THE DIVINE LITURGY

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.

THE DIVINE LITURGY

After the Resurrection of Christ, the son of Joseph the Betrothed, Iakovos (James), who is called Adelphotheos or "Brother of God," became Bishop of Jerusalem. He wrote in the Hebrew tongue (language) certain prayers and petitions to God, to be used whenever the priests were about the celebrate the Divine Liturgy, which was handed down BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO THE APOSTLES DURING THAT NIGHT WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO BE DELIVERED UP. (HENCE THE WORD "DIVINE") Shortly thereafter those prayers and the rest of the service of the Divine Liturgy were translated into Greek, as we have found it today, by Saint Clement (88-07 A.D.), the Disciple of the Holy Apostle Peter, who afterward became Bishop of Rome He ordained as law that in this way the Chritians are to perform the Divine Liturgy.

In such a manner then the Christians conducted the Liturgy for about three hundred and fifty years. However, because the prayers were long and the service lengthy, the priests were negligent and DID NOT LITURGIZE. Saint Basil urged, "It is good and beneficial to communicate every day, and to partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ… And who doubts that to share frequently in Life is hte same thing as to have life abundantly? I, indeed, COMMUNICATE (TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION) FOUR TIMES A WEEK, on the Lord’s Day, on Wednesday, on Friday, and on Saturday, and on other days if there is a commemoration of any Saint."

Nonetheless the Christians were feeling weighed down and began murmuring on account of the length of the service, and wished to go about their work in the world. The Saint, observing this response of the people was desirous to find a way to relieve their weariness. Consequently to this, he sought Divine enlightenment, by entreating the Lord to show him a sign that He might know whether his intention was God’s will.

Then he pondered and supplicated God for many days, with fasts and tears. "Then one night, the Saint, as one pure and worthy, beheld a wondrous and paradoxical vision, which I (the hagiographer), as one unworthy and filled with every uncleanness, shudder to narrate, O blessed Christian. Well then, the Lord with His Holy Apostles appeared to come down to the Saint. O Thy condescension, Lord Who loves mankind! And, according to hierarchical order, Christ celebrated the Divine Liturgy with His Apostles. Yet the Lord was not uttering those prayers which are written in the Liturgy of Saint Iakovos (James) the Brother of the Lord, but an ABRIDGEMENT, which afterward Saint Basil placed in the Lturgy. After seeing this vision, the Saint gave thanks to God Who harkened to his entreaty. Hence, he COMPOSED THE SHORTENED DIVINE SERVICE, WHICH HAS COME DOWN TO US TO THIS DAY, AND WHICH WE KNOW AS THE LITURGY OF SAINT BASIL.

After Christ and the Holy Apostles appeared to Saint Basil, he uttered the NEW PRAYERS IN THE DIVINE SERVICE. Evoulos and the clargy of higher rank then beheld A CELESTIAL LIGHT ILLUMINATING THE SANCTUARY AND SAINT BASIL. Certain radiant men clsd in white shining garments surrounded the Saint. All the clergy were astonished and fell prone to the floor, weeping and glorifying God.

About the same time the Holy Bishop commissioned a goldsmith to fashion a dove of pure gold, as an image of what took place at the Baptism of Christ, when Saint John the Baptism bore witness, saying, "I HAVE BEHELD THE SPIRIT DESCENDING OUT OF HEAVEN AS A DOVE, AND HE ABODE UPON HIM" [John 1:32]. He then suspended it above the Holy Table as a receptacle in which to store the Mysteries.

Whenever the Saint served the Divine Liturgy and elevated the Holy Gifts, that golden dove, which was suspended above the Holy Altar, shook thrice by the power of God. However, one day, when Saint Basil was serving, the usual sign of the movement of the dove did not take place. Saint Basil pondered thy this should have happened now. Then he observed that one of the Deacons, who was holding the fans (ripidia), was gazing earnestly at a woman standing in the church. The Deacon was dismissed, and given a penance. He was to pray and fast for seven days, and distribute alms to the poor. As a result of this incident, Saint Basil commanded that a veil (screen) be hung and a partition constructed IN FRONT OF the Sanctuary.

Today, the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great is celebrated by the Church only ten times a year: the Five Sundays of the Great Fast (Holy Lent), Great Thursday, Great Saturday, the Eve of the Nativity of our Lord, the Eve of the Theophany, and the Feast Day of Saint Basil on the 1st of January. [Resource: The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church]

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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