How the casting is served without a deacon. Solving puzzling questions from pastoral practice
Perhaps, parishioners of large city churches will not be surprised by the acquaintance with a deacon - in many churches in Saratov the deacon's orarion is raised in the call to prayer every day. However, in villages, in churches on the outskirts of the city, they only heard about the deacon, but never saw it... Why does this happen? We asked a few questions about the ministry of deacon today to Protodeacon Mikhail Belikov. He himself has been serving in the diaconate for a quarter of a century.
— Father Michael, why are there so few deacons even in such big cities as Saratov?
— There are reasons for this, and they can be called... rather technical. Look: our theological seminary graduates about 10-15 people every year. Our need for priests is also growing, so graduates are very quickly ordained priests; they do not serve as deacons for long.
Moreover, the diaconate has traditionally been considered, as the old manuals on pastoral theology put it, “a natural preparation for the priesthood.” This is how the diaconal service is still looked at - as a step up to the priesthood.
- But the deacon is needed in the church for something... For what, by the way?
— I'll start with etymology. The word “deacon” is translated from Greek as “servant.” Diaconate is the first degree of priesthood, the lowest.
The main responsibility of a deacon is to assist the priest in performing the sacraments, primarily the Sacrament of the Eucharist. That is, today the main work of a deacon lies in the liturgical sphere, but without a priest he cannot serve independently. Without the blessing of the priest, the deacon cannot even vest.
The deacon's task is to recite certain texts during the service. On the one hand, he calls the people to prayer - litanies are voiced through his lips. It is the deacon who pronounces the familiar words to all of us: “Let us pray to the Lord,” “We ask the Lord,” “And we will commend our whole life to Christ our God,” etc.? On the other hand, he is also an evangelist, an evangelist - from the pulpit he evangelizes the Holy Scriptures: the apostolic readings and, above all, of course, the Gospel.
Traditionally, in addition to the liturgical workload, the deacon also carries out additional obediences in the parish and is an assistant to the rector in organizing church life. Before the revolution, for example, the duties of deacons included teaching at Sunday school - this was clearly stated.
In addition, a deacon can help a priest in social service, missionary work, education, and catechetical work.
— So it’s hard for a priest without a deacon?
— A priest, in principle, can do without a deacon, but still a deacon is a great helper. Therefore, its presence in the church, in the parish is very desirable.
— Does it happen that the deacon interferes and does not help?
— It depends on the moral qualities of a person in the diaconate. Well, and from his relationship with the priest.
— Father Mikhail, you have been teaching at the seminary for a long time. Have you met students who would like to become deacons after graduation?
- Somehow I don’t remember this... Besides, here’s what plays a role: in modern Church The opinion is often expressed, both by the laity and the clergy, that the deacon is the decoration of the service. It follows that he must have a good voice and an ear for music. If all this is present, then the deacon really is a decoration of the service and adds splendor to it. And sometimes those deacons who have suitable vocal abilities do not think about the prospect of the priesthood. The presence of voice and hearing is not an obstacle to priestly ordination, however, just as the lack of outstanding vocal abilities cannot interfere with diaconal service.
In general, all those serving in the church - both priests and deacons - should have at least a minimum understanding of both church and classical music. This helps a lot in worship and in its decoration. The splendor of a church greatly influences the moral state of parishioners.
— Can parishioners ask the deacon for advice?
- Certainly! If a deacon is a spiritually experienced person, then he can advise parishioners on something. My predecessor, Protodeacon Vasily Sultanov, for example, gave me a lot of advice in his time.
The deacon also has the right to preach. He, like the priest, receives the gift of teaching during his ordination. In general, every Christian is obliged to instruct, if possible, others - the laity should teach their children to live in faith, set a personal example Christian life neighbors.
— Father Mikhail, you mentioned Protodeacon Vasily Sultanov, who served as a deacon until his death. Which other deacons, as they say, “with experience” did you know and know?
— For a long time, Protopriest Lazar the Newly Baptized was the second protodeacon in the diocese - for almost thirty years. However, in 1992 he was ordained a priest and became the first rector of the temple in honor of the icon Mother of God“Quench My Sorrows,” which then opened after many years of Soviet desolation.
I remember the deacons I met back in the 1980s in the Volgograd diocese - almost all of them were elderly. I remember one very old man in Uryupinsk. He was well over 90 and could barely walk. In the altar they dressed the bishop for the exit, and next to him - this deacon, because he himself could not tie the robe or put on the surplice properly. He walked out with small old steps to the pulpit and began to pronounce the litany... in a clear, ringing young voice! Clear, beautiful... One day I watched as he entered the altar, heard the chant, “Now do You let Your servant go, O Master, in peace, according to Your word...” and began to cry: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner...”
I remember Deacon Alexander from the Trinity Cathedral in Saratov - also an old man, from among the parishioners. He was ordained at over 80 years old! And he served for a long time, not inferior to the younger ones, although the years were not the same. He had good bass. When old age completely took its toll, Father Alexander was ordained a priest. I remember that he did not even perform a single Liturgy on his own - he was so decrepit, he served God only through conciliar service. After some time he died.
— Is age not a hindrance to serving?
— You see, in the 1970-1980s the Church also had problems with personnel: there was a catastrophic shortage of not only deacons, but also priests. And many abbots wrote to Archbishop Pimen (Khmelevsky), who was then at the Saratov See, complaining: they say, it’s difficult to serve, there is no deacon - send him! He answered: “Well, who will I send you? Look for yourself among your parishioners, who are pious and have already seen life.” This is how deacons-elders appeared among us.
— Perhaps even now it is possible to educate deacons from among the parishioners?
- Well, it seems to me that first it is necessary to reverse the situation when the diaconate is perceived only as a step to the priesthood.
And it would probably be advisable to organize something like a school or two- or three-year courses at seminaries, where there are men from among the pious parishioners, such people can be found in the city! — they will prepare specifically for the diaconal service, in order to be assistants to the priest. But this, of course, is under the jurisdiction of the hierarchy.
Photo by Alexey Leontyev and priest Dionisy Elistratov
Newspaper "Orthodox Faith" No. 17 (493)
Follow up all-night vigil before polyelea is being done alternating priest And deacons (cm.: IV. All-night vigil, Follow-up of the festive all-night vigil, Great Vespers), behind except: evening entrance, which can be performed conciliarly, as well as lithium, which is almost always performed conciliarly.
Evening entrance
While singing stichera on “Lord I cried...” priests, which he will indicate senior priest, they put on sacred clothes: epitrachelion, armbands, phelonion and put on headdresses. After graduation incense they all stand in order of precedence in two rows on either side of the throne. Primate stands in front of the throne, and senior deacon on his right side opposite the front corner of the throne.
At the beginning of the singing "And now" dogmatics or stichera holiday senior deacon opens the royal doors, and then everything clergy cross themselves twice, kiss the Holy Altar, (and primate and the Gospel) are baptized a third time and bow primate (primate bows to both sides) . Then senior deacon takes cadilou sexton on the right side of the holy throne and asks for a blessing from primate.primate blesses the censer with prayer:“We bring the censer to you...”(cm.: Missal, Rite of the Sacred Liturgy, Follow-up of the Proskomedia) and that's all clergy, slowly, through the high place they leave the altar by the northern door to the salt. There's a walk ahead senior deacon with censer and before clerics, behind him priests by seniority (the youngest are in front) and completes the procession primate
On Solea priests primate in order of seniority (the youngest are in front, closer to the royal doors).
priests And senior deacon primate (primate . Senior deacon, showing local icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, primate and then priests, gets a little more to the right primate, half a turn in relation to it. Next, taking the censer in his left hand, and holding the orarion with his right three fingers, he bows his head and turns to primate, quietly saying: “Let us pray to the Lord.” Primate, bowing his head, reads (in a low voice) prayer entrance: “Evening, and morning, and noon...”(cm.: Missal, Sequence of Vespers). Senior deacon answers: "Amen" and pointing the orar to the east, he says in a low voice: “Bless, lord, the holy entrance.” For what primate blesses in a cross shape with his right hand (name fingers) to the east, saying quietly: “Blessed is the entrance of Thy saints, always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.” Elder deacon quietly answers: "Amen", taking the censer in his right hand, and stepping back a little to the side, censes primate, stands in its original place, waiting for the end of the singing choir. When the singing ends dogmatics or stichera, he stands at the royal gates, facing the throne in front primate and, having drawn a cross with a censer, proclaims: "Wisdom, forgive me."
Choir sings: "Quiet Light..."
Senior deacon enters the altar, censes the holy altar from four sides, the high place and stands at the northern side of the holy altar, from where he censes primate And priests upon their entry into the altar.
Priests they cross themselves and kiss only one icon, each on their side, either the Savior or the Mother of God, enter the altar through the royal doors and take their former places of standing at the throne. Primate, Having bowed towards the holy throne, he crosses himself twice, kisses the icon of the Savior on the right side of the royal doors and crosses himself again. Then he turns his face to the west, blesses crosswise with his right hand clerics, again he crosses himself twice, kisses the icon of the Mother of God on the left side of the royal doors, crosses himself again and enters the altar. Everybody is here clergy they are baptized together, kiss the holy throne and ascend to the high place: deacon– northern, and primate south side of the altar, priests - each on his own side (the elders are in front). There they cross themselves again and bow primate and rotate: primate And senior deacon facing the worshipers in the temple, and priests stand in the same order as they stood at the throne: to the right and to the left of primate by seniority (the older ones are closer to primate) facing each other.
Senior deacon proclaims: “Let’s hear it.”
Primate, after making a bow co-employees priests:"Peace to all".
Chorus:"And to Your Spirit."
Senior deacon:"Wisdom, let us hear"- and then says prokeimenon day from in poetry.
After prokimna should be read parimy.
Clergy are baptized, worship the high place and Primate. Further senior deacon closes the royal doors, and priests retreat to the places prepared for them on the southern and northern sides of the mountainous place and sit facing west, standing before the beginning of each parimia. At the end of reading the last Parimian priests cross themselves, bow down to the high place, primate and each other, and retreat to their places. Employee priest
Lithium
During pleading litany All priests, who are instructed to go to lithium, they put on vepitrachel, poruchi and skufya (monastics wearing a hood) or kamilavka (if they have it as a reward) and stand in order of seniority on the sides of the throne. Primate stands in front of the throne, deacons on the right and left side of primate
At the beginning of the singing stichera on lithium All clergy primate, who also bows to both sides. Second deacon receives in a high place sexton censer and asks atprimate blessing for censing. Primate , blesses the censer, with prayer:“We bring the censer to you...” and that's all clergy, slowly, they leave the altar by the northern and southern doors and walk in front clerics in the narthex There's a walk ahead primate, behind him in pairs priests (the elders are in front), and behind them deacons (older ones in front). Primate goes into the vestibule, walking around the lectern on the right side, and stands on the place prepared for him (the carpet) facing the altar. The rest stand to his right and left (by rank). clergy (older ones are closer to primate). When everything falls into place, priests And deacons turn to face the altar, cross themselves once and bow primate (primate also bows to both sides) .
