of the service of the common one — that of St. John Chrysostom — will be enough here. The first rubric tells the priest that if he is about to celebrate the holy Mysteries he must, above all things, be reconciled to all men, keep his heart from evil thoughts, and fast from the evening before. The priest and deacon begin by making three reverences towards the Ikonostasis, and then say the preparatory prayers[1] in the choir. When they have said these prayers and have kissed the holy pictures (the rubric says all the pictures) they bow to the choir and go through the deacon's door to the Diakonikon. Here they vest, the priest blessing each vestment, and both say the prayers appointed.[2] They wash their hands, saying the same part of the 25th psalm as we do (verses 6-12, Lavabo), and then go across to the Prothesis, where the deacon has already laid the vessels and the bread and wine. Here begins the first part of the liturgy, the Preparation of the Offering. The bread is a round loaf marked with divisions, the parts to be consecrated have a cross between the letters IC. XC. NI. KA (Ἰηνσοῦς χριστὸς νικᾷ, Jesus Christ conquers).[3] The priest takes the holy lance and cuts away this part and stabs it in the form of a cross, saying, "The Lamb of God is sacrificed," &c. This part of the bread is then commonly called the Lamb. The deacon pours wine and water into the chalice. The priest then cuts away a particle from the rest of the bread in honour of our Lady, and nine others for various Saints, and others for the bishop and Orthodox clergy and for people for whom he wishes to pray. These particles (προσφορά) are placed on the diskos by the Lamb, covered with the aer and veils, as well as the chalice, and are all repeatedly incensed.[4] The deacon then incenses the prothesis, altar, sanctuary, nave, and priest. They
- ↑ Brightman, pp. 353-354.
- ↑ Ibid. pp. 354-356.
- ↑ See the figure of the holy bread in the illustration, p. 409. The triangle marked on the left is the portion of the Mother of God, the others are those for the Saints.
- ↑ Meanwhile, a series of prayers are said: Brightman, pp. 356-362. There is a long rubric explaining how the prosphora are to be arranged around the Lamb. At one time, the Orthodox Church was torn by controversy on this point. The portion for the Mother of God should be at the right, because of the verse: "The queen stands at thy right hand." But they could not make up their minds which is the right side. Now they have settled it is the left of the priest who faces the bread.
