Bloodless sacrifice. Divine Liturgy Bloodless Sacrifice Union with Christ

The Thief and the Victim “Oh Lord! Save me, a sinner, from the local order, From prison key-keepers, from steel handcuffs, From the distant stage, from capital raids, From the Sea of ​​Okhotsk, from the Vologda convoy, From the pick-shovel, from the mother earth, From the forest fall, from the mosquito

Victim

Victim Scenario "Sandwich". In this scenario, the player has a sandwich. Therefore, during the lunch break, the player works without leaving their office, answering phone calls and messages at the request of the manager. As soon as the leader returns from lunch, the player

68. Victim

68. Sacrifice Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice something so that confusion begins in the camp of the enemy. You can sacrifice some people in order to induce the enemy to do something. You can sacrifice position and territory so that the enemy is overly

I AM A VICTIM

I AM A SACRIFICE When I was in my twenties, I wore a long beard and shoulder-length hair. Today it is hard to believe that I once had such an unusual appearance, but that was a long time ago. I worked as a telephone operator in the small town of Muskogee, Oklahoma while visiting

In the Orthodox Church there is such a thing as a bloodless sacrifice for health. In this article, we will understand what it is. A bloodless sacrifice is the bringing of wine and bread as a gift to the Lord as a sign of his mercy to the entire human race and as a sign of forgiveness for the sins of all people. The Holy Spirit sanctifies the gifts brought into the true Body and Blood of Christ, with which believers then partake.

The bloodless sacrifice was called among the Jews "Mincha", it differed from the sacrifices in that it was not required to kill the animal. You can order a bloodless sacrifice just before the service in the church.

In the days of the Old Testament, it was customary to attach sacrifices to prayers - today this custom has somewhat changed. The role of a "sacrifice to God" is performed by the Holy Communion - this is bread and wine, which miraculously "turn" during the service into the flesh and blood of Christ. A candle can also be a victim.

Notes “On health” and “On repose” must be put in a candle box - this is a counter in the church where books, icons and other Christian paraphernalia are sold. The believer, submitting a note, pays money - however, this is not a price in the economic sense of the word, this is a kind of donation for the needs of the temple.

"Health" is not only physical health, but also the state of a person's soul, as well as his material well-being. If we pray to God for the health of the person who has harmed us, this does not mean at all that we wish the enemy to sin further. On the contrary, we want God to change this person so that he is in harmony with the whole world and treats his neighbor kindly. There were many cases when one of the warring people entered his name and the name of his enemy in the notes on health, and even the long-term enmity ceased.

There is another type of notes - "On the repose." These notes are intended to commemorate people who are no longer with us. It is customary to pray for the living, but we must pray in the same way for the dead, who continue to live a spiritual life in the afterlife. Christ is one, both for the living and for the dead.

There are people who, before their death, did not have time to take communion and repent, it is for them, like no one else, that the prayers of their living relatives are needed.

The sacrament itself and preparations for it are held during the proskomidia (part of the liturgy). Proskomedia is an offering. In ancient times, Christians brought wine and bread to the temple for the liturgy. Proskomedia also symbolizes the birth of Jesus Christ. The sacrament itself is performed secretly from believers on the altar, since the birth of Christ was secret and unknown.

For the sacrament, the clergy use five special prosphora - in other words, sacrificial bread, from which, after the rite of prayer, they cut out the middle in the form of cubes. Each cube symbolizes the Lamb. All prosphora are placed on a round dish, it is called diskos.

The first prosphora symbolizes the manger in which the Savior was born, it serves for communion and is called the Lamb. The second prosphora symbolizes the Mother of God and is placed on the left side of the paten. The third prosphora is divided into nine equal parts, they symbolize the saints, prophets, martyrs, unmercenaries, saints, John the Baptist, Joachim and Anna, as well as the one who conducts the liturgy. This prosphora is called nine. It fits in rows of three particles on the right side of the Lamb. The fourth prosphora symbolizes the living Patriarchs, bishops and priests. The fifth prosphora symbolizes the dead priests, the creators of the Temples. They are laid out on the diskos in the following order, first the living ones, and then the dead ones.

After the clergyman takes out the prosphora filed by the faithful, it is then that they begin to read the submitted notes about the health of the living and the repose of the dead. After reading the note, the priest breaks off a piece of prosphora, and with the words: “Remember, Lord (name written on paper)!”

Particles drawn from our prosphora are also folded onto a diskos, thereby symbolizing the Church of Christ, and the connection between God, His saints, who piously live on earth and the dead. This action is the liturgy.

It should be understood that the action of a bloodless sacrifice is not a cleansing from sins, since the only cleansing is sincere repentance. Liturgy is done to receive the grace of the Lord.

We have already said that liturgy- the main, most important service, during which the Sacrament is performed Eucharist, or sacrament of communion. This Sacrament was first performed by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself on the eve of His sufferings, on Maundy Thursday. The Savior, having gathered all the apostles together, gave praise to God the Father, took bread, blessed it and broke it. He gave it to the holy apostles with the words: Take, eat: this is my body. Then He took a cup of wine, blessed it and gave it to the apostles, saying: Drink everything from it: for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.(Mt 26:28). The Lord also commanded the apostles: Do this in remembrance of me(Luke 22:19). Even after the resurrection of Christ and His ascension into Heaven, the Apostles performed the Sacrament of Communion. During the Eucharist (gr. thanksgiving) each time, what the Lord did at the Last Supper actually happens. We mysteriously, under the guise of bread and wine, partake of the Divine Himself — Body and Blood of the Savior. He abides in us, and we abide in Him, as the Lord said (cf. Jn 15:5).