Second deacon leaves the altar together with everyone and performs small censing. First, he censes the royal doors, the right side of the iconostasis, then the left side of the iconostasis, then goes down to the middle of the temple and censes the festive icon on the lectern there. Then he goes to the porch and burns incense there primate And co-employees to him priests. Then he returns again to the solea to the royal doors, turns his face to the west and censes the main choir with the person on it in chorus, then turning south right choir. Turning again to the people, he censes the people praying in the temple from left to right (from south to west, and then to the north), turns over his right shoulder to the east, censes the royal doors, local icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. After this he goes to the vestibule and burns incense there primate, turns to the east, crosses himself, bows primate and gives back the censer sexton.
Deacons get ahead priests in one line facing the altar and after the end of singing stichera four special ones are pronounced in order of precedence lithium petitions.
Note. All exclamations during the cathedral service are pronounced priests in turn in order of seniority and after a preliminary blessing (bow) primate, on which priest also responds with a bow. When pronouncing the exclamation in words: "Father and Son and Holy Spirit" priest crosses himself towards the altar, and in words: "now and ever"bows Primate. Primate returns the bow priest return bow.
After the last petitions second priest primate utters an exclamation: “Hear us, O God...” Deacons in words of exclamation: "To the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" cross themselves, bow down primate and stand behind him on the right and left sides.
Chorus:"Amen".
Primate:"Peace to all".
Chorus:"And to your spirit."
Senior deacon:“Let us bow our heads to the Lord.”
Clergy headdresses are removed and all those praying bow their heads.
Chorus:"To you, Lord."
Primate, facing east, reading loudly prayer:“Most merciful Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God...”(cm.:
Chorus:"Amen" And lithium this ends.
Blessing of the Loaves
Clergy put on hats, cross themselves, bow primate (for what primate also responds with a bow), go from the vestibule to the temple in front of clerics (they also first cross themselves and bow primate), They approach the lithium table with bread and stand in front of it. Clerics they place candles behind the lectern with the holiday icon, and they themselves stand somewhat away from the candles on the right and left sides of the lectern, facing each other. Arriving at the middle of the temple, clergy cross themselves and bow again primate (for what primate also responds with a bow to both sides).
After stichera on a poem, while singing: “Now you let go...” second deacon comes forward, stands to the left of the lithium table, crosses himself, bows primate and then reads: Trisagion according to “Our Father...”. After reading, he crosses himself again and bows Primate.
Third priest, after a preliminary bow primate, utters an exclamation: “For Thine is the kingdom...”
Choir: "Amen" and sings troparion holiday (three times) Charter. At the beginning of the singing tropareiponomari The royal doors open in the altar.
Note. According to tradition, on the twelfth and temple holidays for the first time troparion sing themselves clergy.
While reading prayers"Our Father" senior deacon goes to the right side of the lithium table and takes the censer from sexton. At the exclamation: “For Thine is the kingdom...” he crosses himself, bows primate and, having asked his blessing, commits censing lithium table. First, he censes three times around the table on its four sides (once for each chant troparion), then a festive icon on a lectern, then primate And co-employees to him priests. After this, he again censes the bread on the table from the front side and, having given the censer sexton gets close to primate, proclaiming: “Let us pray to the Lord.”
Chorus: “Lord, have mercy.”
Clergy take off their hats.
Primate takes the top loaf and makes the sign of the cross with it over the rest of the loaves and then, without kissing it, places it on top of the others, and reads in a loud voice prayer for the blessing of the loaves: “Lord Jesus Christ our God...”(cm.: Missal, Sequence of Vespers).
Chorus:"Amen".
Clergy put on hats, second deacon approaches the table, bows primate, takes the lithium and solemnly carries it high through the pulpit and the northern door to the altar.
Clergy They enter the altar through the northern and southern doors, and stand in the places of their former standing before the throne on the right and left sides of the throne.
Clerics with candles they go ahead deacon with a lithium and also enter the altar through the northern and southern doors. Then they go to a high place, turn their faces to the east, cross themselves and bow primate which stands on the salt, and retreat to their places.
After blessings of the loaves choir sings: "Be the name of the Lord..."(three times), and the first half 33rd psalm:“I will bless the Lord at all times...” to the words: "...they will not be deprived of any good."
Primate, while singing psalm, rises to the sole and stands in front of the royal doors, facing east, waiting for its end. Then he turns over his right shoulder to the west, blesses the people with the words: and enters the altar by the northern door.
Note. Before the exclamation:"The blessing of the Lord is upon you..."and blessing primate Allco-employees priests bow to him through the open royal doors, to which primate also responds to them with a bow.
During the final singing: “Lord, open my lips...” clergy cross themselves twice, kiss the edge of the throne (and primate and the Holy Gospel), again cross themselves and bow primate (for what primate also responds with a bow to both sides) and retreat to their places.
Senior And second deacons the royal gates are closed.
Employee priest takes its place in front of the front of the holy altar.
Polyeleos
While reading sedalnov By kathisma clerics with candles sexton with prepared censers and candles for clergy go to a high place, cross themselves three times, bow primate, each other and exit the altar by the north and south doors. Clerics stand on the salt in front of the royal gates facing each other, and sexton they go to the middle of the temple and stand to the right of the lectern with the festive icon.
At this time everything clergy, which go to polyeleos, put on sacred robes and stand in order of precedence on either side of the throne. Primate stands before the front of the throne, deacons on the right and left side of primate against the front corners of the throne.
At the beginning of the singing polyeleossenior And second deacons the royal gates open, and then everything clergy cross themselves twice, kiss the Holy Altar, cross themselves a third time, bow primate (for what primate also responds with a bow) and slowly, before clerics, proceed from the altar through the royal doors to the middle of the temple . There's a walk ahead primate, behind him in pairs priests, and behind them deacons. Primate goes to the middle of the temple, walking around the lectern on the left side, and stands opposite the lectern with the festive icon on the place prepared for it (carpet) facing the altar. The rest stand to his right and left (by rank) clergy.
Note. There is also a custom on twelfth and temple holidays before the start of the service to place the icon of the holiday on the holy altar, and not on the lectern in the middle of the temple. Then, when exitingpolyeleosshe comes out ahead of everyone clergy two royal doorsseniors priests and they place it on a lectern in the middle of the temple.
When everything falls into place, priests And deacons turn to face the altar, cross themselves once and bow Primate.
Clerics also cross themselves and bow primate, then they place candles behind the lectern, and they themselves stand somewhat at a distance from the candles on the right and left sides of the lectern, facing each other.
Senior deacon accepts from sexton lit candles for priesthood and serves them Primate. Primate distributes candles priests, who approach him in turn in order of seniority, first from the right and then from the left: at the same time primate And priest mutually kiss each other's hand.Next senior deacon accepts sexton lighted candle and gives it to his left hand primate. Then he accepts from sexton censer and gives it to his right hand primate, having previously asked his blessing: “Bless the censer, lord.” Primate blesses the censer and pronounces the prescribed prayer:“We bring you a censer...” Further senior And second deacons take the lighted deacon candles and stand behind the lectern facing Primate. Rest deacons are one step behind primate, on the right and left sides of him.
After finishing the last song verse polyelea clergy sing grandeur holiday or saint once, during which primate continuously censes the festive icon on the lectern from its place.
Everyday is performed in the same order as when censing one priest (cm.: IV. All-night vigil, Follow-up of the festive all-night vigil, Polyeleos Matins, Polyeleos), only with some features:
1) before censing the choirs, censing is performed clergy: first those standing on the right, and then on the left;
2) upon completion of incense, before incense deacons n chairman cense first clergy: at first priests, standing from him on the right, and then on the left.
Next follow matins before reading the Gospel is performed in the same order as during the service of one priest (cm.: III. Morning service, Peculiarities of performing Polyeleos Matins). All exclamations are pronounced priests in turn in order of seniority and after a preliminary blessing (bow) primate, on which priest also responds with a bow.
After reading the Gospel primate crosses himself, kisses the opened Gospel, gives away the candle, accepts the headdress and puts it on. The candles that were held clergy, extinguished and taken away sextons. Second deacon, Having closed the Gospel, he takes it to the altar and places it on the throne. Then he crosses himself, kisses the Gospel and the throne, bows primate and stands near the throne in the usual deacon's place. Two bow with him priest, reading canon. When deacon puts the Gospel on the throne, they leave the ranks employees priests and, bowing (together with deacon) primate, go to the altar through the royal doors. There they kiss the throne (on the sides), remove the felonies and wait for the exit at the end prayers:“Save, O God, Thy people...”(or if committed lithium shouting: "By mercy and bounties...").
After reading about half of this prayers senior deacon (or if not done lithium, tov the beginning of the festive singing stichera) located in the altar priests, reading canon, And second deacon approach the throne from both sides. Then they cross themselves, kiss the throne, cross themselves again, go out through the side doors onto the sole and stand facing the iconostasis, in front sexton with oil, waiting for the end deacon's prayer or celebratory singing stichera. Further, everyone standing on the sole, together with senior deacon cross themselves and bow Primate. Senior deacon And second deacon go to their places (next to primate), A priests, reading canon, Having bowed to each other, they stand at the lecterns with books.
After the exclamation: "By grace and bounty..." primate bows co-employees priests and goes to the analogue with the icon of the holiday. Here he makes two bows from the waist, takes off his headdress, kisses the icon, takes sexton brush and anoint himself with holy oil. Then he hands over the brush sexton puts on his headdress, crosses himself a third time and takes his place. To his right it becomes sexton with a vessel of holy oil and a brush.
Priests in pairs they approach the festive icon for anointing. First they cross themselves twice, bow primate and others priest, standing next to him. Then they take off their hats, kiss the icon, cross themselves again and approach in turn primate for anointing. Primate dips the brush into the holy oil and hands it priest Priest takes a brush from primate (at the same time they mutually kiss each other’s hand), turns to face the altar, anoints himself with holy oil, turns to primate and gives him the brush (kissing each other’s hand again) and goes back to his place. After the anointing priest, standing in pair with him, he turns to the east with him, crosses himself, bows primate and to each other. Behind priests To primate also suitable for anointing in pairs deacons, making the same bows as priests when kissing the icon and kissing the right hand primate after anointing.
Priests, reading canon, usually approach anointing after 6th songs (this is the most convenient moment).
After the anointing priests And deacons turn their faces to the east, cross themselves, bow primate and go to the altar through the royal doors (deacons behind priests). At the altar: second And third priests stand in front of the throne, deacons on the right and left sides of them opposite the front corners of the throne, the rest priests on the sides of the throne. Then everyone crosses themselves once, kisses the throne, crosses themselves again, bows primate through the open royal doors, then to each other, they retreat to their places and take off their sacred clothes. Employee priest remains in vestments and stands on the right side of the holy throne until primate will not enter the altar after the end of the anointing.
Deacon (If primate anoints in the middle of the temple) before pronouncing small litany, bows to the holy throne and employee priest and exits the altar by the northern door. On the solea he stands to the left of the royal gates, then crosses himself and bows primate, turns to the east and proclaims litany. Employee priest utters an exclamation near the holy throne, bowing to the high place and primate through the open royal doors. Deacon at the outcry priest crosses himself, bows down with him primate, and returns to the altar by the northern door.
If anoints Jr priest, but not primate, Then deacon bows before and after utterance litany commits employee priest at the altar.
After finishing the anointing primate hands over the brush sexton worships before the icon and goes to the altar. Deacons close the royal doors, and primate bowing to the throne and employee priest, retreats to his place and takes off his sacred robes . Employee priest takes his place before the throne and ends all-night vigil according to the usual procedure (see: IV. All-night vigil, Follow-up of the festive all-night vigil, Polyeleos Matins).
