Some characteristics of the Slavonic Byzantine liturgy
In the Eastern tradition there is
no genuflection of one knee, but a profound prostration, kneeling and touching
the ground with the forehead. Saint Basil says: “During each prostration
and rising up we are showing by deeds that it was through sin that we fell
to the earth, and that through the kindness of the One Who created us
we have been called up to heaven”.
It is also another
simplified, form making a deep bow and touching the ground with the right
hand. This is similar to the form used in the West in the Middle Ages and has
been preserved in some religious orders such as the Cistercians or the Carthusians.
In the Russian
tradition, ahead of the Divine Liturgy,
every faithful offers a small sacrificial bread (Greek:
prosphora, meaning “offering”). Small particles are taken from it in memory of
the living and the deceased. This is done by means of memorial slips which the
faithful write and put with the prosphora. The priest takes small pieces of
each prosphora and places them on the paten around the lamb which will be
consecrated.
At the end of the liturgy, the
rest of the prosphora, blessed after the consecration, is returned to the
faithful as blessed bread.
The litanies are various calls to
prayer sung during the liturgy[1] for
various intentions of the church and of the faithful, to which the choir
responds (the majority of the cases) Gospodi Pomilui (Kyrie eleison). At solemn
form of the Divine Liturgy these are said by the deacon, exhorting the faithful
to pray, while the priest silently addresses God commending these intentions.
If the deacon is absent (compare the High Mass and the Missa cantata in Roman
Mass), they are sung by the priest celebrant himself. Same for the
Gospel.
In this text "MR" (= Missale
Romanum) indicates a comparison with the Roman Rite.
Structure of the Byzantine Divine liturgy
(MR Holy Mass)
Preparation of the celebrant, the gifts and the temple
1. internal preparation of the celebrant
- The priest enters the Church.
- Prayer before the iconostasis (doors and curtain
are closed) the penitential prayers are those used for the sacrament of
confession (Cf. MR Confiteor) and then, the veneration of the icons.
- Entry into the Holy of Holies behind the
iconostasis, prostration before the altar.
Non-visible preparatory office
2. external preparation of the celebrant
- Putting on the liturgical vestments
- Hand washing
3 . Preparation of the offerings. "Preliminary
office".
The rite of
Preparation, “prothesis”, which means "a setting forth”, and is
also called also "proskomidia" (i.e. “offering,
oblation”), takes place in secret behind the closed iconostasis, at the
table of prothesis, in the north (on the left side) of the altar. In the
Middle Ages, even in the Roman Rite the preparation of the altar
bread and of the chalice with wine and water to be consecrated
sometimes took place before the Mass even in the Roman Rite. And
this happens in all the other non-roman Latin rites.
The priest begins this office by
singing the invocation "Blessed is our God always, now, and ever, and
unto ages of ages". This blessing is at the same time the opening
invocation for the third hour. (The third hour is also supposed to be sung
before the High Mass in the Roman Rite in big churches and monasteries).
In the Byzantine rite the third
hour is read aloud by only one reader it is sung by the reader outside the
sanctuary. He sings all "recto tono", that is, without melody,
singing all the text on the same note, just retaining the tonic accent of the
words and doing a discreet melodic inflection at the end of the
phrases.
In the Byzantine rite, the
preparation of the gifts and the offertory take place in a very
impressive sacrificial context.
Indeed, the priest begins the
"Proskomidia" saying the Antiphon of Good Friday:
By thy precious Blood hast thou
redeemed us from the curse of the Law: in that thou wast nailed to the Cross,
and wast pierced with a spear, thou hast poured forth immortality upon mankind,
as from a fountain, O our Saviour. Glory to thee.
This sacrificial sense is clearly
underlined by the extensive preparation of the bread for the Eucharist that
follows: this bread is called "lamb". This is derived from the text
of the prophet Isaias (chapter 53, verse 7-8) who speaks of the suffering
servant of God:
He was led as a sheep to the
slaughter. And as a spotless lamb before his shearers is dumb, so opened he not
his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. For his generation,
who shall declare it?
The same text is also used in
the offertory of the liturgies of the Armenians, Syrians and Maronites. But the
Byzantine liturgy has a “representation” of this sacrifice with acts during the
recitation of each of these words, cutting the sides of the round bread in
order to prepare the central part to be consecrated. For
this the priest uses a liturgical knife called “spear”, which
remembers the one that the centurion thrust into Jesus’ side.
When there is a deacon, the following
dialogue takes place:
The Deacon says "Sacrifice, Master!”, and
the Priest “sacrifices” the “Lamb” by cutting it
crosswise and saying:
Sacrificed is the Lamb of God who
taketh away the sins of the world, for the life of the world, and for its
salvation.
