There are many different services in the Orthodox Church, each of which has its own, unique meaning, but one of them occupies a very special place. This - Divine Liturgy, or - as it is also popularly called - mass.

The popular name is due to the fact that this service is performed in the morning, i.e. before lunch, and also with the fact that the ancient Christians after the service had a common meal, and what does the word liturgy mean? This word (like many other terms in Orthodoxy) is of Greek origin, and it is translated as “common, joint action.” This is why it is absolutely wrong to say “listen to the liturgy” or “defend the liturgy” - the liturgy requires active participation and personal activity from the Christian. What kind of activity is this?

First, let’s figure out how liturgy differs from any other service. The answer is obvious to everyone who has been to church at least once: they receive communion at the liturgy! Communion is one of the Seven Sacraments Christian Church, which, as we know, were established by God himself. In particular, the sacrament of the Eucharist (communion) was established by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, and by taking part in the Divine Liturgy, we do not just remember this event - we are present at it. During the liturgy, a miracle occurs - bread and wine, gifts of the Earth, become Holy Gifts - the flesh and blood of the Savior, the unity of the material and the Divine, flesh and spirit, man and God, broken by sin, is restored. Such events of a truly universal scale take place regularly in every temple - from luxurious cathedrals to a small church in some village, and each of us can participate in them!

Transubstantiation (i.e. the transformation of bread and wine into the Holy Gifts) occurs during the first part of the liturgy– Proskomedia (which is translated from Greek as “offering”: after all, in ancient times, Christians themselves brought with them everything they needed for worship). This happens at the altar.

Of course, only a Christian can be allowed to participate in such important events. Only those who have been reunited with God, “born of water and the Holy Spirit,” are admitted to this “core” of the Church, without which, in essence, there is no Church. Therefore, the part of the liturgy following the proskomedia is divided into two parts. The first part is called the “liturgy of the catechumens.” The fact is that in ancient times people were baptized as adults, and before that they were instructed in the faith for some time - such people preparing for baptism were called catechumens. In our time, people are usually baptized in infancy, and even the instruction of adults before baptism does not always take place, but the concept of “liturgy of the catechumens” is preserved: everyone is allowed to attend this part of the liturgy. The Liturgy of the Catechumens begins with the deacon emerging from the altar and exclaiming: “Bless, Master!” (in the sense of blessing to begin the service). The choir sings a series of psalms.

Climax of the Liturgy of the Catechumens- reading of the Gospel, which parishioners listen to with their heads bowed respectfully. Then they pray for the living and for the dead (in order for your loved ones to be remembered in this prayer, you need to submit notes with their names before the service).

Then the priest exclaims: “Catechumens, come forth! Catechumens, come out!” – and from this moment the so-called Liturgy of the Faithful. This is the most intimate part of the Liturgy, and only those who have been baptized have the right to attend it. During this part of the liturgy, among other prayers, the two most important ones are heard. Firstly, this is the “Creed”, which sets out in a concise form the foundations of our faith (after all, if a person does not accept any of these postulates for himself, he should seriously think about whether he is a Christian at all?). Secondly, this is the “Our Father,” a prayer given by Jesus Christ himself. The special significance of these prayers is emphasized by the fact that they are sung not only by the choir, but by everyone present.

Most main point liturgy of the faithful- the actual participle. First, the clergy take communion, then the priest takes the Holy Chalice out of the altar, reads a special prayer before communion, which is mentally repeated by those who will receive communion today, after which the communicants approach the Chalice, crossing their arms on their chest (right over left), accept the holy gifts, kiss edge of the bowl and go to the table, where they wash down the so-called communion. "warmth" (diluted warm water church wine).

After this, the believers and the priest thank God for the sacrament, and the priest exclaims: “We will depart in peace,” making it clear that the liturgy is ending. At the end of the liturgy, the choir sings: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from now on and forever,” the priest blesses those praying with a cross, the parishioners approach him and kiss the cross before leaving the church.

