Orthodoxy lessons: what is the divine liturgy. Liturgy - what is it in simple words

The main church service in the Orthodox Church is the Divine Liturgy. Our ancestors knew very well what this was, although they called it mass. Catholics call it the mass.

The origins of this worship go back to early Christianity. Much time has passed since then, I have undergone external changes the church itself, but the basis of the liturgy and its symbolism remained the same.

Development of Christian worship

The tradition of worship dates back to Old Testament times. This is exactly how it was perceived by the first Christians, who were considered a Jewish sect in the eyes of society. This was understandable - the Holy Apostles came from Palestine, received a Jewish upbringing and followed the behests of their ancestors.

But it was then, in the years of the first sermons reflected in the Acts of the Apostles, that the history of modern service begins.

Sermon and Eucharist

The followers of Christ's teachings were far from being in the Roman Empire. privileged position. They were persecuted, so their meetings were held secretly. Someone's house or even a cemetery was chosen for meetings; the latter gave temporary immunity to those present in it according to Roman laws.

At first, Christians living in Palestine freely visited the Jerusalem Temple. This practice was stopped after the Jewish War, when Jerusalem was destroyed by Roman troops and a final break occurred between Jews and Christians.

The apostles Paul and Barnabas concluded during their missions that converted Gentiles did not need to be persuaded to obey the Law of Moses. This concerned how Everyday life, and worship services. The apostles believed that the new teaching was intended for all people, regardless of their origin. In principle, it could not fit into the framework of Judaism and the Temple, and it was not necessary. It was believed that one could serve the Lord all over the world.

The first services consisted of the reading of psalms, prayers, a sermon and the remembrance of the Last Supper. The last is most important - it was a memory of the events leading up to the execution of Christ. It was accompanied by the breaking of bread and drinking wine, which symbolized the body and blood of the Lord. This would later become a sacrament called the Eucharist.

And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take, eat, this is My Body.” And he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them: and they all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many.”

The Gospel of Luke also mentions the continuation of his words - “ do this in remembrance of Me».

Since then, partaking of the body and blood of Christ has been an integral part of worship.

Development in the first centuries

Spreading throughout the Mediterranean, Christianity increasingly acquired the features of a worldwide teaching. This was facilitated by Greek philosophy, which organically entered the theological works of apologists.

The liturgical rite also acquires Hellenic features. For example, the choral singing that accompanies the service comes specifically from the Balkans. A group of Church ministers is gradually identified, and the continuity of ordination is observed. Despite the fact that the ritual in its key features followed the service in the Jerusalem Temple, a different meaning was invested in it. Important differences between Christian worship and Jewish worship are the following:

1. rejection of blood sacrifice - although the altar is present;
2. the availability of ordination for any Christian, and not for the descendants of Aaron;
3. the place of service can be the whole world;
4. The time frame for the service expanded - Christians also prayed at night.

This attitude towards service was not accidental. A Jew was considered righteous insofar as he kept the Law of Moses and was faithful to its letter. The Christian followed not the letter, but the spirit, and faith itself was more important to him.

After the legalization of the doctrine under Constantine the Great, Christians were given church buildings, and worship began to develop in modern direction. A service appears on the hour, a list of sacraments is approved, the requirements are systematized - Baptism, Wedding, Anointing, and becomes a practice on the eve of Easter. But the central sacrament remains the Eucharist, which has become the basis of the Divine Liturgy.

Service structure and practice

To have an idea of ​​the principle by which the schedule of services is built, it is worth remembering that it has its origins in Old Testament, and the day in the Church is calculated somewhat differently. They start at 6 pm, not midnight.

The concept of liturgical hours

The hours in worship are called prayer, timed to a specific time of day. In church it takes about fifteen minutes and is designed to take the attention of the worshiper away from everyday worries. This practice dates back to ancient times: it is known that the apostles prayed at the established hours.

The daily cycle of services can be represented as follows:

The word “guard” was used back in ancient Israel - according to this schedule, the guards changed settlements. Time was then determined by the position of the sun above the horizon, but in modern practice, ordinary clocks are more often used.

Between the timed prayers, one or another service is performed.

Daily services and their names

Conventionally, all services in the church can be divided into:

1. evening;
2. morning;
3. daytime.

