Divine Liturgy with a Non-Celebrating Hierarch

NOTE: In most cases, only rubrics that are unique to the Bishop’s presence are noted here.

 

If Orthros will not be served: After the Bishop ascends the Episcopal Throne, the clergy approach the Bishop. Each makes one metania, asks the Bishop’s blessing, and kisses his right hand. The Priest enters the Altar through the Royal Doors and the Deacon enters the Altar through the south door. They take their places at the Holy Table and say the “Opening Dialogue.” When they say to each other “Thy Priesthood…” and “Thy Diaconate…,” they bow to each other (the Priest does not bless the Deacon), and then turn and bow to the Bishop from the Royal Doors. The Deacon proceeds to his place on the center of the solea.

 

If Orthros is served: The Priest and the Deacon say the “Opening Dialogue,” at the usual time. When they say to each other “Thy Priesthood…” and “Thy Diaconate…,” they bow to each other (the Priest does not bless the Deacon), and then turn and bow to the Bishop from the Royal Doors. The Deacon proceeds to his place on the center of the solea.

 

After making three metanias in their respective places, the Priest and the Deacon bow together to the Bishop, and then the Deacon says in a loud voice, “Bless, Master!” After the Priest completes, “Blessed is the Kingdom…” the Deacon and the Priest turn and bow together to the Bishop. The bow to the Bishop is repeated after every exclamation by the Priest throughout the entire service. The Priest then takes his place on the south side of the Holy Table facing north.

 

NOTE: The Priest stands to the south and leaves the center of the Holy Table open at all times, except when he is reading prayers and exclamations for the Priest; all such are said from the west side of the Holy Table.

 

The Deacon intones the Great Ektenia. At the commemoration of the Hierarchs, the Deacon turns, points with his orarion and bows to the Bishop being commemoratedwhile the Priest bows from the Royal Doors., and the choir quickly sings, "Eis polls eti, Despota." At the conclusion of the Ektenia, the Deacon moves to stand before the Icon of Christ, and the Priest moves in front of the Holy Table to intone the exclamation. This process is repeated after each Ektenia. Prior to intoning each of the Little Ektenias, the Deacon turns and bows to the Bishop. After the Priest intones the exclamation of the second Little Ektenia, the Priest and Deacon bow together to the Bishop. The Deacon enters the Altar through the south door, and takes his place at the southwest corner of the Holy Table.

 

The Little Entrance is made in the usual manner except that the Deacon, after exiting through the north door, proceeds directly to the Episcopal Throne going to the right side of the Bishop. The Priest remains in his normal place in the center of the solea. The Deacon takes his orarion off of the Gospel, places the Gospel over his left shoulder, points his orarion at the Royal Doors, and says to the Bishop, “Bless, Master, the Holy Entrance.” The Deacon replaces the orarion over the Gospel while the Bishop blesses the Entrance. The Deacon offers the Gospel Book for veneration by the Bishop, himself kissing the Bishop’s right hand. The Deacon then proceeds to the normal place on the solea and the Little Entrance is completed in the usual manner.

 

Following the Kontakion, the Deacon, from the Royal Doors, bows to the Bishop, and then faces the people and intones, “Let us pray to the Lord.” During the Thrice-Holy Hymn, and after the Priest proceeds to the High Place, the Deacon takes the censer and, from the Royal Doors, asks the Bishop’s blessing on the incense. The censing is completed in the usual manner. During the Epistle reading, the Priest takes the Gospel Book and hands it to the Deacon, who then proceeds out the Royal Doors to the Episcopal Throne. There, he says to the Bishop, “Bless, Master, him who proclaims…” After receiving the blessing, the Deacon offers the Book to the Bishop for veneration, himself kissing the Bishop’s right hand. He then proceeds to the place from which he will read the Gospel. The Bishop gives the Peace at the end of the Epistle and again before the Gospel. Following the Gospel reading, the Deacon proceeds to the Episcopal Throne and offers the Book to the Bishop, himself kissing the Bishop’s right hand. The Bishop blesses the people with the Book and returns the Book to the Deacon, who takes it through the Royal Doors and gives it to the Priest to place on the Holy Table. (Note: The Priest does not bless the people here since it was already done by the Bishop.)

 

During the Cherubic Hymn, the Priest takes the censer (without blessing it) and performs the Great Censing. After censing the Holy Table, the Prothesis Table and the High Place, he exits the Altar through the Royal Doors and descends the steps to the solea, taking a position that level with, or lower than, the Episcopal Throne. He asks the Bishop’s blessing on the incense, and then censes him three times. After censing the Icons and the west of the Church, he censes the Bishop nine times (three sets of three), the people, and the Bishop again nine times. He completes the censing in the usual manner, bows to the Bishop, and enters the Altar through the Royal Doors.

 

The Great Entrance will need to be made at a faster pace than usual and the Priest and Deacon will need to intone their lines slower than usual (depending on the size of the Church). The Deacon intones, “All of you, may the Lord God …,” followed by the Priest, who intones, “All of you, and all Orthodox Christians, may the Lord God …” These are the only two petitions said prior to reaching the solea. When the Deacon reaches the solea, he turns toward the Bishop and intones, “Thine Episcopate, may the Lord God remember …” Then the Priest turns toward the Bishop and does the same. The Priest then finishes the remaining petitions of the Great Entrance (Commemoration of the appropriate Hierarchs, prayers for the President, living and departed).

 

The Bishop gives the Peace after the Ektenia of Fervent Supplication. At the Kiss of Peace, the Priest exits the Altar through the Royal Doors and, followed by the Deacon, exchanges the Kiss of Peace with the Bishop at the Episcopal Throne. When “The Creed” begins, the Priest, standing on the south side, waves the Aer over the Holy Gifts. Te west side of the Holy Table must be open. The Priest says, The Grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father…” turns, and without blessing the people, bows to the Bishop. From this point onward, the Priest returns to the west side of the Holy Table and remains there until after the Gifts are consecrated.

 

At “Among the first…,” the clergy bow to the Hierarch being commemorated (if present) from the Royal Doors. The Priest says, “And the mercies of our Great God…,” turns, and without blessing the people, bows to the Bishop.

 

If the Bishop will commune at the Holy Table, he will descend the Throne, don the epitrachelion and omophorion, and commune himself first. If he will Commune at the solea, he shall be the first one to commune from the first chalice. After all have communed, the Bishop blesses the people, saying, O God, save Thy people …”

 

The Bishop gives the final blessing, “The Blessing of the Lord and His Mercy…,” and says the dismissal. After the commemoration of the Saints of the Day, the people chant, "Ton dhespotin ke Archierea imon Kyrie philate: Eis polla eti, Dhespota. Eis polla eti, Dhespota. Eis polla eti, Dhespota." The bishop intones, “Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers…” after which the priest intones, “Through the prayers of our Holy Master…”