The Liturgy of the Faithful

Boutros Salama Deacons

In the last articles we discovered the first two parts of the Holy Liturgy:

  • Offering of the Lamb
  • The Liturgy of the Word
  • The Liturgy of the Faithful

Today with the Grace of God we will talk about the Liturgy of the Faithful, which starts right after the Liturgy of the Word. Only believers are allowed to attend the Liturgy of the faithful and the prayer start with reciting the Orthodox Creed “Truly we believe in one God….etc.) followed by the Reconciliation Prayer:

1 – Reconciliation Prayer

  • Our Lord Jesus taught us in the Holy Gospel to reconcile with each other before offering the sacrifice – (Greet one another with the Holy kiss….etc. )

2 – The Anaphora

  •  When the Prospherin (the long sheet covering the sacraments) is removed, we raise our hearts and minds to heaven as this action represent the resurrection of the Lord.
  • The Priest say “Lift up your hearts” and we response “We have them with the Lord”
  • We give glory to God “Holy, Holy, Holy…” and say “the Seraphim worship you….etc.)

3 – The Consecration:

  • This is the holiest part of the Liturgy as the Holy Spirit will descend and transubstantiate the bread and wine into true Body and Blood of our Lord.
  • The Institution Narrative (He instituted for us this great mystery …etc.)
  • The proclamation of the Lord Death, resurrection and Ascension (Amen, Amen, Amen your death O Lord we proclaim….etc.)
  • The Invocation of the Holy Spirit – when we bow down and worship while the priest prays “and this bread makes into His Holy Body…etc.) we respond in awe and say “I believe Amen” same for the cup into “His precious Blood”

4 – The Seven short Litanies:

Since we have the Lord Himself present on the altar, we take this opportunity to ask and entreat for:

  • The Peace of the Church
  • The Fathers (Pope and Bishops)
  • The Clergy (Priests and Deacons)
  • The Mercy (Have mercy upon us O God the father the Pantocrator)
  • The salvation of the place
  • The Seasons (Waters of the river, the air of Heaven and fruits of the earth)
  • The Oblations and those have brought them

5 – The Commemoration of the Saints:

  • We remember and mention the names of the saints who pleased God since the beginning – the victorious church. Most of all the holy virgin St. Mary and we ask for their intercession for us – the struggling church.

6 – The Diptych:

  • We remember those who departed and ask the Lord to repose their souls in the paradise of joy with all the saints.

7 – The Fraction:

  • This is a very holy time of the liturgy when the priest start to breakdown the Body into small pieces and takes the Espadicon (centre piece) and immerse it in the cup.

8 – The Confession:

  • The priest raises the paten with the body and confess loudly that this is a true and living body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ who is given for the remission of sins.

9 – The Communion:

  • The priest starts giving communion to the congregation.

10 – The Dismissal:

  • The Prayer of Laying the Hands The Ending Blessing

Think about it

  1. What is the first prayer of the liturgy of the faithful?
  2. What is the holiest part of the liturgy of the faithful?
  3. What is the prayer of the departed called?

Write your name , then submit it to the Deacons corner box at the information board by the front desk!