The Eucharist is also called Bloodless sacrifice because it is an image of the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus Christ offered for us at Calvary. He did it once, having suffered for the sins of the world, resurrected and ascended into Heaven, where he sat at the right hand of God the Father. The sacrifice of Christ was offered once and will not be repeated. With the establishment of the New Testament, the Old Testament sacrifices ceased, and now Christians make the Bloodless Sacrifice in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice and for the communion of His Body and Blood.

The Old Testament sacrifices were only a shadow, a type of the Divine sacrifice. The expectation of the Redeemer, the Liberator from the power of the devil and sin is the main theme of the entire Old Testament, and for us, the people of the New Testament, the sacrifice of Christ, the atonement by the Savior of the sins of the world is the basis of our faith.

The Holy Gifts are a fire that burns every sin and every defilement, if a person strives to partake worthily. We partake of the healing of soul and body. When approaching communion, one must do it with reverence and awe, realizing one's weakness and unworthiness. “Although eat (eat), man, Body of the Lady, approach with fear, but do not be scorched: there is fire,” says the prayers for Holy Communion.

Saint Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) writes about how the Lord enlightened one young man, Dmitry Shepelev, and showed that in Holy Communion the true Body of the Savior is served: “He was brought up in the Corps of Pages. Once, during Great Lent, when the pages were fasting and were already approaching the Holy Mysteries, the young man Shepelev expressed to his comrade walking beside him his resolute disbelief that the body and blood of Christ should be in the cup. When the secrets were taught to him, he felt that he had meat in his mouth. Horror seized the young man: he stood beside himself, not feeling the strength to swallow a particle. The priest noticed the change that had taken place in him and ordered him to enter the altar. There, holding a particle in his mouth and confessing his sin, Shepelev came to his senses and used the Holy Mysteries taught to him ”(“ Fatherland ”).

Often, spiritual people, ascetics, during the celebration of the Eucharist, there were manifestations of heavenly fire descending on the Holy Gifts. Yes, the Sacrament of Communion, the Eucharist, is the greatest miracle and mystery, as well as the greatest mercy to us sinners, and visible evidence that the Lord established the New Covenant with people in His Blood (see: Lk 22:20), bringing a sacrifice for us on cross, died and rose again, spiritually resurrecting all mankind by Himself. And we can now partake of His Body and Blood for the healing of soul and body, abiding in Christ, and He will "abide in us" (see: Jn 6:56).

Origin of the liturgy

The sacrament of communion, the Eucharist, from ancient times also received the name liturgy, which translates from Greek as common cause, common service.

The Holy Apostles, disciples of Christ, having received from their Divine Teacher the commandment to celebrate the Sacrament of Communion in remembrance of Him, after His ascension began to celebrate the breaking of bread - the Eucharist. Christians constantly abided in the teaching of the Apostles, in communion and the breaking of bread, and in prayers(Acts 2:42).

The order of the liturgy was formed gradually. At first, the apostles celebrated the Eucharist according to the very order that their Master had taught them. In apostolic times, the Eucharist was combined with the so-called agapamy, or meals of love. Christians ate food and were in prayer and fellowship. After supper, the breaking of bread and communion of the faithful took place. But then the liturgy was separated from the meal and began to be celebrated as an independent sacred rite. The Eucharist began to be celebrated inside sacred temples. In the I-II centuries, the order of the liturgy, apparently, was not written down and was transmitted orally.

What are the liturgies

Gradually, in different localities, their own liturgical rites began to take shape. Served in the Jerusalem community Liturgy of the Apostle James. In Alexandria and Egypt there was Liturgy of the Apostle Mark. In Antioch, the liturgy of Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom. All these liturgies are the same in their meaning and significance, but differ in the texts of the prayers that the priest offers at the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

Now in the practice of the Russian Orthodox Church there are usually performed three rites of the liturgy. These are the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the liturgy of St. Basil the Great, and the liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist.

This liturgy is performed on all days of the year, except for the first five Sundays of Great Lent and weekdays of Great Lent. Saint John Chrysostom composed the order of his liturgy on the basis of the previously composed liturgy Saint Basil the Great but shortened some of the prayers.

Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great

According to St. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium, St. Basil the Great asked God “to give him the strength of spirit and mind to celebrate the Liturgy in his own words. After six days of fervent prayer, the Savior appeared to him miraculously and fulfilled his petition. Soon Vasily, imbued with delight and divine awe, began to proclaim: “Let my lips be filled with praise”, “Beware, Lord Jesus Christ our God, from Thy holy habitation” and other prayers of the liturgy.

Liturgy of Saint Basil committed ten times a year:

on the eve of the Nativity of Christ and Epiphany (on the so-called Christmas and Epiphany Eve), on the day of memory of St. Basil the Great on January 1 (January 14, according to the new style), on the first five Sundays of Great Lent, on Great Thursday and Great Saturday.

Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist, or the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

During the Holy Fortecost of Great Lent on weekdays, the service of the full Liturgy stops. Lent is a time of repentance, weeping for sins, when all festivity and solemnity are excluded from worship. And therefore, according to the rules of the Church, on Wednesday and Friday of Great Lent, Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts. The Holy Gifts, with which believers partake, are consecrated at the liturgy on Sunday.

In some Local Orthodox Churches, on the feast day of the holy Apostle James (October 23, old style), a liturgy is served according to his order.

The sequence and symbolic meaning of the liturgy

The procedure for celebrating the full Liturgy (that is, not the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts) is as follows. First, the substance is prepared for the celebration of the Eucharist. Then the faithful prepare for the Sacrament. And, finally, the Sacrament itself is performed - the consecration of the Holy Gifts and the communion of believers. The Divine Liturgy thus has three parts: proskomedia; liturgy of the catechumens; liturgy of the faithful.

Proskomedia

The word is Greek and means bringing. In ancient times, the members of the early Christian community themselves brought everything necessary for the Sacrament before the Liturgy: bread and wine. The bread used in the celebration of the liturgy is called prosphora, which means offering(in ancient times, Christians themselves brought bread to the liturgy). In the Orthodox Church, the Eucharist is celebrated on prosphora made from leavened (yeast) dough.

Used for proskomidia five prosphora in memory of the miraculous feeding of five thousand people by Christ.

For communion, one prosphora (lamb) is used. For the Lord also gave communion to the apostles, breaking and distributing one bread. The Holy Apostle Paul writes: one bread, and we many are one body; for we all partake of the same bread(1 Cor 10:17). The Lamb is broken up after the transfer of the Holy Gifts, and the clergy and all who are preparing for communion partake of it. Wine during the celebration of the liturgy is used red, grape, as it resembles the color of blood. Wine is mixed with a small amount of water as a sign that blood and water have flowed from the perforated rib of the Savior.

The proskomedia is performed at the very beginning of the liturgy in the altar during the reading of the hours by the reader. exclamation "Blessed is our God", anticipating reading third hour, is also the initial exclamation of the proskomedia. The Liturgy is preceded by a service third and sixth hours.

The proskomedia is a very important part of the Divine Liturgy, and preparation of the Gifts for consecration has a deep symbolic meaning.

Recall: proskomidia is performed on altar.

From Lamb prosphora priest with a special knife called copy, cuts out the middle in the shape of a cube. This part of the prosphora is called Lamb as a sign that the Lord, as the Immaculate Lamb, was slain for our sins. From the bottom, the Lamb is incised crosswise with the words: “The Lamb of God is eaten (that is, sacrificed) take away the sins of the world, for the worldly belly (life) and salvation.” The priest pierces the right side of the Lamb with a spear, saying the words: One of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who saw testified, and his testimony is true(John 19:34-35).

With these words, wine mixed with water is poured into the chalice. The preparation of the Gifts on proskomedia has several meanings. Here we recall the birth of the Savior, His coming into the world and, of course, the Calvary sacrifice on the Cross, as well as burial.

The prepared Lamb and the particles taken out of the other four prosphora symbolize the fullness of the Church, heavenly and earthly. After preparing the Lamb, he relies on the paten.

The priest from the second prosphora takes out a triangular particle in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and places it on the right side of the Lamb. Particles are removed from the third prosphora in honor of St. John the Baptist, the prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, reverends, unmercenaries, saints whose memory is celebrated by the Church on this day, the parents of the Mother of God, the holy righteous Joachim and Anna, and the saint whose liturgy is performed.

From the next two prosphora, particles are taken out for the living and deceased Orthodox Christians.

At the altar at the proskomidia, believers submit notes about health and repose. For the people whose names are contained in the notes, particles are also taken out.

All particles are placed in a certain order on the diskos.

The priest, after shaking, places an asterisk on the paten over the Lamb and the particles. The diskos marks both the Bethlehem cave and Golgotha, the asterisk - the star above the cave and the cross. The priest incenses special covers and puts them over the paten and chalice as a sign that Christ was laid in the tomb and His body was wrapped in swaddling clothes. These swaddling clothes also symbolize Christmas wrappings.

The meaning of the commemoration at the proskomedia

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, after the communion of the faithful, the priest pours the particles taken out of the prosphora on the proskomedia into the holy Chalice with the words: “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those who are remembered here by Your honest blood, by the prayers of Your saints”.

Prayer at the proskomedia for health and repose with the removal of particles for them, and then immersing them in a chalice is the highest commemoration in the Church. A Bloodless Sacrifice is offered for them. They also participate in the liturgy.

At the relics of St. Theodosius of Chernigov, Hieromonk Alexy (1840-1917), the future elder of the Goloseevsky Skete of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (now glorified as a locally revered saint), served his obedience. He got tired and dozed off by the shrine. Saint Theodosius appeared to him in a dream and thanked him for his labors. He asked that his parents, Priest Nikita and Matushka Maria, be commemorated at the liturgy. When Hieromonk Alexy asked the saint how he could ask for the prayers of a priest when he himself stands before the Throne of God, Saint Theodosius said: “The offering at the Liturgy is stronger than my prayers.”

Saint Gregory the Dialogist relates that after the death of a negligent monk who suffered from a love of money, he commanded that thirty funeral liturgies be served for the deceased, and the brethren to perform a common prayer for him. And after the last liturgy, this monk appeared to his own brother and said: “Until now, brother, I suffered cruelly and terribly, but now I feel good and I am in the light.”

