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

The Bishop is received in the back of the Church in the usual manner. After the Bishop ascends the Episcopal Throne, the Clergy approach the Bishop and each make one metania, ask the Bishop’s blessing and kiss his right hand.

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 our God…” 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 begins the Great Censing at the usual time. After censing the Altar, the Prothesis, 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 and the West of the Church, he censes the Bishop nine times (three sets of three), any clergy around the Throne, the people, and the Bishop nine times, again. He completes the censing in the usual manner. The Priest intones the petitions (“Have mercy on us, O God…”) in the usual manner. After the exclamation, the choir responds, “Bless, Master, in the Name of the Lord.”

After handing off the censer, the Priest takes his place on the south side of the Holy Table facing north. (NOTE: The Priest stands to side and leaves the center of the Altar open at all times except when he is reciting lines that are for Priests; those are said from the center of the Altar.)

At the commemoration of the Hierarchs, in the Great Ektenia, the Deacon turns, points his orarion and bows to the Bishop being commemorated while the Priest bows from the Royal Doors. 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. After the Priest intones the exclamation, the Deacon enters the Altar through the south door.

Following the Great Ektenia, the Bishop descends the Episcopal Throne and enters the Altar through the Royal Doors. He dons the stole and omophorion. From this point forward, the Bishop servers as the Protos. He gives the Peace prior to each Gospel Reading. He will assign the Priests and Deacons to read each of the twelve Gospel Readings.

Following the fifth Gospel Reading, the Procession of the Cross takes place. When the singing of the Fifteenth Antiphon begins, the lights in the Church are shut off, allowing only Candle light to remain. The Cross, without the Body, is brought to the front of the Altar and leaned against the Holy Table. The Bishop censes the Cross. From there, the Bishop carries the Cross in the Procession. Once the Cross is placed in the base, the bishop enters the altar through the Royal Doors and censes the Body which lies on the Holy Table. He brings out the Body and attaches it to the Cross. The Bishop, followed by the Clergy, venerates the Cross and the Body and returns to the Altar. The singing of the Fifteenth Antiphon continues to be repeated until all the people have come forward to venerate the Cross and the Body. The Lights in the Church remain out for the remainder of the service.

The Deacon asks the Bishop’s blessing on the incense prior to saying, “The Theotokos and Mother…” and censes him three times. Since the Bishop is in the Altar at that moment he is treat as the first Priest. After the censing he censes the Bishop three times again, followed by the Priests, Deacons, etc.

At the Dismissal, the Deacon intones, “Wisdom!” with the choir’s response being, “Master, Bless.” The Bishop says all of the remaining lines including the final Dismissal. The Bishop intones, “Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers…” and the Priest intones, “Through the prayers of our Holy Master…”

NOTE: “Ton Dhespotin…” is not sung at this service.