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The Divine Liturgy
Liturgy

A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to their particular traditions. The word may refer to an elaborate formal ritual such as the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and Mass , or a daily activity such as the Muslim salat and Jewish Jewish services....
 is the common term for the Eucharist
Eucharist

The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names, is a Christianity sacrament commemorating, by consecrating bread and wine, the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest, and eventual crucifixion, when he gave them bread saying, "This is my body", and wine...
ic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy
Christian liturgy

A liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship. Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used by a Christian congregation or Christian denomination on a regular basis....
. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest national church and one of the most ancient Christianity communities.The official name of the church is the One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church ....
  and of the Armenian Catholic Church
Armenian Catholic Church

The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Churches sui juris in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is in full communion with and accepts the authority of the Pope in Rome as regulated by Eastern canon law....
, use the same term. Some Oriental Orthodox
Oriental Orthodoxy

Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christianity Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils ? the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus....
 employ the term "holy offering" (Syriac: qurbono qadisho
Holy Qurbana

Holy Qurbana or Qurbana Qadisha , the "Holy Offering" or "Holy Sacrifice", refers to the Divine Liturgy as celebrated according to the Chaldean and Syriac Christian Christian liturgy, the former by the Syro-Malabar Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, and the latter by the Syriac Orthodox Church, Syro-Malankara Catholic Church,...
, Armenian
Armenian language

The 'Armenian language' is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenians. It is the official language of the Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh....
: surb patarag) for their Eucharistic liturgies instead. The term is sometimes applied also to Latin Rite
Latin Rite

The Latin Rite is one of the 23 sui iuris particular Churches within the Catholic Church. This particular Church developed in western Europe and north Africa, where, from classical antiquity to the Renaissance, Latin was the principal language of education and culture, and so also of the liturgy....
 Eucharistic liturgies, though the term Mass
Mass (liturgy)

The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. The term is used also of similar celebrations in Old Catholic Churches, in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, and in some largely High Church Lutheranism Lutheranism regions, including the Scandinavian and Baltic states countries....
 is more commonly used there.

Types of Liturgies
There are three Divine Liturgies that are in common use in the Eastern Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
:



The Divine Liturgy of St.






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The Divine Liturgy
Liturgy

A liturgy is the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to their particular traditions. The word may refer to an elaborate formal ritual such as the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and Mass , or a daily activity such as the Muslim salat and Jewish Jewish services....
 is the common term for the Eucharist
Eucharist

The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names, is a Christianity sacrament commemorating, by consecrating bread and wine, the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest, and eventual crucifixion, when he gave them bread saying, "This is my body", and wine...
ic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy
Christian liturgy

A liturgy is a set form of ceremony or pattern of worship. Christian liturgy is a pattern for worship used by a Christian congregation or Christian denomination on a regular basis....
. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest national church and one of the most ancient Christianity communities.The official name of the church is the One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church ....
  and of the Armenian Catholic Church
Armenian Catholic Church

The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Churches sui juris in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is in full communion with and accepts the authority of the Pope in Rome as regulated by Eastern canon law....
, use the same term. Some Oriental Orthodox
Oriental Orthodoxy

Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christianity Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils ? the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus....
 employ the term "holy offering" (Syriac: qurbono qadisho
Holy Qurbana

Holy Qurbana or Qurbana Qadisha , the "Holy Offering" or "Holy Sacrifice", refers to the Divine Liturgy as celebrated according to the Chaldean and Syriac Christian Christian liturgy, the former by the Syro-Malabar Church and the Assyrian Church of the East, and the latter by the Syriac Orthodox Church, Syro-Malankara Catholic Church,...
, Armenian
Armenian language

The 'Armenian language' is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenians. It is the official language of the Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh....
: surb patarag) for their Eucharistic liturgies instead. The term is sometimes applied also to Latin Rite
Latin Rite

The Latin Rite is one of the 23 sui iuris particular Churches within the Catholic Church. This particular Church developed in western Europe and north Africa, where, from classical antiquity to the Renaissance, Latin was the principal language of education and culture, and so also of the liturgy....
 Eucharistic liturgies, though the term Mass
Mass (liturgy)

The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. The term is used also of similar celebrations in Old Catholic Churches, in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism, and in some largely High Church Lutheranism Lutheranism regions, including the Scandinavian and Baltic states countries....
 is more commonly used there.

