My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
The Orthodox House of Worship: Sacred Articles
The Patent or Disk (Δισκάριον), a small round metal disk with a stemmed base which represents the Manger where Christ was placed after His Birth. During the divine service of Offertory (Oblation) the priest takes the bread of oblation or (prosphora in his left hand and the lance (spear) in his right hand, and touching the lance on the seal of the prosphora, he elevates them both to the level of his head and says: "Thou hast redeemed us from the curse of the law by Thy Precious Blood. Nailed on the Cross and pierced with a spear, Thou hast bestowed immortality upon mankind, O Our Savior, glory to Thee."
Then the Priest makes the sign of the Cross over the Credence with the prosphora and the lance, reciting: "Blessed is our God, always, now and forever and from all ages to all ages." The he makes the sign of the Cross with the lance three times over the seal of prosphora, saying, each time: "In remembrance of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:24; Luke 22:19). Next the Priest cuts out a portion of the bread from the central part of the prosphora’s seal in the shape of a cube, called in Greek Αμνός (‘Amnos’) means Lamb, which at first represents the Body of Christ and into which it later changes. The Priest recalls the prophecy of Isaiah who foresaw long beforehand the Sacrifice of the Messiah (Isaiah 53:7-8). The Priest inverts the Holy Bread, placing the seal upon the paten, while the Deacon says: Sacrifice Master. The Priest then cuts the Holy Bread cross-wise, taking care not to cut through the seal, and says: "Sacrificed is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world, for the life of the world and its salvation." The Priest inverts the Holy Bread again so that the seal is on top, while the Deacon says: Pierce Master. The Priest pierces the right side of the Holy Bread under the letters IC and says: "One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness, and his witness is true." The Deacon takes the wine and water and says to the Priest: Bless, Master, the holy union. After the Priest’s blessing, pours the blessed wine and water into the chalice or cup. The Priest says, "In honor and memory of our Most Blessed Lady Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary. Through her prayers, O Lord, accept this sacrifice upon Thy heavenly Altar." He then removes a triangular particle of the prosphora and places it on the right side of the Holy Bread and says "The Queen stood on Thy right side, arrayed in golden robs, all glorious." The Priest removes nine other particles and places them on the left side of the Holy Bread and commemorates various Saints, Apostles, Hierarchs, Holy Fathers, Martyrs, Unmercenaries, Righteous Ancestors of God, Saint John Chrysostom, Deacons and Monastics, those departed, and Prophets beginning with the Saint John the honorable and glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist. Then the Priest remembers the Bishop who ordained him, and concludes the remembrance: "Remember, O Lord, my unworthiness also, and forgive me all my sins, both voluntary and involuntary. The Deacon present the censer to him and says, "Bless, Master the incense. The Priest says: "We offer Thee incense, O Christ our God for an odor of spiritual fragrance. Receive it upon Thy Heavenly Altar, and send down upon us in return the grace of Thine All-Holy Spirit. The Deacon says, "Let us pray to the Lord. The Priest censes the star (asterisk) and places it over the Holy Bread saying: "And the star came and stood over the place where the young Child was. Immediately following blesses the three veils and covers the paten and chalice with them and senses the Offerings, saying: "Blessed is our God, Who is thus well-pleased! Glory to Thee." And the Deacon replies, "Always, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
We become Christians through the sanctified water of the Baptismal Font and with the holy paten and chalice, we are fed the food of immortality. This food is Holy Communion, the Pure Body and Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was Sacrificed on Golgotha for the salvation of the world. And just as without being baptized you cannot be called a Christian, without Holy Communion you cannot live a Christian life. Christ Himself said it: "Whosoever eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, hath Eternal Life" (John 6:54). The Paten and Chalice are the most holy articles of our Holy Orthodox Church.
Another sacred article used at worship is the Censer (Θυμιατήριον)¨is a vessel in which incense is burned. It was used in ancient times in the Temple by Aaron (1 Chronicles 23:13) and it is now used by the Church. This vessel, usually of silver, hangs from three chains with small bells. In the New Testament the first who presented incense to the Lord were the Wise Men (Matthew 2:11). Incensing before the Altar and the holy icons is a tribute of honor to Our Lord and to the Saints. The incensing toward the worshippers, first, expresses the wish of the priest that their prayers may ascend to heaven as the smoke of the incense rise aloft Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8), second, it reminds them that their prayers ascend to God when their lives are "a sweet fragrance" (Philippian 4:18). In the ancient world, incense was used in both secular and liturgical life. Altars, people, and objects were sensed as a sign of honor and dedication. In the services of the Church, incense is a symbol of prayer. In the Book of Revelation 8:3 it is revealed the use of incense in Heaven: "Then another Angel, having A GOLDEN CENSER, CAME AND STOOD AT THE ALTAR. HE WAS GIVEN MUCH INCENSE THAT HE SHOULD OFFER IT WITH THE PRAYERS OF ALL THE SAINTS UPON THE GOLDEN ALTAR WHICH WAS BEFORE THE THRONE. AND THE SMOKE OF THE INCENSE WITH THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS ASCENDED BEFORE GOD FROM THE ANGEL’S HAND. Then the Angel took the censer, filled it with the fire from the altar, and were noises, thundering, lightnings. and an earthquake" (8:3-5). "Much incense" is present in heaven. It symbolizes "the prayers of all the Saints." Incense as (a) commanded by God to Moses for use in Israel’s worship (Exodus 25:6; Isaiah 4:5; 6:4; Luke 1:9-11); (b) used throughout Israel’s history under the Old Covenant (1 Chronicles 23:13); (c) prophesied by the Lord Himself, to be used in the Church incense will be offered "among the Gentiles in every place" (Mal. 1:11) (d) brought by the Magi as a gift to Jesus (Matthew 2:11) (e) used in Christian worship from the beginning even till today.
(To be continued)
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 