1. Commentary on Divine Liturgy
The Consecration
The Institution Narrative
The Anamnesis
The Epiclesis
Consecration is transforming the Bread and Wine into the Body and the Blood of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit., Who is in one essence with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of fellowship, Who changes the oblations into the Body and the Blood of Christ and unites all the members of the church in Christ.
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2. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Institution Narrative
During the Institution Narrative :
+ The priest remembers the story of the institution of the sacrament, in the Last Supper.
+ He utters the same words, which Jesus said.
+ The deacons stand around the altar with lighted candles.
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3. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Institution Narrative
During the Institution Narrative,cont. :
+The Priest places the two corporals on the altar.
+The deacon brings the censer to The Priest to incense his hands in preparation…
+ The Congregation allowed to sit T orF
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4. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Institution Narrative, cont.
When saying “He broke it...”, the Priest:
+ breaks the bread into three parts, from the top to the bottom, without separation (above and below the Spadikon in cross form).
+ places one-third of it on his right hand and the two-thirds of it on his left.
+ opens the bread slightly and breathes the Holy Spirit onto it.
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5. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Institution Narrative, cont.
After blessing the cup, the Priest:
+ moves it gently towards west, east, north and south in the form of a cross.
+ moving it from west to east signifies our transformation from darkness to light.
+ from left to right signifies moving us to the right hand of the Father with our Savior.
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6. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Anamnesis
+ Anamnesis is a Greek term which means recalling to mind.
+ The Anamnesis is a living proclamation for our Lord Jesus’ death and resurrection and remembrance of Him until His Coming.
+ In the Eucharist, remembrance means the living memory rather than just remembering.
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7. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Anamnesis, cont.
+ The Priest says the same words that Jesus said when instituting the Eucharist. They were also affirmed by St. Paul.
+ We `remember' Christ, Who died for us and rose from the dead, not merely as an historical event, but as an existing, true sacrifice.
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8. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Anamnesis, cont.
+ The offering of the oblations to God the Father is intertwined with the memorial action.
+ The oblation is offered on behalf of all humanity, those who departed, those now living, those now being born, and for those who will come after us (St. John Chrys on Matthew 25).
At the end of the Anamnesis, the priest kneels down before the altar in piety and respect to pray the Mystery of Invocation. The deacon calls out to the people, "Attend to the Lord in awe and reverence." He then also kneels down beside the altar but keeps an eye on the Oblation, lest any fly or insect comes near it, for he too is responsible for the Sacrifice as he is the servant with the priest. When the deacon alerts the congregation to kneel before the Lord in awe and reverence he has to set an example of that fear and reverence. His kneeling down beside the altar must show the utmost piety and respect for this precious moment, which is the most awesome moment of the whole mass, the moment when the Holy Spirit comes down on the Bread and the Wine to transform them into the Body and Blood of Christ.
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9. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Epiclesis (Invocation of the Holy Spirit)
+ the most solemn moment of the Eucharist, when the whole Church, having offered the oblation to God the Father, now pleads with Him to send His Holy Spirit upon the whole congregation and upon the gifts, so that both the congregation and the gifts become sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
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10. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Epiclesis, cont.
+ The Priest prays inaudibly:
And we ask You, O Lord, our God, we, Your sinful and unworthy servants; we worship You by the pleasure of Your goodness; that Your Holy Spirit descend upon us and upon these gifts set forth, and purify them, change them, and manifest them as a sanctification of Your saints.
Note that the priest uses “we” and not “I” both in “we offer unto You” and in “we ask You.” For the priest is not offering his own gift, but that
of the whole Church. It is also the whole Church that is asking God the Father to send His Holy Spirit upon the congregation and the gifts, the
priest is representing the congregation in this petition. The congregation meanwhile, is offering to God praise and blessing, and service and
worship.
On the other hand, the people do not say “we believe,” because, belief in the change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Him
(Christ), has to be declared by every individual. This is explained as follows:
The Holy Spirit descends not only on the gifts but on all of us, and by sanctifying us and the gifts, we receive the gifts as truly the very Body that hung on the Cross and the very Blood that came from the side of Christ. It is this double action of the Holy Spirit that makes it possible for the priest to boldly declare, “The holies for the holy!” The bread and wine, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, become holies (Body and Blood of Christ) but only for the holy, who have been sanctified by the descent of the Holy Spirit in the Epiclesis, those who believe in the hidden mystery, without doubting or probing. This is emphasized clearly by Mar
Ephraem the Syrian in his Memra for Holy Thursday: “If any one doubts and eats it, it is plain bread to him.”
It is for this reason that each one of us has to declare his un-doubting and unquestioning faith in the “hidden mystery” by the individual “I believe, Amen.”
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11. Commentary on Divine Liturgy The Consecration
The Epiclesis, cont., The Nature of the change:
The Orthodox Churches believe it is “mystical” and not “physical”. This is explained in the Prayer of Reconciliation attributed to St.John, Bishop of Bostra (6th century). It tells us the change of the gifts is a “hidden mystery” that is exalted above the limits of human thought.
It is revealed to us, the “babes” who, in faith, believe in the mystery without probing its nature, the babes who cry out loud, “I believe, so be it”
St John of Bostra’s Prayer of Reconciliation:
“Exalted above all the power of speech, and all the thoughts of the mind, is the richness of Your gifts, O our Master. For that which You have
hidden from the wise and the prudent, You have revealed unto us babes. And those things which prophets and kings have desired to see and have not, the same You did grant unto us, we the sinners, that we may serve It and be purified thereby, when You did ordain unto us the Economy of Your Only-Begotten Son, and the hidden mystery of this sacrifice, which has neither the blood of the Law nor the righteousness of the flesh roundabout It. Behold the Lamb is spiritual and the knife is verbal and immaterial; that sacrifice which we offer unto You!”
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12. Commentary on Divine Liturgy
The Seven Minor Litanies:
+ The Litany of Safety
+ The Litany of the Fathers
+ the Litany of the Ministers
+ The Litany of Mercy
+ The Litany of Places
+ The Litany of the Waters, Sowing, and Harvesting
+ The Litany of Oblations
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