Church Services: Prostration Prayer (Pentecost Sunday)

1. Church Services: Prostration Prayer (Pentecost Sunday) Acts 2:33  Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear

2. The significance of Prostrations (Metanoias) to our prayer life. • Introduction: To implore the Lord to grant us certain virtues or to pray for other people, saying such things as, +Thank You my Lord Jesus Christ, for You…”, or, + “Grant me, O Lord, the life of purity”, or, + “Grant me, O Lord, the life of patience and tolerance”, or, + “Grant me, O Lord, the life of complete love”, or focusing on any of the other virtues.

3. The significance of Prostrations (Metanoias) to our prayer life. Prostrations of Repentance Prostrations of Honor

4. On the topic of prostration in prayer, Mar Isaac said the following: • + “Do not think that prostrating yourself before God is a light matter. None of all the good deeds equals persevering in completing prayers with prostrations.” • + “Compel yourself to kneel down before God, for this invigorates the spirit of prayer.” • + “Persistence in offering bows every now and then, will give the vigilant worshipper the ideal atmosphere for worshipping.” • + “A love for continual prostration before God during prayer is an indication that the soul has died to the world and has realized the mystery of the new life.”

5. In the Old Testament, God had commanded His people to celebrate the Passover annually at sunset, the same time they had left Egypt (Deut 16:6). Also fifty days after the Passover, on the feast of Pentecost, God gave Moses the Law. Therefore, the Church has arranged to pray the Prostration prayers at the ninth hour to point to the Lord Jesus Christ our Passover who was slain at this same time (Mt 27:50).  Scriptural origins and purpose of the rite of the Prayer of Prostration before the Pentecost

6. Foot in the Door Phenomena • The breakdown of the Prostration service:

7. First Prostration Raising Incense referring to what happened on the feast of Pentecost in the OT (Ex. 19:16-18) and it parallels what happened in the NT on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4

8. First Prostration:Service outline Agpeya prayers 6th, 9th, 11th and compline hours Psalm 116 chanted in tune (Niethnos tero) Praises (fourth hoos) Pentecostal Psali The Sunday psali for the lord Jesus Sunday Theotokia Gospel of St. Luke 2:29-32 (just as in midnight praises). Prayer of Thanksgiving and verses of the Cymbals:

9. First Prostration:Service outline Psalm 50 Deutrenomy 5:23-33, 6:1-3 is read. Pauline Epistle: 1 Cor 12:28-31, 13:1-12 ( receiving the gifts of the Spirit and the more excellent way which is Love). The Hymn of the Trisagion (holy God, holy might, holy immortal) Holy Gospel (John Ch.17) Commentary Response to the Gospel Reading

10. First Prostration:Service outline Prayer for the sick Prayer for the travelers Prayer of the air of the heaven, seeds, herbs This place and all places, churches, monastaries Everyone prostrates; priest prays inaudibly –this ends the first section or “First Prostration

11. Second Prostration” starts the same way, except without the agepeya prayers but with the prayer of Thanksgiving. Putting one handful of incense in the censer, the priest asks for the repose of those who departed. 2nd Prostration prayer of the service

12. **During this prayer also, everyone is still standing in the second par t of the church (not near the altar). Reading form Deut 6:17-25 Pauline epistle (I Cor 13:13, 14:1-7) Hymn of the Trisagion again Gospel; Luke; 24:36-53 Then the priest prays: 1. Prayer for the king, 2. Prayer for the departed, 3. Prayer for the oblations (oil, incense, coverings, reading books, altar vessls and prayers/service offered) 4. Prayer for the catechumnes. 2nd Prostration prayer of the service

13. Everyone does a prostration and priest has a second prayer that he prays inaudibly asking for the Holy spirint to descend. An excerpt: “I ask you to open my lips, I the sinner. Teach me how to supplicate to You for all our needs because You alone know the multitude of my sins. But Your lovingkindness overcomes my unawareness. For behold I stand in fear before the multitude of Your mercies and cast myself beneath them……Send the Spirit of Your wisdom upon my thoughts and give my ignorance understanding from Your Holy Spirit. May your fearful Spirit overshadow my works. May you renew Your upright Spirit within me. May your mighty Spirit straighten my thoughts and prevent them from perversion. May Your Good Spirit direct me to the right path that I may be worthy to do Your commandments and remember at all times Your coming to judge everyone according to their deeds.,,,” 2nd Prostration prayer of the service

14. Third Prostration of the Service (*The congregation now moves to the front of the church as usual) • Prayer of Thanksgiving • Raising of incense • Psalm 50 • Deut 16:1-18 • Pauline Epistle (1 Cor 14:18-40) • Hymn of the Holy Spirit’s descent (sung at weddings, and on Pentecost) Pi Epneva imparakleeton… • Hymn of the Trisagion • Prayer of the Gospel

15. Third Prostration of the Service Commentary: excerpt: “O Holy Spirit the Comforter, who descended on the Apostles, kindle fire in our minds an d hearts with Your mighty power and guide our souls to the knowledge of Your statutes that we may utter words of prayer befitting our God.” Gospel response; “The soul of the Samaritan woman who found the Living water blesses You because in You is the fountain of the Living water.” Prayer for Peace, Prayer for the fathers, Prayer for those who asked us to remember them Graciously accord o Lord…

16. Third Prostration of the Service • The Trisagion • Doxologies • Creed • As in regular vespers priest prays “God, have mercy upon us, settle Your mercy upon us, Have compassion upon us” holding the cross with the three lighted candles in his right hand facing each direction. • The final prostration and the priest’s inaudible prayer

17. Glory be to God forever Amen.