Of course, this is only a quick description of the Divine Liturgy. To understand it more deeply, it is better to read special literature written by clergy, and it is better to attend the liturgy yourself more often. There are things that can only be comprehended through one’s own spiritual experience.

Divine Liturgy - top and center Orthodox worship. During the liturgy it is performed Sacrament of the Eucharist - the union of the faithful with Christ through communion under the guise of bread and wine of the Holy and Life-Giving Body and Blood of the Savior. In this union is the basis and meaning of the life of all the faithful who make up the One Body of Christ - the Church.

The first part of the liturgy is proskomedia , or offering, - is usually performed during the reading of the third and sixth hours, secretly, in the altar - how mysterious and unknown to many were the great events remembered on it.

At the proskomedia, the priest prays to make him worthy of the great sacred rite and prepares bread and wine for the future Sacrament, and in the symbolic actions and words of the prayer two most important events— The Incarnation (Christmas) of God the Word and His sacrifice of Himself on the Cross for the salvation of people. The entire Church, earthly and heavenly, is also commemorated: from Mother of God and the holy saints of God to all living and deceased Orthodox Christians, praying for whom the priest takes out particles from the prosphora - special liturgical bread. At the end of the liturgy, after communion, these particles will be immersed in the Chalice with the Holy Blood of the Lord as a petition for forgiveness and salvation of the people being remembered. This petition has great power and meaning for the living and the dead.

The second part of the liturgy is the liturgy of the catechumens (this is the name given to those preparing to receive Baptism, as well as penitents who, for special offenses, are not allowed to receive communion in order to more effectively repent) - begins with an exclamation glorification of the Kingdom of the Holy Trinity And great litany . Then follows singing two antiphons (on Sunday - Psalms 102 and 145 , depicting God’s blessings to people and teaching people to place their hopes first of all on God), performed by two choirs alternately, and songs "Only Begotten Son..." in which we confess the Incarnation of the Savior and the Atonement accomplished by Him. After the small litany the so-called "The Beatitudes" - the lofty commandments that the Savior left to His disciples, promising spiritual and earthly blessings for their sincere fulfillment in all the depths of their hearts. On great holidays, Sunday antiphons and Beatitudes are replaced by special, festive antiphons, and on weekdays - by psalms with special refrains.

While singing the Beatitudes The Small Entrance of the Clergy with the Gospel takes place , signifying the appearance of the Savior into the world to preach and accomplish the Redemption of the human race. The candle offered to the Gospel symbolizes both the light of Christ's teaching and the predecessor of Christ, the holy Prophet and Baptist John, who prepared people to receive the Messiah. During the Small Entrance, the priest prays that the holy Angels will be participants and co-celebrants of the divine service taking place.

After the Small Entrance follows singing troparions , dedicated to the holiday or events and saints to whom the temple is dedicated, and "Trisagion" (on some great holidays - and other chants: “As many as you have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia").

Worship continues reading passages from the Apostolic Epistles or the Acts of the Holy Apostles, and then from the Gospel , which symbolizes the preaching of the apostles and Jesus Christ Himself. You need to listen to the Gospel with special attention, as if the Lord Himself instructing us. Readings from Holy Scripture may relate to a holiday or be “ordinary”, that is, following in the Holy Scriptures one after another and read in a row, one every day.

The Liturgy of the Catechumens ends with the litanies: , in which the Church’s prayer sounds for the numerous needs of the living (during it, the priest secretly reads a prayer of diligent supplication, in which he asks for the sending of God’s generous blessings to all the faithful); funeral , where forgiveness of sins and Eternal Life is asked for the departed; about the catechumens , which is a petition for enlightenment through Baptism for those preparing for this great Sacrament. In ancient times, after the last litany, the catechumens left the temple. Now, hearing the deacon's call: “Announcement, come out!”- we must think whether we worthily bear the title of faithful, whether we are worthy to attend the Last Supper of the Savior repeated for us, and we must pray for the forgiveness of our sins.