The first include Vespers and Compline. Vespers begins at 17:00, that is, an hour before the start of the new day. Accordingly, Compline is celebrated from 21:00. Midnight Office and Matins are considered nightly, and they end with the prayer of the first hour, performed at 7 am. Daytime prayer is read at 9, 12 and 15 o'clock (they are called, respectively, the Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours).

The Liturgy was originally held before Vespers - in early Christianity this was a common practice, as were night services. At a later time it was moved to the morning, and now it runs from 9 to lunch. There is no strict regulation on this matter, therefore, to find out when the liturgy is served in a particular church, it is better to look at the schedule of services.

Depending on fasts, holidays and special dates, services may vary. So, before Easter, an all-night vigil takes place, combining Vespers, Compline and Midnight Office.

Liturgy is not celebrated on some days - for example, on Good Friday. Instead, pictorial ones are read - a service in which the liturgical chants are repeated, but the sacrament of the Eucharist is not celebrated.

Contents and sequence of the liturgy

In contrast to evening and night services, the liturgy is performed almost daily, with the exception of some days of Lent and Nativity, Wednesday and Friday of Cheese Week (the week before Lent) and a number of other days.

Consequence of the sacrament of the Eucharist

During this service, the entire life of Christ is remembered, from Christmas to death on the cross. It is divided into three parts, each of which is served according to a special rank:

1. Proskomedia.
2. Liturgy of the Catechumens.
3. Liturgy of the Faithful.

In the first part, behind the closed doors of the altar, the priest prepares bread and wine for Communion and reads prayers for the health and peace of the members of the Church. This prayer is worth doing for parishioners as well. When the preparation is completed, the Third and Sixth Hours are read, during which the Nativity of Christ and the prophecies about it are remembered.

Some people mistakenly believe that the first part is some kind of liturgy about health. What this is is not entirely clear: during the preparation of the Gifts, prayers are read both for health and for peace, and the memory of saints, prophets and apostles is honored.

The Liturgy of the Catechumens is intended to prepare those praying for the sacrament. It was named so because in ancient times it was attended by people who had not received Baptism, but were preparing for it. They were called catechumens.

It begins with the antiphonal singing of the hymn “The Only Begotten Son.” Then comes the small entrance with the Gospel, followed by singing and reading. The singing of psalms, called the prokeimenon, precedes the reading of the Apostle, after which comes the Sermon. Alternation with verses from the Psalter precedes the reading of the Gospel. After this the Sermon follows again.

This part of the liturgy ends with a litany - a prayer request performed by the priest and choir. This is a recognizable part of the service - for each verse read by the priest, the choir responds by singing “Lord, have mercy,” “To you, Lord,” or “Amen.” At this time, parishioners make the sign of the cross.

In ancient times, after this, the catechumens left, and the doors of the temple were closed to continue. Now they don’t do this, but those who are not baptized do not take part in further services.

The Liturgy of the Faithful begins with the singing of the Cherubic Song, during which the Great Entrance takes place. The Royal Doors of the altar open, the deacon with a censer walks around the throne, the altar, the iconostasis, the priest, and the people. At the same time, he reads Psalm 50. Wine and bread are transferred from the altar to the throne, after which the gates are closed.

After the presentation of the Gifts, the Creed is read. This is done by all parishioners, and before reciting the Creed you need to cross yourself.

Next comes the most ancient and basic part of the liturgy - anaphora. IN Orthodox churches it is a Eucharistic prayer, consisting of five parts, read by a priest. The order of reading it is as follows:

1. Entry, or preface;
2. Sanctus;
3. Anamnesis - memory of the Last Supper;
4. Epiclesis - invocation of the Holy Spirit for the consecration of the Gifts;
5. Intercession is intercession for the living and the dead.

During the anaphora, the transposition or transubstantiation of the Gifts occurs - they become the Body and Blood of Christ.

After the anaphora, the “Our Father” is read, and Communion itself begins. Children can be taken to it just like that, but adults should first confess and fast for three days. The clergy receive communion first, followed by the men, and finally by the women and children.

At the end of the service, parishioners kiss the altar cross.

