hear Always, now and forever… And while Let our mouths be filled is being chanted, the holy things are carried to the prothesis with the deacon going ahead [of the priest].

And the deacon, having censed them and set aside the censer, departs. And standing in the customary place, he says: Having partaken, let us stand upright…

Help us, save us…

The whole day…

While this is being said, the priest distributes the antidoron to the people, [saying]: For you are our sanctification…

[WR: The distribution of the antidoron begins at the end of the service in contemporary practice.]

Then the deacon: Let us go forth in peace.

And when the priest has gone out and stood in his proper place, the deacon again: Let us pray to the Lord. And the priest [says] the prayer behind the ambo. While this is being said, the deacon stands before the holy doors holding his orarion. And bowing his head until the completion of the prayer, when it is finished he returns to the prothesis.

And when the priest has said the final prayer there, receiving the kairos and making an obeisance to him, [the deacon] gathers up the holy things with all attention and care, washing the holy chalice three times with wine and water, and wiping it carefully so that the moisture dries up and no dampness remains. Having gathered these things and arranged them well, he washes his hands and what is before his lips in the usual place, saying to himself the Now let your servant depart, the Trisagion, the troparion and kontakion of the day, and the Theotokion. Lord, have mercy three times. Glory, both now… More honorable.… And dismissal. While saying these, he removes the sticharion with the rest [of the vestments]. And having made an obeisance and given thanks to God, he departs.

The priest distributes the antidoron while I will bless the Lord [Psalm 33] is being said. When this is completed, he exclaims, The blessing of the Lord be upon you, blessing the people at the same time. And after this, the verse, Through the prayers of our holy fathers…

And thus he goes to the prothesis. And he washes [his hands] saying the aforementioned [prayers]. And he removes the priestly vestments, making the dismissal by himself. Then, having made an obeisance for all things and given thanks to God, he departs.

The Diataxis of St. Philotheos Kokkinos: Liturgy of the Faithful (I)

[WR: Continuation of the Diataxis of St. Philotheos Kokkinos. Please consult the service book of your choice for the full prayers.]

The deacon says: All catechumens, depart. Catechumens, depart. Let none of the catechumens remain. All the faithful, again and again in peace, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace from above…

For the peace of the whole world…

For this holy house…

While saying these things, the deacon looks towards the priest. And when he perceives that the priest has completed the prayer, he immediately says: Wisdom.

And the priest says: For to you belongs all glory…

And the deacon again: Again and again…

For [this holy] monastery…

For good weather…

For abundance…

For deliverance…

Help us…

Saying these things, he looks towards the priest. And when he perceives that the priest has completed the prayer, wherever appropriate, he immediately says: Wisdom.

And the priest proclaims: That being ever protected by your might…

While the Cherubic Hymn is being chanted, the deacon enters the holy sanctuary. And taking the censer with incense and approaching the priest and receiving as usual the blessing for the incense, he censes the holy table in a cross-wise manner all around, the entire sanctuary and the priest. And after this, he stands to the left of him with all reverence, awaiting the completion of the prayer. When this is completed, standing together they pray the Cherubic Hymn, saying it to themselves. And making three obeisances as they say it, they go to the prothesis, with the deacon going ahead with the censer. He, having censed the holy gifts, prays to himself, O God, be merciful to me, a sinner, and says to the priest: Lift up, Master.

[WR: In contemporary practice, it is the priest who censes the holy gifts at this point.]

And the priest, lifting the aer, places it on the left shoulder of the deacon, saying: Lift up your hands to the holy places… Then, lifting the holy diskos, he places it on top of the deacon's head, with the deacon also touching it with fear and all attention and care. The priest himself takes only the holy chalice.

And thus they make the Great Entrance, with the deacon going ahead holding both the holy diskos and the censer on one of the fingers of his right hand. As they pass through the church, they both pray for everyone, saying: May the Lord God remember all of you in his kingdom.

And when they come to the holy doors, the priest enters more slowly, while the deacon, going ahead, places the holy diskos on the holy table and he himself turns and censes the priest. And the priest, entering, says: Lift up your gates, O rulers… 

The deacon says: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. The Lord is God and has revealed himself to us. Then the same deacon again, bowing his head to the priest: Remember me, holy master, the sinner.

