Bridegroom Orthros with a Non-Celebrating Hierarch

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

The Bishop is received in the back of the Church in the usual manner. After the Bishop ascends the Episcopal Throne, the Clergy approach the Bishop and each make one metania, ask the Bishop’s blessing and kiss his right hand.

 

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 our God…” 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 begins the Great Censing at the usual time. After censing the Altar, the Prothesis, and the High Place, he exits the Altar through the north door. He asks the Bishop’s Blessing on the incense and censes him three times. After censing the icons and the West of the Church, he censes the Bishop nine times (three sets of three), any clergy around the Throne, the people, and the Bishop nine times, again. He completes the censing in the usual manner. The Priest intones the petitions (“Have mercy on us, O God…”) in the usual manner. After the exclamation, the choir responds, “Bless, Master, in the Name of the Lord.”

 

After handing off the censer, the Priest takes his place on the south side of the Holy Table facing north. (NOTE: The Priest stands to side and leaves the center of the Altar open at all times except when he is reciting lines that are for Priests; those are said from the center of the Altar.)

 

At the commemoration of the Hierarchs, in the Great Ektenia, the Deacon turns, points his orarion and bows to the Bishop being commemorated while the Priest bows from the Royal Doors, and the choir quickly and quietly sings, "Eis polla 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. After the Priest intones the exclamation, the Deacon enters the Altar through the south door.

 

Prior to the Gospel reading, the Priest brings the Gospel to the bishop to receive his blessing. The Bishop gives the Peace. The Gospel is read from the Royal Doors. After the Priest reads the Gospel reading, he takes the Gospel and, accompanied by the Deacon with a candle, exits the Altar through the Royal Doors and goes to the Episcopal Throne. He offers the Gospel Book to the Bishop for veneration, himself kissing the Bishop’s right hand and returns to the Altar.

 

The Deacon, without asking the Priest’s blessing on the incense, takes the censor, and from the Royal Doors elevates it to the icon of the Theotokos and intones, “The Theotokos and Mother of Light…” He then does the great censing. After censing the Altar, the Prothesis, and the High Place, he exits the Altar through the north door. He asks the Bishop’s Blessing on the incense and censes him three times. After censing the icons and the West of the Church, he censes the Bishop nine times (three sets of three), any clergy around the Throne, the people, and the Bishop nine times, again. He completes the censing in the usual manner.

 

The Bishop gives the Peace following “The Litany of Supplication.” Following “More honorable than the Cherubim…” the choir responds, “Bless, Master, in the Name of the Lord.”

 

The Bishop says the final Dismissal. Following the dismissal, the Bishop intones, “Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers…” and the Priest intones, “Through the prayers of our Holy Master…”

NOTE: “Ton Dhespotin…” is not sung at this service.