Symbolic meaning of the liturgy

As mentioned earlier, the liturgy reproduces the main moments of the earthly life of Christ. Some theologians view it as a timeless memory. Each liturgical action carries more than one meaning. So, at proskomedia, wine is diluted with water - this is a direct reference to the moment when one of the soldiers pierced the crucified Christ with a spear, and blood and water poured out of the hole. The instrument used to cut off particles from the prosphora at the proskomedia is called a copy and is shaped like that same spear.

The altar itself, on which the proskomedia takes place, is an image of the cave where Jesus was born, and the paten, where the particles of the prosphora are placed, is the Holy Sepulcher.

The ritual itself reproduces the ancient sacrifice with the only difference that the sacrifice is bloodless: Jesus gave his blood for the whole world on the cross.

The entire liturgy is viewed from the same point of view. Thus, the Small Entrance to the Liturgy of the Catechumens is the entrance of Christ to the sermon, which is read in this part of the service. The Great Entrance symbolizes the passion and death on the cross. Special attention is devoted to the memory of the Last Supper - it became the prototype of the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Variants of liturgy in the Byzantine rite

Traditionally, it has been what in Orthodox churches five types of liturgy are possible, but in practice three of them are most often carried out:

• The Liturgy of John Chrysostom is celebrated, as they say, by default. This classic version, which should proceed according to the plan outlined in the previous chapters. The only thing that is moved to the end of the service today is the sermon. It has become a kind of parting word, and its topics are diverse, which is why its duration may not fit into standard time periods.
• The Liturgy of Basil the Great is celebrated ten times a year - on the Eve of Christmas and Epiphany, on Lent and on the day of memory of St. Basil the Great. It is distinguished by longer prayers - the saint himself insisted on free prayer. Before reading “Our Father...” the priest reads not “It is worthy to eat...”, but “He rejoices in You...” or the festive worthy.
• The Liturgy of Gregory the Dvoeslov, or, as it is also called, the Presanctified Gifts, is served only during the days of Great Lent and several holidays, if they fall during this period. The main difference between this liturgy is the absence of Proskomedia - communion is made with the same Gifts that were consecrated earlier. This service takes place in the evening.
• The Liturgy of the Apostle James is celebrated by some churches on the day of his memory. Its main differences are the position of the priest - he stands facing the flock, reading secret prayers out loud and receiving communion in parts: first the priest gives the layman a piece of bread, and then the deacon gives him a drink of wine.
• The Liturgy of the Apostle James is held in a number of parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church abroad. What distinguishes it from others is the Anaphora formula: Intercession in it follows Preface.

Those who wish to attend the liturgy should know that they should not be afraid to visit the temple. But certain rules must be observed.

On the eve of the sacrament, repentance is necessary. To do this, you need to go to the temple a day before, talk to the priest and confess. Before going to church, fasting is observed, and if health allows, it is better not to eat at all.

Don't miss the start of the service. By arriving early, you can submit notes for health and peace before Proskomedia, and also participate in the prayer of the Third and Sixth Hours. It is simply impolite to skip the Hours; after all, the Eucharist is not a shamanic ritual, but a Sacrament in which believers receive the Body and Blood of Christ.

There is no need to walk around the temple from corner to corner. This prevents others from praying.

During Communion itself, one should not crowd around the altar. They approach him, crossing their arms on their chest, left under right, and saying their name. Having accepted the Body and Blood, you need to kiss the edge of the cup.

Before communion, women should refrain from wearing decorative cosmetics, in particular lipstick. Marks on the spoon or cloth used to wipe the lips after Communion will ruin the event for other parishioners.

They leave the service no earlier than kissing the cross and praying.

Liturgy. Lutheran Church. LITURGY (Greek leitourgia public service), 1) in the Orthodox Church, the Divine Liturgy is the main divine service of the daily cycle, performed before lunch (hence the other name for mass). Order... ... Illustrated encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Greek leiturgia, from leitos public, and ergon business, labor). A divine service in an Orthodox church in which the sacrament of St. Eucharist; mass, a service in remembrance of the entire earthly life of Jesus Christ. Dictionary foreign words, included in... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (Greek: public service). 1) In the Orthodox Church, the Divine Liturgy is the main divine service of the daily cycle, performed before lunch (hence the other name for mass). The order of service dates back to the 4th century. 2 Eucharistic celebrations are celebrated (see... ...