Types of Liturgies


There are three Divine Liturgies that are in common use in the Eastern Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
:

  • The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, used on most days of the year, and occasionally as a vesperal liturgy on the Annunciation
    Annunciation

    In Christianity, the Annunciation is the revelation to Mary, the mother of Jesus, by the angel Gabriel that she would Conception a child to be born the Son of God....
    .
  • The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, used on the 5 Sundays of Great Lent
    Great Lent

    Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important fasting season in the church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Easter ....
    , and on Saint Basil's feast day (January 1). On the eves of the Nativity
    Christmas Eve

    Christmas Eve, December 24, is the night before Christmas Day, which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ ....
     and Theophany
    Theophany

    Theophany, from the Greek language, theophaneia , refers to the appearance of a deity to a human, or to a divine disclosure. This term has been used to refer to appearances of the gods in the ancient Greek and Near Eastern religions....
    , and on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday
    Holy Saturday

    Holy Saturday is the day after Good Friday. It is the day before Easter and the last day of Holy Week, in which Christians prepare for Easter....
    , it is celebrated as a vesperal
    Vespers

    Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Byzantine Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican, and Lutheran Liturgy of the canonical hours....
     liturgy in most cases. In some traditions, Saint Basil's Liturgy is also celebrated on the Exaltation of the Life-giving Cross
    Feast of the Cross

    In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are several different feasts known as Feasts of the Cross, all of which commemorate the True Cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus....
     on September 14th. All together, St. Basil's liturgy is celebrated 10 or 11 days out of the liturgical year.
  • The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
    Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

    The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, informally Presanctified Liturgy, is an Eastern Christianity liturgical service for the distribution of Eucharist on the weekdays of Great Lent....
    , served on Wednesdays and Fridays during Great Lent
    Great Lent

    Great Lent, or the Great Fast, is the most important fasting season in the church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Easter ....
     and on the first three days of Holy Week
    Holy Week

    Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. It includes the religious holidays of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and lasts from Palm Sunday until but not including Easter Sunday, as Easter Sunday is the first day of the new season of Pentecostarion....
    . It is essentially the office of vespers
    Vespers

    Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Roman Catholic, Byzantine Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox Church, Anglican, and Lutheran Liturgy of the canonical hours....
     with a communion service added, the Holy Gifts having been consecrated and reserved the previous Sunday. It is traditionally attributed to St. Gregory the Dialogist
    Pope Gregory I

    Pope Saint Gregory I or Gregory the Great was pope from 3 September 590 until his death.He is also known as Gregory the Dialogist in Eastern Orthodoxy because of his Dialogues....
    .


The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is traditionally thought to be a shortened form of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil. Both are related to the earlier Divine Liturgy of St. James of Jerusalem
Liturgy of St James

The Liturgy of Saint James is the oldest complete form of the Divine Liturgy still in use among the Christian churches.It is based on the traditions of the ancient rite of the Early Christian Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem#Bishops of Jerusalem, as the Mystagogic Catecheses of St Cyril of Jerusalem imply....
, which is traditionally attributed to the first bishop of Jerusalem, James the Just
James the Just

Saint James the Just , , also known as James of Jerusalem, James Adelphotheos, James, the Brother of the Lord, was an important figure in Early Christianity....
 (not to be confused with James
Saint James the Great

Saint James, son of Zebedee or Yaakov Ben-Zebdi/Bar-Zebdi, was one of the disciples of Jesus. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome , and brother of John the Apostle....
, brother of Saint John the Evangelist
John the Apostle

John the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Christian tradition identifies him as the author of several New Testament works: the Gospel of John, the Epistles of John, and the Book of Revelation....
). It is celebrated once a year on his feast day, traditionally only in Jerusalem, but now in other places as well.