Then the Deacon says “Pierce,
Master”, and the priest pierces the right side of the lamb with
the “spear" when recites this other formula from John
19:34; "One of the soldiers did pierce his side with a spear"
and while he says: "and straightway there came forth blood and water”
he pours wine and some water into the chalice.
Here we find in
a remarkable way the phenomenon of the
"prolepsis", the anticipation of what is yet to come, as we find also
in the Roman Rite in the prayer "Suscipe Sancte Pater" or on the
offertory of the chalice.
The preparation of the "lamb" is followed
by the memorial: The priest takes a patch from the four smallest loaves.
First prosphora, the Commemoration of the Saints:
With this bread the "nine choirs of
saints" are commemorated: their commemorative particles are placed on
the right side of the Lamb in three rows, to end with the commemoration of the
author of the liturgy about to be celebrated: usually St John Chrysostom
(on ten established occasions during the liturgical year this is
St Basil).
Then the priest commemorates the Authorities,
ecclesiastical (Including the bishop who ordained him, if is still alive)
and civil (the rulers of the country).
Then he commemorates the deceased (and the bishop
who ordained him, if dead) with pieces of the 5º prosphora.
The last piece of bread is for the
commemoration of the celebrant himself.
- Then follows the veiling and the incensing of the
offerings.
- Then the Priest says the prayer of the
“prothesis” (preparation).
- Then the dismissal of this “prothesis” office.
4. Preparation of the
sanctuary. The curtain is drawn (opened) but the doors remain closed.
The Priest incenses the entire
temple while saying Psalm 50 “Miserere”, in secret.
Incense symbolises the prayers of
the faithful ascending to the heavenly altar and the divine grace descending
from there. The Byzantine thurible has three chains with 12 bells (taken from
the Greek tradition). The three chains symbolise the All-Holy Trinity, the 12
bells symbolise the preaching of the twelve apostles, the vessel symbolises the
virgin body of the All-Holy God-Bearer, who carried Christ like the glowing
coal in the thurible and to whom God offered the pleasing sacrifice to the
Father.
Divine liturgy
I. Liturgy of the Catechumens
1. beginning of the liturgy [typica].
Priest sings the Opening blessing.
Priest: Litany of Peace. Choir responds to each of
the 11 petitions: Gospodi pomilui (= Kyrie eleison). At the 12º the response
is: “To thee, O Lord”.
Priest: Silent prayer with a final exclamation
chanted aloud. (ecphonesis).
Choir answers "Amen" and then
sings immediately the “First Antiphon” (i.e. Some psalm verses)
Priest: Little Litany, Choir: Góspodi pomilui
(Kyrie eleison) twice and then “To thee, O Lord”. Priest: Silent prayer
and final exclamation chanted aloud (ecphonesis).
Choir: "Amen" and Second
"Antiphon" (usually some verses from the psalms) followed
by the hymn to Christ "Monogenes" (Only begotten son) (AD 535-536).
Priest: Little Litany, choir: Góspodi pomílui
(Kyrie eleison) twice and “To thee, O Lord”. Priest: Silent prayer and
final exclamation chanted aloud (ecphonesis).
Choir: "Amen" and Third Antiphon (verses
of a psalm or, according to category of the feast, very often the
Beatitudes are sung).
The Priest opens the doors of the Sanctuary.
The priest starts the procession and goes out of
the sanctuary holding the Evangeliary.
2. Little entrance
Priest: Wisdom! Upright!
Choir: Entrance Chant.
And then the Troparia and Kondakia (two kinds of
short Hymns having just one strophe). The number variates in any celebration
and depends on the day and the feast.
Priest: Silent prayer and final exclamation chanted
aloud (ecphonesis).
Choir: "Amen"
and Trisagion (AD. 438-43, cf. MR Good Friday). “Holy God, Holy
Strong, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.”
During the singing of the trisagion, the
Priest says a silent prayer with the blessing of the empty
throne in the back of the apse of the sanctuary.
3. scripture readings
Lector and choir alternate: Prokimen (a few psalm
verses proper of the day, cf. MR Graduale).
Lector: Epistle from the Acts of the
apostles or from Apostles’ Epistles. (often more than one branch according to
the feasts).
Priest incenses the sanctuary and Iconostasis as
preparation of the reading of the Gospel.
After the Epistle the Reader and Choir
alternate: Alleluia and proper verses of the day.
Priest sings the Gospel (often more than one branch
according to the feasts).
After the Gospel the doors are closed.