Cm … Synonym dictionary

- (from litoV general and ergon deed) the name of the most important of Christian services, existing, although not in the same form and meaning, among all Christian denominations and expressing the main ideas of the Christian worldview and the main goals... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

liturgy- LITURGY, mass... Dictionary-thesaurus of synonyms of Russian speech

- (Greek leiturgia) in ancient Greek city policies, state service, which was borne by wealthy citizens and metics (for example, the maintenance of participants in gymnastic competitions). The trierarchy of the equipment of the trireme was considered an extraordinary liturgy. Was… … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

LITURGY, liturgy, women. (Greek liturgia) (church). Mass, the main Christian church service. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

LITURGY, and, women. 1. Morning or afternoon Christian worship, including prayers, chants, readings holy books, sermons and other ritual activities. Serve, listen to the liturgy. Celebration of the liturgy. 2. A cycle of spiritual chants... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Women the sequence of the sacred service in which the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and mass are celebrated. Liturgical, related to the liturgy. Liturgiary male service book, description of the order of Vespers, Matins and Mass. Liturgize or poke, perform... ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

Christian worship accompanied by singing and music; in the Orthodox Church - mass, all-night vigil; in Catholic - mass, requiem (funeral mass). Big Dictionary in cultural studies.. Kononenko B.I.. 2003 ... Encyclopedia of Cultural Studies

Books

• Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Op. 31. For unaccompanied mixed choir, Rachmaninov S.V.. The monumental “Liturgy” created by the composer in 1910 is one of the outstanding examples of Russian sacred music. This composition is performed by both sacred and secular choirs...
• Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, op. 37, M. Ippolitov-Ivanov. This book will be produced in accordance with your order using Print-on-Demand technology. M. Ippolitov-Ivanov, Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, op. 37, Score, For mixed choir Type…

Translated from Greek language word "liturgy" means "joint business" (“litos” – public, “ergon” – business, service).

The Divine Liturgy is the main daily service of the Orthodox Church. During this service, believers come to the temple to praise God and partake of the Holy Gifts.

Origins of liturgy

According to the Gospel, the apostles themselves, led by Jesus Christ, set an example for believers. As you know, on the eve of the betrayal and execution of Christ, the apostles and the Savior gathered at Last Supper, where they took turns drinking from the cup and eating bread. Christ offered them bread and wine with the words: “This is my body,” “This is my blood.”

After the execution and ascension of the Savior, the apostles began to perform every day, eat bread and wine (communion), sing psalms and prayers, and read the Holy Scriptures. The apostles taught this to elders and priests, and they taught their parishioners.

Liturgy is a divine service at which the Eucharist (Thanksgiving) is celebrated: it means that people thank the Almighty for the salvation of the human race and remember the sacrifice that the Son of God made on the cross. It is believed that the first rite of the liturgy was composed by the Apostle James.


In large churches the liturgy is held every day, in smaller churches - on Sundays. The time of the liturgy is from early morning until noon, which is why it is often called mass.

How is the liturgy celebrated?

The liturgy consists of three parts, each of which has its own deep meaning. The first part is Proskomedia, or the Bringing. The priest prepares the Gifts for the sacrament - wine and bread. The wine is diluted with water, the bread (prosphora) recalls the custom of the first Christians to bring with them everything they needed for the service.

After the wine and bread are laid out, the priest places a star on the paten, then covers the paten and the cup with wine with two covers, and on top he throws one large cover, which is called “air”. After this, the priest asks the Lord to bless the Gifts and remember those who brought them, as well as those for whom they were brought.


The second part of the liturgy is called the Liturgy of the Catechumens. Catechumens in the church are called unbaptized people who are preparing for baptism. The deacon receives a blessing from the priest on the pulpit and loudly proclaims: “Bless, Master!” Thus, he asks for blessings for the beginning of the service and for the participation of everyone who has gathered in the temple. The choir is singing psalms at this time.

The third part of the service is the Liturgy of the Faithful. It is no longer possible for those who are not baptized to attend, as well as for those who have been forbidden to attend by a priest or bishop. During this part of the service, the Gifts are transferred to the throne, then consecrated, and the believers prepare to receive communion. After communion is performed thanksgiving prayer for communion, after which the priest and deacon make the Great Entrance - they enter the altar through the Royal Doors.

