The Structure and Practice of

Continued 👇🏾 ✍🏾The structure and practice of the Holy Liturgy clearly show that every prayer offered by the priest and every proclamation made by the deacon are completed through the response of the faithful, who affirm them with “Amen.” The instructions found in the Metshafe kidase, which say, “Say, priest; say, deacon; say, people,” bear witness to this shared participation. ✍🏾Through this, we understand that the Holy Liturgy is a mystery of unity. It does not belong to the clergy alone, but is celebrated together by both the clergy and the faithful as one body. For this reason, the ancient instruction reminds us that the Holy Liturgy should not begin until the faithful are gathered, so that this unity may be fully expressed. ✍🏾The idea that the Holy Liturgy belongs only to priests, while the faithful are merely observers, is foreign to the life and order of the Church. Such thinking is a serious misunderstanding. The Holy Liturgy is not a performance to be watched, but a prayer of communion shared by the whole Church. ✍🏾The lack of active participation that is sometimes seen today, and the spiritual weakness that follows, arise from this misunderstanding. Since the Holy Liturgy is the communion of Christians, every Orthodox believer has the responsibility to prepare himself, to sanctify himself, and to participate fully in the life of the Church through the Liturgy. Part 7 continues ... May the name of the Holy God be praised forever and ever in every tongue that He has created, today and always. May the blessings of God's mother, the virgin, and the cross be upon us. Amen. © John's Repentance Reach out to us on our social media platforms and share it with your friends:https://linktr.ee/johnsrepentance