Preparation
Why should we recite the psalms on the way to church?
The psalms act as a tool to help us lift up our hearts to God and reflect on where we are and what we are about to partake of
What do the incense and the Censor represent? Be sure to explain the censer as a whole and its individual components
The incense is the physical representation of our prayers ascending towards God
The censer is a symbol of St Mary who carried Christ in her Womb
The coal represents Christ whose divinity did not burn or harm St. Mary
The three chains of the sensor are a symbol of the trinity
How can we lift up our Hearts?
Make whatever is distracting you from prayer the subject of your prayer so that your problem changes from a distraction to a means of connecting with God
Why do we pray the Commemoration of the Saints?
After presenting God with our prayer in the Litanies and calling upon Him, we call upon the prayers of the saints to stand a greater chance of our prayers being answered as we requested
We are telling God to remember to look at the Saints praying for the same things on our behalf and for their sake, forgive us our sins
Why do we start the introduction to the fraction with a prayer of thanksgiving?
We start with a prayer of thanksgiving because it tells us what it is that we are doing throughout the liturgy. The first part previously started with thanksgiving and the last part also starts with thanksgiving. This points our attention to the fact that during the liturgy, our job is to constantly be giving thanks.
Provide 3 ways we can pray or prepare before we arrive at the Liturgy to be ready.
Wake up a little earlier to pray the first hour or a few psalms
Go through the readings of the Liturgy
Recite the Jesus prayer (especially in the car)
Who were the catechumens? Why was the Liturgy of the Word also called the Liturgy of the catechumens?
The catechumens were people who were “studying to become Christian” and wanted to be baptized in the Church
It was called the liturgy of the catechumens as they would only attend this section of the liturgy and leave before the creed.
What does the removal of the prospherine represent at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Faithful?
The removal prospherine represents the removal of the stone from the door of the tomb. The bells on the prospherine represent the angels at the tomb and the earthquake that accompanied the resurrection
In the Commemoration of the Saints, why do we emphasize the words “Your Only Begotten” and continue the prayer in the same tune?
We have this emphasis because we venerate the saints only in the light of the image of Christ within them and that their glory is an extension of Christ’s glory
Why does the priest lift up the Body while saying the confession?
The lifting of the body is reminiscent of the ascension of Christ forty days after His resurrection. It is as though the disciples looked up and then bowed down in wonder on the Mount of Olives as they witnessed the ascension.
1. It is mentioned about God Himself (Psalm 104:2 and Daniel 7:9)
2. In the Lord's Transfiguration before His disciples, "He was transfigured before them... His clothes became as white as light" (Matt 17:2)
3. The angels garments when they appeared at the time of the Resurrection were white (John 20:12)
4. In the book of Revelation, it is mentioned: "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments" (Rev 3:5)
White represents purity, cleanliness, innocence, sanctification of the heart, and virtues that God's ministers should have.
Who is Melchizedek and why was his sacrifice so important? Give the book and chapter where he is first mentioned in the Bible
Melchizedek was a “priest of God Most-High” and “king of Salem” who offers bread and wine to Abraham
His offering is a prophecy of the New Testament offering of bread and wine in the last supper
Genesis 14
What is the meaning of the word Anamnesis? Explain the importance of the Anamnesis in the liturgy
The Greek word anamnesis can be broken down into the word “amnesia”, meaning “loss of memory”, with the prefix “an” meaning “not.” Therefore, the word doesn’t simply mean remembrance but rather “not forgetting”
The anamnesis is not just a call to remember, but also a call to participate and relive the moment that Christ conquered death in each liturgy
The incense ascends to heaven, not only symbolising the ascension of our prayers but also the ascension of the departed soul to the loving embrace of the Father.
Why does the priest throw water over our heads at dismissal?
The water is symbolic of the blessing that develops throughout the liturgy, is received on the altar, and overflows the congregation. The purpose of the water is not that it blesses us, but instead to remind us of the overflowing of blessings within us
Before the priest puts on his service garments, he blesses them with a trinitarian blessing which is a very common blessing in our liturgical prayers. Loosely recite the blessing
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God Amen. Blessed be God the Father the Pantocrator, Amen. Blessed be His only begotten Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. Blessed be the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, Amen. Glory and Honor, Honor and Glory to the one Holy Trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
In the procession of the lamb, what does the lamb wrapped in a cloth with a cross on top represent? Provide 3 symbols.
To represent when Joseph and Mary presented the baby Jesus in the temple and Simeon lifts him up, professing He is the Messiah
To represent Christ carrying his cross to Golgotha
To represent the dead body of Christ being shrouded and buried
St. Athanasius the Apostolic uses an analogy of sunlight and rubbish to explain the incarnation, which the author references. Explain the analogy
St. Athanasius wrote that the coming of Christ into the world was like the sun shining on a pile of rotting rubbish. The powerful sunlight can bleach and sterilise the rubbish, but the rubbish can never taint the sunlight. Thus also, all the shame and evil of humanity could never overcome the holy glory of God in Christ- not even death could conquer Him.
What are the 5 ranks of deaconate?
1. Singer/chanter
2. Reader
3. Subdeacon
4. Deacon
5. Archdeacon
How is the end of the liturgy the beginning of our liturgical lives?
The actual liturgy is only one aspect of the liturgical life and true Christian living. The end of the liturgy simply marks the beginning of the liturgical life. The world hungers and thirsts for the truth and we are all messengers of that truth. Now that we have become united with Christ, as Christ came into the world to save it, we must also do the same.
What are the four different liturgical cycles? Give an example of each of the different cycles
Daily - Psalms, Raising of Incense
Weekly - The psalmody, fasting Wednesday (Day of Betrayal), fasting Friday (Day of Crucifixion)
Monthly - 12th of Month (Archangel Michael), 21th of Month (St. Mary), 29th of Month (Annunciation, Nativity, Resurrection)
Yearly - 7 major and 7 minor feasts, feast of St. Mary, feast of the Cross
Give 4 criteria of the loaf of bread which is chosen to be the lamb.
1. Best in appearance and roundness
2. Have a clear despotikon/spadikon (the cross in the middle)
3. Have the right number of pierced holes (5)
4. Not have anything stuck to it
5. Not have any cracks
Give 5 symbols that are seen when the priest uses the Mistir (Communion spoon) to put incense in when saying “was incarnate and became man.”
The spoon on top of the throne represents Christ before the Incarnation on His Heavenly throne
The removal of the spoon from the throne is the descent of the Word of God
The incense being put in the censer represents His incarnation
He immersed his divinity in our humanity while remaining perfectly both just like how the spoon picks up the incense
Christ was offered as a sweet-smelling sacrifice just as the incense burns sweetly but does not damage the censer
With the sacrifice He wiped away our sins like how the priest wipes the incense from the spoon
After his death, He was hidden for three days like how the spoon is covered
He rose from the dead back and ascended like how the spoon is removed from the cloth and put back on the throne
The author writes that there are 7 litanies or prayers recited in the liturgy. What are the 7 litanies or prayers, and what is the order that they are prayed?
1. the peace of the Church
2. The fathers the bishops
3. The presbyters and the deacons
4. The places
5. Nature
6. The offerings
7. The prayer for the departed
Why does the priest clap his hands and touch the corners of the altar at the end of liturgy? Include a Bible Reference
The priest walks around the altar, touching the four corners clapping his hands. The priest is praying psalm 47 and is rejoicing in God and fulfilling the psalm. In doing so, he is thanking God and giving Him glory for the great gift that was bestowed upon the whole church.