And the priest: May the Lord God remember you in his kingdom. Then he places the holy chalice on the holy table, saying also this: The noble Joseph, having taken down your most pure body from the tree, wrapped it in clean linen and spices, and laid it in a new tomb. Then the priest himself removes the veils from the holy diskos and the holy chalice and sets them aside, and taking the aer from the shoulders of the deacon and censing it, while the deacon holds the censer, he covers the holy gifts with it. And after this, taking the censer himself, he censes the holy gifts three times, saying thus: Do good, O Lord, until the end of the [50th] psalm. Then, setting aside the censer, they both stand before the holy table, praying to themselves and making three obeisances. The priest, loosening his …, joining his hands together, and bowing his head before the holy table, says to the deacon: Pray for me, Master. 

[WR: It is quite surprising that the priest calls the deacon Master here!]

And [the deacon], also bowing his neck and looking towards the priest, says: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And again the same to the priest: Remember me, Holy Master.

And the priest: May the Lord God remember you in his kingdom…

Then the deacon, having said Amen and having made a reverence and received the blessing, goes out. And standing in the usual place, he says: Let us complete our petition…

For the gifts set forth…

For [this] holy [house]…

For our deliverance…

Help us…

The whole day…

An angel of peace…

Pardon…

The good and…

The rest [of our time]…

A Christian [ending]…

[Commemorating our] Most Holy…

And the priest exclaims: Through the mercies… then Peace be with all.

The deacon: Let us love one another…

And the priest, standing within, makes three obeisances, praying and saying to himself: I will love you, O Lord, my strength; the Lord is my firmament, and my refuge, and my deliverer. And he embraces the holy things thus, as they are covered, first above the holy diskos, then above the holy chalice, and the edge of the holy table before it.

The deacon also embraces his orarion, on which is the sign of the cross, and thus he adds: The doors, the doors, in wisdom…

The people [say] the Creed.

The deacon [says]: Let us stand well…

While this is being said by the deacon, the priest lifts the aer from the holy gifts, raising it slightly and saying: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal… And having kissed this, he sets it aside.

He then proclaims thus: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ…

Let us lift up our hearts.

Let us give thanks to the Lord.

[WR: The people’s responses are here omitted.]

The deacon, having entered and standing to the left of the priest and at the side of the holy table, and makes three obeisances. Then he folds the aer and the veils and places them to the side. After the priest has said the hymn of victory, the deacon lifts the asterisk and, having wiped it on the altar cloth [iliton] and kissed it, places it with the aer. Then he moves and stands on the right side. And if there is a fan, taking it in his hands, he stands and fans above the holy gifts with all reverence, so that no fly or any such creature may settle. If there is no fan, he does this [fanning motion] with one of the veils.

When the priest proclaims: Take, eat… the deacon, touching his own orarion, points to the holy diskos together with the priest.

Likewise, when the priest shows the holy chalice saying: Drink of this, all of you… the deacon also points to the holy chalice together with him.

And when he proclaims Your own of your own… they both likewise point to the holy things.

When the priest is about to make the invocation of the Holy Spirit to consecrate the holy gifts, the deacon puts aside the fan or veil which he has in his hands and comes closer to the priest, and they both make three obeisances before the holy table, praying silently to themselves.

Then the deacon, bowing his head slightly, points to the holy diskos with his orarion, saying: Bless, Master, the holy bread.

And the priest blesses over the holy bread, saying quietly: And make this bread the precious body of your Christ.

And the deacon says: Amen.

Again the deacon says: Bless, Master, the holy chalice.

And the priest, blessing again over the holy chalice, says: And what is in this cup, the precious blood of your Christ.

And the deacon [says]: Amen.

And again, pointing with his own orarion to both holy things, he says: Bless both, Master.

The priest, blessing both the holy bread and the holy chalice, says: Changing them by your Holy Spirit. And the deacon, having said Amen, Amen… and having made three obeisances, still bowing his head to the priest, and saying: Remember me, holy master, a sinner, and May the Lord God remember you in his kingdom having heard from the priest, he moves to where he previously stood.

And taking the fan again, he does as before. And when the priest proclaims: Especially for our all-holy… the deacon commemorates by himself the founders, the monastery, and other departed ones, as he wishes. After the other exclamation, Among the first remember, O Lord… again the deacon commemorates the abbot and the brotherhood and other living ones as he wishes by himself. And when the priest exclaims And grant us with one mouth… he also gives the deacon the kairos, that is, blessing him. The deacon, having received the kairos and having made an obeisance [to the priest], departs.

