The Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Church

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be with them.” (Rev. 21:3)

The Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Church is a celebration of beauty, solemnity and joy. It is a celebration in which God’s people are most perfectly united in the presence of God. In his book, The Orthodox Church, Bishop Kallistos Ware explains that Eastern Christians see themselves, both clergy and laity, as liturgical beings who are most completely themselves when they glorify God. It is in divine worship that they find their perfection and most perfect self-fulfilment. Into the Holy Liturgy, the finest expression of their faith, Eastern Christians “have poured their whole religious experience. It is the Liturgy which has inspired their best poetry, art and music.”

In the Eastern Church, every Divine Liturgy is a foreshadowing of the glorious liturgical celebrations of the New Jerusalem described so beautifully in the Apocalypse by St. John. The references in the text of the Divine Liturgy to the hosts of heaven make it clear that what is happening within the sanctuary and nave is patterned on the heavenly worship of the Almighty. As in heaven, both clergy and laity are united in “worship[ping] Him who lives for ever and ever.” (Rev. 4:10) This flawless union of priest and people is underscored when, just before the clergy bring the sacred gifts from the sanctuary into the nave of the church, the faithful, in the words of the Divine Liturgy, confess themselves to be those “who mystically represent the cherubim.” Then, after these precious gifts are taken through the royal doors to the altar, the congregation acknowledges the mystical presence of “the King of all, escorted invisibly by ranks of angels.”

As we come to realize the transcendent beauty and power of what is taking place before our eyes, we can appreciate the words of one of the principal authors of the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Church, the fourth-century archbishop of Constantinople, St. John Chrysostom. In one of his most famous passages, he points out how difficult it is for the participants at a Divine Liturgy to realize that they are still on earth: "When you see the Lord sanctified and laid [placed] upon the altar, and the priest standing and praying over the Victim, and all the worshippers cleansed by that precious Blood, can you then think you are still among men, standing upon the earth?"

The heavenly celebration of the One who is worthy “to receive glory and honour and power,” (Rev. 4:10) is a Divine Liturgy standing entirely outside the dimension of time. This essential quality of the worship of the saints in heaven is reflected in the Divine Liturgies on earth celebrated in every Eastern Church. These services draw back the curtain of time to allow us to glimpse eternity. Each Divine Liturgy is an anamnesis, a Greek term which may be translated as a “remembering”, but the type of remembering which attracts both the past and the future into the reality of the present. This is nowhere better expressed than in the words from the Eucharistic Prayer, “Remembering, therefore, this salutary commandment, and all that was done for us: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the sitting at the right hand and the second and glorious coming.” All this is found within the Divine Liturgy which has three parts:

i) Liturgy of the Preparation

The preparation of the bread and wine take place in a private rite in the sanctuary behind the iconostas (icon screen). Recalling the words of the prophet Isaiah and the actual events that took place at the crucifixion of our Lord, the priest makes a number of incisions in a small leavened loaf and lifts out the Ahnets (Lamb). A small lance is used to pierce its side, and wine and water are poured into the chalice. Smaller pieces are placed around the Lamb on the diskos (dish) representing first, the Mother of God, then nine other pieces representing all the angels, prophets, apostles, martyrs, wonderworkers, and all the saints, and then pieces representing the living and the dead. In this way, the whole Church is gathered around the Lamb for the sacrifice. The bread and wine are veiled and incensed as they await to be brought to the Holy Table in the Liturgy of the Faithful about which more below).

ii) Liturgy of the Catechumens

The Liturgy of the Catechumens is the first public part of the Divine Liturgy. It begins with the words “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” In a beautiful and poetic exchange of prayers and petitions, the faithful and the clergy sing of the wonder and majesty and glory of the eternal Trinity. It is in this part of the Divine Liturgy that the Gospel is brought in procession to the Royal Doors. We bow in worship before the Word Who is Life present in the Gospels. After singing tropars and kondaks (liturgical hymns of the season or day), we sing the trisagion prayer: “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us!” This prayer is replaced occasionally (according to the liturgical season) by other hymns of glorification of the blessed Trinity. The readings of the Psalter, from the Epistles of St. Paul, and the Gospels takes place followed by a homily given by the priest.

Another litany of petitions is offered for the needs of the local parish community and the needs of the world. Following this, the Catechumens, those preparing for initiation into the Sacred Mysteries of the Church (Sacraments) are dismissed. Today, however, the non-baptized are not expected to leave at this point in the Liturgy.

iii) Liturgy of the Faithful

The faithful begin to sing the Cherubic Hymn, confessing that they mystically represent the cherubim and, like them, lay aside all earthly cares so as to direct all their attention of mind, soul, and body to what is at hand, namely the sacrifice. At this point, the bread and wine - which were prepared beforehand - are brought to the Holy Table. Just before the singing of the Nicene Creed, the faithful and clergy receive from each other the kiss of peace, thus laying aside all personal disputes, arguments and the like; so as to enter into the most sacred part of the Divine Liturgy with a pure heart. The anaphora (eucharistic prayer) begins with “Let us lift up our hearts” in order for us to give true and "right praise" (which is what the word orthodox means).

The words of Christ at the Mystical Supper are spoken over the bread and wine, and the Holy Spirit is invoked over the gifts. Mystically, the gifts become the true Body and Blood of our Saviour! As we prepare for the reception of the Holy Mysteries, we again make petition to the Lord for our needs and those of the world. As final preparation for Communion, we pray together the Lord’s Prayer and then bow before the Lord to truly confess Him. At the reception of our Lord in Holy Communion Eastern, Christians cross their arms over their chest as a sign of humility and respect, and open their mouths saying nothing.

After Communion, prayers of thanksgiving are offered. The dismissal follows and the faithful leave the church to go out to the “liturgy of the world,” that is, after receiving our Lord, body and soul, into ourselves, we bring Christ to others in the world in our words, thoughts and deeds. Having seen the glory of the Lord on the mountaintop, we descend into the world and witness to that glory.