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Deacon Justin Havens to the Holy Priesthood on Sunday, December 14, 2008, at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.

August 16-17)

Great and Holy Pascha with a Celebrating Hierarch

Last Updated: 07/01/2008 06:49 PM

NOTE: In most cases, only rubrics that are unique to the Bishop’s presence are noted here.

Prior to the Bishop’s arrival the lights in the church remain completely extinguished. Only candle light is scattered throughout to allow enough visibility for people to see where they are going. When the Bishop arrives, he is received in the back of the Church in the usual manner.

After the Bishop ascends the Episcopal Throne, the Priests and Deacons each approach the Bishop, make one metania, ask his Blessing and kiss his hand. They enter the Altar through the North Door.

The first Priest and first Deacon take their places at the Holy Table, make three metanias, and the Deacon says in a loud voice, “Bless, Master!” The Priest begins the Paschal Midnight Office with “Blessed is our God…”. As the beginning of the first Ode of the Canon, the fully vested first and second Deacons, with small candles in hand, exit the north and south doors, come together in the center of the solea, bow to the Altar, turn, bow to the Bishop and then proceed to the Episcopal Throne. The Bishop descends the Throne, and with the Deacons says the Kairon Prayers. When they are finished, the Bishop enters the Altar through the Royal Doors. The Royal Doors are closed and the Bishop vests in the usual manner.

The Troparion of the Resurrection is sung from the Altar and the Priest intones the Litany from the Holy Table. The Paschal Candle is lit and the Trikirion and Dikirion are lit from the Paschal Candle. The Bishop takes up the Trikirion and the Clergy light their candles from the Trikirion. The first Priest takes the Gospel Book, and the second Priest takes the Paschal Candle, and the Bishop, followed by the Clergy in order of seniority exits the Altar through the Royal Doors as the Bishop chants “Come ye take light…” The people make their way forward to light their candles from the Trikirion. The people repeat “Come ye take light…” until all have lit there candles. From there, the people begin to sing, “To Thy Resurrection …” as the procession begins. The two Priests with the Gospel Book and the Paschal Candle walk immediately in front of the Bishop and the two Deacons with Trikirion and Dikirion walk behind the Bishop and on each side.

Once outside, the Bishop gives the Peace and reads the Gospel Reading. The Bishop takes up the censor and intones, “Glory to the Holy, Consubstantial…” The Bishop chants “Christ is Risen…” once while censing and the choir sings “Christ is Risen…” twice. The Bishop censes around and intones the verses while the Deacons, with Trikirion and Dikirion in hand, stay opposite to him. Following the Great Ektenia, the Bishop knocks on the door in the usual manner. As he enters the Church, the lights are on and the chanting of the Paschal Canon begins. The Bishop ascends the Episcopal Throne. The Priests stand at the Episcopal Throne facing east and west and the Deacons stand behind the Bishop on each side of him.

Each Priest and Deacon (if more than two Deacons) have a candle in hand. At the time of each Little Ektenia, the Deacon will bow the Bishop and go to stand of the solea to intone the Ektenia. The Priests say the Exclamations from the Episcopal Throne. After the Ektenia, the Deacon returns to his place at the Episcopal Throne.

The Deacon, without asking the Priest’s blessing on the incense and with either Trikirion or Dikirion in hand, takes the censor, and from the Royal Doors elevates it to the icon of the Theotokos and intones, “The Theotokos and Mother of Light…” He then does the great censing. After censing the Altar, the Prothesis, and the High Place, he exits the Altar through the Royal Doors.

He asks the Bishop’s Blessing on the incense and censes him three times. After censing the icons and the West of the Church, he censes the Bishop nine times (three sets of three), any clergy around the Throne, the people, and the Bishop nine times, again. He completes the censing in the usual manner, entering the Altar through the Royal Doors.

Following the Paschal Stichera, the Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom is read followed by the Troparion of St. John Chrysostom. Once the Troparion has begun, the first Deacon comes to face the Bishop and exchanges the “Opening Dialogue” with the Bishop. When the Bishop says, “Thy Priesthood and thy Diaconate, the Lord God remember…” the first Priest makes one metania, asks the Bishop’s blessing and kisses his right hand, followed by the first Deacon who does the same. The first Priest proceeds through the Royal Doors and the first Deacon proceeds to stand before the icon of Christ. The Episcopal Throne is moved to the center of the solea, and the Bishop accompanied by the second Deacon takes his place there.

After making three metanias in their respective places, the first Priest and the first Deacon bow together to the Bishop and then the first Deacon says in a loud voice, “Bless, Master!” After the first Priest completes, “Blessed is the Kingdom…” the first Priest and the first Deacon turn and bow together to the Bishop. The Priest takes up the censor and chants “Christ is Risen…” while censing once, followed by the people singing “Christ is Risen…” twice. The Priest censes around the Altar and intones the verses in the usual manner. After censing the Altar, the Prothesis, and the High Place, he comes to the Holy Doors, asks the Bishop’s Blessing on the incense and censes him three times. After censing the icons and the West of the Church, he censes the Bishop nine times (three sets of three), the clergy around the Throne, the people, and the Bishop nine times, again. He completes the censing in the usual manner.

For the remainder of the service follow the rubrics of the regular Hierarchical Divine Liturgy.

October 10-12, 2008

November 14-16, 2008

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