Liturgy of the catechumens

The second part of the liturgy is called liturgy of the catechumens. In ancient times, in order to receive holy baptism, people underwent a very long preparation. They studied the foundations of the faith, went to church, but they could only pray at the Liturgy until the transfer of the Gifts from the altar to the throne. The catechumens, as well as the penitents, who were excommunicated for grave sins, had to go out into the porch of the temple.

After the exclamation of the priest: "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever" the choir sings: "Amen." The peaceful, or great, litany is pronounced. It begins with the words: "Let us pray to the Lord in peace". The word "peace" tells us that we must pray in the world, reconciled with our neighbors, only then the Lord will accept our prayers.

Peaceful litany embraces all aspects of our existence. We pray: for the peace of the whole world, for the holy churches, for the temple where the service is performed, for bishops, presbyters, deacons, for our country, its authorities and its soldiers, for the goodness of the air and the abundance of earthly fruits necessary for subsistence. Here we also ask God to help all those who are traveling, sick and in captivity.

The liturgy is common cause, and prayer on it is performed conciliarly, that is, by all the believing people, "with one mouth and one heart." Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.(Mt 18:20), the Lord tells us. And according to the charter, a priest cannot celebrate the Liturgy alone; at least one person must pray with him.

After great litany psalms are sung antiphons, since they are supposed to be sung on two kliros alternately. The psalms of the prophet David were part of the Old Testament worship and made up a significant part of the hymns in the early Christian service. After the second antiphon, the hymn is always sung: “Only Begotten Son…” – about the coming into the world of Christ the Savior, His incarnation and redemptive sacrifice. During the singing of the gospel beatitudes from Christ's Sermon on the Mount, the royal doors open and the small entrance is made, or entrance with gospel. The priest or deacon, raising the Gospel, signifying the cross in the royal doors, proclaims: “Wisdom, forgive!” Translated from Greek sorry means directly. This is said as a reminder to us that we need to be attentive in prayer, to stand straight.

It also speaks of the wisdom that the Divine Gospel and the preaching of the Lord brings us, for the Gospel is taken out of the altar as a sign that Christ has come out to preach and brings the Good News to the world.

After singing the troparions dedicated to the holiday, the given day, the saints of the day and the temple, Trisagion: “Holy God ...” On the Nativity of Christ, the Baptism of the Lord, Easter and Easter week, on the day of the Holy Trinity, as well as on Lazarus and the Great Saturday, instead of the Trisagion, it is sung: put on (put on). Alleluia." In ancient times, catechumens were traditionally baptized on these holidays. On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord and the week of Great Lent, instead of the Trisagion, it is sung: “We worship Thy Cross, Master, and glorify Thy holy Resurrection.”

For careful reading Apostle and gospels we are prepared by the exclamations of “Let us attend” and “Wisdom, forgive us, let us hear the Holy Gospel.” After the gospel reading, a special (enhanced) litany follows, at which, in addition to various prayers for the hierarchies, authorities, the army and all believers, there is a commemoration by name of those who submitted their notes to the liturgy: their names are proclaimed by the clergy, and all the people together with them pray for health and the salvation of God's servants, "all who are now remembered here."

During the special litany, the priest reveals on the throne holy antimension.

After the spoken special litany often added Litany for the Dead. During it, we pray for all our formerly deceased fathers, brothers and sisters, we ask God to forgive their voluntary and involuntary sins and to place them in heavenly abodes, where all the righteous rest.

Followed by litany of the catechumens. For some, this part of the service is bewildering. Indeed, the practice of catechumens, preparation for baptism, which was in the ancient Church, does not exist now. Today, as a rule, we baptize people after one or two conversations. But still, there are catechumens who are preparing to accept the Orthodox faith even now. There are many people who have not yet received baptism, but are reaching out, going to the Church. We pray for them, that the Lord would strengthen their good intention, reveal to them His "Gospel of Truth" and join them to the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

In our time, there are many people who were baptized at one time, in childhood, by their parents or grandmothers, but who are completely unenlightened. And that the Lord would “announce them with the word of truth” and bring them into the church fence, and we need to pray at this litany.

After the words "Announcers, come out" those preparing for baptism and the penitents left the church, for the main part of the Divine Liturgy began. With these words, we must especially carefully look into our soul, banish from it all resentment and enmity against our neighbors, as well as all worldly vain thoughts, in order to pray with full attention and reverence at the Liturgy of the faithful.

Liturgy of the Faithful

This part of the service begins after the catechumens are called to leave the temple. Two short litanies follow. The choir starts to sing Cherubic Hymn. If we translate it into Russian, it will read as follows: “We, mysteriously portraying the Cherubim and singing the Trisagion Hymn to the Life-Giving Trinity, will now lay aside the care of all worldly things in order to receive the King of all, Who is surrounded by angelic Forces. Praise God!”

This song mentions that the Lord is surrounded by angelic hosts, constantly glorifying Him. And not only clergy and parishioners pray at the Divine Liturgy. Together with the earthly Church, the heavenly Church celebrates the Liturgy.

Once, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov, being a hierodeacon, served the Divine Liturgy. After a small entrance, Seraphim proclaimed at the royal doors: “Lord, save the pious and hear us!” But as soon as he turned to the people, he pointed at the forthcoming orarion and said: “And forever and ever!” - as a beam lit up him brighter than sunlight. Looking at this radiance, he saw the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of the Son of Man in glory, shining with indescribable light, surrounded by Heavenly Powers - Angels, Archangels, Cherubim and Seraphim.

