Presanctified Divine Liturgy with a Non-Celebrating Hierarch

NOTE: In most cases, only rubrics that are unique to the Bishop’s presence are noted here.

 

After the Bishop ascends the Episcopal Throne, the clergy approach the Bishop. Each makes one metania, asks the Bishop’s blessing, and kisses his right hand. The Priest enters the Altar through the south door, and stands before the Holy Table and the Deacon proceeds to his place on the center of the solea.

 

After making three metanias in their respective places, the Priest and the Deacon bow together to the Bishop, and then the Deacon says in a loud voice, “Bless, Master!” After the Priest completes, “Blessed is the Kingdom…” the Deacon and the Priest turn and bow together to the Bishop. The bow to the Bishop is repeated after every exclamation by the Priest throughout the entire service. The Priest then takes his place on the south side of the Holy Table facing north.

 

NOTE: The Priest stands to the south and leaves the center of the Holy Table open at all times, except when he is reading prayers and exclamations for the Priest; all such are said from the west side of the Holy Table.

 

The Deacon intones the Great Ektenia. At the commemoration of the Hierarchs, the Deacon turns, points with his orarion and bows to the Bishop being commemorated while the Priest bows from the Royal Doors, and the choir quickly and quietly sings, "Eis polla eti, Despota." At the conclusion of the Ektenia, the Deacon moves to stand before the Icon of Christ, and the Priest moves in front of the Holy Table to intone the exclamation. This process is repeated after each Ektenia. The Psalm readings and rubrics within the Altar are done in the usual manner. Prior to intoning each of the Little Ektenias, the Deacon bows to the Bishop. After the Priest intones the exclamation of the third Little Ektenia, the Priest and Deacon bow together to the Bishop. The Deacon enters the Altar through the south door and takes the censer as the chanters begin, “O Lord, I have cried…” 

 

The Deacon, without asking the Priest’s blessing on the incense, does the Great Censing. After censing the Prothesis, the Holy Table, and the High Place, he exits the Altar through the north door. He asks the Bishop’s Blessing on the incense and censes him three times. After censing the Icons on the Iconostasis and the west of the Church, he censes the Bishop nine times (three sets of three), the Clergy around the Episcopal Throne, the people, and the Bishop nine times, again. He completes the censing in the usual manner.

 

The Little Entrance is made directly to the Episcopal Throne with the priest and deacon going to the right side of the Bishop. The Deacon takes his orarion off of the Gospel, places the Gospel over his left shoulder, points his orarion at the Royal Doors, and says to the Bishop, “Bless, Master, the Holy Entrance.” The Deacon replaces the orarion over the Gospel while the Bishop blesses the Entrance. The Deacon offers the Gospel Book for veneration by the Bishop, himself kissing the Bishop’s right hand. The Deacon then proceeds to the normal place on the solea and the entrance is completed in the usual manner, with the priest making a metania, asking the bishop's blessing and kissing his right hand, prior to entering the altar through the Holy Doors.

 

At "The light of Christ..." the Priest does every thing in the usual manner, except he does not bless the people. Prior to the Gospel Reading, the Priest takes the Gospel Book and hands it to the Deacon, who then proceeds out the Royal Doors to the Episcopal Throne. There, he says to the Bishop, “Bless, Master, him who proclaims…” After receiving the blessing, the Deacon offers the Book to the Bishop for veneration, himself kissing the Bishop’s right hand. He then proceeds to the place from which he will read the Gospel. The Bishop gives the Peace before the Gospel. Following the Gospel reading, the Deacon proceeds to the Episcopal Throne and offers the Book to the Bishop, himself kissing the Bishop’s right hand. The Bishop blesses the people with the Book and returns the Book to the Deacon, who takes it through the Royal Doors and gives it to the Priest to place on the Holy Table. (Note: The Priest does not bless the people here since it was already done by the Bishop.)

 

During "Now the powers...", the Priest takes the censer (without blessing it) and performs the Great Censing. After censing the Prothesis Table, the Holy Table and the High Place, he exits the Altar through the Royal Doors and descends the steps to the solea, taking a position that level with, or lower than, the Episcopal Throne. He asks the Bishop’s blessing on the incense, and then censes him three times. After censing the Icons and the west of the Church, he censes the Bishop nine times (three sets of three), the people, and the Bishop again nine times. He completes the censing in the usual manner, bows to the Bishop, and enters the Altar through the Royal Doors.

 

The Entrance is made in the usual manner with the Priest saying quietly, "Through the prayers of our holy Master..."

 

At the commemoration of the Hierarchs in the Litany of Fervent Supplication, the Deacon turns, points with his orarion and bows to the Bishop being commemoratedwhile the Priest bows from the Royal Doors, and the choir quickly and quietly sings, "Eis polla eti, Despota."

 

If the Bishop will commune at the Holy Table, he will descend the Throne, don the epitrachelion and omophorion, and commune himself first. If he will Commune at the solea, he shall be the first one to commune from the first chalice. After all have communed, the Bishop blesses the people, saying, O God, save Thy people …”

 

The Bishop gives the final blessing, “The Blessing of the Lord and His Mercy…,” and says the dismissal. After the commemoration of the Saints of the Day, the people chant, "Ton dhespotin ke Archierea imon Kyrie philate: Eis polla eti, Dhespota. Eis polla eti, Dhespota. Eis polla eti, Dhespota." The Bishop intones, “Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers…” after which the Priest intones, “Through the prayers of our Holy Master…”