Priests, reading canon, after finishing the reading, they cross themselves, bow to each other and go through the side doors to the altar. Here they are baptized, bow to the Holy Throne, primate and each other and retreat to their places.
Can a deacon serve the Liturgy without preparation and without receiving Holy Communion? Mystery, as well as a priest, having served one liturgy, can he participate in the cathedral service of another liturgy, also without receiving Holy Communion? Tine?
This question should be answered with the words of the 8th Apostolic Canon, which excommunicates both priests and deacons if they evade Holy Communion during the celebration of the Liturgy. Mysteries, not having the most plausible and obvious reason preventing them from approaching St. communion (see 8 Apostolic Rule and interpretation of it by Balsamon, Zonara, Aristin and in the Slavic Helmsman). So, according to the 8th Apostolic Canon, both the priest performing the liturgy and the deacon participating in its celebration must receive Holy Communion. Secrets, excluding any special emergency circumstances that prevent this from being done. But can a deacon, as well as a priest, serve one liturgy with preparation and, after receiving Holy Communion after it? Tyne, on the same day, participate in the cathedral service of another liturgy, without receiving Holy Communion. The secret behind this second liturgy? The deacon is not the celebrant of the sacrament of the Eucharist, but only a person who serves the bishop or presbyter during the celebration of the sacrament of the Eucharist; therefore, we sometimes - out of extreme need - allow the deacon, having prepared for one liturgy and receiving Holy Communion after it. Mystery, participates in the celebration of other liturgy, but at this liturgy St. does not partake. Tyne. The priest is the celebrant of the sacrament of the Eucharist; This is how he appears both at the time when he serves the liturgy alone, and when he celebrates mass together with other priests; Therefore, it is not and cannot be allowed for us that a priest, having celebrated one liturgy and having received St. Holy Communion after it. Tyne, could on the same day participate in the cathedral celebration of another liturgy and not receive Holy Communion at this liturgy. Tyne. At least, in the “Teaching News” (under the Service Book) it is categorically stated that a priest (as well as a bishop) cannot perform more than one liturgy on the same day (“Guide for Rural Pastors”, 1887, No. 51) .
Are some people correct when they say that there are cases when one can serve without entrance prayers, for example, during the consecration of a temple?
Although in this case the entrance prayers are not performed, the sacred act itself - the consecration of the temple - already properly prepares the clergyman to begin celebrating the Divine Liturgy (Church Bulletin, 1899, No. 6).
When reading the entrance prayers before the celebration of the liturgy at the conciliar, should all concelebrating priests wear stoles or only one elder?
Entrance prayers, as their very name shows, must be said before entering the altar, so that the one saying them does not have the opportunity to put on the epitrachelion. That is why, even in the case when the entrance to the holy altar is built directly from the street, and not through the temple, the priests make the entrance without an epitrachelion. If you take the Missal, you can see that the priest puts on the epitrachelion after laying on the surplice (i.e., the vestment) with the reading of the prayer: “Blessed is God, who pours out grace...” (Church Bulletin, 1900, No. 24) .
Should entrance prayers be performed with or without an epitrachelion?
The entrance prayers themselves are some preparation of the clergyman for entering the holy altar to perform the most important of the sacred rites, and therefore, even if the clergyman entered the temple through the altar, there is no reason to put on an epitrachelion to perform the entrance prayers (Church Bulletin, 1899, No. 6).
Should the deacon, after praying the entrance prayers together with the priest, certainly kiss St. the throne and the cross and the Gospel on it?
Kissing St. throne and the saints lying on it. The cross and the Gospel are performed by the clergy many times during divine services - as a sign of reverent veneration for them, as well as to ask the Lord for gracious permission and strength for the sacred rite. Therefore, to deprive oneself of the opportunity to reverently touch these shrines at the indicated time of the deacon would be unreasonable and unfounded (Church Bulletin, 1897, No. 28).
Is it permissible and correct to perform proskomedia without a felony?
Performing proskomedia without a vestment, or phelonion, is a phenomenon contrary to church rites, for in the Service Book it is prescribed to first put on all sacred clothes, and then go to the altar and perform proskomedia (RDSP, 1887, No. 33).
Can someone who comes to church stand during the service with an open book and follow the service from it? Is it possible to stand in the altar and on the sole during worship?
It is a custom of heterodox confessions to follow the divine service according to the book; in the Orthodox Church, the entire structure of worship is such that it requires from the believer only concentrated, reverent attention; the laity is prohibited from entering the altar by the canons (VI Ecumenical Council, rule 19; and Nomocanon, 66), while being placed on the altar is prohibited on the basis of the statute on the prevention of crimes, which prohibition took place by the Highest order of Emperor Nicholas I, who personally noticed the disorders that arise from filling the salt with those praying (Church Bulletin, 1899, No. 35).
Is it possible to read the rule for Holy Communion during the All-Night Vigil or Matins?
These services in themselves have the meaning of preparatory, which is why the “Teaching News” recommends listening to them with special reverent attention. In the evening, the clergyman must read the canons (various in different days) and akathists, and in the morning - serve and listen to the Midnight Office, Matins, Hours and Canon along with prayers to St. communion; in any case, even if it were not possible to fulfill the entire rule, prayers to St. Communion must be read before the liturgy (Church Bulletin, 1893, No. 10).
In extreme cases, can a priest celebrate the liturgy by reading only the well-known prayers for Holy Communion and omitting the reading of the canons to the Savior, the Mother of God, etc.? Or in such cases, serve not the liturgy, but the hours?
“Teaching News” allows, in extreme cases, to leave the rule, “let everything left according to the Divine Liturgy be completed by (the priest), but let the prayers for communion be urgently spoken before the Liturgy.” Of course, if on the eve of the Liturgy the priest has to travel with you all night, which happens in crowded parishes, and he is extremely tired or exhausted from a night spent without sleep, then it is better for him to send the clock and the liturgy instead of the Liturgy, otherwise from fatigue and extreme exhaustion he can easily some misfortune happens to him during the celebration of the liturgy (“Guide for rural pastors”, 1887, No. 33).
A deacon who, for some reason, serves without preparation, cannot take part in what liturgical actions?
In our country, out of a duty of conscience and instilling a sense of reverence for the shrine, it is accepted that a deacon who is not properly prepared to participate in the celebration of the liturgy is excluded from certain liturgical actions, namely: 1) he does not go with the priest before the royal doors to read initial prayers before the proskomedia; 2) does not take the usual beginning from the priest before “Blessed is the kingdom,” but only quietly says: “Bless, master,” and, having received a blessing from the priest, kisses his hand and goes to the pulpit to proclaim: “Bless, master,” pronounces the litany and etc.; 3) after the great entrance, he does not turn to the priest for prayer for himself, nor does the priest turn to him, but only in the same way as at the beginning of the liturgy, he asks for a blessing, saying: “Bless, Vladyka,” and, having received a simple blessing from the priest , retires to his place for further priestly service; 4) when the priest shouts “Victory Song”, he does not raise the stars, but the priest himself does this; 5) at the consecration of St. Darov does not approach St. meal and does not raise St. Gifts with the exclamation: “Thine from Thine,” but only after the consecration of St. Darov censes while singing: “It is worthy to eat”; 6) does not approach St. meal and during communion and after communion, the priest does not collect particles in the holy. cup. In addition, in some places it is also observed that a deacon who serves without preparation cannot endure St. After the gifts she communed and did not proclaim: “With the fear of God...” (“Guide for rural shepherds”, 1888, No. 17).
Can a non-serving priest help a serving priest remove particles from the prosphora served by parishioners at the proskomedia?
Let the non-serving priest or deacon, standing at the altar, read the memorials, pronounce the names of those persons for whom the particles should be taken out, and the serving priest, saying only “remember, Lord,” takes out the particles himself. And with such assistance to the serving priest on the part of the non-serving priest or deacon, the removal of particles from the prosphora by the serving priest will be facilitated and significantly accelerated (“Guide for Rural Pastors”, 1887, No. 6).
Do the priests act correctly, and on what basis, when at the proskomedia, pronouncing the words of the troparion: “He redeemed us ecu from the legal oath,” they kiss the paten, “with honest blood” - the edge of the chalice, “nailed on the cross” - the saucer with the image of the cross, “ pierced with a copy” - a copy, “immortality exuded ecu by man, Our Savior, glory to Thee” - another saucer with the image of the face of the Mother of God?
Almost everywhere, according to an unwritten rule, it is only out of reverence for the Eucharistic vessels and things that the priests kiss the paten, chalice and star when, having approached the altar, they prepare these vessels and things for the upcoming sacred rite - they place them on the altar (“Guide for rural pastors ”, 1889, No. 15).
On the day of the Archangel Michael, the Archangel Gabriel and other disembodied forces, should the eighth particle be removed from the nine-piece prosphora in honor of these disembodied forces?
Proskomedia is the remembrance of the Calvary sacrifice for our salvation, and the fruits of this atoning sacrifice cannot extend to angels, therefore there should not be particles on St. discos for the disembodied forces (“Guide for rural shepherds”, 1887, No. 33).
Is it possible, in case of emergency, to serve the liturgy on four prosphoras, taking out particles for the living and the dead from the same prosphora?
It is possible - even with a smaller number of prosphoras, as explained in the well-known “Practical Guide” by Archpriest. Chojnacki, where all kinds of cases of such necessity are collected (“Church Bulletin”, 1900, No. 26).
Is it possible to start the proskomedia at the end of Matins, for example, during the reading of the 1st hour, in order to end the service as quickly as possible due to the cold in the church?
This acceleration, albeit insignificant, disrupts the usual order, since the one who accelerates will obviously begin to celebrate the liturgy without entrance and without proper full vestments (“Church Bulletin”, 1897, No. 22).
Is it permissible, from the point of view of the church charter, to remember the living and the dead at the proskomedia, when removing particles from the prosphoras brought by parishioners, with the general words of remembrance “remember, Lord, those who brought them, and for their own sake they brought them” (from the prayer of offering at the proskomedia)?
A careful examination of the rites of proskomedia will show the questioner that the formula of general commemoration given by him must exist and exists next to the named commemoration of the living and the dead. Therefore, eliminating this latter from the proskomedia is in no case acceptable and would only testify to the laziness of the priest in prayers for his flock (“Church Bulletin”, 1901, No. 32).
In the rite of the liturgy, the word proposal is often used; for example: “they also wash their hands in the sentence, saying: I will wash my innocent hands,” etc.; “and tacos are becoming a part of the offer. The same three worships before the offering, each one says: “God, cleanse me.” How should we understand the sentence in the first case, and at what point should we actually wash our hands?
The word sentence means “altar” and in this sense it should be understood everywhere where it is used in our Service Book, except for the place where it is said: “they also wash their hands when they go into the sentence.” Here, the word “sentence” is inaccurately translated in the Greek missal, meaning a mountain proper, a place where a fire is made, a brazier, we usually have a pot of coals. This means, according to the instructions of the Service Book, the clergy wash their hands in the place where the mountain is located, located in the altar part where the offering or altar is located, as we still see in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral and in the Great Church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra (“ Guide for rural shepherds”, 1888, No. 12).
What words should the priest say at the proskomedia when the deacon asks him for a blessing to pour wine mixed with water into the chalice, saying: “Bless, Vladyka, the holy union”?