During the Cherubic Hymn, the Gifts prepared for consecration are transferred from the altar to the throne.

This is called transfer great entrance. The priest and the deacon carry the Gifts, leaving the altar through the northern (left) doors. Stopping on the ambo, in front of the royal doors, facing the faithful, they commemorate His Holiness the Patriarch, metropolitans, archbishops, bishops, the priesthood, all those who work and pray in this church.

After that, the clergy enter the altar through the royal doors, place the Chalice and paten on the throne, and cover the Gifts with a special veil (air). Meanwhile, the choir sings the Cherubic Hymn. The Great Entrance symbolizes the solemn procession of Christ on His free suffering and death.

Litany, following the transfer of the Gifts, is called petitionary and prepares the faithful for the most important part of the liturgy - the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

After this litany, Symbol of faith. Before the singing of the Creed by all the people, the deacon proclaims: “Doors, doors! Let us hear wisdom!” These words in ancient times reminded the gatekeepers that the main and solemn part of the service was beginning, so that they would watch the doors of the temple so that those who enter would not violate the decorum. It reminds us that we need to close the doors of our mind from extraneous thoughts.

As a rule, all worshipers sing the Creed, confessing their faith in the most important dogmas of the Orthodox Church.

Often one has to deal with the fact that the godparents, the recipients at the Sacrament of Baptism, cannot read the Creed. This is due to the fact that people do not read morning prayers (they include the Creed) and rarely go to the liturgy. After all, in the temple, every Divine Liturgy, all the people with one mouth confess their faith and, of course, know this hymn by heart.

The sacrament of the Eucharist, the holy offering must be offered with the fear of God, with reverence and special care. Therefore, the deacon proclaims: “Let us become good, let us stand with fear, let us pay attention, bring the holy exaltation in the world.” Begins eucharistic canon. chants "The grace of the world, the sacrifice of praise" is the answer to this call.

The exclamations of the priest alternate with the singing of the choir. The priest reads during the singing of the so-called secret (that is, sacramental, not read aloud) Eucharistic prayers.

Let us dwell on the main, main prayers of the Eucharistic canon. According to the priest, “We thank the Lord!” preparations begin for consecration, the realization of honest Gifts. The priest reads the thanksgiving Eucharistic prayer. It glorifies the blessings of God, especially the redemption of the human race. We thank the Lord that He accepts from us the Bloodless Sacrifice in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, although angelic ranks await and serve Him, glorifying Him: “Singing the victorious song, crying out, crying out and speaking.” The priest pronounces these words of prayer in a full voice.

Continuing the Eucharistic prayers, the priest recalls how the Lord Jesus Christ on the eve of His voluntary suffering established the Sacrament of Communion of His life-giving Body and Blood. The words of the Savior, sounded at the Last Supper, the priest proclaims loudly: "Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you for the remission of sins". At the same time, he points to the diskos with the Lamb. And further: “Drink from her all, this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sins.”, - pointing to the holy Chalice.

Further, remembering all the blessings given by God to people—the Sacrament of Communion itself, His sacrifice on the Cross, and His second glorious Coming promised to us—the priest utters an exclamation full of deep theological meaning: “Yours from Yours, offering to You about everyone and for everything”. We dare to bring these gifts to God from His creations (bread and wine), bringing a bloodless sacrifice for all the children of the Church and for all the good deeds rendered to us by Him. The chorus ends this phrase with the words: “We sing to you, we bless you, we thank you, we pray to you(You), our God".

While singing these words occurs consecration, transformation prepared bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. The priest prays, prepares for this great moment, reading aloud the troparion of the third hour three times. He asks that God send His Most Holy Spirit on all those who pray and on the Holy Gifts. Then the holy Lamb signifies with the words: “And make this bread, the precious body of your Christ”. The deacon answers: "Amen". Then he blesses the wine, saying: “And the hedgehog in this Cup is the precious Blood of Thy Christ”. The deacon replies: "Amen". Then he marks the paten with the Lamb and the holy Chalice with the words: "Changing by Your Holy Spirit". The consecration of the Holy Gifts ends three times: "Amen, amen, amen". The clergy bow to the ground before the Body and Blood of Christ. The Holy Gifts are offered as a bloodless sacrifice for everyone and everything without exception: for all the saints and for the Mother of God, as is said in the exclamation of the priest, which is the end of the priestly prayer: "Considerably(especially) of the Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed, Glorious Our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary". In response to this exclamation, a hymn dedicated to the Mother of God is sung: "Worthy to eat". (On Pascha and on the Twelfth Feasts, before the giving away, another Theotokos hymn is sung - the merit.)

This is followed by a litany which prepares the faithful for communion and also contains the usual petitions of the petitionary litany. After the litany and the exclamation of the priest, the Lord's Prayer is sung (most often by all the people) - "Our Father" .

When the apostles asked Christ to teach them how to pray, He gave them this prayer. In it, we ask for everything necessary for life: for everything to be the will of God, for daily bread (and, of course, for the Lord to vouchsafe us to receive heavenly bread, His Body), for the forgiveness of our sins and for so that the Lord would help us overcome all temptations and deliver us from the wiles of the devil.