The third part of the liturgy is the liturgy of the faithful , which in ancient times could only be attended by those who were baptized and who retained the grace-filled gifts of Baptism with their lives - begins with two short litanies .

Then follows Great Entrance , established by the Church for the transfer of the Honorable Gifts from the altar to the throne for their consecration. During singing the Cherubic song we are called to put aside all earthly concerns: "Cherubim secretly form...", that is, mysteriously portraying (oneself) the Cherubim, it is worthy to honor the King of all Christ with attentive prayer and worthy acceptance of the Holy Gifts. The clergy come out with the Honest Gifts from the side doors, preceded by a candle bearer with a lit candle. The Honest Gifts depict Christ Himself, the King of glory. All those present in the temple bow their heads and pray to themselves with the words of the thief crucified on the cross: “Remember me, Lord, when you come into Your kingdom”, thereby asking the clergy to remember them when offering the Gifts they offered in the Bloodless Sacrifice. After the commemoration of the ruling bishop, the entire priestly and monastic order, the clergy of the church and all Orthodox Christians and the blessing of the coming people clergy enter through the Royal Doors into the altar . Those praying at this time should offer their prayers for the employees and for themselves. The sacred rite reminds us of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem, as well as the way of the cross of Jesus Christ to the place of His crucifixion and His burial by the righteous saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.

After the litany of petition And singing of the Creed by all believers begins the most important part of the liturgy is Eucharistic canon , during which, in an incomprehensible way, the transformation (transformation by the grace of the Holy Spirit) of bread and wine into the Holy Body and Blood of the Savior occurs mysteriously. Secretly reading the Eucharistic prayer, glorifying the blessings and infinite love of God for man and remembering the Last Supper, the priest pronounces aloud the words of the Savior spoken by Him at the establishment of the Sacrament of Communion: “Take, eat, this is My Body, which was broken for you for the remission of sins.” And: “Drink of it, all of you: this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.” (Cm. Mf. 26:26-28. OK. 22:19-20. 1 Cor. 11:24).

This serves as a reminder to us that we are actually present at the Last Supper repeated for us, that the Savior calls us, like the holy apostles two thousand years ago, to unity with Him.

The holiest moments of the Eucharistic canon - prayer invocation of the Holy Spirit and by blessing of the Holy Sacrament their transfiguration occurs after the exclamation of the priest: “Thine from Thine is offered to Thee for everyone and for everything”- and are accompanied by singing: “We sing to You, we bless You, we thank You, Lord; and we pray to You, our God.” At these moments in the altar, through the action of the Holy Spirit, the same transmutation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ takes place, which the Savior performed at the Last Supper, blessing the bread and wine.

The Eucharistic canon continues glorifying the Mother of God in the song “It is Worthy to Eat” , given to us, according to church tradition, by an Angel, and by the prayer of a priest for all members of the Church. After the canon follows litany of petition And singing of the Lord's Prayer by all believers "Our Father" - this example of prayer, which embraces all the main, spiritual and everyday, needs of a person. With this prayer we are once again called upon to love, which is necessary for participants in the one Table of the Heavenly Father, and to forgive our neighbors, so that our sins may also be forgiven.

The deacon proclaims: "Let's hear it" (i.e. let's be careful), and according exclamation of the priest: "Holy of Holies" , indicating the need for purity for those approaching the most pure Sacrament (and choir with fear humbly answers: “There is one holy, one Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father, amen” , A laymen bow to the ground ), And closing the altar curtain the sacrament verse is sung. After it, for those approaching the Sacrament, it is usually prayers for Holy Communion are read , so that in last minutes Before communion, the mind and heart were not distracted.

At that time clergy take communion at the altar , doing this in the image of the communion of the apostles at the Last Supper: the priest receives communion himself and teaches the Holy Mysteries to the deacon. After communion, the clergy, giving thanks, pray: “O great and most sacred Easter, Christ! About Wisdom and the Word of God and Power! Grant us the opportunity to partake of You in the eternal days of Your Kingdom.”