[WR: I am not sure what is meant here by kairos.]

And standing in the usual place after the priest says And may the mercies… [the deacon] also begins: Commemorating all the saints…

For the offered and sanctified gifts…

That the merciful God…

For our deliverance…

Help us…

That the whole day…

An angel of peace…

Pardon and remission…

The good and beneficial things…

The rest of our time…

A Christian…

Unity…

The priest exclaims: And grant that with one mouth…

The people [say] Our Father…

And again the priest [says] For yours is…

Peace to all…

The deacon [says]: Let us bow our heads. And having said this, he also bows his head with the others slightly until the exclamation.

When the priest exclaims Through the grace and compassion… the deacon stands by himself praying and keeping his eye on the priest. And when he sees him completing the prayer and beginning to make an obeisance, he also makes an obeisance where he stands. And when he sees him again extending his hands and touching the Holy Bread he exclaims: Let us attend.

And the priest, lifting the Holy Bread, exclaims: The Holy Things for the holy. And the deacon, entering, stands to the right of the priest.

The Diataxis of St. Philotheos Kokkinos: The Liturgy of the Catechumens

[WR: Continuation of the Diataxis of St. Philotheos Kokkinos. Please consult the service book of your choice for the full prayers. There are no big surprises here.]

[The deacon] begins: Bless, Master.

The priest: Blessed is the Kingdom…

The deacon: In peace, let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace from above…
For the peace of the whole world…
For this holy house…
For our Archbishop…
For the devout and God-protected [Emperors]…
For the struggle and subjugation…
For this holy monastery…
For favorable weather…
For those who travel by sea and land…
For our deliverance…
Help us, save us, have mercy…
[Calling to remembrance] our most holy, immaculate, [and] most blessed Lady…

The priest exclaims: For to you belongs all glory…

While this is being said by the priest, the deacon, having made an obeisance before the holy altar, moves from his place and, going to the right side [of the solea] stands before the holy icons; likewise, he should do this for each antiphon.

When the first antiphon is completed, he goes again to the usual place and, having bowed, again says: Again and again…
Help us, save us, have mercy on us…
[Calling to remembrance] our most holy, immaculate…

The priest exclaims: For yours is the might…

After the second antiphon, the deacon: Again and again in peace…
Help us, save us, have mercy on us…
[Calling to remembrance] our most holy…

The priest: For you are good…

And the deacon, having made an obeisance, as we said, enters within the holy sanctuary, and stands there while the Beatitudes are chanted.

When the chanters come to the Glory, the priest and deacon approach before the holy altar and make an obeisance together. Then the priest takes the holy gospel and gives it to the deacon, and thus they exit through the northern part to make the Small Entrance.

Coming and standing in the usual place, they both bow their heads. And when the deacon says quietly, Let us pray to the Lord, while holding the orarion with three fingers of the right hand, the priest secretly says the entrance prayer.

When this is completed, the deacon says to the priest: Bless, master, the holy entrance. He indicates at the same time towards the east with the orarion, as he holds it.

And the priest, making the sign of the cross towards the east, says: Blessed is the entrance of your saints, always…

Then, the deacon goes to the Superior, and he venerates the holy gospel if he is present. If not, then the priest venerates it. When the last troparion is completed, the deacon enters in the middle and, standing before the priest, raises his hands a little. And showing the holy gospel, he says: Wisdom! Stand upright. Then, after making an obeisance, both he and the priest enter the sanctuary, with the priest following the deacon.

The deacon then places the holy gospel on the holy altar. The chanters sing the usual troparia. And when they come to the end, the deacon says to the priest, bowing his head and holding the orarion in his hand, as we have often said: Bless, master, the time of the Trisagion.

The priest, making the sign of the cross over him, says: For you are holy, O our God…

When the troparion is completed, the deacon, coming near the holy doors, shows his orarion to those outside, saying quietly: And unto the ages of ages.

[WR: In contemporary practice, this is said quite loudly!]

While those outside chant the Trisagion, the deacon stands near the priest who is saying the prayer. When the prayer is finished, as they hear the chanters saying the Glory, both now, they themselves say Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal… three times, making three obeisances before the holy altar.

Then the deacon says to the priest: Command, Master.