Priest's voice: "Holy to the holy!" tells us that one must approach the Holy Mysteries reverently, sanctifying oneself with prayer, fasting, and being cleansed in the Sacrament of Penance.

In the altar, at this time, the clergy crush the holy Lamb, commune themselves and prepare the Gifts for the communion of believers. After that, the royal doors open, and the deacon takes out the holy Chalice with the words: "Come with the fear of God and faith". Opening of the Royal Doors marks the opening of the Holy Sepulcher, and removal of the Holy Gifts The appearance of the Lord after His resurrection.

The priest reads the prayer of St. John Chrysostom before Holy Communion: I believe, Lord, and I confess for you are truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who came into the world to save sinners, and from them I am the first ... ”And people pray, listening to humble prayer, realizing their unworthiness and bowing before the greatness of the taught shrine. The prayer before communion with the Body and Blood of Christ ends with the words: “I will not kiss Thee, like Judas, but like a thief I confess Thee: remember me, Lord, in Thy Kingdom. May the communion of Thy Holy Mysteries, Lord, not be for judgment and condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body. Amen".

One who communes unworthily, without faith, without contrition of heart, having malice and resentment towards his neighbor in his heart, is likened to Judas the traitor, who was one of the twelve disciples, was present at the Last Supper, and then went and betrayed the Teacher.

All those who were preparing for communion and received permission from the priest partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. After that, the priest brings the holy Chalice into the altar.

The priest overshadows those who pray with the holy Chalice with the words: "Always, now and ever and forever and ever" and carries it to the altar. This marks the last appearance of the Savior to the disciples and His ascension to heaven.

The deacon pronounces a short litany of thanksgiving, ending with the priest's prayer behind the ambo (that is, read before the ambo).

At the end of the liturgy, the priest says vacation. On leave, the Mother of God, the saint whose liturgy was celebrated, the saints of the temple and the day are usually remembered.

All those who pray kiss holy cross held by the priest.

After the liturgy, thanksgiving prayers for Holy Communion are usually read. If they are not read in the temple, all those who take communion read them when they come home.

).
Believers gather in the temple for joint prayer. God Himself mysteriously dwells in the temple. The temple is the house of God. In the temple, the priests offer the Most Holy Bloodless Sacrifice. Even in the Old Testament times, prayers were accompanied by the sacrifice of animals to cleanse from sins and propitiate God. In the Church of the New Testament, animal sacrifice does not exist, for " Christ died for our sins» (). « He is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.» ().
He sacrificed His Most Pure Blood and Flesh for all and established at the Last Supper the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the offering under the guise of bloodless gifts - bread and wine - of His Most Pure Flesh and Blood for the remission of sins, which is performed in churches at the Divine Liturgy.

Church prayer has special power also because it is ascended by a priest specially appointed to perform sacred rites, to offer prayers and sacrifices to God for people.
« I chose you and appointed you- says the Savior to His Apostles, - whatever you ask the Father in my name, he has given you» ().
The rights given from the Lord to the apostles and the duties and powers assigned to them, they transferred to the successors appointed by them: bishops and presbyters, bequeathing to them both power and right, and an indispensable duty above all ... "to make prayers, petitions, supplications, thanksgiving for all people"().
That is why the holy Apostle James says to Christians: Is any of you sick, let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him» ().

How Often Should You Submit Memorial Notes?

The prayer of the Church and the Most Holy Sacrifice draw upon us the grace of the Lord, which cleanses and saves us.
We always, both during life and after death, need God's mercy towards us.
Therefore, it is necessary to be honored with the prayers of the Church and the sacrifice of the Holy Gifts for us or our loved ones, the living and the dead, as often as possible, and always on those days that are of particular importance: on the birthday, baptism day, name day of both your own and members of your family.
Honoring the memory of the saint, whose name we bear, we thereby call our patron to prayer and intercession before God, because, as the Holy Scripture says, much can the fervent prayer of the righteous().
Be sure to submit a note of remembrance on the birthdays and christening of your child.
This should be carefully monitored by mothers, for caring for a child is their sacred duty..
Whether sin draws us to itself, whether some passion seizes us, whether the devil tempts us, whether despair or inconsolable sorrow befalls us, trouble, need, illness visited us - in such cases, the prayer of the Church with the offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice serves as the surest means of deliverance, strengthening and consolation.

Memo for those wishing to submit a note on the living and the dead

1. Notes must be submitted before the start of the Liturgy. It is best to submit memorial notes in the evening or early in the morning, before the start of the service.
2. Entering the names of the living and the dead, remember them in the process of writing with a sincere desire for their good, from a pure heart, trying to remember the one whose name you enter - this is a prayer.
3. The note should contain no more than ten names. If you want to commemorate many of your relatives and friends, submit several notes.
4. Names should be written in the genitive case (to answer the question "who?").
The names of the bishops and priests (priests) are indicated first, and their dignity is indicated - for example, “about the health” of Bishop Tikhon, Abbot Tikhon, Priest Yaroslav, then write your name, your relatives and friends.
The same applies to the notes "about the repose" - for example, Metropolitan John, Archpriest Michael, Alexandra, John, Anthony, Elijah, etc.
5. All names must be given in church spelling (for example, Julia, not Julia) and in full (for example, Alexander, Nikolai, but not Sasha, Kolya),
6. The notes do not indicate surnames, patronymics, ranks and titles, degrees of kinship.
7. A child under 7 years old in a note can be indicated as an infant - baby John.
8. If you want, in health notes, you can mention “sick”, “warrior”, “traveling”, “prisoner” before the name. They do not write in notes - “suffering”, “embittered”, “needy”, “lost”.
9. In the notes “On the Repose”, the deceased is referred to as the “newly deceased” within 40 days after death. It is allowed in the notes “On the Repose” to write before the name “killed”, “warrior”, “memorable” (the day of death, the name day of the deceased).