Priest: Insistent Litany. Choir: Góspodi pomílui
(Kyrie eleison) the first time, and the following 7 petitions are
sung three Góspodi pomílui together after each petition. Priest: Silent
prayer and final exclamation chanted aloud (ecphonesis).
Choir: "Amen".
Litany for the departed (is said when the liturgy is
offered for the dead (MR Requiem Mass). The doors of the Sanctuary are open and
the priest incenses the altar during the litany. The Choir responds to each of
the three first petitions three times “Góspodi pomílui”. For the fourth the
response is: “To thee, O Lord”. Priest: Says the prayer for the
dead:
O God of spirits, and of all flesh, who hast
trampled down death, and overthrown the Devil, and given life unto thy world:
Do thou, the same Lord, give rest to the souls of thy departed servants, N. N.,
in a place of brightness, a place of verdure, a place of repose, whence all
sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled away. Pardon every transgression which
they have committed, whether by word, or deed, or thought. For thou art a good
God, and lovest mankind; because there is no man who liveth and sinneth not;
for thou only art without sin, and thy righteousness is to all eternity, and
thy word is true.
Exclamation:
For thou art the Resurrection, and the Life, and
the Repose of thy departed servants, N. N., O Christ our God, and unto thee we
ascribe glory, together with thy Father, who is from everlasting, and thine
all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of
ages.
Choir: "Amen".
The doors are closed again. Priest sings the Litany
for the catechumens, 6 petitions, the choir answers: Góspodi pomílui
(Kyrie eleison) and the last: “To thee, O Lord”. Priest: Silent prayer and
final exclamation chanted aloud (ecphonesis).
Choir: "Amen".
Priest: Sings the very ancient dismissal of the
catechumens: “Depart, all ye Catechumens, depart. Depart, all ye Catechumens:
let no Catechumen remain: but let us who are in the faith again, yet again, in
peace pray unto the Lord”.
(Here ends the so-called Liturgy of the Catechumens
cf. MR).
II Liturgy of the Faithful
The Great Entrance.
1. offering of the gifts
Priest: First Litany for the Faithful.
The Choir responds to each of the two petitions: Góspodi pomílui (Kyrie
eleison). Priest: Silent prayer and ecphonesis aloud. Choir: "Amen".
Priest: Second Litany for the Faithful.
Again the Choir responds twice Góspodi pomílui (Kyrie eleison). Priest: Silent
prayer and ecphonesis aloud. Choir: "Amen".
Doors are opened and the Choir sings the
Hymn “Cherubikon” (AD 573-574).
Let us, the Cherubim mystically
representing, and unto the Life-giving Trinity the thrice-holy chant intoning,
all cares terrestrial now lay aside.
The priest makes the incensation of the temple
(saying in secret the psalm 50 = Miserere).
Grand Entrance with the Offerings. The Priest
proceeds with the procession holding the Gifts, with an exclamation commends
the ecclesiastical and civil authorities, those for whom Mass is offered, the
builders and supporters of the church in which the liturgy is celebrated, and
all the faithful.
Choir sings: Amen. And the end of the Hymn:
“That we may raise on high the
King of all, like conqueror on shield and spears, by the Angelic Hosts
invisibly up-borne. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia”.
The doors are closed and also is the curtain.
“Litany of Supplication”: the Choir answers
Kyrie eleison to the first five petitions of the priest, then Podai Gospodi
(Grant it, O Lord) six times, and to the last “To thee, O Lord”. Priest:
Silent prayer of the offertory and final ecphonesis. Choir: "Amen".
After being introduced by a dialogue between the
priest and the choir, the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed (AD 511) is
solemnly chanted (Cf. MR).
The curtain is opened when the Creed starts but the
doors remain closed.
2. Anaphora (Cf. Roman Canon) mainly ca. AD
400.
Priest and Choir sing the introductory Dialogue.
(Cf. MR Sursum Corda etc.). (The “Preface” itself is said in still voice
during the singing of the response by the choir, but ends with an exclamation
to introduce the:
Sanctus sung by the choir.
Post-Sanctus (Still)
The Priest sings the words of the consecration.
Choir: Amen each time.
Priest: Silent prayer of remembrance and offering,
Epiclesis (invocation of the holy Ghost).
The priest sings the Commemoration of the Mother of
God (Cf MR Communicantes) making the incensation of the consecrated gifts.
Communion
“Litany of Supplication” (Cf. supra) is sung again,
this time in preparation for Communion. Choir: Kyrie eleison to the first five
petitions and then answers Podai Gospodi (Grant it, Lord!) to each of the
following six intentions, and to the last “To thee, O Lord”.
Priest: Silent prayer and ecphonesis, the sung
exclamation introducing:
The Our Father which is sung by the Choir. Except
on Sundays and feasts of the Lord, everybody kneels during this
prayer.