And they go to the throne; the priest says as he goes: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

And again the deacon: Bless, Master, the high throne.

And the priest: Blessed are you on the throne of glory of your kingdom, seated always, now and ever…

And after the completion of the Trisagion, the deacon says: Let us attend.

The priest: Peace be with all.

The deacon: Wisdom.

The reader: A psalm of David.

And the deacon again: Let us attend.

The reader [says] the Prokimenon of the Epistle.

The deacon: Wisdom.

The reader [says] the title of the Epistle.

And the deacon again: Let us attend.

When the Epistle is finished, the priest exclaims: Peace be to you.

The deacon: Wisdom.

The chanter: Alleluia, a Psalm of David.

The deacon: Let us attend.

And the Alleluia is chanted. While this is being chanted, or even before this while the Epistle is still being read, the deacon, taking the censer with incense, approaches the priest saying: Bless, Master, the incense. And when he has blessed as usual and said the prayer, he censes the holy altar all around. Then the whole sanctuary and the priest. And after this, putting away the censer, he comes to the priest. And bowing his head to him, holding also the orarion, he says: Bless, Master, the proclaimer of the Gospel of the holy apostle and evangelist (Name).

The priest, blessing him, says: May God, through the intercessions of the holy apostle and evangelist (Name), grant you the word to proclaim the Gospel with great power, for the fulfillment of the Gospel of his Son, our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, by his love for humanity and grace.

And the deacon, having said Amen and having made an obeisance, departs and stands before the holy altar. After making an obeisance with reverence, he takes up the Gospel. And going out through the holy doors, he departs and stands in the appointed place, with the candle-bearers going before him.

The priest, standing behind the holy altar, if there is room, or if not, in front, and looking towards the west, exclaims: Wisdom! Let us attend. Let us hear the Holy Gospel.

And the deacon: The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to (Name).

And the priest again: Let us attend.

If another deacon is concelebrating, he exclaims instead of the priest from within the sanctuary both Wisdom! Let us attend and Let us attend.

When the Gospel is completed, the priest says to the deacon: Peace be with you…

The deacon, coming to the holy doors, gives the holy gospel to the priest.

Then, standing in the usual place, he begins thus:
Let us all say with our whole soul…
O Lord Almighty…
Have mercy on us, O God, according to…

While these are being said, the priest says the prayer of fervent supplication, and the deacon joins in without hesitation.

We pray for the most pious and God-protected…(then for the Emperors by name.)
For the bishop....
We pray again for the forgiveness of sins of Hieromonk (Name) and all our brotherhood in Christ…
We pray again for all those who serve and have served in this holy monastery…

The priest exclaims: For you are merciful…

The deacon: Catechumens, pray to the Lord.
You faithful, let us pray for the catechumens…
That the Lord may have mercy on them…
That he may teach them the word of truth…
That he may reveal to them the Gospel of righteousness…
That he may unite them to his holy, catholic, and apostolic church.
Save, have mercy, help, and protect them, O God.
Catechumens, bow your heads…

The priest exclaims: That they also may be with us…
The deacon: As many as are catechumens, depart. Catechumens, depart. Let none of the catechumens [remain]…

The Liturgical Diataxis of St. Philotheos Kokkinos: The Liturgy of Preparation

[WR: St. Philotheos Kokkinos (c. 1300 – 1379) was an Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in the 14th century. A disciple of St. Gregory Palamas, he was instrumental in the canonization of St. Gregory in 1368. His Diataxis is a set of liturgical directives, chiefly for the deacon, written when he was the abbot of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos. It enjoyed special prominence after the saint ascended the throne of the patriarchate, and in its basic structure was interpolated into the liturgical service books. This English translation was translated with machine assistance from Hai treis leitourgiai kata tous en Athinais Kodikas, ed. Panagiotes Trempelas. The original Greek outlines the service and does not include the full text of prayers; please consult your preferred service book. My notes are in brackets.]