Structure

Note: Psalms are numbered according to the Greek Septuagint
Septuagint

The Septuagint , or simply "LXX", is the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, translated in stages between the 3rd century BC and 1st century BC in Alexandria....
. For the Hebrew Masoretic numbering that is more familiar in the West, usually add '1'. (See the main Psalms
Psalms

Psalms is a book of the Hebrew Bible , included in the collected works known as the "Writings" or Ketuvim....
 article for an exact correspondence table.)


The format of Divine Liturgy is fixed, although the specific readings and hymn
Hymn

A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity/deities, a prominent figure or an epic tale....
s vary with season and feast.

While arrangements may vary from liturgy to liturgy, the Divine Liturgy always consists of three interrelated parts:
  • the Liturgy of Preparation
    Liturgy of Preparation

    The Liturgy of Preparation, also Prothesis or Proskomedia , is the name given in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Churches to the act of preparing the bread and wine for the Eucharist....
    , which includes the entry and vesting prayers of the clergy and the Prothesis;
  • the Liturgy of the Catechumens, so called because in ancient times catechumen
    Catechumen

    In ecclesiology, a catechumen is one receiving instruction from a catechist in the principles of the Christianity with a view to baptism. The title and practice is most often used by Orthodox Christians and by Roman Catholics....
    s were allowed to attend, also called the Liturgy of the Word;
  • and the Liturgy of the Faithful, so called because in ancient times only faithful members in good standing were allowed to participate. In modern times, this restriction
    Closed communion

    Closed communion is the practice of restricting the serving of the elements of communion to those who are members of a particular church, denomination, sect, or congregation....
     applies only to Holy Communion — reception of the sacrament
    Sacrament

    A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a rite in which God is uniquely active." Augustine of Hippo defined a Christian sacrament as "a visible sign of an invisible reality." The Anglican Book of Common Prayer speaks of them as "an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible Grace." Examples of sacram...
     of holy communion
    Eucharist

    The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names, is a Christianity sacrament commemorating, by consecrating bread and wine, the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest, and eventual crucifixion, when he gave them bread saying, "This is my body", and wine...
    .


A typical celebration of the Byzantine Liturgy consists of:

Liturgy of Preparation

This part of the Liturgy is private, said only by the priest and deacon. It symbolizes the hidden years of Christ's earthly life.
  • Entrance
    Entrance prayers

    The entrance prayers are the prayers recited by the deacon and priest upon entering the temple before celebrating the Divine Liturgy in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite....
     and vesting prayers
    Vesting Prayers

    Vesting Prayers are prayers which are said while a cleric puts on Vestment as part of a liturgy of the Catholic Church , whether Eastern or Western....
    °—the clergy come into the church, venerate the icon
    Icon

    An 'icon' is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity. More broadly the term is used in a wide number of contexts for an image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it either concretely or by analogy, as in semiotics; by extension, ...
    s and put on their vestments.
  • Liturgy of Preparation
    Liturgy of Preparation

    The Liturgy of Preparation, also Prothesis or Proskomedia , is the name given in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Churches to the act of preparing the bread and wine for the Eucharist....
    —the priest
    Priest

    A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities....
     and deacon
    Deacon

    Deacon is a role in the Christianity that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions....
     prepare the bread and wine for the Eucharist
    Eucharist

    The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names, is a Christianity sacrament commemorating, by consecrating bread and wine, the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his disciples before his arrest, and eventual crucifixion, when he gave them bread saying, "This is my body", and wine...
     (see prosphora
    Prosphora

    A prosphoron is a small loaf of bread used in Eastern Orthodox Church Liturgy. The plural form is prosphora . The term originally meant any offering made to a temple, but in Orthodox Christianity has come to mean specifically the bread offered at the Divine Liturgy....
    ) at the Table of Oblation (Prothesis)
  • Kairos
    Kairos

    Kairos is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment. The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronology or sequential time, the latter signifies a time in between, a moment of undetermined period of time in which something special happens....
     — a preliminary dialog between the priest and the deacon


