Historical Prospective of the Liturgy

LITURGY OF THE CATECHUMENS: INTRODUCTION

ipodiakonos zoran j. bobic

The transitional Ritual:• …pagans had to learn the doctrine of the Church;• …attend catechetical Synaxis;• 2 essential things to learn before Baptism:

• Proper method of prayer;• Major teaching of Christ;

• Instruction and prayer benefits both catechumens and baptized;

• Liturgy of the Catechumens = to create an atmosphere of faith;

The transitional Ritual: Until the 5th century• It began with the reading of the lessons;• Person was introduced to the congregation; • Later came “introductory ritual”;

• Preparatory prayers of the priest before the iconostas; • His entrance into the sanctuary;• Vesting; • Proskomidia;• And everything up to the actual reading of the lessons;

The transitional Ritual: Opening• Litany of Peace;• 3 Antiphons (each by deacon);• Little Entrance;

• Followed by hymns: tropars, kondaks and etc.

• Trisagion; • The Liturgy of Catechumens are present in all Rites;

Initial Incensing:• After proskomidia dismissal deacon incense:

• 3 times prosthesis• Holy Table – all four sides• Icon behind the Altar and other icons in the sanctuary• Exits on North door: Royal Doors, icons on the south of iconostas then on

the north• Right and left choirs then people• Returns through South doors: again Holy Table 3 times• Finally celebrant 3 times

• The interval between proskomidia and beginning of the Liturgy is taken up with incensing;

Initial Incensing:• While incensing there is silent prayer;• Psalm 50 (silently as well);• The prayer is attributed to St. John Damascene;

• Originally it is from Holy Week service; • Placed here in 14th century;• Altar symbolizes Lord’s tomb;• Placing Holy Gifts is expressing the burial of Christ;

• Psalm 50: this appeared between 13th – 16th century;• Incensing the whole Church was established toward the end of 6th century;• From 13th century some documents say this is done by priest some by

deacon;