The Missal does not indicate that the priest should pronounce any words, and therefore the priest should not pronounce either “Blessed is our God always, now and ever,” or “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” or any other words , limiting itself to one blessing of wine combined with water, by which action the combination is sanctified and permission is expressed to the deacon to pour wine and water into the chalice (“Manual for Rural Shepherds”, 1885, vol. 3, p. 401).
Red and white wines can be produced from grapes; What quality and color should wine be for celebrating the Divine Liturgy?
Given the general consumption of red wine in Palestine, which is why it is called in the Holy Scriptures the blood of grapes, the blood of grapes (Gen. 49:11; Deut. 32:15, 38), there is no doubt that it was red wine that the Savior consumed at the Last Supper . Imitating the sacred rites of Christ, the Orthodox Church from time immemorial celebrated the sacrament of the Eucharist with red grape wine, which, in its appearance for the sensual eye, more fully depicts the prenatural blood of Christ the Savior served in the Eucharist (“Guide for Rural Shepherds”, 1893, No. 18).
Is it possible, in the case when there is no special “Mother of God” prosphora (i.e., a prosphora with an image of the Mother of God), to take out a particle in honor and memory of the Most Blessed Lady of the Mother of God from the prosphora that has the sign of the cross with the inscription IC on the proskomedia. HS. NI. KA?
Prosphora should have a four-pointed cross (Acts of the Council of 1667, ch. 1 and 1698, d. 26). Sign of a four-pointed cross with the inscription IC. HS. NI. K.A. should be on all prosphora served at proskomedia. Prosphora “Theotokos” exist only in southwestern Rus'; in the north-east, prosphora with any other seals are not used at all, except for those with the sign of a four-pointed cross. From here it is clear that the local custom of removing a particle in honor of the Mother of God from the “Virgin” prosphora does not exclude the possibility of removing the same part from a prosphora that does not have the inscription of the name of the Mother of God and Her image (RDSP, 1866, No. 6).
Should a particle be taken out of the prosphora for each living or dead person, or one particle for many people?
According to the wisdom of the Orthodox Church, for each living or dead person a special particle should be taken out of the prosphora. The rite of proskomedia clearly states that the priest at the proskomedia remembers the living and the dead “by name, for each name he takes out a particle, saying: “Remember, Lord.” To deviate from this instruction and believe that taking out a special particle for each living and dead, or taking out one particle for many are indifferent things, means allowing arbitrariness and placing your own consideration above the understanding of the Church (RDSP, 1893, vol. 2. , p. 181).
When exactly does the antimension develop on three sides, and should the priest kiss the antimension as it develops on three sides?
The antimension develops on three sides at the time when a special litany is pronounced, in fact, during the petition in this litany for the local bishop; then the clergyman kisses the saint. antimins (“Guide for rural shepherds”, 1889, No. 17).
When exactly during the Litany of the Catechumens does the last, upper side of the antimension open?
Although our priests open the last, upper side of the antimension at the time when the petition for the catechumens is pronounced: “The Gospel of truth will be revealed to them,” the last, upper side of the antimension should be opened after the litany for the catechumens, when the final exclamation of this litany is pronounced: “Yes.” and they with us glorify the most honorable and magnificent your name" The Hierarchal Missal says that “every time this exclamation is spoken, the concelebrants extend the antimension, and the bishop also touches it with his right hand” (see the rite of the Liturgy of St. Chrysostom in the Hierarchal Missal). (“Manual for Rural Shepherds”, 1889, No. 17).
Is it possible for a priest to go and advise a dangerously ill person at the invitation received during the singing of “Izhe Cherubim”?
It must go, since church rules allow the priest not to go at the invitation, “praying for the sick according to the will of God,” only when the invitation follows “after the great entrance and consecration of the Gifts” (“Teaching News”). (“Church Bulletin”, 1900, No. 13).
Should the priest, having made a cross with his lip over the open antimension, kiss it and place it on the right side of the antimension at the top?
The Bishop's Service Book says that after opening the antimension, the bishop takes the skus, that is, the lip, and with it creates a cross over the antimension, and then, having kissed it, places it “on the gum edge of the antimension.” The priest also acts in this regard (Manual for Rural Pastors, 1889, No. 17).
Should a priest kiss St. before the Great Entrance? paten, when he takes it from the altar and places it on the head of the deacon, and also kisses the saint. chalice, when he takes it from the altar into his hands?
In relation to the instructions of the Bishop's Missal, before the great exit, the priest, taking the paten from the altar and placing it on the head of the deacon, kisses it, and also kisses the chalice when he takes it from the altar into his hands; The priest does the same after the great exit, when he takes the paten from the deacon’s head and when he delivers the paten and chalice to St. throne. (“Manual for Rural Shepherds”, 1889, No. 17).
How to go to the altar at the Liturgy, after the priest has read the Cherubic Song, directly from the throne to the altar or going around, past the high place?
In the church charter, as well as in the practice of the Church, there is no reason to act, in this case, according to the last indicated method, that is, to go to the altar for the great entrance, “walking around the throne.” The Missal directly says: “and it goes into the offering before the deacon, and the saint burns incense”; it is clear, therefore, that the priest and deacon must go to the altar, “without going around the throne” (“Manual for Rural Shepherds”, 1886, No. 52).
During the great exit at the Liturgy, should the priest carry the paten from St. A lamb on your head or in your hands?
A more correct opinion is that a priest serving the Liturgy without a deacon should carry the paten from St. during the great exit. A lamb on his head, but not in his hands, as is done in some places by some priests. In support of this opinion, one can, by the way, refer to the very authoritative voice of one teacher of the Greek Church - Nicholas Kavasila, Arch. Thessalonica (who lived in the middle of the 14th century), who in his treatise on the Divine Liturgy speaks of the transfer of St. Gifts from the altar to the throne: “the priest, having performed the praise of God, goes to the Gifts and, reverently raising them on his head, leaves; carrying them in this way, he goes out to the altar” (“Guide for Rural Shepherds”, 1888, No. 32).
When transferring the honorable Gifts from the altar to the throne, what is received in the right hand and what in the left?
Not all priests act in the same way in this case, while in divine services in general, and the Liturgy in particular, accuracy, immutability and unity of actions are required on the part of those performing the Divine service. Some priests, when transferring the venerable Gifts from the altar to the throne, accept the holy one in their left hand. the chalice, and the paten to the right, making it cross-shaped, as during the elevation of St. Darov. Others take St. The gifts as they stand on the altar, that is, in the right hand of the saint. a chalice, and a paten on the left. Thus, at the same point there is a split, which should not happen. Who is doing the right thing in this case and who is making a mistake?
Some of the priests give the following considerations on this issue. The right hand is superior to the shuytsa; Therefore, in this case, one should take to the right hand what is more important and preferable. What about St. the chalice is more important than the paten, this is evident, firstly, from church practice, when the priest serves with the deacon and this latter, as the lowest member of the priesthood, is given holy gifts when bearing honorable Gifts. paten; The priest himself takes the holy cup. Secondly, the cup, in addition to its practical purpose, also symbolizes that cup of inhuman suffering for which the God-man prayed until he sweated blood in Gethsemane in the last minutes before the kiss of Judas. Thirdly, from the chalice we all partake of the one Body and Blood of Christ, so that the holy chalice can be called not only a sacred thing, but also holy. The paten signifies only the manger in which the Infant Jesus was laid at birth, and is only a sacred thing. The substances on the paten - bread and in the cup - wine, are only substances of equivalent significance, prepared for the great and secret sacrifice. Consequently, it follows from the theoretical point of view that St. the cup is more important than the paten, and therefore should be taken in known time St. cup in your right hand. That this is exactly what should be done, and not otherwise, can be supported by one place in the Missal of the Liturgy of the Presanctified: a statement about certain corrections in the service of the Presanctified Liturgy. “It is proper to know... and the priest places the air on the frame of the deacon: the holy diskos with the Divine Mysteries is received by his right hand and placed on his head: and the chalice with wine is carried into his shuitsa.” This directly and clearly shows that in all other cases, i.e. in the Liturgy of John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great is done differently: St. the chalice is accepted by the right hand, and St. paten shuytseyu. Otherwise, why would the author of the “Declaration” resort to explaining in this case what needs to be taken to the right hand and what to the shuytsu, if he had not foreseen the possibility on the part of the servants to do this in the usual manner and in the Liturgy of the Presanctified. That is why he explains that the clergyman, when transferring St. The gifts in the Liturgy of the presanctified should not be taken into the right hand of the saint. chalice and paten in shuytsu, as in the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, but vice versa, since on St. The discos contains not ordinary bread, but St. The Lamb is the Lord Jesus Christ, for which the saint is supplied. Paten on the head of the priest when transferred. From this we can conclude that only in the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is St. the paten is in the right hand and is carried no other way than on the head of the clergyman.
In addition to the above considerations, the question posed can be resolved on the basis of accurate, undoubted data, and such data is found in one of the definitions of the Moscow Council of 1666-1667: “I have also heard that here in Russia the priests of St. The gifts are brought into the great entrance not according to rank, they change their hands, and they eat the holy chalice with their left hand. And they do this not according to the rules: before such an order is not written anywhere, below the holy Eastern Church it is the custom to have such a custom: below the sacrament of Jacob, this change of hands is revealed: only superstition and schism” (chapter 20-10, vol. edition, 1881, Moscow). The Council clearly states that it is impossible to carry the chalice at the great entrance with the left hand and condemns this custom on the basis of the requirements of the charter and custom of the Eastern Church, leaving aside symbolic considerations. You need to carry the chalice with your right hand, and the paten with your left (“Guide for Rural Shepherds”, 1886, No. 41).
Where should one stop for the proper remembrance at the great exit - behind the pulpit, among those present, or on the pulpit?
Although the service book says that during the great exit, the clergy, leaving the altar through the northern doors, “go around the temple praying,” however, it is generally accepted that this procession does not extend beyond the limits of the solea, at the highest place of which - the ambo - and is supposed to stop for established commemoration (“Church Bulletin”, 1894, No. 36).
It is a very common custom, both at the great and the small entrance, to begin the words laid down while walking, which, perhaps, corresponds to the ancient order, when all commemoration of the great entrance was performed while walking around the entire temple. But now, for the sake of the harmony and integrity of the Orthodox Divine Service, and especially in such churches where there are many people of other faiths (as in our foreign ones), shouldn’t we strive to ensure that the above-mentioned commemoration begins and ends at the pulpit?
Nothing prevents us from adhering to the latter order even in foreign churches, since this is fully consistent with the instructions of the Missal. (“Church Bulletin”, 1900, No. 5).
In the Service Book, the commemoration at the great entrance ends with the words: “Let him remember all of you, Orthodox Christians...”; but many priests pronounce it this way: “you and all Orthodox Christians...”, etc. Is this correct?
It would be more correct, of course, as indicated by the Service Book, although the second formula has its grounds, since it includes the commemoration of not only the Orthodox present in the church, but also all Orthodox in general (“Church Bulletin”, 1897, No. 4) .
Church decree on not bending the knees during services on St. Does Easter only apply to bright week or extends until the day of the Ascension of the Lord? If it extends, then should the order established in an educational institution, which the person at the head of the institution follows, setting an example for students, should be considered as an important deviation subject to abolition - the order of kneeling in the most important points Liturgy and during the most important hymns of Matins, such as “Praise the name of the Lord...” and “Great Doxology”? Does this violate church decorum? If the 20th rule of the First Ecumenical Council established not to kneel during the entire Pentecost, then how can the kneeling reading of prayers on St. Day be reconciled with this? Pentecost?