Liturgy of the Catechumens

This is the public part of the Liturgy:
  • Opening blessing
    Blessing

    A blessing, is the infusion of something with Sacred, divine will, or one's hopes....
     by the priest°—He raises the Gospel Book
    Gospel Book

    The Gospel Book, or Book of the Gospels is a codex or bound volume containing one or more of the four Gospels of the Christian New Testament....
    , making the sign of the cross
    Sign of the cross

    The Sign of the Cross is a ritual hand motion made by members of most but not all branches of Christianity. It may be accompanied by the trinitarian formula....
     with it over the Altar
    Altar

    An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religion, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place....
     and proclaiming: "Blessed is the kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
    Trinity

    In Christianity doctrine, the Trinity is the unity of God the Father, God the Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in monotheism. The doctrine states that God is the Triune God, existing as three persons, or in the Greek hypostasis , but one being....
    , now and ever and unto ages of ages"
  • Great Litany
    Ektenia

    Ektenia , often called simply Litany, is a prayerful petition in the Eastern Orthodox/Eastern Catholic liturgy. The prevalent ecclesiastical word for this kind of litany in Greek is S??apt? Synapt?, Ektenia being the Greek word preferred in Church Slavonic language ....
    , beginning "In Peace, let us pray to the Lord"
  • First Antiphon
    Antiphon

    An antiphon is a response, usually sung in Gregorian chant, to a psalm or some other part of a religious service, such as at Vespers or at a mass ....
    ° (usually Psalm 102; in the Greek rubrics, Psalm 91)
with the Refrain
Refrain

A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in Poetry; the "chorus" of a song. Poetry fixed forms that feature refrains include the villanelle, the virelay, and the sestina....
 (in the Greek rubrics) "Through the Prayers of the Theotokos
Theotokos

Theotokos is a title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches....
, O Savior Save us."
  • Little Litany
    Little Litany

    The Little Litany or Little Ektenia or Little Synapte is a brief ektenia which is recited at various times during the liturgical worship of the Byzantine Rite, as observed by the Eastern Orthodox Church and certain Eastern Catholic Churches....
  • Second Antiphon (usually Psalm 145; in the Greek rubrics Psalm 92)
with the Refrain (in the Greek rubrics) on Sundays: "Save us O Son of God who art Risen from the dead, Save us who sing unto you, Alleluia" and on Weekdays: "Save us O son of God who art Wondrous in your Saints..."°
  • "Only Begotten Son"
    O Monogenes Yios

    O Monogenes Yios , is a hymn ascribed to the emperor Justinian I , which is chanted in the introductory portion of the Divine Liturgy of the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which observe the Byzantine Rite....
  • Little Litany
  • Third Antiphon° (usually the Beatitudes
    Beatitudes

    In Christianity, the Beatitudes are blessing from the Sermon on the Mount in Gospel of Matthew and the Sermon on the Plain in Gospel of Luke. The blessings in Luke refer to external situations while those in Matthew refer more to spiritual or moral qualities....
     with troparia from the canon
    Canon (hymnography)

    A canon is a structured hymn used in a number of Eastern Orthodoxy services. It consists of nine odes, sometimes called canticles or songs depending on the translation, based on the Biblical canticles....
     of Matins, Odes 3 and 6; in the Greek rubrics, Psalm 94)
with the Refrain (in the Greek rubrics) on Weekdays: O Son of God who art wonderful in Thy saints, Save us who sing to thee, alleluia. On Sundays: the Troparion of the Day, Saint or Sunday Resurrection
  • Small Entrance
    Entrance (Liturgical)

    In Eastern Orthodox Church, an entrance is a procession during which the clergy enter into the sanctuary through the Royal Doors. The origin of these entrances goes back to the early church, when the liturgical books and sacred vessels were kept in special storage rooms for safe keeping and the procession was necessary to bring these objects...
    —procession with the Gospel Book
  • Introit
    Introit

    The Introit is part of the opening of the celebration of the Roman Catholic Mass and the Lutheranism Divine Service. Specifically, it refers to the antiphon that is spoken or sung at the beginning of the celebration....
    °
  • Troparia
    Troparion

