The History of the Liturgy The Ritual of the Raising of Incense The Agpeya

1. Ritual 101: LITURGY, AGPEYA AND PRAISES: The History of the Liturgy The Ritual of the Raising of Incense The Agpeya The Midnight Praises The Ritual of the Offertory Liturgy of the Word Liturgy of the Faithful Sacred Vessels

2. (7) Liturgy of the Faithful Eucharist? Christ is the sacrifice & high preset. As the truth is greater than its symbol the sacrifice of Christ is much greater than the manna. God offer us Himself (His Logos) written (to have Christ ‘ mind) and sacrificed/divine food (& medicine) to get united with Him (live by Him and through Him). • What is Anaphora? How can we lift our heart? DO: Repent, have faith, love others, and hope for eternity & imagine/enjoy the actions and presence of god throughout the liturgy DO NOT: Think of/get busy with other matters, judge, desire other matters with God, and hate any! • Holy (Agios) • Abouna does the sign of the cross three times saying, “Holy (Agios).” • Then Abouna starts “the prayer of Sanctification” which goes on three parts telling us the story of our salvation starting from the creation of man …………… His ascension into the heaven and finally His second glorious coming to judge the world(trip from earth to heaven).

3. Liturgy of the Faithful • Some Remarks regarding the Sanctification: • The action of Abouna moving the veils around on the altar represents the movement of the Cherubim’ wings. • Taking the veil from the top of the Chalice Throne and replacing it with another represents that this Mystery has been instituted for the rise and the fall of many(Luke 2:34). It also means that we have been exalted to take the place of the fallen angels. • While saying, “He was incarnated and became Man” the priest adds a spoonful of incense to the censer so that the fragrance of the incense, as it is diffused, reminds us of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus in the womb of Virgin Mary, who is the Golden Censer. The burning embers symbolize the fire of Divinity. • At the end of the passage the priest says, “He descended into Hades through the cross.” The priest then bows in reverence, placing his hands on his chest in the shape of the cross, then he kisses the altar. • When he says, “He rose from the dead on the third day…” and at the end of this passage when the priest says, “and give each one according to his deeds”, he beats his chest three times in awe and remorse for his sins, recalling the horrifying day of reckoning when the people will gather and the angels will open the books which reveal the deeds and examine the minds of all; the righteous proceeding to eternal life, while the wicked to shame and everlasting contempt. (Dan.12:2)

4. Liturgy of the Faithful The Institutional Prayer Introduction: • The tradition underlying the certainly of that Liturgy is older than the Gospels for many reasons: • A fully developed Institution Narrative exists in the liturgy of Saint Mark which has no New Testament quotations. • Saint Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians, “For I have received of the Lord, that which I have delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night he was betrayed, took bread ...” (1Cor 11:24). Saint Paul must have used it in the Eucharist he delivered to the Corinthians. • Our liturgy retains some details not mentioned in the biblical accounts of the Last Supper. It is quite obvious that a tradition about the Last Supper existed very early on in the Church, from which both the Eucharistic as well as the biblical accounts drew (Mat 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, and 1Cor 11). The Institutional prayer is found in almost all the Liturgies used by different churches which indicates its originality and authenticity.

5. Liturgy of the Faithful The Institutional Prayer • Incensing of Abouna hands-Why? To represent Christ incarnation/salvation and to confirm this sacrifice carries our sins. • Anamnesis (mean the living memory and reoccurrence (recalling & re-enacting) Worship God in Fear & trembling? • Invocation (call/plea)of the Holy spirit to dwell (come down) and make this bread into “the Holy Body & Precious Blood” • After the transformation the blessings can come only from the Sacraments, therefore Abouna can no longer do the sign of the Cross on the Sacraments! The 7 minor litanies: Safety of Chch, fathers, Ministers, Mercy, Place (City), Water (/seeds & plants or air of heaven), Oblations (offerings).

6. Liturgy of the Faithful Fraction and Communion • Starts at “again let’s give thanks …. • The fractionation of the Holy Body signifies the sufferings which were inflicted upon our Lord Jesus Christ. The fraction prayer ends always with the Lord’s Prayer. Prayers of absolution and submission: The Signings before Confessions: • Signing the Body 3 times with the Blood soaked Spadikon before raising it and placing its back in the Chalice, refers to the 3 days that Jesus remained in the tomb before His Resurrection on the third day. • Turning the Spadikon and placing it upside down in the Chalice to be immersed in the Blood symbolise the act of crucifying Christ, the Lamb of God, who carries the sin of the whole world, when they laid Him on His back to nail Him on the cross.

7. Liturgy of the Faithful The Confession: Distribution of the Holy Sacraments: Washing the Utensils: Dismissing the angel of the sacrifice: The Final blessing:

8. Liturgy of the Faithful Questions? • Why Abouna & Deacons wear white? • How to benefit (gain salvation, remission of sins, and eternal life) from the holy liturgy? • Put in mind we need to live in a fellowship with Christ (holy & righteous) and therefore we must partake His Holy Body & Blood. • Try to understand and live Christ divine actions through the liturgy. • Follow and understand the Liturgy of the Word (readings), raising of incense…etc. to prepare/qualify ourselves to be united with Christ. • Participate with all your being (senses) while praying or listening. • Live the prayers and imagine events. • Focus on gaining these 3: salvation, remission of sins and eternal life