THE HOLY EUCHARIST
by Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald
We knew not whether we were in
heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendor or beauty anywhere on
earth. We cannot describe it to you; we only know that God dwells there among
men and that their Service surpasses the worship of all other places...
In the latter part of the tenth century,
Vladimir the Prince of Kiev sent envoys to various Christian centers to study
their form of worship. These are the words the envoys uttered when they
reported their presence at the celebration of the Eucharist in the Great Church
of Holy Wisdom in Constantinople. The profound experience expressed by the
Russian envoys has been one shared by many throughout the centuries who have
witnessed for the
first time the beautiful and inspiring Divine Liturgy of the
Orthodox Church.
The Holy
Eucharist is the oldest experience of Christian Worship as well as the most
distinctive. Eucharist comes from the Greek word which means thanksgiving. In a
particular sense, the word describes the most important form of the Church's
attitude toward all of life. The origin of the Eucharist is traced to the Last
Supper at which Christ instructed His disciples to offer bread and wine in His
memory. The Eucharist is the most distinctive event of Orthodox worship because
in it the Church gathers to remember and celebrate the Life, Death, and
Resurrection of Christ and, thereby, to participate in the mystery of
Salvation.
In the
Orthodox Church, the Eucharist is also known as the Divine Liturgy. The word
liturgy means people's work; this description serves to emphasize the corporate
character of the Eucharist. When an Orthodox attends the Divine Liturgy, it is
not as an isolated person who comes simply to hear a sermon.
Rather, he
comes as a member of the Community of Faith who participates in the very purpose
of the Church, which is the Worship of the Holy Trinity. Therefore, the
Eucharist is truly the center of the life of the Church and the principal means
of spiritual development, both for the individual Christian and the Church as a
whole. Not only does the Eucharist embody and express the Christian faith in a
unique way, but it also enhances and deepens our faith in the Trinity. This
sacrament-mystery is the experience toward which all the other activities of
the Church are directed and from which they receive their direction.
The Eucharist,
the principal sacrament mystery of the Orthodox Church, is not so much a text
to be studied, but rather an experience of communion with the Living God in
which prayer , music, gestures, the material creation, art and architecture
come into full orchestration.
The Eucharist is a celebration of faith which touches not
only the mind but also the emotions and the senses.
Throughout the
centuries, Christians have seen many dimensions in the Eucharist. The various
titles which have come to describe the rite bear witness to the richness of its
meaning. The Eucharist has been known as the Holy offering, the Holy Mysteries,
the Mystic Supper, and the Holy Communion. The Orthodox Church recognizes the
many facets of the Eucharist and wisely refuses to over-emphasize one element
to the detirement of the others. In so doing, Orthodoxy has clearly avoided
reducing the Eucharist to a simple memorial of the Last Supper which is only
occasionally observed. Following the teachings of both Scripture and Tradition,
the Orthodox Church believes that Christ is truly present with His people in
the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharistic gifts of bread and wine
become for us His Body and His Blood. We affirm that these Holy Gifts are
transfigured into the first fruits of the New Creation in which ultimately God
will be "all in all".
THREE LITURGIES
As it is celebrated today, the
Divine Liturgy is a product of historical development. The fundamental core of
the liturgy dates from the time of Christ and the Apostles. To this, prayers,
hymns, and gestures have been added throughout the centuries. The liturgy
achieved a basic framework by the ninth century.
There are
three forms of the Eucharist presently in use in the Orthodox Church.
1.The
Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, which is the most frequently
celebrated.
2.The
Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, which is celebrated only ten
times a year.
3.The
Liturgy of St. James which is celebrated on October 23, the feastday of
the Saint.
While these saints did not compose the entire liturgy which
bears their names, it is probable that they did author many of the prayers. The
structure and basic elements of the three liturgies are similar, although there
are differences in some hymns and prayers.
In addition to
these Liturgies, there is also the
Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts. This is not truly a eucharistic
liturgy but rather an evening Vesper Service followed by the distribution of
Holy Communion reserved from the previous Sunday. This liturgy is celebrated
only on weekday mornings or evenings during Lent, and on Monday, Tuesday, and
Wednesday of Holy Week, when the full Eucharist is not permitted because of its
Resurrection spirit. The Eucharist expresses the deep joy which is so central
to the Gospel.