At the end of the service, the Gifts are placed on the throne and covered with a large veil, the Royal Doors are closed and the curtain is drawn. The singers finish the Cherubic Hymn. At this time, believers need to remember the voluntary suffering and death of the Savior on the cross, and pray for themselves and their loved ones.

After this, the deacon pronounces the Litany of Petition, and the priest blesses everyone with the words: “Peace to all.” Then he says: “Let us love one another, that we may be of one mind,” accompanied by a choir. After this, all those present sing the Creed, which expresses everything, and is pronounced in shared love and like-mindedness.


Liturgy is not just a church service. This is an opportunity to slowly remember the earthly path of the Savior, his suffering and ascension, and a chance to unite with him through communion established by the Lord during the Last Supper.

Every religion or denomination has its most important ministries in its churches. In Christianity, the word “liturgy” is used, which itself has a translation from Greek and means “common cause.” Each person who knows the designation of this term interprets its meaning in his own way, but if we turn to official sources, we will receive the following answer: liturgy is the most important Christian service, which is accompanied by the sacrament of the Eucharist.

The Eucharist is the communion of bread and wine, as Jesus Christ commanded, for His remembrance, because it was he, according to theologians, who celebrated the first Liturgy. In other words, if the sacrament of the Eucharist is performed, then such service has the character of Liturgy.

Time of the main Christian services

In modern services, there are three main types of Liturgy, the origins of which were laid at the beginning of the first millennium AD. There are certain rules according to which such services are arranged throughout the year. They should not cross each other, and end up filling orthodox calendar with notes for each individual Liturgy.

The Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom are performed constantly when the other two are not performed:

• There are only ten liturgies for St. Basil the Great. They are performed only on Sundays of Lent, except Palm Sunday. This type of service is held on Maundy Thursday and Saturday. Holy Week. An obligatory service is to hold the Liturgy on St. Basil the Great Day itself - January 14, to honor the memory of this saint.
• AND last holiday When the Liturgy of the saint is celebrated, it is Christmas and Epiphany.
• The third type of Liturgy has several names depending on the location and denomination. It includes the Liturgies: double words, the Pope, the previously consecrated Gifts, St. Gregory the Great. They are held only on Wednesday and Friday, but also once on Thursday of the fifth week of Lent. During Passion Week, the Liturgy is celebrated on the first three days of the week.
• Also, this service is held on March 9 and 22 in memory of John the Baptist and the forty martyrs of Sebaste. If the temple has rich history and their saints, whom other Christians venerate, then on a significant day they hold this particular Liturgy.

What does the Liturgy consist of?

All three types of most important services also consist of three parts:

• Proskomedia- preparation of the Eucharist. The priest performs the necessary rituals at the altar to consecrate the prosphora (bread and wine). During this stage, the souls of all the living and the dead are remembered - the priest first takes out the prosphora (crushes the bread) and separately immerses it in wine for each, accompanying this special prayer. Such prayer is considered the most effective in cleansing sins for other people. At this time, parishioners read the Hours (accompanying prayers and psalms).
• Second stage of worship - Liturgy of the Catechumens . If only baptized people could participate and be present in the first part of the meeting, then during the second part there are also those people who are being prepared for baptism. The second stage of the service is led by a deacon who has received a blessing from the priest. His speech begins and ends with the same words. First, he blesses the Holy Trinity and pronounces the Great Litany. During the Liturgy of the Catechumens, it is customary for the choir to sing antiphons (psalms that are sung in turn by the left and right parts).
• The final stage of the service is called Liturgy of the Faithful. According to the church charter, only churchgoers and those for whom there are no personal comments from the priest and deacon can take part in this part of the service.

In practice, everyone is present at the Liturgy of the Faithful. The priests believe that the main spiritual meaning is revealed only to the faithful, so the presence of the unchurched does not interfere with the completion of the service. The most important action during the entire meeting is Anaphora, which implies the consecration of gifts. The action begins with the Gifts being transferred from the altar to the throne. Believers prepare for consecration; the Anaphora ritual is performed, which is accompanied by prayers from the clergy and chants from the parishioners.

After this, believers make Communion. The priest prays, the deacon echoes his blessings, and the parishioners are dismissed.
In fact, the listed elements of the Liturgy are the backbone of the service, and in each church it is carried out differently. As a rule, the priest determines the order and passage of some rituals, but in general they do not differ from each other.