    A troparion in Byzantine music and in the religious music of Eastern Orthodoxy is a short hymn of one stanza, or one of a series of stanzas....
    ° and Kontakia
    Kontakion

    Kontakion is a form of hymn performed in the Eastern Orthodox Church. The word derives from the Greek language word kontax , meaning pole, specifically the pole around which a scroll is wound....
    °—hymns commemorating specific saint
    Saint

    A saint in Christianity is a human being who has been called to holiness. The term is used differently by various denominations, with some, such as the Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans distinguishing between Saints and saints....
    s and Scriptural events, as appropriate to the liturgical calendar and local custom
  • Trisagion
    Trisagion

    The Trisagion is a standard hymn of the Divine Liturgy in most of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches and Eastern Catholic Churches....
    °—the "Thrice-Holy" hymn
  • Prokeimenon
    Prokeimenon

    In the liturgical practice of the Eastern Orthodox Church, a Prokeimenon is a psalm or canticle refrain sung responsorially at certain specified points of the Divine Liturgy or the Canonical hours, usually to introduce a scripture reading....
    °
  • Epistle
    Epistle

    An epistle is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually a Letter and a very formal, often didactic and elegant one. The letters in the New Testament from Twelve apostles to Christians are usually referred to as epistles....
     Reading°
  • Alleluia
    Alleluia

    The Alleluia is chanted before the Gospel lesson in the Eucharistic liturgies of the various Christian Christian liturgy. Alleluia will be solemnly chanted at other times also, usually in conjunction with Psalm verses....
    °
  • Gospel
    Gospel

    In Christianity, a gospel is generally one of the first four books of the New Testament that describe the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus....
     Reading°
  • Homily
    Homily

    A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture. In the Catholic Churches, the Anglican Communion, and in the Eastern Orthodox Church, a homily is usually given during Mass at the end of the Liturgy of the Word....
     (homilies may also be preached while Communion is being prepared for distribution to the people, and before the Dismissal)
  • Litany of Fervent Supplication—"Let us all say with our whole soul and with our whole mind…"
  • Litany for the Departed—this is not said on Sundays, Great Feasts or during the Paschal season
    Paschal cycle

    The Paschal cycle in the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches, is the cycle of the moveable feasts built around Easter . The cycle consists of approximately ten weeks before and seven weeks after Pascha....
  • Litany of the Catechumen
    Catechumen

    In ecclesiology, a catechumen is one receiving instruction from a catechist in the principles of the Christianity with a view to baptism. The title and practice is most often used by Orthodox Christians and by Roman Catholics....
    s, and Dismissal of the Catechumens


Liturgy of the Faithful

In the early Church, only Baptized members in good standing were allowed to attend this portion of the Liturgy.
  • First Litany of the Faithful
  • Second Litany of the Faithful
  • Cherubic Hymn°—chanted by the Choir as spiritual representatives (or icons) of the angels
  • Great Entrance
    Entrance (Liturgical)

    In Eastern Orthodox Church, an entrance is a procession during which the clergy enter into the sanctuary through the Royal Doors. The origin of these entrances goes back to the early church, when the liturgical books and sacred vessels were kept in special storage rooms for safe keeping and the procession was necessary to bring these objects...
    —procession taking the chalice
    Chalice (cup)

    A chalice is a goblet intended to hold a drink. In general religious terms, it is intended for quaffing during a ceremony....
     and diskos (paten) from the Table of Oblation to the altar
    Altar

    An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices and votive offerings are made for religion, or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place....
  • Litany of Fervent Supplication—"Let us complete our prayer to the Lord"
  • Symbol of Faith—the Nicene Creed
    Nicene Creed

    The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christianity liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Iznik by the first ecumenical council, which met there in 325....
  • Sursum Corda
    Sursum corda

    The Sursum Corda is the opening dialogue to the Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer or Anaphora in the liturgies of the Christian Church, dating back to the third century and the Anaphora of Hippolytus....
     ("Lift up your hearts…"), followed by the Sanctus
    Sanctus