Rule 20 of the First Ecumenical Council prohibits kneeling on Sundays and Holy Days. Pentecost; the same prohibition is repeated by the VI Ecumenical Council; many fathers and writers of the first 5 centuries (Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Peter of Alexandria, Basil the Great, Blessed Jerome, Ambrose of Milan, Epiphanius of Cyprus, Blessed Augustine) refer to these very decisions of the councils, and Basil the Great says that standing during prayers on these days mean our “co-resurrection with Christ,” and that Sunday is an image of the future century. In the Russian Church, these rules were confirmed at the Great Moscow Council. They have not been canceled at this time. But we must not forget that the Church, establishing this or that rule regarding the external liturgical order, never encroached on the moral freedom of believers and did not constrain them in the expression of feelings that constitute the fruit of their religious and moral personal inspiration and the desire for spiritual perfection, for which and all church discipline in general is reduced. Therefore, every Christian can, without contradicting the spirit of church rules, freely express his prayerful mood by kneeling at any time and during any divine service, since his inner feeling prompts him to do so. And only in this case it will not be a violation of church rules. But if, for example, the head of an educational institution gives an order or demands that all students kneel at certain moments of the service, even on those days when the charter does not require this, this will already be a direct violation of church discipline, introducing “embarrassment” among the worshipers . The conciliar rule speaks of not bending the knees on the “Lord’s Day,” that is, on every Sunday and “on the days of Pentecost,” which days, according to church reckoning, end with Vespers on the 50th day, that is, on Trinity Day, when “kneeling” prayers are read, so that in this kneeling no contradiction to the above church rules can be seen (see “Christian Reading” 1890, 11 and 12, and stat. Kychigina, “The Wanderer” 1899). (“Church Bulletin”, 1902, No. 24).
Do some priests act correctly when they bless with the hand of St. Paten and St. chalice with the exclamation: “Take, eat...” and “Drink from her in...”?
The service book does not talk about blessing, but only about pointing with the hand at the paten and chalice during these exclamations (Church Bulletin, 1897, No. 28).
During the priest’s proclamation: “Yours from Yours...” the deacon raises the paten with bread and the chalice with wine like this: he takes the paten with his right hand, and the chalice with his left, folding his hands crosswise, the right hand on top of the left. For this, others place their left hand on top of their right hand on top of their left. Others place their left hand on their right for this. Some deacons only raise the paten and chalice, while others, when lifting the offering, make the cross a paten and chalice. When a priest serves without a deacon, should he raise the paten and chalice with crossed hands?
The notes of the Missals regarding the image of the deacon raising the paten and chalice are not particularly clear; Some say that the deacon folds his hands in a cross shape, while others (Bishop's Official) say that the protodeacon raises the Holy Cross. Paten and St. a chalice, and there is no mention of the folding of hands in the shape of a cross. The first kind of practice is accepted everywhere; but if the Missal does not determine which hand should be placed on top and which below, then this means that here we are dealing with an indifferent subject. If some deacons make a cross with a paten and a chalice, then they proceed without sufficient grounds - although the Eucharist is performed in the name of the Calvary Sacrifice of the Cross, the Missal does not prescribe this action, and therefore it is arbitrary; it is even downright illegal, because making the sign of the cross goes beyond the powers of the deacon. During a single service of a priest without a deacon, it is also necessary to raise the paten and chalice at the indicated time: raising is an action more expressive and more appropriate to the importance of the moment under consideration than a simple indication with the hands (Church Bulletin, 1887, pp. 95-96).
What basis is there for exaltation, with the exclamation “First remember, O Lord,” for Divine Liturgy his name diocesan bishop?
The elevation of his name during divine services, as directed by the Double Council, is carried out “according to church tradition,” and the Council (rules 13, 14 and 15) threatens a priest who does not remember his bishop in sacred prayers during the Liturgy with ejection and deprivation of all priestly honor; A bishop who does not remember the Metropolitan is deposed, and a Metropolitan who does not remember the name of the Patriarch in the Divine Mystery is a complete alienation of all priesthood. Therefore, in the most ancient copies of the Liturgy of Chrysostom, it is shown that in prayer for the living, the name of the local bishop was raised before the sanctified sacrifice; we find the same instruction in the Bishop's Official and in the “Brief Summary of the Liturgy of St.” published by the Holy Synod. John Chrysostom for the laity" (St. Petersburg, 1876). The vicar bishop is commemorated only in the churches of the district in whose name he is named and, moreover, after the name of the diocesan bishop (“Church Bulletin”, 1899, No. 6).
Is it necessary to remember the diocesan bishop in the exclamation: “First remember, Lord,” etc., and can a priest be subject to any liability for omitting this commemoration in the indicated place, if he was guided by the Missal of the Kyiv edition, where this commemoration is not indicated ?
As a sign of his dependence on the bishop and respect for him, the presbyter is obliged to raise the name of his Bishop when performing divine services (Two-fold Council, rule 13). In accordance with this rule, when celebrating the Liturgy, the presbyter repeatedly prays for his local Bishop, such as: at the proskomedia, at the litanies, at the great entrance and at the consecration of the Gifts. In the most ancient copies of the Liturgy of Chrysostom, it is shown that in prayer for the living, before the sanctified sacrifice, the name of the local bishop was exalted. And according to the existing rite of the Liturgy of Chrysostom, set out in the Hierarchal Official, it is required that when the Liturgy is served by the bishop, the eldest of the presbyters serving him should raise his name before the sanctified sacrifice. This requirement should also be recognized as mandatory for the case when the Liturgy is served by one priest. The same need to commemorate the local bishop directly behind the Holy Synod is also indicated by what was published by the synodal printing house: Summary Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom for the laity" (ed. 1876). In view of the circumstances indicated in the question (the leadership of the Missal of the Kyiv edition), it is hardly possible to talk about the guilt of the priest; but, in any case, he needs clarification rather than any punishment (“Church Bulletin”, 1900, No. 30).
To whom does the honoring with incense after the transubstantiation of the Gifts at the Liturgy apply - to the Mother of God, who is remembered at this time, or to St. Secrets?
Every time with the exclamation: “A lot about the Most Holy...” is performed to express the honor of the proposed saints. Gifts (“Church Bulletin”, 1895, No. 1).
Should a priest celebrating the Liturgy without a deacon pronounce the exclamation: “Exactly about the Most Holy One”... with a censer in his hands or without an onago?
The absence of a deacon in this case does not have any significance, since according to the Official, at this exclamation, the censing of the meal, i.e., St. throne, in front it is placed for the bishop or priest, while the deacon burns incense to St. a meal around while singing “It is worthy to eat” (“Church Bulletin”, 1897, No. 28).
Is it possible to accept such a method of censing on “Exactly about the Most Holy”, that the priest does not take the censer in his hands, but only places his hand on the hand of the deacon holding this censer, and leaves it three times?
In no way, since it is extremely reminiscent of Judeo-Pharisee formalism, which allows for all sorts of strange abbreviations instead of actual rituals (“Guide for Rural Shepherds”, 1885, No. 52-53).
In the prayer laid down at the Liturgy for the priest after “Excellently for the Most Holy One,” it is said: “... of the saint named after him, we commemorate him.” What name is meant here - the temple saint, or the saint who appeared on the day of the Liturgy?
Without a doubt, in this prayer we mean the saint whose memory falls on the day of the Liturgy, for in all liturgical books such an expression is used in application only to the saint who has arrived (Guide for Rural Shepherds, 1885, No. 48).
When offering prayers for your bishop in worship, should you always refer to him as “Mr.”
There is no solid basis for this, since, for example, in the most ancient copies of the Liturgy of Chrysostom it is indicated that the celebrant “vocally” says: “First remember, Lord, our archbishop such and such” (without the word “master”); It is not present in the existing episcopal official either. But, however, this addition, representing a translation of the Greek word - “despot”, is quite appropriate and decent (“Church Bulletin”, 1897, No. 21).
Isn’t the priest’s secondary washing of his hands during the Liturgy (during the singing of “Our Father”) a remnant of Uniatism, or arbitrariness?
This custom of the South Russian Church can be justified by analogizing the service of the Liturgy by a priest with the service of such a bishop... In addition, during the proskomedia, the priest has to pick up bundles with prosphora and coins brought to remove particles, often dirty, etc. He cannot Does all this serve as a sufficient reason for the priest, starting to fragment the St. bread, out of a sense of reverence and the elimination of all internal confusion, washed his hands another time, without deserving blame for his arbitrariness or violation of church uniformity? To what has been said, it must be added that in Jerusalem, according to those who were there, hand washing is performed twice. (“Manual for Rural Shepherds”, 1886, No. 19).
Should St. ascend in a cross shape? Lamb over the paten during the cry: “Holy of Holies”?
Although in the Service Book, published in Moscow in 1646 under Patriarch Joseph, it is said: “The priest takes the holy bread with both hands with three crosses and proclaims: “Holy to the holy” and makes a cross over the holy paten of the holy lamb” (sheet 154); but in subsequent editions of liturgical books, for example, in the Official, published in Moscow in 1798, in accordance with the commemoration of sacred rites, it is said about the ascension: “Bishop, take up St. He raises the bread and there is little of it above the paten, but he does not create the image of the cross” (“Manual”, p. 463). And in the Missals we currently use, there is no indication to lift up St. in the form of a cross. Lamb during the words: “Holy to Holies” (“Manual for Rural Shepherds”, 1886, No. 40).
Is it possible for a clergyman before receiving Holy Communion? Is it a secret to rinse your mouth and drink water, especially if you are weak-chested and suffer from phlegm production?
Church rules (Council of Carthage - rules 50 and 58; VI Ecumenical Council - rule 29 and “Teaching News”) prohibit a clergyman from eating food and drinking water before he has received Holy Communion. Tyne. Of course, a weak-chested person can even before receiving Holy Communion. It is important to clear the mouth of phlegm, but still he must abstain from drinking water (“Guide for Rural Shepherds”, 1886, No. 42).
Is there an order from St. Synod on permission to enter St. the altar watchman and the laity in general, and can the watchman provide warmth during the Liturgy?
There is no such order, and there cannot be, since it would contradict the clear and precise meaning of church rules (VI Ecumenical Council - rule 69; Laodicean Council - rules 19 and 44, Nomocanon at the Great Trebnik - 66) and State Laws (Code of Laws , vol. XIV, art. and charter, oh before, and present, peret.); Laymen and guards are allowed into the St. the altar was partly due to some negligence in fulfilling church rules, and partly out of necessity (“Church Bulletin”, 1900, No. 13).
Just before the communion of St. Should clergymen, turning to the West, bow to the people during the Mysteries of the Liturgy?
Make a bow to the upcoming people and thus declare your heartfelt and sincere desire to receive Holy Communion. Secrets in peace with everyone is a good custom and should be supported (“Manual for Rural Shepherds,” 1886, No. 3).
A priest, when concelebrating with a deacon, should he first of all teach a part of the Body of Christ to the deacon, and then for himself, or vice versa?
