Before the Liturgy

Robes are blessed by Father; the bread is cut.

Deacon: Bless Master!

The Divine Liturgy has begun.  All altar servers who are not cutting bread should be standing in the Sanctuary.

Deacon: In peace let us pray to the Lord!...

The Great Ektenia.  Stay alert and be attentive to the needs of the Priest.  Pray.

Deacon: Again and again let us pray to the Lord!...

The First Little Ektenia.  Continue to stay alert and be attentive.  Pray more.

Deacon: Again and again let us pray to the Lord!...

The Second Little Ektenia.  (1) Light the censer and (2) prepare for the Little Entrance. 

Deacon: Wisdom! Stand Upright!

The Little Entrance.  If you carrying the Cross or candles, stand straight, be still and focus on what you are doing.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord!

The Time of the Thrice Holy.  Put incense in the hot censer and bring it to the Deacon.  The Deacon will cense the Sanctuary; be ready to take the censer back from the Deacon.

Deacon: Dynamis!

The Reading of the Epistle.  Two candles are taken to the solea for the reading of the Epistle.

Deacon: Wisdom! Stand upright! Let us hear the Holy Gospel!

The Reading of the Holy Gospel.  The two candles on the solea are brought before the steps.  At the end of the reading, return to the Sanctuary.

If the Priest reads: Bring the stand to the edge of the Holy Doors.  Do not cross the Holy Doors without the permission of the Priest.  Be prepared to take the stand from the Priest when he is finished reading.

Priest: Homily

At this time, the Priest will customarily give a homily on the Gospel Reading.  Immediately after the homily, light a fresh charcoal for the censer.

Priest: Let us who mystically represent the cherubim… (three times)

The Cherubic Hymn.  Add incense to the hot censer and bring it to the Priest. 

The Priest will cense the Church: one altar server stand ready to take the censer from the priest and bring it to the Prothesis Table; all other altar servers should prepare for the Great Entrance.

Deacon: All of you and all Orthodox Christians…

The Great Entrance.  All altar servers participate in the Great Entrance.  Whoever has the censer must make sure that the censer is brought to the Priest when he enters the Sanctuary. 

Deacon: Let us complete our prayer unto the Lord!

The Litany of Supplication.  Two altar servers should bring the bread to the Prothesis Table.  Another altar server should place water in the hot water pot and plug it in.  All other altar servers should stand in the Sanctuary, praying and remaining attentive to the needs of the Priest.  Pray. 

Deacon: The Doors! The Doors!  In wisdom let us attend!

The Creed.  Say the Creed and remain attentive to the needs of the Priest. 

Priest: Singing the Triumphal Hymn, shouting, proclaiming and saying!

The Holy Anaphora.  Make sure the censer is hot; add charcoal if necessary.  Add incense to the censer.

Priest: Take eat! … Drink of this all of you!...  Thine own of Thine own…! 

The Holy Anaphora (continued).  The Holy Spirit is coming.  Pray hard.

Priest: And make this bread the precious Body of Thy Christ… And that which is in this cup the precious Blood of Thy Christ…

The Epiclesis.  God Himself in the person of the Holy Spirit is invisibly present in the Sanctuary.  Get down on your knees and pray harder.  The Priest will also kneel; when he rises, give him the censer.  Be prepared to take the censer back from the Deacon.

Deacon: Calling to remembrance all the Saints…!

The Ektenia before the Lord’s Prayer.  Continue to pray.

All: Our Father, who art in Heaven…

The Lord’s Prayer.  Pray.  At the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, transfer the boiling water from the hot water pot to the ewer.

Priest: Holy Things are for the Holy!

The Elevation.  Bring the ewer of hot water (Zeon) to the Deacon.  Pray for your clergy and stand ready to bring the bread into the Nave for Holy Communion.  Make sure the censer is hot; add charcoal if necessary.

Deacon: With the fear of God, faith and love…

Holy Communion for the People.  Bring the bread and be prepared to hold the kalima if necessary.  If possible, you should receive Holy Communion before the rest of the people.

If you are going to Sunday School: (1) receive Holy Communion; (2) return to the Sanctuary and put incense in the censer; and (3) remove your blessed vestments and neatly hang them in the closet.    

Priest: O God, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance!

The End of Holy Communion.  Return to the Sanctuary, immediately add incense to the censer and give it to the Priest.

Deacon: Attend!  Having partaken of the Divine, Holy, Immaculate…!

The Ektenia of Thanksgiving. 

Priest: O Lord, who blesses those who bless Thee and sanctifiest those who put their trust in Thee…

The Prayer Behind the Amvon.

Priest: The Blessing of the Lord and His  mercy come upon you though his Divine Grace…

The Dismissal.  Stand ready to give the Priest the stand and bring the bread to the people.