The Divine
Liturgy is properly celebrated only once a day. This custom serves to emphasize
and maintain the unity of the local congregation. The Eucharist is always the
principal Service on Sundays and Holy Days and may be celebrated on other
weekdays.
However, the
Divine Liturgy is not celebrated by the priest privately, without a
congregation. The Eucharist is usually celebrated in the morning but, with the
Bishop's blessing, may be offered in the evening. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
has recently encouraged the celebration of the Liturgy in the evening after
Vespers, on the vigil of major Feast and Saints Days.
THE ACTIONS OF THE LITURGY
The Divine Liturgy may be divided
into two major parts: the Liturgy of the Catechumens and the Liturgy of the
Faithful, which are preceded by the Service of Preparation.
Although there
are many symbolic interpretations of the Divine Liturgy, the most fundamental
meaning is found in the actions and prayers.
THE SERVICE OF PREPARATION
Prior to the beginning of the
Liturgy, the priest prepares himself with prayer and then precedes to vest
himself. The vestments express his priestly ministry as well as his office.
Next, the priest goes to the Proskomide Table which is on the left side of the
Altar Table in the Sanctuary. There, he prepares the offering of bread and wine
for the Liturgy. Ideally, the leavened loaves of bread, and the wine from which
the offering is taken, are prepared by members of the congregation. The
elements are presented to the priest before the service, together with the
names of those persons, living and dead, who are to be remembered during the
Divine Liturgy. The offering symbolically represents the entire Church gathered
about Christ, the Lamb of God.
THE LITURGY OF THE CATECHUMENS
The Divine Liturgy begins with the
solemn declaration: "Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit now and for ever more." With these words we are
reminded that in the Divine Liturgy the Church becomes a real manifestation of
God's Kingdom on earth.
Since the
first part of the Liturgy was designed originally for the Catechumens, those
being schooled in the faith, had a very instructive quality. The Eucharist also
has elements which are in common with other Services. We gather as Christians
who share a common faith in the Holy Trinity. We sing and pray as a people
united in Christ, who are not bound by time, space, or social barriers.
The Little
Entrance is the central action of the first part of the Liturgy. A procession
takes place in which the priest carries the Book of Gospels from the sanctuary
into the nave. The procession directs our attention to the Scripture and to the
presence of Christ in the Gospel. The entrance leads to the Epistle lesson, the
Gospel, and the Sermon.
THE LITURGY OF THE FAITHFUL
In the early Church, only those
who were baptized and not in a state of sin were permitted to remain for this
most solemn part of the Liturgy. With the Great Entrance marking the beginning
of this part of the Liturgy, the offering of bread and wine is brought by the
priest from the Preparation Table, through the nave, and to the Altar Table.
Before the offering can proceed, however, we are called upon to love one
another so that we may perfectly confess our faith. In the early Church, the
Kiss of Peace was exchanged at this point. After the symbolic kiss of Peace, we
join together in professing our Faith through the words of the Creed.
Only now can
we properly offer our gifts of bread and wine to the Father as our Lord
directed us to do in His memory. This offering is one of great joy, for through
it we remember the mighty actions of God through which we have received the
gift of salvation, and especially the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. We
invoke the Holy Spirit upon ourselves and upon our offering, asking the Father
that they become for us the Body and Blood of Christ. Through our thanking and
remembering the Holy Spirit reveals the presence of the Risen Christ in our
midst.
The priest comes
from the altar with the Holy Gifts, inviting the congregation to draw near with
reverence of God, with faith, and with love." Our sharing in the Eucharist
Gifts not only expresses our fellowship with one another, but also our unity
with the Father in His Kingdom. Individuals approach the Holy Gifts and receive
the Eucharistic bread and wine from the common chalice. The priest distributes
the Holy Gifts by means of a communion spoon. Since the Holy Communion is an
expression of our Faith, reception of the Holy Gifts is open only to those who
are baptized, chrismated, and practicing members of the Orthodox Church.
The Liturgy
comes to an end with prayer of Thanksgiving and the Benediction. At the
conclusion of the Eucharist, the congregation comes forward to receive a
portion of the liturgical bread which was not used for the offering.