Is it possible to write in the notes “For health” and “For the repose” of people for whom it is not known whether they were baptized?

The notes that are served at the altar for proskomidia list the people for whom the Holy Church offers the Bloodless Sacrifice at the liturgy. Therefore, it is assumed that all these people are not only baptized, but also recognize themselves as members of the Church.
If people are baptized, but do not live a church life (), then it is more appropriate to submit notes for them for commemoration when reading the Psalter.

How to write in notes the names of people whose names are not in the calendar?

The tradition of baptizing with the name "from the church calendar", i.e. according to the calendar - this is just a good Russian tradition, which does not exclude the commemoration of those Christians whose names do not correspond to it. There is even a special circular on this topic:

“The Moscow Patriarchate receives letters that draw attention to cases of refusal to liturgical commemoration and participation in the Sacraments in relation to those Orthodox believers who are baptized in other Local Orthodox Churches (for example, in the Bulgarian, Georgian, Romanian, Serbian, Finnish, etc. d.) with the naming of names that are not in the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In the traditions of some Local Churches, it is allowed at baptism to name babies with national names that are not found in the church monograms.
In connection with the foregoing, with the blessing of His Holiness, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, I remind you that no restrictions should be allowed in liturgical commemoration and admission to the Sacraments of the Church for believers bearing national names and baptized in other Local Orthodox Churches.
I ask you to convey this information to the abbots of the monasteries and parishes of the diocese entrusted to you.”

BLOODless SACRIFICE

One of the names, in the Orthodox Church, is the sacrament of the Eucharist. The doctrine of the Eucharist as a sacrifice distinguishes the Orthodox Church from the Protestants. These latter teach that the sacrifice for the whole world was brought once and for all by J. Christ himself, in his death on the cross, after which no new sacrifice for the world is needed and inappropriate. According to the teachings of Orthodoxy, the sacrifice once and for all offered for the human race by J. Christ does not exclude the repeated and necessary offering of the Eucharist sacrifice, which is nothing more than a private application to the needs of Christians of the redemptive sacrifice of J. Christ on the Cross. The Orthodox Church bases this teaching on Holy Scripture (John, VI, 51; Matt., XXVI, 28; Mark, XIV, 24; 1 Cor., XI, 24) and on the continuous, since the time of the apostles, the teaching of all fathers Churches. By the name of Zh. bloodless, the Eucharist is opposed to the bloody sacrifices of pagan and Old Testament cults? Jewish.

Brockhaus and Efron. Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron. 2012

See also interpretations, synonyms, meanings of the word and what is BLOODless SACRIFICE in Russian in dictionaries, encyclopedias and reference books:

• BLOODless SACRIFICE
  one of the names, in the Orthodox Church, is the sacrament of the Eucharist. The doctrine of the Eucharist as a sacrifice distinguishes the Orthodox Church from the Protestants. These last…
• VICTIM in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
  a propitiatory or thankful offering to God from the fruits of the earth or from the animal kingdom. Etymologically, this word comes from the verb eat, eat, ...
• VICTIM in the Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron:
  ? a propitiatory or thankful offering to God from the fruits of the earth or from the animal kingdom. Etymologically, this word comes from the verb to eat, ...
• VICTIM in Miller's Dream Book, dream book and interpretation of dreams:
  Seeing yourself as a victim of some kind of intrigue predicts you to be depressed due to the fact that enemies have taken over you. Your family relationships ...
• VICTIM in the Dictionary of Analytical Psychology:
  (Sacrifice; Opfern, das Opfer) - in a psychological sense - the need to abandon the world of childhood; this is often indicated by a regression of energy. "The problem...
• VICTIM in the One-volume large legal dictionary:
  
