Monday, December 19, 2011

Consecration & Epiclesis- Divine Liturgy Series


Continuing the series on the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom- You might be surprised at the short Eucharistic prayer. Depending on the priest, the silent prayers might be not-so-silent, but there is only one choice for the Eucharist prayer with the exception of the Liturgy of St Basil the Great which is prayed during the Great Lent before Easter. And if I haven't made it clear- this (like the entire Liturgy) is sung unless it is a daily Liturgy and the priest decides to speed it up a bit. We always sing the Liturgy.

PEOPLE: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Your glory, hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest.

Priest (silently): With these blessed powers we also, O Master, Lover of men cry and say: Holy are You and all holy, You, and You; only-begotten Son, and Your Holy Spirit; holy are You and all holy and magnificent is Your glory, who so loved Your world that You gave Your only begotten Son, that everyone who believes in Him should not perish, but should have life everlasting; Who, having come and having fulfilled the whole Divine plan concerning us, on the night when He was betrayed, or rather, when He surrendered Himself for the life of the world, He took bread into His holy and all pure and Immaculate hands, gave thanks and blessed,   (priest blesses bread) sanctified, broke and gave it to His holy disciples and apostles, saying:

PRIEST: Take, eat, THIS IS MY BODY, which is broken for you for the remission of sins.

PEOPLE: Amen.

Priest (silently): In like manner (priest blesses chalice) also the chalice, after the supper, saying:

PRIEST: Drink of this all, THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.

PEOPLE: Amen.

Priest (silently): Remembering, therefore, this salutary command, and all that was done in our behalf: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven the sitting at the right hand, the second and glorious coming.

The priest lifts the chalice and diskos up and makes the sign of the cross with them, saying:

PRIEST: Thine own of Thine own, we offer You, in behalf of all, and for all.

PEOPLE: We praise You, we bless You, we thank You, O Lord, and we pray to You, our God.



THE EPICLESIS (INVOCATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT)
Priest (silently): Again we offer to You this spiritual and unbloody sacrifice, and we implore and pray, and entreat You, send down Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here present. (Blessing the bread) And make this bread   the precious body of Your Christ. (Blessing the chalice) And that which is in this chalice,   the precious blood of your Christ. (Blessing both) Having changed them   by Your Holy Spirit:

Priest (silently): So that to those who partake of them, they may be for the purification of the soul, for the remission of sins, for the communion in Your Holy Spirit, for the fullness of the heavenly kingdom, for confidence in You, not for judgment or condemnation.

Priest (silently): Moreover, we offer to You this spiritual sacrifice for those who departed in the faith; the forefathers, fathers, patriarchs, prophets, apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors, ascetics and for every righteous spirit who has died in the faith.

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