Codex 6277-770 of the Holy Monastery of St. Panteleimon (14th century)

Order of the Divine Liturgy,

In which the diaconal parts were composed by my Most Holy Master of Heraclea, Lord Philotheus [Kokkinos], when we was called Abbot in the Holy and Pious and Pure Monastery of Lavra of Athanasius the Great on [Mount] Athos, where he also composed this:

The priest, when about to perform the divine mystagogy, must first be reconciled with everyone and not hold anything against anyone. He should, to the best of his ability, keep his heart free from evil thoughts, practice self-control from the evening, and stay vigilant until the time of the sacred service. When the time comes, after making the customary reverence to the Superior, he enters the temple. Joining with the deacon, they together make three obeisances towards the east and one each to the two choirs. [WR: I have translated the various forms of προσκυνέω as make obeisance since it can mean a full prostration or a bow from the waist, depending on the context.] And thus they depart. When they make their obeisances, they say this prayer to themselves:

Prayer said by both:

Lord, send forth your hand from the height of your dwelling place. And strengthen me for your service that lies before me, so that I may stand uncondemned before your dread tribunal and perform the bloodless sacrifice. For yours is the power unto the ages of ages. Amen.

[WR: The word translated as tribunal is bēma, which is a Greek word that both means a judgment seat and can refer to the raised platform where the sanctuary and solea are located in an Orthodox Church.

[WR: In contemporary practice, additional prayers are said, beginning with the Trisagion and continuing with the veneration of the icons of Christ and the Theotokos. The above prayer is only said by the priest.]

Having come to the sanctuary, each takes in their hands their sticharion and makes three obeisances towards the east, each saying to himself: God, be merciful to me [a sinner].

Then the deacon approaches the priest, holding in his right hand the sticharion with the orarion. And bowing his head to him, he says: Bless, Master, the sticharion with the orarion.

And the priest [says]: Blessed is our God always, now...

Then the deacon withdraws by himself to one part of the sanctuary. And he puts on the sticharion, praying thus: My soul shall rejoice in the Lord; for he has clothed me with the garment of salvation. And with the robe of gladness he has covered me; as a bridegroom he has set a crown on me, and as a bride he has adorned me with ornaments.

And putting on the cuffs on his hands, on the right he says: Your right hand, O Lord, has been glorified in strength; your right hand, O Lord, has shattered enemies, and in the multitude of your glory you have crushed the adversaries.

And on the left he says: Your hands have made me [and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.]

[WR: The text appears to omit the priest’s vesting prayers and the ritual ablutions.]

Then, going to the prothesis, he prepares the holy things, placing the holy diskos on the left side, the chalice on the right side, and the other things with them. Then, when the priest comes, they make together three obeisances before the prothesis, each saying: God, be merciful to me [a sinner] or You have redeemed us [from the curse of the law by your precious blood. Having been nailed to the Cross, and pierced by the lance, you have poured forth streams of immortality to humanity. O our Saviour, glory to you.]

[WR: Interestingly enough, a choice is offered here in the prayers; in contemporary practice, both prayers are said.]

And the priest makes the blessing. Then the priest takes in his left hand the prosphora, and in his right hand the holy lance, and making the sign of the cross with it three times over the seal of the prosphora, he says three times: In remembrance of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

And immediately, he thrusts the lance into the right side of the seal. And as he cuts, he says: As a sheep he was led to the slaughter.

And on the left side: And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.

On the upper part of the seal: In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away.

And on the lower part: Who shall declare his generation?

And the deacon censes [at] each incision, saying: Let us pray to the Lord, also holding the orarion in his right hand.

[WR: In contemporary practice, no censing is made at the incision.]

After this, the deacon says: Lift up, Master.

And the priest, inserting the lance from the side of the right part of the offering, lifts up the holy bread, saying thus: For his life is taken up from the earth.

And placing it upside down on the holy diskos, when the deacon says: Sacrifice, Master, the priest sacrifices it in the form of a cross, saying: Sacrificed is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, for the life and salvation of the world. And he turns it right side up, the side having the cross [seal], lest it be hot and steaming [from being freshly baked]. Then let it lie face up so as not to create moisture underneath.

[WR: Directives regarding preventing moisture from the freshly-baked prosphora are not present in contemporary service books.]

Piercing it on the right side with the lance, [the priest] says: One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true. And the deacon pours into the holy chalice from the wine and water likewise, saying to the priest: Bless, Master[, the holy union], and receiving a blessing from him.

And the priest, taking in his hands the second prosphora, says: In honor and memory of our most blessed Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, through whose intercessions accept, O Lord, this sacrifice upon your heavenly altar. And taking a portion with the holy lance, he places it to the left of the holy bread.