According to the 18th canon of the First Ecumenical Council, clergy must receive Holy Communion. The mysteries are in hierarchical order (first of all the bishops, then the presbyters and finally the deacons) and, moreover, the lower ones must receive the holy ones. Gifts from the highest. This order, legitimized by the fathers of the council, is fully observed in our Church during the bishop's service: the bishop first of all teaches himself a part of the holy. Lamb, then to the archimandrites and priests; in the same order they all partake of the Blood of Christ (see Bishop's Official). But for some reason some deviation from this order was allowed when the priest celebrated the Liturgy; according to the instructions of the Missal, the priest serving with the deacon must first of all teach a part of the Body of Christ to the deacon, and then to himself, although he must first partake of the Blood of Christ himself and then teach it to the deacon. In any case, the priest himself does not have the right to deviate from the order indicated in the Service Book regarding the communion of clergy during priestly service (“Guide for Rural Pastors,” 1887).
What is the order of communion for clergy during a cathedral service?
Communion should be done like this. Upon pronouncing the words: “warmth of faith” and so on. the clergy read: “loosen, leave,” they all bow to the ground together (and if it’s Sunday, or Christmastide, or between Easter and Trinity, or the Transfiguration, or the Exaltation, then bow), then bow on all sides, saying: “forgive us.” , holy fathers and brethren”, etc.; then the elder makes a second bow, saying “Behold, I come to the immortal King and my God,” kisses the throne and with his left hand places the sacrament on his right hand; at this time, the second priest (and everyone standing next to him) walks around the throne in the high place and, approaching the paten on the left side of the throne, with the same bow takes the particle, kisses the primate on the shoulder with the words: “Christ is in our midst.” and “and there is and will be,” returns again along the mountainous place to where it stood before; and there he bends down and reads: “I believe, Lord, and I confess.” Having let him pass in front of him (and not forcing him to walk around behind him), the third priest approaches the paten and with the same actions walks around the high place, stands next to the second and reads the sacrament prayer, the fourth priest stands next to him, then the fifth, etc. When the senior priest, having finished reading the prayer, receives Holy Communion. The body, then distributes it to the deacons; the senior deacon approaches and kisses the altar, the hand and shoulder of the priest giving the sacrament, accepts the particle with the words: “and it is and will be,” and stands next to the junior priest; then, next to the first deacon, the second, third, etc. stand with communion. Having distributed the Holy Body to the deacons, the senior priest receives communion from the holy. cups and goes to the altar. Now the other priests approach the chalice no longer from the left, but from the right side of the throne, one after another in the order of their standing, and the youngest, having received communion himself, gives communion to the deacons.
What should the clergy say during triple communion: “Holy God, Mighty Holy...” or “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit”?
The Service Book does not stipulate any words that would need to be pronounced during the triple communion of clergy... In the practice of clergy, this issue is resolved differently... In “The Rite of Communion of St. The Secrets of the Most Pious, God-crowned and Anointed Sovereign Emperor,” compiled by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, it is said that while the Sovereign Emperor touches the right hand of St. cup, bows it to his lips and partakes of the Holy Blood three times, the bishop says from himself: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit...” (“Guide for Rural Shepherds”, 1886, No. 42).
Is it possible for a clergyman, after receiving Holy Communion? Mysteries, but before consuming the remaining St. Gifts on the altar, drink warmth and snack on antidor, in view of the fact that prayers are sent at “Be the name of the Lord,” akathists are sung, etc.?
Having received Holy Communion Secrets, the priest should neither drink the warmth nor eat the antidoron if he serves without a deacon or with a deacon, but not receiving communion, but do this only when he has consumed the remaining Gifts on the altar, as is done. The priest should act in exactly the same way at the Presanctified Liturgy. Private prayers, akathists and other required corrections should be sent after the end of the Liturgy, and therefore, after the consumption of the remaining saints. Gifts on the altar (Manual for Rural Shepherds, 1886, No. 42).
Should the custom of placing a lighted candle in front of the royal doors during the singing of the sacrament verse, existing in some churches, be supported?
Instead of a candle in a candlestick, in those churches where there is a candlestick on a block above the royal doors, in front of the Deesis, the last one comes down at this time. In this custom, in addition to expressing high respect for those who are performing at the altar at that time and for the people who then appear, St. There is nothing in the mysteries that would make one doubt its admissibility or think about the need to eliminate it (“Church Bulletin”, 1902, No. 17).
How should a deacon receive communion?
The Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council determined that deacons “receive the Eucharist taught to them by a bishop or presbyter in order after the presbyters” (pr. 18). The deacon’s prostitute’s charter also prohibits deacons from “daring to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ before the priests.” The Service Book sets out very clearly the very order of communion, namely: first of all, the deacon “receives St. the bread comes from the priest and goes behind the saint. meal, bowing his head, and praying like a priest.” The latter takes with the words “it is given to me” one piece of bread and prays, saying: “I believe, Lord,” also “Thy supper”... At the end of the prayer, they partake in the hands of the one holding it with fear and every affirmation. Then they receive communion from St. chalice, first the priest, and then the deacon, from the hands of the priest. Some, however, have the following puzzling questions: if a deacon should not receive communion before the priest, then should he, having taken St. bread, be careful not to taste the St. bread before the priest? If he must, then won’t this observation of the priest interfere with his self-absorption, at such an important moment? We answer: the deacon must, having taken St. bread, read prayers to yourself, completely immersed in their meaning, without watching at this time what the priest is doing. Having finished his prayers, he can, without harm by “self-absorption,” see whether the priest has consumed St. bread. If he is consumed, let him also consume his; not consumed, let him wait, fulfilling the law exactly (Church Bulletin, 1895, No. 26).
How do St. receive communion? Are the clergy forbidden? To this question, the ever-memorable Moscow Saint Philaret gives the following answer: “Since they are prohibited, they cannot perform the priesthood. And since they are not deprived of the priesthood, then, according to the honoring spiritual father, may be communed with St. Mysteries serving as a priest in St. the altar and at the altar: the forbidden priest on the right side of the throne, and the forbidden deacon on the left side of the throne, with attire for the Liturgy of Communion in a cassock and those for whom the cassock is also forbidden” (“Soulful Reading”, 1873, No. 8).
Where should St. receive communion? The secrets of the sticharical psalmist are on the pulpit or in the altar on the left side of St. throne?
Simeon of Thessalonica describes the communion of the laity as follows (in Chapter 79): “The subdeacons who are present at every sacred ceremony always receive communion first, because although they follow the deacons, it is indecent for them to receive communion at the altar, because they are not consecrated at the altar; then the readers and monks receive communion, and then the laity. In the altar, no one except the bishops, presbyters and deacons receive communion: because only these three orders are ordained inside the altar, and the others - outside the altar.” (“Church Bulletin”, 1895, No. 38).
Should the priest after communion, handing the chalice to the deacon, kiss it, and should the priest, accepting the chalice for the last time for display to the coming people with the words: “Always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages,” kiss it?
In relation to the instructions of the bishop's missal, the priest should kiss the saint in both of these cases. chalice (“Guide for rural shepherds”, 1885, No. 17).
Is it possible for two priests, who are celebrating the Liturgy together, to commune with those who are fasting from two chalices, when there are a lot of communicants?
In the case of a significant number of people who confessed and wished to receive Holy Communion. It would be more decent and expedient not to serve the Liturgy to two priests together, but to one - early, and to the other - late, and thus part of those who are fasting to receive communion at the early and part - at the late Liturgy, and if two priests have to serve the Liturgy together for a significant number those who are fasting, then they should alternately give communion to those who are fasting from the same chalice, and with this method, which does not offend the feeling of reverence for the shrine, the process of communion will be significantly accelerated, since neither one nor the other priest will be tired of the continuous and prolonged communion of those who are fasting (“Manual”, 1888 g., vol. 1, p. 413).
How should a priest who is not serving the Liturgy, but only helping to give communion to the laity, be dressed in full vestments or only in a phelonion and stole?
Although many at the same time put on only a phelonion and epitrachelion, it would seem more decent and consistent with the importance of the action they perform to put on full vestments (“Church Bulletin”, 1899, No. 12)
Is it possible with large quantities communicants have a special table to place St. cups during communion?
If necessary, both special elevated stands and columns are allowed for this; but in this case it is necessary, firstly, that both of them be covered with a veil, and secondly, that the priest does not place the saint on them, without the support of his hand. the cup, but only supported it, holding it in his hand; Otherwise, the people with their pressure can knock down such a stand, and with it the St. cup (“Church Bulletin”, 1898, No. 14).
Is it possible, in the case of a huge number of communicants and a small chalice, to add more compounds to the chalice during communion, as is done in places?
It is forbidden. “Teaching News” directly says that in case of shortage of the chalice of St. The priest must order those who have not received communion to “wait until morning” for blood, and not allow themselves to be poured into the vessel under fear of eruption (“Church Bulletin”, 1893, No. 23).
If the priest is extremely tired, can the deacon give communion to those who are fasting?
The deacon’s letter of appointment says: “Beyond this, they did nothing more than dare the priest to dare to do what was appropriate: lower than to proskomise, lower than the priests to partake of the Body and Blood of Christ and touch other holy things, lower than to give communion to oneself or someone else when” (“Guide for Rural Pastors”, 1887 ., No. 20).
Is it permissible to pour into St. The secrets of unsanctified wine?
In the “Teaching News” in case there are missing particles of the Body of Christ or the Divine Blood due to large number those receiving communion are given the following instruction: “If there are not enough particles of the Body of Christ, then you can pour the Divine Mysteries stored in the ark for the sick into the chalice (but by no means particles Holy Mother of God, nine ranks of angels and others); if there is not enough Divine Blood, then it is commanded to postpone the communion of those who have fasted until the next day, but not to pour wine into the cup for fear of mortal sin and the execution of eruption.
When should newly baptized infants be communed for the first time?
The matter is left to the decision of church practice and local custom. Those who do not admit newly baptized infants until 40 days are based on the fact that infants have not been churched until this time, and those who initiate them immediately after baptism can find support in dogmatic reasoning about the newly baptized and anointed infant as a full member of the Church (“Guide for Rural Pastors,” 1863 ., vol. 3, p. 400).
Until what age should children partake only of the Blood of Christ and what words should be spoken when children partake only of the Blood?
The resolution of the first question is left to the observation and experience of the priest, who must determine when the child can be communed under both types. The answer to the second question is this: you need to pronounce the words: “Body and Blood,” because in the chalice the Body and Blood of Christ are already united and, as it were, dissolved (“Manual for Rural Shepherds,” 1867, part 3, p. 667 ).
Is it possible to give communion to St. The secrets of an idiot who has no signs of consciousness?
If according to the rules of St. Father (Timothy of Alexandria canon 3) even those possessed by demons in some cases can be compared to St. Secrets, then even more so one cannot refuse this to an idiot. Suppose he is an idiot, but by baptism and the faith of his parents he is a Christian, and therefore, like children, in the period of unconsciousness of their lives they receive Holy Communion. Mysteries according to the faith of their parents, in the same way an idiot can receive communion, no different in development from an unconscious baby, and, of course, there can be no talk of confession before communion (“Church Bulletin”, 1899, No. 1).
Is it possible when consuming St. After the Liturgy in winter, add warm water to the gifts, since the severe frost in the cold churches of St. Are the gifts made inappropriate, especially for those suffering from toothache or sore throat?
According to the church rule, adding water to St. Mysteries are prohibited only during communion; consumption of St. Gifts are not communion, especially since during it water is used for the final cleansing of the Holy Spirit. rubbing. In addition, in this case, the addition of water is caused by need, which is why, in our opinion, it is completely acceptable. In the same case, when the Divine Blood freezes in St. chalice, the instruction is given in the “Teaching News” (“Church Bulletin”, 1898, No. 23).