After the clergy receive communion, the Royal Doors open - how the Savior’s tomb was once opened - and The Holy Chalice is brought out for communion of the laity . This first appearance of the Holy Gifts reminds us of the first appearance of Jesus Christ after the Resurrection, which was to St. Mary Magdalene.

The deacon proclaims: “Draw with the fear of God and faith” , A the choir sings: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, God is the Lord and he appears to us.” , for the Holy Gifts are Christ Himself, appearing for unity with the faithful. Everyone present in the temple bows to the ground before the coming and omnipresent God. Repeating after the priest the words of the prayer before communion , we confess our faith in Christ and the divine power of the Holy Gifts: “I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God... I also believe that this is Your Most Pure Body and this is Your Most Honest Blood...”- and we pray for forgiveness of sins and non-judgmental communion of the Holy Mysteries.

Those receiving Communion fold their arms crosswise on their chests. as a sign of faith in the salvation of us by the Crucified Christ. With fear, a sense of one’s unworthiness and humility, with faith in the saving power of the Sacrament, Having said their name, they take the Most Pure Mysteries into their mouths and carefully kiss the edge of the Holy Chalice. The choir sings during communion: “Receive the Body of Christ, taste the immortal Source.” After communion, we must try to protect ourselves from all sinful things and remember the great and terrible Sacrament, mercy and love of God for us sinners.

Upon communion of the laity the priest lowers into the Holy Chalice all the particles that were taken out of the prosphora, asking the Lord to wash away with His Blood the sins of all those commemorated at the liturgy, then says quietly: "Blessed be our God"- and in last time brings out the Holy Cup and says: “Always, now and ever and unto ages of ages” blesses the faithful with the Holy Gifts, and we respond to this bow to the ground appearing to us in the Holy Gifts of the Lord. Participants make a bow . Blessing of believers with the Holy Chalice and its transfer from the throne to the altar marks the last appearance of the Lord to the disciples and His Ascension to Heaven. It also reminds us of the Savior’s promise to remain in His Church with believers always until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

The priest proclaims: “We will depart in peace” , and the choir answers on behalf of all those praying: "About the Name of the Lord", that is, with the name of God in the soul, with the peace of Christ in the thoughts and heart.

This is followed by litany of thanksgiving and the so-called "prayer behind the pulpit" (read by the priest in front of the pulpit), which asks for the blessing of believers and their sanctification, the preservation of the Church, and the giving of peace to the world. After that the choir sings three times: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from now on and forevermore”. Then the priest says the dismissal (closing prayer of the service) , A choir sings many years , And the faithful venerate the holy cross (and the communicants, having also listened to the prayers after Holy Communion), leave the church, thanking God and trying to preserve in their souls the grace-filled enlightenment received during the service.

From the book “All-Night Vigil. Divine Liturgy. Sacraments of the Church" publishing house of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra

People who do not go to church often are sometimes faced with concepts unknown to them. For example, many are interested in what liturgy is and when it happens. From Greek this word is translated as common cause or service. In ancient times in Athens, this concept meant a monetary contribution, which rich people first gave voluntarily, and then forcibly. Only starting from the second century AD, the word “liturgy” began to be used to refer to important element worship services.

What is liturgy in the church?

This Sacrament was established by Jesus Christ, and it happened at the Last Supper. The Son of God took the bread in his hands, blessed it and distributed it to his disciples and the apostles, who were sitting with him at the same table. During this he told them that the bread was his body. After this, he blessed the cup of wine and also handed it over to his disciples, saying that it was his blood. By his actions, the Savior commanded all believers on earth to perform this sacrament while the world exists, while remembering its suffering and resurrection. It is believed that eating bread and wine allows you to get closer to Christ.