For the third prosphora he says: By the power of the precious and life-giving cross; of the honorable heavenly bodiless powers; of the honorable, glorious prophet, forerunner, and Baptist John; of the holy, glorious, and all-laudable apostles; of our fathers among the saints and hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, Athanasius, Cyril, Nicholas of Myra, and of all the holy hierarchs; of the holy apostle, protomartyr, and archdeacon Stephen; of the holy great-martyrs George, Demetrius, Theodore, and all the holy martyrs; of our venerable and God-bearing fathers Anthony, Euthymius, Sabbas, Onuphrius, Athanasius of Athos, and all the venerable ones; of the holy and wonder-working Unmercenaries; of the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; of Saint [Name] whose memory we celebrate today, and of all the saints; through whose supplications visit us, O God. And thus, taking the portion, he places it in the same part, that is, on the left side, and below, he places the rest in order.

Then taking another prosphora, he says: For every Orthodox episcopate; for our Archbishop [Name], for the honorable presbytery, for the diaconate in Christ, and for every priestly order. For our most pious and God-protected rulers. For the servant of God (Name), that is, the Abbot. For the brothers who serve with us, priests and deacons, and all our brothers who have been called to your service through your compassion, O all-good Master. Then the priest says each name of the living, and for each [of the departed], he takes a portion from the other prosphora, saying thus: For the memory and forgiveness of the

sins of the blessed founders of this holy monastery. Then he commemorates the bishop who ordained him and others whom he wishes among the departed by name. And finally he adds: Remember, O Lord, all those who in hope of resurrection to eternal life have fallen asleep in your communion, our Orthodox fathers and brothers, O Lord who loves humankind. And he takes a portion.

[WR: In contemporary practice, the priest commemorates the hierarch who composed the liturgy [e.g. St. John Chrysostom] as well as himself.]

And the deacon, taking also a prosphora and the holy lance, says thus: Remember, O Lord, my unworthiness according to the multitude of your compassions and forgive me every transgression, both voluntary and involuntary. Then he also commemorates whom he wishes among the living and in another prosphora the departed likewise. And he places the portions in the lower part of the holy bread, just as the priest does, and taking the sponge he gathers the portions on the holy diskos under the holy bread, so that they may lie securely and nothing may fall off.

[WR: The deacon does not participate in the commemorations in contemporary practice. It could be expedient to bring back this practice so that a) the deacon has a more active role in the Liturgy of the Preparation and b) the priest can attend to other matters, such as hearing confessions.]

Then, taking the censer and putting incense in it, he says to the priest: Bless, Master, the incense. Let us pray to the Lord.

And the priest [says] the prayer of the incense: We offer incense to you, Christ our God, as a fragrance of spiritual sweetness, which you have received into your heavenly altar; send down upon us in return the grace of your All-Holy Spirit.

The deacon [says]: Let us pray to the Lord. And the priest censes the asterisk and places it over the holy bread saying: And the star came and stood over where the child was.

The deacon [says]: Let us pray to the Lord. The priest, censing the first veil, covers the holy diskos saying: The Lord is king…

And the deacon [says]: Let us pray to the Lord. Cover, Master. And the priest, censing the se-

cond veil, covers the holy chalice saying: Your virtue has covered the heavens, O

Christ…

The deacon [says]: Let us pray to the Lord. Cover, Master. The priest, censing the third veil, that is, the aer, covers both the holy [gifts] saying: Shelter us in the shelter of your wings…

Then both (the priest and deacon) join their hands and, making an obeisance reverently, say thus: Blessed is God, who has thus willed… Always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

The deacon says: For the offering of the precious gifts, let us pray to the Lord. And the priest [says] the prayer of the prothesis: O God, our God… After this, the priest himself censes the prothesis and makes a dismissal there. Then the deacon takes the censer, comes and censes the holy altar in a cross-wise manner, saying to himself the troparion: In the tomb bodily…

And after this, [he censes] the whole sanctuary and the whole church. He enters again into the holy sanctuary and again censes the holy altar and the priest. He then puts the censer in its proper place. They themselves come and stand together before the holy altar, making an obeisance three times, praying to themselves and saying: O Heavenly King… or Glory to God in the highest… twice, and Lord, open my lips… once. Then the priest kisses the Gospel and the deacon the holy altar.

[WR: Again, two options are offered here, but both prayers are said in contemporary practice.]