Should the dismissal of the Liturgy always be done with a cross in hand?
This custom is not always and not always observed, however, it should be strongly and universally supported in view of the fact that the common people value it very much, have a pious desire, after listening to the Liturgy, to venerate the cross, and even consider it a sin to leave the church without venerating to the cross at the end of the Liturgy (“Manual for Rural Shepherds”, 1889, No. 17).
When and how to bow to the ground at the Liturgy?
One after the consecration of St. Gifts, another on “Our Father”, the third when reading “Loose, leave”, before the Holy Communion. Secrets, and the fourth with the words: “Behold, I come to the immortal King.” The custom of some priests to bow throughout the entire Liturgy does not deserve any approval and should not be allowed (“Guide for Rural Pastors”, 1885, No. 52-53).
Is it possible to celebrate inter-hours on those weekdays when the Liturgy is celebrated, or should they be read only when there is no Liturgy, but only hours are served, for example, during the Fast of Peter the Great and Nativity?
Regarding inter-hours, the charter only indicates that they are performed on days of the week, except Saturday, and accurately lists the days and periods of the liturgical cycle when they are not performed at all. And since, according to the instructions of experts in Liturgics, their celebration is currently distinctive feature monastic service, then they can be performed “if the abbot deigns” on all those days when their performance is not directly prohibited by the charter (“Church Bulletin”, 1899, No. 31).
Is it possible to serve the funeral Liturgy for dead babies?
It is possible (the example of Patriarch Joachim, who, at the request of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, issued an order to commemorate his deceased four-year-old daughter - “Additions to Historical Acts”, vol. VIII, p. 28). Instead of the usual funeral litany, you should only read the one that is prescribed for infants in the rite of infant burial. Instead of the prayer “God of spirits and all flesh...” read the prayer from the rite of burial of the infant “Lord Jesus Christ...” also borrow the Apostle and the Gospel from the same rite (“Guide for Rural Shepherds”, 1887, No. 8).
Many of the parishioners ask to serve the Liturgy for the health of the sick, while in our service book, apart from the instruction on taking out particles for the health of the living at the proskomedia, neither the time nor the method of offering any other prayers for the health of the living are indicated. What to do in such cases?
The “Priest Prayer Book,” published in 1885 by the St. Petersburg Synodal Printing House, contains “a service for the sick, many or for one,” consisting of a special prayer at the proskomedia, eight petitions for the sick, petitions added to the great litany at the initial exclamation Liturgy, troparion and kontakion at the small entrance, apostolic reading from the conciliar letter of James, gospel reading from Matthew, three petitions added to the special litanies, and finally a special “communion” (“Manual for rural pastors”, 1886, No. 38) .
On the twelve feasts, temple and highly solemn feasts, should both priests serving in the same church perform the All-Night Vigil, and if so, how can they both serve without a deacon?
The all-night vigil is celebrated by one priest, and other priests come out only for the litia and blessing of the loaves, as well as for the polyeleos for the magnification, reading of the Gospel and kissing it, and other priests do not utter any prayers or exclamations, except for the first one. During the conciliar litany service by two priests, without a deacon, the second of them can take turns with the first to pronounce petitions in the prayer “Save, God,” and before reading the Gospel, the second priest can pronounce what is prescribed for the deacon.
Where should the celebration of the holiday be sung: in front of the icon placed on the analogue, to the right of the royal gates, or in the middle of the church?
Since this icon is then applied to by those praying, usually before “praise the name of the Lord,” psalmists in surplices carry the lectern to the middle of the church, where the magnification is sung before it (“Church Bulletin,” 1897, No. 28).
Should all clergy in the altar sing the kontakion at the Liturgy at the Small Entrance on the Twelve Feasts?
Although this singing is accepted in places, it is actually only prescribed during the bishop’s service (“Church Bulletin”, 1893, No. 49).
Is it necessary to sing “Come, let us worship” during the small entrance on the Twelfth Feasts?
Prot. Nikolsky, in his famous “Manual,” writes: “On the great holidays: the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany, Candlemas, Transfiguration, Vai week, Easter, Easter week, Pentecost, St. Spirit, Exaltation of the Cross, the deacon pronounces “entrance,” “entrance verse.” The singers also sing the “entrance”, namely: “Come, let us worship” and to this they add the chorus of the second antiphon; It is on the weekdays that it is sung: “Save us, O Son of God, wondrous among the saints”; in the weeks of Easter and Easter week it is sung: “Save us... rise from the dead”; on the Nativity of Christ: “...be born of a Virgin...”; in Epiphany: “He who was baptized in the Jordan...”; per week Vaiy: “seated on the lot,” etc. After entering, the singers sing the troparion and kontakion of the holiday. However, this is how the small entrance is performed only during the bishop’s service on holidays; Usually, “Come, let us worship” is not sung, but with the exclamation “Wisdom, forgive,” the singers perform the “entrance verse” and then the troparion and kontakion of the holiday are sung. There is actually no clear mention of singing “come, let us worship” on holidays that have a special “entrance” in the statutes. The statute specifies to sing “Come, let us worship” with festive choruses on the days after the holidays before the celebration of the holidays. The Typikon for September 15 says: “At the entrance: “Save us, Son of God, crucified in the flesh, singing to You: Hallelujah.” We sing Sitsa “even before we give it away” (“Manual”, ed. 8, pp. 395-396).
According to rule 169 of the Nomocanon at the Great Trebnik, commemoration of the dead on Sundays and holidays is not allowed; according to the rules for the funeral of the Gospels and the Apostles, they are not allowed on Sundays and holidays (“Church Bulletin”, 1894, No. 23).
Is it possible to recite the funeral litany at the Liturgy on Easter, the Nativity of Christ and other major holidays, as well as on Sundays and highly solemn days?
No. The commemoration of the dead on holidays, highly solemn days and Sundays, according to the charter and custom of the church, should be performed only at the proskomedia and after the consecration of St. Gifts during “It is worthy to eat” (Typikon, ch. 59, 169; Ave. Nomocanon at the Trebnik). (“Church Bulletin”, 1893, No. 45 and 1894, No. 10).
"Deacon proclaiming the litany."
Andrey Petrovich Ryabushkin
In the Orthodox Church, a deacon is the first degree of priesthood. A deacon is an assistant to a bishop or priest in performing divine services. A deacon cannot serve independently. A distinctive sign of the deacon's liturgical vestments is a wide ribbon, orarion, which is attached to his left shoulder. While saying prayers, the deacon raises the front end of the orarion up with his right hand and makes the sign of the cross. Deacons can be married or belong to the monastic order. If a deacon has a wife, then in Greece she is respectfully called “kyria deaconess,” which in Russian means “lady deaconess.”
In Russia, the duties of a deacon are quite meager and are sometimes limited exclusively to liturgical duties. It has become customary to say that the deacon is the decoration of the service. This means that only clerics with a good voice serve in the rank of deacon for a long time. The rest go through the diaconal stage quite quickly and become priests. The situation is somewhat different in the Greek, that is, Greek Orthodox Church.
Firstly, here the deacon is not only the decoration of the divine service, but also the one who is entrusted with important parish responsibilities. In Greece, deacons continue to observe the ancient Christian custom and are engaged in economic activities, as well as issues of charity and education.
If in Russia, after serving, a deacon can most often go home calmly, but in Greece he is required to teach classes at Sunday school, visit sick parishioners, and monitor the improvement of the temple grounds. In general - to be an active assistant to the priest-rector.
There is one more feature that distinguishes the diaconal ministry in Greece. If you come to a Greek temple for the Liturgy, the main Orthodox service, you will see such a picture with almost 100 percent probability. The priest, having given communion to a couple of people, gives the Chalice with Communion to the deacon, and he himself administers communion to the bulk of the parishioners. In Russia this is impossible to see, but in Greece the deacon is entrusted with such an important function as administering communion to the laity.
In the Greek Church it is also believed that if a deacon can give communion to people in the church, then he is allowed to do this outside its walls. This means the following. After celebrating the Liturgy, the deacon takes the Chalice with the remaining Communion and goes to those people who, for various valid reasons, were unable to attend the service and receive communion. So the deacon gives communion to these people - some go to the gate of their house and take communion there, while others, due to old age or illness, cannot leave their beds. In this case, the deacon administers communion to such a person at home.
People in Greece respect deacons no less than priests, understanding how many important responsibilities they bear for the life of the Church.
The clergy serving the liturgy must celebrate everything together entrance prayers before the liturgy. The primate in the stole, other priests without stoles, but in kamilavkas, if they have them, deacons in robes, kiss the holy altar (when kissing, the kamilavka must be removed) and leave the altar through the northern and southern doors to the sole.
On the solea, all the priests stand in one row in front of the royal doors, with a primate in the middle. The primate, in a quiet voice, makes the usual beginning: “God, cleanse me, a sinner” (three times), and all the clergy make the sign of the cross and a bow after each exclamation. Then the deacon quietly says: “Bless, master.” Primate: “Blessed be our God.” Deacon: “Amen. Heavenly King...”, Trisagion according to Our Father, and so on according to order. Before reading the troparion: “To Your Most Pure Image,” the priests take off their kamilavkas and, having made a throwing or prostration to the ground (depending on the rules of the day), venerate the icon of the Savior, and then, when reading the troparion: “Mercy is the source,” - to the icon of the Mother of God. The deacons follow them. Then all the priests, led by the primate, bowing their heads, read secretly: “Lord, send down your hand...”, after which they bow to each other: the right side to the left, the left to the right, and the primate bows to both the right and the left. Then they all bow to the people together and enter the altar, each on his own side. On the right side, the primate comes first. At the entrance to the altar, they kiss the icon of the Archangel or Archdeacon on the north or south door of the altar. Upon entering the altar, everyone venerates the throne and begins to put on their vestments.
Proskomedia usually performed by a junior or alternate priest. At the end of the proskomedia, at the 6th hour, the deacon performs a full censing of the entire church. If there is no deacon, the incense is performed by the priest who performed the proskomedia.
Prev the beginning of the liturgy the priests take their places according to seniority on either side of the throne. The primate stands before the throne, the deacons are on the right and left sides of the primate, opposite the front corners of the throne. The primate begins in a low voice: “God, cleanse me, a sinner.” All the clergy, together with him, make the sign of the cross and bow from the waist three times. Then the primate raises his hands and with raised hands reads the prayers: “Heavenly King,” “Glory to God in the highest,” “Lord, open my lips.” After each prayer, the clergy make the sign of the cross and bow from the waist, but no one except the primate raises their hands or reads the prayers aloud. Further, according to the order of the Missal, the deacons receive a blessing from the primate at the beginning of the liturgy.
During the liturgy, serving priests are not allowed to talk to each other, leave their seats, or read secret prayers out loud or in a low voice. The exclamations after the small litanies and before the small entrance are pronounced by the priests in turn.