Today the liturgy is called the main thing in Christian faith a divine service during which preparations for communion take place. Since ancient times, people have gathered in the temple to glorify the Almighty with their joint efforts. Understanding what liturgy is in Orthodoxy, I would like to say that such a service is often called mass, and this is due to the fact that it is supposed to be performed from dawn to noon, that is, before lunch. As for when exactly the service takes place, in large churches this can be done daily. If the church is small, then the liturgy usually takes place on Sundays.

It will be interesting to learn not only about the liturgy, but also what a memorial service is. This word is used to describe a funeral service, the essence of which is the prayerful remembrance of the deceased. During the funeral service, the church draws attention to the fact that the human soul ascends to heaven for judgment. The memorial service is held on the third, ninth and fortieth day after death. There are also parental funeral services, which are served for all the dead, and not for a specific person.

Liturgy of health - what is it?

The service can be held both for health and for repose. In the first case the main objective liturgy - to help a person get rid of existing illnesses, find the right path in life, solve problems, etc. It is important that the person is present in the temple during this. The service for the dead is aimed at helping the soul in the next world.

Liturgy. Lutheran Church. LITURGY (Greek leitourgia public service), 1) in Orthodox Church Divine Liturgy is the main divine service of the daily cycle, performed before lunch (hence the other name for mass). Order... ... Illustrated encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Greek leiturgia, from leitos public, and ergon business, labor). A divine service in an Orthodox church in which the sacrament of St. Eucharist; mass, a service in remembrance of the entire earthly life of Jesus Christ. Dictionary of foreign words included in... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (Greek: public service). 1) In the Orthodox Church, the Divine Liturgy is the main divine service of the daily cycle, performed before lunch (hence the other name for mass). The order of service dates back to the 4th century. 2 Eucharistic celebrations are celebrated (see... ...

Cm … Synonym dictionary

- (from litoV general and ergon deed) the name of the most important of Christian services, existing, although not in the same form and meaning, among all Christian denominations and expressing the main ideas of the Christian worldview and the main goals... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

liturgy- LITURGY, mass... Dictionary-thesaurus of synonyms of Russian speech

- (Greek leiturgia) in ancient Greek city policies, state service, which was borne by wealthy citizens and metics (for example, the maintenance of participants in gymnastic competitions). The trierarchy of the equipment of the trireme was considered an extraordinary liturgy. Was… … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

LITURGY, liturgy, women. (Greek liturgia) (church). Mass, the main Christian church service. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

LITURGY, and, women. 1. Morning or afternoon Christian worship, including prayers, chants, reading of holy books, sermons and other ritual actions. Serve, listen to the liturgy. Celebration of the liturgy. 2. A cycle of spiritual chants... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Women the sequence of the sacred service in which the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and mass are celebrated. Liturgical, related to the liturgy. Liturgiary male service book, description of the order of Vespers, Matins and Mass. Liturgize or poke, perform... ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

Christian worship accompanied by singing and music; in the Orthodox Church - mass, all-night vigil; in Catholic - mass, requiem (funeral mass). Big Dictionary in cultural studies.. Kononenko B.I.. 2003 ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies

Books

• Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Op. 31. For unaccompanied mixed choir, Rachmaninov S.V.. The monumental “Liturgy” created by the composer in 1910 is one of the outstanding examples of Russian sacred music. This composition is performed by both sacred and secular choirs...
• Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, op. 37, M. Ippolitov-Ivanov. This book will be produced in accordance with your order using Print-on-Demand technology. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, op. 37, Score, For mixed choir Type…

There are many religious services. Each of them is not only solemn and beautiful. Behind the external rituals lies a deep meaning that a believer must understand. In this article we will tell in simple words about liturgy. What is it and why is the liturgy considered the most important divine service among Christians?

Daily circle

Worship is the external side of religion. Through prayers, chants, sermons and sacred rites, people express their reverent feelings for God, thank him and enter into mysterious communication with him. In Old Testament times, it was customary to perform services continuously throughout the day, starting at 6 pm.