There are also definitions of days on which holding the Liturgy is prohibited, but as a rule these are local prohibitions. It is the Liturgy, such as it is, that inspires believers and ordinary parishioners with its amazing spiritual atmosphere.

A daily cycle of public worship is held. There are evening, morning and afternoon services, which in turn are also divided into so-called hours. However, the central part of the entire daily cycle and the most significant divine service for Orthodox believers is the Divine Liturgy, what is it and what rituals are customary to perform during this church service, we will find out in this article.

Liturgy is not just the main Orthodox service, but first of all, it is an opportunity to remember New Testament times, to hear about the history of the Savior, about his deeds, and also to feel unity with Christ, to become part of everything great that we sacredly believe in.

The tradition of holding the Liturgy begins with the Last Supper of Jesus Christ and his faithful disciples. It was then, with the permission of the Lord, that the sacrament of the Eucharist was established, and the Savior told the world the commandments about Christian love and humility.

After the Ascension of the Lord, the Apostle James composed the first rite for the Divine Liturgy. And already in the 4th century, the clergyman John Chrysostom wrote and introduced into church tradition a short version of the rite of the Liturgy, which is now served in Orthodox churches every day, except for the days of Lent, the Annunciation and Palm Week (the entry of the Lord into the city of Jerusalem).

“Why is the Divine Liturgy so important and how does it allow us to feel a connection with the Lord?” - you ask. Before the start of the service, parishioners can write the names of their loved ones in special notes, and this is done so that even in silence, in the morning hours, they can remember their loved ones and pray to the Lord for them. This tradition helps believers not only take care of people dear to their hearts, but also become closer to God, for every minute they strengthen in their faith, trust in his mercy and miraculous, life-giving power. During the sacrament of the Eucharist, Christians can taste the holy bread and wine, which represent the Flesh and Blood of Christ the Savior, the Kingdom of God comes to the sacred temple, and the Holy Spirit, connecting Heaven and the Firmament, lifts up those praying to the abode of the Lord.

The Divine Liturgy consists of three main parts.

• Proskomedia. This name comes from Greek word“προσκομιδή”, meaning “offering”, because in the days of the first Christians it was bread, as the most valuable thing, that was brought to the temple as offerings and donations. Participation in this part of the Liturgy is mandatory for all parishioners and is the main condition for staying in the church. At these moments, special sacred rites are performed on the altar in the altar, with the help of which 5 prosphoras (bread) are prepared in memory of the miraculous saturation with five loaves and wine for the sacrament of the Eucharist. The prosphora personifies the unity of the Holy Trinity and also represents three parts of the human soul: flour as the basis for the immortal soul, water as a symbol of Baptism, and salt as wisdom and the Word of God. After all the preparations are completed, the clergyman, putting on all the sacred vestments, lays out the pieces of prosphora in a special order and begins a prayer for all the saints, living and deceased, and on the eve of the end of the hours he conducts incense in the temple as a sign of divine mercy, love and grace descending on all humanity.

• Liturgy of the Catechumens. This part of the service is named this way because not only baptized parishioners are allowed to attend it, but also those who have just been announced for Baptism, that is, preparing for the ceremony. Having received the permission and blessing of the priest, the assistant priest announces the beginning of the service, the church choir begins chanting, asking about God’s mercy and prosperity. Then the priest, going out to the pulpit (a special elevation intended for reading Holy Scripture and liturgical speeches), tells the Holy Gospel to those present. This part of the liturgy ends with earnest prayer for loved ones (both living and deceased) and for the catechumens.

• Liturgy of the Faithful. This is the final part of the Divine Liturgy, during which the rite of communion is performed for all believers. The priest in prayer asks God to send the Holy Spirit on all parishioners and on the gifts that they placed on the sacrificial altar. After communion, believers wash down the communion with holy wine combined with warm water, so as not to keep part of the Lord’s gifts to yourself, but in last time mention all their relatives and friends. The liturgy ends with Vacation - blessing of those praying.
  

Answering the question of how long the liturgy lasts, it is worth noting that the Divine Liturgy is usually held in the pre-dinner time between 6 and 9 o’clock, which corresponds to noon and three o’clock in the afternoon. However, in our time, the 9th hour is served extremely rarely, and the duration of the service is regulated by the traditions of the individual region and temple.