And after this, the deacon, bowing his head to the priest and holding his orarion with three fingers of his right hand, says: It is time for the Lord to act. Master, bless.

And the priest blesses him, saying: Blessed is our God, always…

Then the deacon: Pray for me, Master.

And the priest: May the Lord God direct your steps.

And again the deacon: Remember me, Holy Master.

And the priest: May the Lord God remember you in His kingdom…

The deacon, having said Amen and having made an obeisance, goes out and stands in the customary place opposite the holy doors. He makes three obeisances with devotion, saying to himself: Lord, open my lips… and after this he begins: Bless, Master.

The Easter Vigil in both East and West

The Holy Saturday Vesperal Liturgy in the Orthodox Church was in ancient times the Easter Vigil. It features fifteen readings from the Old Testament, during which time the catechumens were baptized into the Church.

The Western equivalent, the Easter Vigil, also has many readings from the Old Testament. Here is a table of readings (from the Orthodox service and the pre-1951 Tridentine Mass service), with overlapping readings in bold:

Orthodox Readings	Catholic Readings
Genesis 1:1-13	Genesis 1:1-31; 2:1-2
Isaiah 60:1-16	Genesis 5:32-8:21
Exodus 12:1-11	Genesis 22:1-19
Jonah 1:1-4:11	Exodus 14:24-31; 15:1a
Joshua 5:10-15	Isaiah 54:17; 55:1-11
Exodus 13:20-15:19	Baruch 3:9-38
Zephaniah 3:8-15	Ezekiel 37:1-14
1 Kings 17:8-24	Isaiah 4:1-6
Isaiah 61:10-62:5	Exodus 12:1-11
Genesis 22:1-18	Jonah 3:1-10
Isaiah 61:1-9	Deuteronomy 31:22-30
2 Kings 4:8-37	Daniel 3:1-24
Isaiah 63:11-64:5
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Daniel 3:1-88

Credo

The Symbol of Faith¹

I believe in one God:²
The Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
And all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
The unique Son of God,³
Begotten from⁴ the Father before all the ages:
Light from Light, true God from true God,
Begotten, not created,
Of one and the same essence with the Father,⁵
Through whom all things came into being.
Who, for us human beings and for our salvation,⁶
Came down from the heavens,
Was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,
And became human.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate,
Suffered, was buried,
And rose again on the third day
In accordance with the Scriptures.⁷
He ascended into the heavens,
Is seated at the right hand of the Father,
And shall come again in glory
To judge the living and the dead,
Whose kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit:
The Lord, the Giver of Life,
Who proceeds from the Father,
Who with the Father and the Son together
Is worshiped and glorified,
Who spoke through the prophets.

In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I expect the resurrection of the dead,
And the life of the world to come.

Amen.

---

1. The Greek word for symbol (σύμβολον) referred initially to the two halves of a token (usually a piece of animal vertebrae) broken apart for two parties in a contract; if the two parties' halves fit together, then that would be a sign of identity. Thus, the creed is a "Symbol of Faith" that the confessor is an orthodox (Nicene) Christian. ↩
2. I believe in one God (Πιστεύω εἰς ἕνα Θεόν): A colon is used here to emphasize the fact that Father Almighty, etc. are attributes of the one God in the context of the Creed. ↩
3. The unique Son of God (τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ): The word monogenēs literally means one of a kind, which can be translated as only or unique. ↩
4. Throughout this translation, the Greek preposition ek has been consistently translated as from, and dia as through. ↩
5. Of one and the same essence with the Father (ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί): This translation emphasizes that the essence that the Son shares with the Father is numerically one. ↩
6. Who, for us human beings (Τὸν δι᾿ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους): The word anthrōpos is not gender-specific, and the usage of the word man as referring to all humans is not typical of standard written English, so words deriving from anthrōpos have been translated as "human" or "human being" in the Creed. ↩
7. In accordance with the Scriptures (κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς): This translation indicates that these events were in agreement with, i.e., were a fulfillment of the [Hebrew] Scriptures, rather than implying that we know the events of the Gospel from the Scriptures. ↩

Introduction

This blog is more for myself than for the general public. It’s a way for me to think and learn through writing, and there are so many things I will write here that are rudimentary or speculative. The title of this blog, Word and Reality, is based on my desire to go beyond the forms of words to the underlying meaning or reality they represent.