What services are included in the daily cycle? Let's list them:

1. Vespers. It is performed in the evening, thanking God for the past day and asking to sanctify the approaching night.
2. Compline. This is a service after dinner, at which parting words are given to everyone preparing for bed and prayers are read asking the Lord to protect us during the night's rest.
3. The Midnight Office used to be read at midnight, but is now performed before Matins. It is dedicated to the anticipation of the second coming of Jesus Christ and the need to always be prepared for this event.
4. Matins is served before sunrise. On it they thank the creator for the past night and ask to consecrate the new day.
5. Clock services. At a certain time (hours) in the church it is customary to remember the events of the death and resurrection of the Savior, the descent of the holy spirit on the apostles.
6. All-night vigil. "Vigil" means "to be awake." This solemn service is performed before Sundays and holidays. For the ancient Christians, it began with Vespers and lasted all night, including Matins and the first hour. The story of the salvation of sinful humanity through the descent of Christ to earth is remembered by believers during the all-night vigil.
7. Liturgy. This is the culmination of all services. During it, the sacrament of communion is performed.

The prototype for it was the Last Supper, at which the Savior gathered his disciples for the last time. He gave them a cup of wine, symbolizing the blood Jesus shed for humanity. And then he divided the Easter bread among everyone as a prototype of his body, sacrificed. Through this meal, the Savior gave himself to people and ordered them to perform a ritual in memory of him until the end of the world.

What is liturgy now? This is a memory of the life of Jesus Christ, his miraculous birth, painful death on the cross and ascension into heaven. The central event is the sacrament of communion, at which parishioners eat sacrificial food. Thus, believers are united with the Savior, and divine grace descends on them. By the way, “liturgy” is translated from Greek as “joint work.” During this service, one feels one’s own involvement in the church, the unity of the living and the dead, sinners and saints through the central figure of Jesus Christ.

Liturgical canons

The apostles were the first to serve the liturgy. They did this following the example of Jesus Christ, adding prayers and reading the Bible to the sacrament of communion. It is believed that the original order of the service was compiled by the Apostle James, the brother of the Savior, the son of the carpenter Joseph from his first wife. The canon was passed down orally from priest to priest.

The text of the liturgy was first written down in the 4th century by Saint and Archbishop Basil the Great. He canonized the version adopted in his homeland (Cappadocia, Asia Minor). However, the rite he proposed was long-lasting, and not all parishioners endured it. Saint John Chrysostom shortened the service, taking as a basis the original liturgy of the Apostle James. Currently, the canon of Basil the Great is served ten times a year, in special days. The rest of the time, preference is given to the liturgy of Chrysostom.

Divine Liturgy with Explanations

In Rus' it was called “little mass”, since it was celebrated before lunch. The Liturgy is an unusually beautiful, rich service. But only those who understand the deep meaning of what is happening can truly feel it. After all, the main character during the liturgy is not the priest, but the Lord himself. The Holy Spirit invisibly descends on the bread and wine prepared for the sacrament of communion. And they become the flesh and blood of the Savior, through which any person is freed from sin.

During the liturgy, the unity of the material and the divine, people and God, once broken by Adam and Eve, is restored. In the temple, the kingdom of heaven begins, over which time has no power. Everyone present is transported to the Last Supper, where the Savior personally gives him wine and bread, calling on everyone to be merciful and loving. Now we will consider in detail each stage of the liturgy.

Submission of notes

What is liturgy? This is a service during which the boundaries between the kingdoms of heaven and earth are erased. We can directly turn to God with a request for loved ones. But collective prayer has even greater power. In order for the entire church to pray for people dear to you, living or deceased, you must submit a note to the candle shop in advance.