While singing “In Thy Kingdom...” or antiphons when the time comes small entrance, the primate and the deacon make two bows from the waist. Primate kisses Holy Gospel on the throne and hands it to the deacon. Then the primate and all the priests make the sign of the cross and bow from the waist; The priests, except the primate, kiss the throne and follow the deacon in order of seniority (the younger ones are ahead) through the high place and the northern gate to the sole. On the solea, the priests take their places in the same order as they stood at the throne in the altar. The entrance “Let us pray to the Lord” and the entrance prayer are performed secretly, without interruption of singing. On the solea, the deacon, having received the primate’s blessing for entry, presents him with the Gospel for kissing and, at the end of the singing of “Blessed” or antiphons, standing at the royal gates, says: “Wisdom, forgive,” somewhat elevating the Gospel. The deacon enters the altar and places the Gospel on the altar. The priests, each on his own side, kiss only one image: either the image of the Savior, or the Mother of God, enter the altar and stand in their former places at the throne. The primate after them kisses the icon of the Savior on the southern side of the royal doors, blesses the priests, kisses the icon of the Mother of God on the northern side of the royal doors and enters the altar. All priests, together with the primate, bow (to the throne) with the sign of the cross and kiss the throne.
After the end of the singing of troparions and kontakions, the primate pronounces the exclamation of the Trisagion: “For Thou art Holy, our God.” The deacon, going out through the royal doors and pointing the orar at the people, ends: “and forever and ever.” (The deacon’s exclamation “Let us pray to the Lord” before “For He is Holy” is not supposed to be pronounced, although in practice this occurs in many places.) During chanting the Trisagion the primate quietly says: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us” (three times), regardless of the singing, kisses the throne, goes to a high place and stands on the south side facing west. Only bishops are allowed to stand and sit on the high place. The other priests, at the same time as the primate, also kiss the throne and approach the high place, standing in order of seniority on both sides of the high place.
Before the exclamation: “Peace to all,” the primate bows to the concelebrating priests right and left. The second priest, after finishing the reading of the Apostle, bows to the primate, goes to the throne and hands the Gospel to the deacon. After the deacon has read the Gospel, all the clergy from the high place go to their places, making veneration to the high place, and the primate receives the Gospel from the deacon and passes it to the second priest, who places the Gospel on the throne between the antimension and the tabernacle.
On a special litany, during the petition for the patriarch, the primate unfolds the iliton and the antimension, leaving only the upper half of the antimension unexpanded, and at the litany for the catechumens, while proclaiming: “The Gospel of truth will be revealed to them,” two priests open the upper half of the antimension, cross themselves and bow to the throne, and then to the primate.
The exclamation according to the special litany is pronounced by the primate, other exclamations up to the Cherubic Litany are pronounced by the priests in turn or at the direction of the primate.
On Cherubic song only the primate raises his hands and reads aloud: “Like the Cherubim...”. The rest of the priests pray in secret.
At the great entrance during cathedral services, the primate walks with the chalice after the deacon. The remaining priests proceed through the northern doors behind the primate in order of seniority (the youngest at the end) and in this order stand in a row on the pulpit facing the people. The deacon on the sole exclaims: “Our great lord and father (name), His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', may the Lord God remember him in His Kingdom always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”
Primate: “And may the Lord God remember our Most Reverend Lord (name) (his diocese) in His Kingdom always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.”
Second priest: “May the Lord God remember you and all Orthodox Christians in His Kingdom always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.” (Usually the last final exclamation is pronounced by the primate.) It is not recommended to add other exclamations to distribute them among all serving priests.
After an exclamation on the sole, the primate adds half-vocally: “May the Lord God remember your priesthood and deaconry in His Kingdom always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen". And he enters the altar. The deacon and priests in response also say in a semi-vocal voice: “May the Lord God remember your priesthood (archpriesthood”).
Prev singing the Creed(when the choir sings: “Father and Son...”) the primate, and after him all the priests read secretly: “I will love you, O Lord, my fortress, the Lord is my strength and my refuge,” they bow to the throne and each one, approaching from the left side in front the throne, kisses the paten and chalice (on top of the cover) and the edge of the throne in front of them, after which they brotherly kiss each other on both shoulders and right hand. The elder says: “Christ is in our midst.” The junior priest replies: “And it is, and it will be”; They kiss each other on the “ramen” (shoulders) as a sign that they are equally subject to the yoke of Christ and carry Him with a yoke on their shoulders.
If two or more deacons participate in the service, then they first kiss each of their orars in the place where the cross is depicted, then they kiss each other on the back and say the same as the priests.
After the deacon says: “Doors, doors,” the primate takes air from the Holy Gifts and, holding it over the Gifts along with the rest of the priests, oscillates up and down, which depicts the overshadowing of the grace of the Holy Spirit, sanctifying the Holy Mysteries.
After the Cherubic Song and the Great Entrance All priestly exclamations are pronounced by the primate. At the Eucharistic canon, according to established practice in all Orthodox Churches, the primate says: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ...” facing the people and blesses them with his hand. The following exclamations: “Woe are our hearts” and others - facing the throne. All other priests participating in the offering of the Most Holy Sacrifice read all prayers and exclamations secretly during the Eucharistic canon. Starting from the Lord’s words: “Take, eat” and until the end of the words “And do this...” the primate loudly, and the rest of the priests quietly, everyone should pronounce these words at the same time, as if with one mouth (see instructions for this). in the Bishop's Official).
When offering the Holy Gifts with the exclamation: “Thine from Thine,” it is not necessary to make the cup of the cross over the antimension. On “Fairly,” the primate censes the Holy Sacrament three times.
Communion. Before communion, the primate, together with his concelebrants, says the prayer: “God, cleanse me, a sinner,” three times with three bows from the waist and, after reading “Loose, leave...”, everyone bows to the ground together.
The primate bows to the concelebrants and says: “Bless me, holy fathers, and forgive me, a sinner...”. The concelebrants also bow to the primate. After this, the primate, turning to the west, asks for forgiveness from those praying, saying: “Forgive us, fathers and brothers.” Then, with the words: “Behold, I come to the Immortal King and my God,” he makes a second bow to the ground, kisses the edge of the throne and with his left hand places the Most Pure Body of Christ on the palm of his right hand, saying: “The Honest and Most Holy Body of the Lord and God and our Savior ...”, and moves to the right side of the throne, where the second priest stood.
At this time, all the priests standing on the right side move to the left and stand in order of seniority to receive the Most Pure Body in the same order in which the primate acted. The second priest, having kissed the throne with the same bow, takes the particle, kisses the primate on the right shoulder with the words: “Christ is in our midst” (primate), “And is, and will be” (junior priest), and again returns along the left side of the throne and the high place and stands on the right side next to the primate. It is not appropriate to walk behind the backs of the priests, having the Most Pure Body in your hands. Therefore, priests preparing to receive the Most Pure Body must step back on the left side of the throne to such a distance as is necessary for the passage of priests who have already received the Most Pure Body into their hands.
After the second priest, the third priest approaches the paten and, with the same actions, walks around the high place and stands near the second; the fourth priest stands next to him, then the fifth, etc.
Then the primate partakes of the Holy Blood and calls on the deacons to administer the Most Pure Body to them according to the order indicated in the Service Book. (The senior deacon approaches and, having bowed to the ground, kisses the altar, the hand giving Communion and the shoulder of the primate, accepts the particle with the words: “And there is and will be”, moves away with the left side and stands near the junior priest; then next to the first deacon he stands with the Communion of the second, third, etc.) Having distributed the Body to the deacons, the primate goes to the altar. It is necessary to note that only at cathedral services do deacons partake of the Most Pure Body after the priests. When serving only one priest, the deacon partakes of the Holy Body of Christ at the same time as the priest (see Missal).
After communion with the Primate of the Holy Blood, other priests also approach the chalice, but not from the left side, but from the right side of the throne, one after another according to seniority, while making a bow rather than a bow to the ground, saying: “Behold, I come again...” , and then, taking communion, says: “Honorable and Holy Blood... I commune...”
After everyone has received communion, the junior priest administers communion from the chalice of the deacons.
All clergy receive warmth and antidor after communion, except those who will consume the Holy Gifts after the liturgy.
End of the Liturgy. With the exclamation “Always, now and ever and unto ages of ages,” the primate at the royal doors makes the cross with a cup in remembrance of the last blessing of the apostles by the Lord Jesus Christ on the Mount of Olives before His ascension into heaven.
During the litany “Forgive me,” the primate, having kissed the antimension and lip, folds the antimension. The priests present the Holy Gospel to the primate. During the exclamation “For You are our sanctification,” the primate makes a cross with the Gospel over the antimension, kisses the Gospel and places it on the antimension.
Prayer behind the pulpit usually the most junior priest reads. Before leaving, he makes the sign of the cross, kisses the throne and bows to the primate. He does the same when returning to the altar after reading the prayer. (Going out to the middle of the temple to read a prayer, he exclaims: “We will go out in peace.”)
If after “Be the name of the Lord” the primate says a word, then it is very proper for all the priests to go out onto the solea and listen to the word of the primate.
On vacation All the priests come out of the altar onto the sole. The primate pronounces the dismissal with a cross in his hand. All concelebrants approach the cross, and then, returning to the altar, read prayers of thanksgiving and undress.
When serving without a deacon, the primate censes during the reading of the Apostle (according to another practice, the junior priest), brings out the Gospel during the small entrance and reads the Gospel. He also performs incense during the Cherubim.
At the great entrance, the primate brings out a cup and paten, and the priests following him carry a cross, a spoon and a spear. The primate says: “Great Master” (commemorating His Holiness the Patriarch), the second priest commemorates the ruling bishop; The primate ends the commemoration with the exclamation: “You and all Orthodox Christians.”
The Primate makes all the exclamations of the Eucharistic canon, starting with “Peace to all” (after the exclamation: “By mercy and generosity”) and up to the exclamation: “And let there be mercies.” He proclaims: “And grant us, O Master,” brings out the cup, saying: “With the fear of God,” and then: “Always, now and ever.” The prayer behind the pulpit is read by a junior priest.
At the end of the liturgy, the primate also performs the dismissal. (See Decree of the Holy Synod addressed to Eminence Donskoy, September 13.1874)
Skufia and kamilavkas are put on before “Blessed is the Kingdom,” and in this form the priests stand before the Gospel, making the small entrance with their heads covered, following the example of the archimandrites, who make this entrance wearing miters.
During the reading of the Gospel, the skufia and kamilavka are removed, and then put on again, and in this way the priests stand until the singing of the “Cherubimskaya” begins. Before reading: “No one is worthy,” the skufia and kamilavka are removed and not put on during the entire further continuation of the liturgy until the exclamation “Always now and ever” at the end of the liturgy at the last manifestation of the Holy Gifts to the people. Having placed the Gifts on the altar, the priest puts on a skufia or kamilavka and stands in this form until the end of the liturgy.
At Vespers and Matins, the kamilavkas are removed when reading the so-called. lighting and morning prayers, when reading the Gospel, as well as when reading akathists, prayers at a prayer service. At the Presanctified Liturgy, the kamilavkas are removed when the Holy Gifts are transferred from the throne to the altar, for the singing of “Let it be corrected,” and starting from “Now the Heavenly Powers” to “Let our lips be filled” (Manual for rural shepherds, 1880).
In Moscow and other places, there is also the following practice: the primate, having read the prayer “Loosen, leave” and asking for forgiveness, quietly reads in the ears of all the clergy the prayer: “I believe, Lord, and I confess,” after which the primate and all of them partake of the Holy Body. priests according to the specified rank.
When the liturgy “conciliar” is celebrated by priests without a deacon, the great and special litany is pronounced by the primate, and the other litanies are pronounced by the priests in turn. The priest who pronounces the litany also pronounces the exclamation after the litany.