• VICTIM in the Big Law Dictionary:
  - in criminology, a natural or legal person who has been directly or indirectly caused material or non-material damage by a criminally punishable act; …
• SACRIFICE in the Dictionary of Yoga:
  , Sacrifice See Yajna…
• VICTIM
  rip saw (slang) - dealer. a stock broker who has suffered a double loss: when buying something at the top of the rise in price or rate ...
• VICTIM in the Dictionary of Economic Terms:
  - in the theory of law - a natural or legal person who, by a criminally punishable act, was directly or indirectly caused material or ...
• VICTIM in the Concise Church Slavonic Dictionary:
  - a gift, an offering of animals or fruits to God, a gift ...
• VICTIM in the Pedagogical Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  , 1) voluntary refusal, abstinence from something important and dear to a person, renunciation, purification, the price that a person pays for consciousness, ...
• VICTIM in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
  , -s, w. 1. In ancient religions: an object brought as a gift to a deity or a living being (killed), as well as an offering of this ...
• VICTIM in the Full accentuated paradigm according to Zaliznyak:
  or "vomit, or" vomit, or "vomit, or" vomit, or "vomit, or" vomit, or "vomit, or" vomit, or "vomit, or" vomit, or "vomit, or" vomit, ...
• VICTIM in the Dictionary of Epithets:
  Barren, useless, inglorious, priceless, great, redemptive, bloody, martyr, vain, innocent, inevitable, innumerable (.kn.), unnecessary, unjustified, unhappy, huge, purifying, righteous, empty, ...
• VICTIM in the Popular Explanatory-Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Russian Language:
  -s, pl. f "victims, sacrifices, f. 1) An object or living being (usually killed), brought as a gift to a deity according to the rites of some religions. ...
• VICTIM in the Dictionary of synonyms of Abramov:
  see beneficence, gift, client, expense || to fall victim to, to take the form of a victim, to become ...
• VICTIM in the dictionary of Synonyms of the Russian language:
  gift, sacrifice, donation, victim, victim, victim, victim, expense, self-denial, self-sacrifice, ...
• VICTIM in the New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language Efremova:
  and. 1) An object or living being, usually killed, which is offered as a gift to a deity. 2) Same as: sacrifice (1). 3) ...
• VICTIM in the Dictionary of the Russian Language Lopatin:
  victim, ...
• VICTIM in the Complete Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language:
  victim, …
• VICTIM in the Spelling Dictionary:
  victim, ...
• VICTIM in the Dictionary of the Russian Language Ozhegov:
  old == donation sacrifice Poet voluntarily giving up something for someone else's benefit, self-sacrifice To sacrifice oneself to the family. victim! …
• SACRIFICE in the Dahl Dictionary:
  female devoured, destroyed, perishing; what I give away or what I lose forever. | An offering from zeal to a deity: animals, fruits, or something else, ...
• VICTIM in the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language Ushakov:
  victims, the (book). 1. In ancient religions, an object or a living being brought as a gift to a deity (slaughtered at the same time). Bring…
• VICTIM in the Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova:
  the victim 1) An object or living being, usually killed, which is offered as a gift to a deity. 2) Same as: sacrifice (1). …
• VICTIM in the New Dictionary of the Russian Language Efremova:
  and. 1. An object or living being, usually killed, that is offered as a gift to a deity. 2. same as sacrifice 1. 3. ...
• VICTIM in the Big Modern Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language:
  I 1. Gift, donation of something for something. 2. An object or living being, usually killed, which is offered as a gift to the gods ...
• JEWISH SACRIFICES
  . From time immemorial, we find the custom of offering sacrifices to the rulers of almost all the then known peoples. Back in the primeval…
• EUCHARIST
  Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "TREE". Attention, this article is not finished yet and contains only part of the necessary information. The Eucharist (Greek ευχαριστια - ...
• PHLEBOTENSIOMETRY BLOODLESS in Medical terms:
  see Phlebotensiometry indirect ...
• OPERATION BLOODLESS in Medical terms:
  O., during which the integrity of the skin or mucous membranes is not violated, for example. elimination of dislocation, ...
• NIKOLAY ALEKSANDROVICH BERDYAEV in Wiki Quote.
• SACRIFICE (02) in the Bible Dictionary:
  Peace offering (Lev.3; Lev.7:11-21,29-36; Lev.19:5-8; Lev.22:29-30) is a special sacrifice expressing the joy of reconciliation with God, gratitude and readiness to serve Him . Subdivided…
• ALTAR TO THE UNKNOWN GOD in the Bible Encyclopedia of Nicephorus:
  (Acts 17:22). There have been many explanations regarding the signified altar. Ap. Paul, in his speech before the Athenian Areopagus, says that he saw ...
• NATALIA NIKOMIDIANSKAYA in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
  Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "TREE". Natalia of Nicomedia (+ 305 - 311), martyr. Commemorated 26 August. Martyr Adrian's wife...
• Lion 2 in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
  Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "TREE". Bible. Old Testament. Leviticus. Chapter 2 Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...
• LION 1 in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
  Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "TREE". Bible. Old Testament. Leviticus. Chapter 1 Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...
• ADRIAN OF NICOMEDIAN in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
  Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "TREE". Adrian of Nicomedia (+ 305 - 311), martyr. Commemorated 26 August. Martyrs Adrian and ...
• FREDERICK I BARBAROSSA in biographies of Monarchs:
  The German king and emperor of the "Holy Roman Empire" from the Hohenstaufen family, who ruled in 11 52 - 1190 J.: 1) with ...
• HITLER, ADOLF
  (Hitler), (1889-1945), politician of Germany, in 1933-45 Fuhrer (leader) and chancellor of the Third Reich. Coming from a peasant family, Austrian by origin. …
• BRAUCHITCH, WALTER VON in the Encyclopedia of the Third Reich:
  (Brauchitsch), (1881-1948), field marshal general of the Nazi army (1940). Born October 4, 1881 in Berlin in the family of an officer. In the army since 1900. Member ...
• 1974.04.25 in Pages of History What, where, when:
  Junior and middle officers from the Movement of the Armed Forces ("revolution of the captains") overthrow the dictatorial regime ruling in Portugal, Marcelo CAETANO. Bloodless revolution...
• PHLEBOTENSIOMETRY INDIRECT in Medical terms:
  (syn. f. bloodless) F., in which the area of ​​\u200b\u200bpassage of the vein is squeezed with a thick-walled rubber pad connected to a pressure gauge, and then gradually ...