To do this, use a special form or a regular sheet of paper on which a cross is drawn. Next, sign: “For health” or “For peace.” Prayer during the liturgy is especially necessary for people who are sick, suffering, or who have stumbled. Repose notes are submitted on the birthday and death of the person who has left this world, on his name day. It is allowed to indicate from 5 to 10 names on one sheet of paper. They must be received at baptism. Last names and patronymics are not needed. The names of unbaptized people cannot be included in the note.

Proskomedia

This word is translated as "bringing." Ancient Christians themselves brought bread, wine, oil and other products necessary for communion to church. Now this tradition has been lost.

The liturgy in the church begins secretly, with the altar closed. At this time the clock is read. The priest prepares the gifts on the altar. To do this, he uses 5 service prosphoras in memory of the five loaves with which Jesus fed the crowd. The first of them is called "Lamb" (lamb). This is a symbol of an innocent sacrifice, a prototype of Jesus Christ. A quadrangular part is cut out of it. Then pieces are taken out from other loaves in memory of the Mother of God, all the saints, living clergy and living laity, deceased Christians.

Then comes the turn of small prosphoras. The priest reads the names from the notes submitted by the parishioners and takes out the corresponding number of particles. All pieces are placed on the paten. He becomes a prototype of the church, where the saints and the lost, the sick and the healthy, the living and the departed, gather together. The bread is immersed in the cup of wine, signifying cleansing through the blood of Jesus Christ. At the end of the proskomedia, the priest covers the paten with covers and asks God to bless the gifts.

Liturgy of the Catechumens

In ancient times, catechumens were those who were just preparing for baptism. Anyone can attend this part of the liturgy. It begins with the deacon leaving the altar and exclaiming: “Bless, Master!” This is followed by the singing of psalms and prayers. At the Liturgy of the Catechumens is remembered life path Savior from birth to mortal suffering.

The culmination is the reading of the New Testament. The Gospel is solemnly carried out from the northern gate of the altar. A clergyman walks ahead with a burning candle. This is the light of the teachings of Christ and at the same time a prototype of John the Baptist. The deacon carries the Gospel raised upward - a symbol of Christ. The priest follows him, bowing his head as a sign of submission to God's will. The procession ends at the pulpit in front of the royal doors. During the reading of the Holy Scriptures, those present should stand with their heads bowed respectfully.

Then the priest reads out the notes submitted by the parishioners, and the whole church prays for the health and peace of the people indicated in them. The Liturgy of the Catechumens ends with the cry: “Catechumens, come forth!” After this, only the baptized remain in the temple.

Liturgy of the Faithful

People who have been admitted to the sacrament can fully understand what liturgy is. The last part of the service is dedicated to the Last Supper, the death of the Savior, his miraculous resurrection, ascension into heaven and the coming second coming. Gifts are brought to the throne, prayers are read, including the most important ones. In chorus, the parishioners sing the “Creed,” which sets out the foundations of Christian teaching, and the “Our Father,” a gift from Jesus Christ himself.

The culmination of the service is the sacrament of communion. Afterwards, those gathered thank God and pray for all members of the church. At the very end it is sung: “Blessed be the name of the Lord from now on and forever.” At this time, the priest blesses the parishioners with a cross, everyone comes up to him in turn, kisses the cross and goes home in peace.

How to take communion correctly

Without taking part in this sacrament, you will not experience for yourself what liturgy is. Before communion, the believer must repent of his sins and confess to the priest. A fast of at least 3 days is also prescribed, during which one should not eat meat, dairy products, eggs or fish. You need to take communion on an empty stomach. It is also recommended to avoid smoking and taking medications.

Before communion, cross your arms over your chest, placing your right on top of your left. Get in line, don't push. When you approach the priest, say his name and open your mouth. A piece of bread dipped in wine will be placed in it. Kiss the priest's cup and step away. Take prosphora and “teplota” (wine diluted with water) on the table. Only after this can we talk.

What is liturgy? This is an opportunity to remember the entire path of the Savior and unite with him in the sacrament of communion. After serving in the temple, a person strengthens his faith, his soul is filled with light, harmony and peace.