HOLY LENTEN SERVICES: THE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

HOLY LENTEN SERVICES: THE LITURGY OF THE PRESANCTIFIED

A distinctive fear of Holy and Great Lent weekdays is "the Liturgy of the Presanctified", celebrated on each WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY, but at one time on every weekday of Holy Lent. Strictly speaking, the term ‘Liturgy’ is a misnomer, FOR THERE IS NO EUCHARISTIC CONSECRATION AT THIS SERVICE; IT IS SIMPLY THE OFFICE OF VESPERS (ESPERINOS) FOLLOWED BY THE DISTRIBUTION OF HOLY COMMUNION FROM ELEMENTS CONSECRATED ON THE PREVIOUS SUNDAY. The full celebration of the divine Eucharist, being always A FESTIVE AND TRIUMPHANT EVENT, is felt to be inconsistent with the austerity of the weekday Lenten Fast; and so already in the 4th century it was laid down that there should be no complete celebration of the Liturgy during Great Lent except on Saturday and Sunday. But so as to enable the faithful to receive Holy Communion on weekdays in Holy Lent — for n the ancient Church it was normal TO COMMUNICATE FREQUENTLY, AND IN SOME PLACES EVEN DAILY — the order of the Presanctified Liturgy was devised.

Many moments in the Presanctified Liturgy recall the period when Holy Lent was a time OF FINAL TRAINING BEFORE THE RECEPTION OF BAPTISM, THE SACRAMENT (MYSTERION) OF LIGHT OR ‘ILLUMINATION’. Thus between the two Old Testament lessons, the priest holding THE CENSER AND A LIGHTED CANDLE, BLESSES THE CONGREGATION, SAYING: ‘THE LIGHT OF CHRIST SHINES (OR ILLUMINES) ALL’; and following the Litany for the Catechumens and their DISMISSAL, there is during the second half of Holy Lent an additional Litany ‘FOR THOSE WHO ARE READY FOR ILLUMINATION’ (BAPTISM). Each time we take part in the Liturgy of the Presanctified, we should ask ourselves: IN A WORLD THAT IS INCREASINGLY ALLIENATED FROM CHRIST, WHAT HAVE ID ONE SINCE LAST LENT TO SPREAD THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL? [Source: The Lenten Triodion]

The Presanctified Gifts are offered to the faithful, after the ninth hour, about 3:00 p.m., usually at the end of a day of fasting, in what is actually an elaborate Office of Vespers with Holy Communion. The Presanctified is conducted from fifteen to eighteen times a year:

1. On Wednesday and Friday of the first six weeks of Holy and Great Lent.

2. On Thursday of the Fourth Week of Holy and Great Lent.

3. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy and Great Week.

The Sacrificial (or Resurrection) Liturgy is celebrated on all Saturdays and Sundays of Holy Lent, on the Feast of the Annunciation, on whatever day it falls, and on Holy and Great Thursday. (There is NO Liturgy on Holy Friday).

PARTICULARITIES OF THE PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY

On the preceding Sunday, at the Prothesis, after dedicating the principal Amnos, or "Lamb", to be distributed in Holy Communion that day, the Priest prepares as many additional "Lambs" as there will be Liturgies of the Presanctified during that week, saying for each the same dedicatory prayers as for the first.

However, at the Consecration of the Gifts ALL the "Lambs" are presented AS ONE, for Christ is ONE. Similarly, at the ELEVATION, ALL THE "LAMBS" ARE ELEVATED TOGETHER.

At the fraction, the Priest breaks ONLY that Amnos "Lamb" which he dedicate first at the Prothesis. As for the others, he takes them one by one IN HIS LEFT HAND, AND WITH THE SPOON IN HIS RIGHT POURS A SMALL AMOUNT OF THE Holy and Precious Blood of the Lord crosswise on the UNDERSIDE INCISED with the Cross, then places them in the tabernacle.

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THE PRAYER OF THE FIRST ANTIPHON

Priest: Gracious and Merciful Lord, forbearing and generous in mercy, hear our prayer and heed the voice of our entreaty. Give us a sign of Your favor. Lead us in Your way, that we may walk in Your truth; gladden our hearts, that we may be in awe of Your Holy Name, for You are Great in the Wonders of You perform. You alone are God, and among all deities none is Your like, O Lord: mighty in mercy and benevolent, helping and comforting and saving all who trust in Your Holy Name.
For all glory, honor and worship are Your due, Father Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

THE PRAYER OF THE SECOND ANTIPHON

Priest: O Lord, do not rebuke us in Your anger; do not chastise us in Your wrath; but deal with us according to Your loving kindness, as Healer and Physician of our souls. Guide us to the harbor of Your will; enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we may know Your truth; and grant that the rest of this day ma be peaceful and without sin, as may our whole life, through the prayers of the Theotokos and of all the Saints.
For Yours is the dominion, and Yours the Kingdom and the power and the glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

THE FIRST PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

Priest: O God, great and praised, through the Life-giving death of Your Christ, You have borne us from corruption to immortality. Liberate all our senses from killing passion, setting over them as a benevolent sovereign our inner reason. Let the eye be averted from every evil sight, and the ear be deaf to idle talk. May the tongue be purged of unseemly speech. Purify these lips that praise You, Lord. Make our hands abstain form wicked deeds, doing only such things as are pleasing to You, thus sealing with Your grace all our members, and our mind,
For all glory, honor and worship are Your due; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen,

PRAYER BEFORE RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION

I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ, Son of the Living God, Who
came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the greatest. I also believe that this
is truly Your Spotless Body, and that this is truly Your Precious Blood. Wherefore I
pray to You: have mercy on me and forgive my offences, whether intended or not,
whether committed in word or in deed, knowingly or unknowingly; and count me worthy
to share without judgment in Your pure Mysteries, for remission of sins and for
everlasting life. Amen.

Priest: (Standing before the holy icon of Christ) Almighty Lord, You have created all things in wisdom.
In Your inexpressible Providence and great goodness You have brought us to these saving days, for
the cleansing of our souls and bodies, for control of our passions, in the hope of the Resurrection.
After the forty days You delivered into the hands of Your servant Moses the tablets of the Law in
characters Divinely traced. Enable us also, O Benevolent One, to fight the good fight, to complete
the course of the fast, to keep the faith inviolate, to crush underfoot the heads of unseen tempters,
to emerge victors over sin and to come, without reproach, to the worship of Your Holy Resurrection.
For Blessed and Glorified is Your Most Honorable and Majestic Name, of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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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
+ Father George