    Sanctus is the Latin word for holy or saint, and is the name of an important hymn of Christianity liturgy.In Western Christianity, the Sanctus is sung as the final words of the Preface_ of the Eucharistic Prayer, the prayer of consecration of the bread and wine....
     ("Holy, Holy, Holy…")
  • Anaphora
    Anaphora (liturgy)

    The Anaphora is the most solemn part of the Divine liturgy, Mass , or other Christian Eucharist rite where the offerings of bread and wine are consecrated as the body and blood of Jesus....
    —the Eucharistic Canon, containing the Anamnesis
    Anamnesis

    Anamnesis...
     (memorial of Christ's Incarnation, death, and Resurrection, and the Words of Institution
    Words of Institution

    The Words of Institution are those used, inserted into a narrative of the Last Supper, in Christian Eucharistic liturgies to recall those used by Jesus on that occasion....
    )
  • Epiklesis—calling down the Holy Spirit
    Holy Spirit

    In Christianity, the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the spirit of God. The term Christ , is also used to refer to this presence. That is, the Spirit is considered to act in concert with and share an essential nature with God the Father and God the Son ....
     upon the Holy Gifts (bread and wine) to change them into the Body and Blood of Christ
  • Commemoration of Saints and Axion Estin
    Axion Estin

    Axion estin , or It is Truly Meet, is a theotokion , which is chanted in the Divine Services of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches Churches....
     (hymn to the Theotokos
    Theotokos

    Theotokos is a title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches....
    )°
  • Commemoration of bishop and civil authorities—"Remember, O Lord…"
  • Litany of Supplication—"Having called to remembrance all the saints…"
  • Lord's Prayer
    Lord's Prayer

    The Lord's Prayer, also known as the Our Father or Pater noster, is probably the best-known prayer in Christianity. On Easter Sunday 2007 it was estimated that 2 billion Catholic, Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Christians read, recited, or sang the short prayer in hundreds of languages in houses of worship of all shapes and size...
  • Bowing of Heads
  • "Holy Things are for the Holy"
  • Communion Hymn
  • Holy Communion
  • "We have seen the true light"°
  • "Let our mouths be filled with Thy praise, O Lord…"°
  • Litany of Thanksgiving
  • Prayer behind the Ambon
    Ambon

    Ambon may refer to:Places* Ambon Island, an island in Indonesia.* Ambon, Maluku, a city on the Ambon Island, the capital of Maluku .* Ambon, Morbihan, a commune in Morbihan, France...
  • Dismissal°


Parts marked ° indicate portions that can change according to the day or liturgical season of the year. Some parts change at every Divine Liturgy, some parts only change at Pascha
Easter

Easter is the most important religious feast in the Christianity liturgical year.Christians believe that Jesus was Resurrection of Jesus from the dead three days after his Crucifixion of Jesus, and celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday , two days after Good Friday....
 (Easter).

Note that almost all texts are chanted throughout the Divine Liturgy, not only hymns but litanies, prayers, creed confession and even readings from the Bible. The sole exception is the sermon.

Oriental Orthodox


The Coptic Orthodox have 3 principal Divine Liturgies:

  • The Liturgy of St. Basil


  • The Liturgy of St. Cyril


  • The Liturgy of St. Gregory


The Liturgy of St. Basil is celebrated on most Sundays.

External links

Eastern Christian
  • Byzantine Catholic
  • Contains Liturgies of St John, St Basil, and Presanctified
  • Byzantine music in English for the Liturgies of St. John, St. Basil, St. James and the Presanctified
  • Text with Bible References and line-by-line Greek to English translations
  • in English/Church Slavonic, including music (midi, mp3)
  • from Russia
Oriental Christian
  • from St-Takla.org
  • Full text with explanations and commentary
  • (also known as the Liturgy of St. Cyril) Full text
  • Full text with footnotes
  • Text
  • Commentary
  • (Armenian Catholic)
  • Abp. Tiran Nersoyan