Historical Prospective of the Liturgy-Part IV

DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOMPRELIMINARY PREPARATIONS

OF THE MINISTERS

ipodiakonos zoran j. bobic

Preliminary steps… Eucharist Sacrifice takes place the evening before; Byzantine liturgical day extends from sunset to sunset; Revolving around it are “canonical hours” of the Divine Office; Daily worship begins with the “Vespers Service”; This service precedes and prefigures the Eucharist Liturgy; These canonical hours are in sense an introduction to the Eucharist Liturgy; Divine Office = systematic form of private prayer = in the pre-Nicene ascetics =

became the prayer of monastic communities = first organized by St. Pachomius in Egypt c. A.D. 335;

In 4th & 5th century some secular churches adopted this; By end of the 4th century all secular churches established Vespers; All-Night Vigils were universally kept before Sundays and great feasts.;

Preliminary steps…

“Euchologion” – prayer common book; Vespers & Matins - became standard; Priest:

a). be reconciled with everyoneb). not hold anything against anyonec). preserve his heart from evil thoughts d.) abstain and keep fast until the time of celebration

Above is the rubrics from “Constitutions of Philotheus” – Patriarch of Constantinopole (1354-2376);