Then, standing they make the “Great inclination”
while the priest says the silent prayer ending with final exclamation.
Choir: "Amen".
Priest: Elevation of the "Lamb". Sancta
sanctis ("The holy things to the holy people!"). The
curtain is closed.
Choir: Communion verse (taken from a Psalm)
(compare MR Communio), ending: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Communion of the celebrant, while the Choir sings a
composition of his choice (the only case of a chant not prescribed in the
Divine Liturgy).
Communion of the Faithful:
The curtain and the doors are opened.
Priest sings: Come with fear of God and faith.
Choir: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord. God is the Lord, and he has appeared to us.
Priest: says the Prayer in preparation for
communion (“Confessio” in the double sense of acknowledging one's sins and an
act of faith, compare MR Confiteor).
I believe, O Lord, and I confess,
that thou art, in very truth, the Christ, the Son of the living God, who didst
come into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. And I believe that
this is, of a truth, thine all-pure Body, and that this is thine own precious
Blood. Wherefore, I beseech thee, have mercy upon me, and forgive my
transgressions, whether intentionally or unintentionally; whether of word
or of deed; whether committed with knowledge or in ignorance.
And vouchsafe that I may partake
without condemnation of thine all-pure Mysteries, unto the remission of my
sins, and unto life eternal.
Of thy Mystical Supper, O Son of
God, accept me today as a communicant: for I will not speak of thy Mystery to
thine enemies, neither, like Judas, will I give thee a kiss; but like the thief
will I confess thee: Remember me, O Lord, in thy kingdom.
And let not this participation in
thy Holy Mysteries be unto judgment upon me, or unto condemnation, O Lord, but
unto the healing of soul and body.
Following the old tradition, holy
communion is given under two species to the faithful standing to
avoid the danger of the shedding of the precious blood. While the
person before him receives communion, the faithful makes the sign of the cross
and bows deeply, touching the ground with his hand, but not once he is
in front of the chalice, as a careless movement could cause him to strike
it. Then, after placing their hands crosswise over their chest (right arm over
left), they approach the Holy Chalice with reverence and state their
first name given to them at Holy Baptism, then tilt the head back, open the
mouth wide with the tongue inward. The priest administers Holy Communion with
the words:
The servant (or handmaid) of God
N., partakes of the precious and all-holy Body and Blood of our Lord and God
and Saviour Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and for eternal life.
Amen.
After communion, the
communicant's mouth shall be wiped with the holy purificator, he kisses
the lower rim (foot) of the chalice and, and making a reverence, he shall
go aside, to the left to the little table where he eats a part
of a prosphora and drinks wine mixed with hot water. This “purification” is
done so that not even the smallest remnant of the consecrated species remains
in the mouth. In the Middle Ages a similar purification was also done in the
Western church.
During the communion the Choir
sings slowly repeating several times:
Receive ye the Body of Christ;
taste ye of the immortal Fountain.
and at the end of the communion
sings three times Hallelujah.
At that time the priest blesses
the faithful with the chalice containing the Body and Blood
of Christ.
After an exclamation of the priest, the Choir sings
the Hymn
We have seen the true
light, we have received the heavenly ghost. We have found the true faith.
We worship the indivisible Trinity, for She has redeemed us.
Priest says the Litany of thanksgiving. Choir
responds: Góspodi pomilui (Kyrie eleison) twice and then “To thee, O
Lord”. Priest says the silent prayer and final exclamation chanted aloud
(ecphonesis).
Choir: "Amen".
4. conclusion blessing and dismissal
Priest in the nave of the church facing east sings
the Ambon prayer (prayer of blessing over the congregation).
And after Blessing and Dismissal, prayer for the
authorities and all the faithful, ending: Mnogaya ljeta (= Ad multos
annos).
Then all approach and kiss the cross presented by
the priest, and receive the antidoron[2],
thus “expressing their fidelity to Christ, for whose praise and glorification
the Divine Liturgy has been celebrated”.
After which the Priest withdraws to the
Sanctuary, the Holy Door is closed, and the curtain as well.
Then the Priest consumes the the Holy
Gifts, cleanses the sacred vessels, after which the lector recites
(singing, as at the beginning) the Post-Communion Prayers of thanksgiving.
[1] Approximately
sixty-eight petitions over the course of a normal celebration.
[2]
The antidoron (which means “instead of the gift”) is the remaining bread taken
from the parts of the prosphorae not used for consecration and blessed during
the liturgy. It was originally for those faithful who, because of
some external impediment, had been unable to receive Communion; in the
Medieval West the same practice was widespread.
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