The Shepherd, November 2007
WHAT IS A LITURGY?
THE LITURGY is the greatest of all Mysteries (in the Church we often have things we can’t explain or scientifically prove which we call Mysteries). We should never forget what it is all about. Bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, Who suffered on the Cross, and died and rose again to save us, sinful and evil-disposed people.
Every Liturgy is a miracle. Even if a priest should be unworthy to celebrate the Liturgy, as is more often than not the case in Brookwood, it is still effectual, unless the priest has been canonically removed from the priesthood. (And it is not for us to judge anyway.) The Angels themselves minister during the Liturgy. As a matter of fact, sometimes some children can see these Angels, or even see when the Holy Spirit descends upon the Gifts.
Here we will try and explain in a very simple and short way what is going on in these 1-1/2 hours of Liturgy. The Liturgy is divided into three parts. The first part is the Proskomidi (or Oblation), in which the priest prepares the bread, mixes the wine with a little water in the cup, and takes little portions of bread to represent the orders of the saints, and then for the living and the departed among the Orthodox faithful. As he takes out these portions he prays for all the people, reading each of their names. These bits are put on the discos (a flat raised plate, not unlike a small cake stand).
The second part is the Liturgy of the Catechumens (people preparing to be baptised), which is for everyone the baptised and the ones that are preparing to be baptised. It ends a short while before the Cherubim Hymn (“Let us who mystically...”)
And the Third is the Liturgy of the Faithful and, although all parts of the Liturgy are important, is the most important part of all, where the Gifts are consecrated. The third part starts with the Litany:” As many as are of the faithful: again and again let us pray to the Lord.”). Now let’s take the parts and look at them closer.
The Proskomidi is done before the public part of the Liturgy starts, depending on the serving priest and the number of names, it can last up to several hours. It can be combined with Matins as often is the case in Brookwood or the priest comes quite some time before the Liturgy starts, in some places up to 3 hours in advance, but again that depends on the priest and the amount of names. It can be said to represent the prophecies concerning Christ and His Nativity in Bethlehem, which also was witnessed only by a very few people.
The Liturgy of the Catechumens contains the Antiphons (verses from the psalms, that vary with feast but are repeated every Sunday if it is not a special feast) after which follows the Little Entrance. The priest and deacon come out with the Gospel from the side door of the iconostasis (the screen between the sanctuary and the rest of the Church), and enter it through the Royal Doors. Then come the special hymns of the day and the Thrice-Holy Hymn or Trisagion (Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us) and the Epistle reading (usually read by Fr Niphon in Brookwood). Once the Epistle reading is finished the Gospel is read by the deacon. The priest even tells us “Wisdom. Upright. Let us hear the holy Gospel. Peace be unto all.” (One should stand while the Epistle and the Gospel are read). After the Gospel reading (every Sunday but not always on a week day) comes the sermon. Usually it is related to the Gospel reading of the day. We all can learn something from it, the sermon is also an important part of the service, and not a “time off.” One can sit down, but there is absolutely no reason to walk out of the church.
Next come the Litanies: one for all the needs of the Church and for various individuals for whom prayers have been asked, then sometimes (but never on a Sunday) a litany for the faithful departed, and then the part where the deacon prays for the catechumens, starting with: ”Pray, ye catechumens to the Lord.” The Choir answers “Lord, have mercy.” During each of these litanies, the priest says a prayer silently within the sanctuary. The Litany for the Catechumens ends by asking them to depart. Catechumens then leave the Church for the time being. This brings to an end the second part of the Liturgy which may be seen as representing the teaching and healing ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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