О священнодействии святого мира

After all-holy baptism, one should say how the divine chrism is performed. But we’ve already talked about it quite a bit before, namely: • that the Savior Himself accepted the anointing; • that the apostles gave the ointment; • that their successor, the holy Dionysius, says about it that it existed in the times of the law, that is, the Old Testament (although it was not yet completely perfect); • that kings and high priests were anointed with it, and now we, all believers, are anointed with it, which is why we are called Christians (for it communicates to us the anointing of the Divine Spirit, namely His very grace). And Christ our Savior accepted as humanity all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, although, being the Word of God, He had them in Himself by nature, and from His fulfillment we receive grace, as the Gospel writes (John 1:16). This is the seal of Christ and the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the same thing that the apostles received through the laying on of hands, and through the hands of the apostles the Samaritans who were baptized by Philip and those on whom Paul laid hands after baptism received, and they received the Holy Spirit. All this was handed down from the apostles to those baptized into Christ, and the laying on of hands and invocation of grace was left to those ordained to the priesthood. They receive this anointing first, in baptism, and already have it as the anointing of Christ, as the seal and gift of the Spirit. And through the laying on of the bishop’s hands they receive ordination, in accordance with the descent of the Spirit in the form of tongues of fire. For the Scripture says: “And cloven tongues as of fire appeared to them, and one rested on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:3–4). 39. About the preparation and boiling of the Divine world The All-Holy Myrrh is consecrated in the following way. His Holiness the Patriarch, accompanied by the clergy (since he is the source of the priesthood and those who are with him have received and are receiving the grace of the priesthood from him) goes to the place designated for the brewing of the world, and, putting on the sacred stole, which signifies the grace of the Spirit given from above, and the sacred omophorion, symbolizing the incarnation of Christ, blesses God in the Trinity. And thus, the prayer begins with reading the Heavenly King, the Trisagion, the Most Holy Trinity and Our Father. For it is necessary that in the Divine actions of the Spirit, prayer serves as the beginning and that we invoke the Holy Spirit first of all, since we pray, according to the word of Paul, “only with the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). When the patriarch says that Yours is the Kingdom, then the troparion is read: Blessed are You, Christ God and some others. During the reading of the troparia, the patriarch pours a certain amount of oil into the vessel where the myrrh is boiled and blesses it with his hand as a sign that from this time the sacred rite begins and that he serves (things) divine. Then the priests bring the rest of the oil. At the same time, the patriarch is again the first to light the fire, as a minister of the Sacrament of the Spirit, makes a dismissal and leaves. Oil for the world is cooked by someone who is reverent, knowledgeable, and with the greatest attention. It is brewed exclusively on Great and Holy Wednesday, when the evangelical harlot anointed the Lord with valuable ointment, about which the Gospel is also read. This is how oil is cooked, signifying God’s immeasurable mercy. Then various types of fragrant herbs are ground and prepared. When the boiling of the oil comes to an end, the patriarch comes again and the fragrant substances, with his blessing, are placed in the boiled oil. They signify the various gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is how myrrh is prepared and boiled. The Patriarch takes leave and leaves, and the myrrh cools down. It is already holy, thanks to the prayers and blessing of the patriarch. But it has not yet been consecrated by sacred rites. 40. About the sacred rite of the holy world The next day, that is, on Holy and Great Thursday, this ointment is poured into a special vessel called alabaster, in the image of the ointment poured onto the head of Jesus by Lazarus’ sister, Mary, or the harlot woman. Having covered it with the sacred veil, they place it in the container during the proskomedia. After the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, when the great entrance takes place, the deanery watcher goes in front, then the readers with candles, signifying the Divine light of the Spirit, then the first of the priests, holding the alabaster of peace in his hands and depicting the very grace of the Spirit. It is the first of the priests who holds it, as the most perfect (of the others). In front of him, on the sides and behind, six deacons hold twelve wings, as the great Dionysius says, that is, rhipids. They signify the Divine Angelic Powers and their rational and incorporeal nature, since both Seraphim and Cherubim were visible to the prophets with wings. And just as they close themselves, accepting grace, so we must do, which is what we represent with the mentioned wings. In the tabernacle of the Old Testament, above the ark, which contained the canopy of future blessings, Cherubim were sculptured and carved. They covered it with their wings to commemorate its holiness and the fact that it contained stone tablets with the words of God (1 Kings 6:23–29). It is exactly the same here: above the world, above the Holy Gifts and the sacred meal, these ripids rise, as above objects containing something higher, or, better, containing truth instead of a shadow. In that tabernacle, everything was a type: the unleavened bread - the Bread of the animal, the blood and the offering of wordless sacrifices - were a type of the Blood of God the Word, the anointing oil was a harbinger of the gift of the Holy Spirit. And here is the true Bread of Life, the very Body and Blood of Christ, constantly shed for us, and the anointing of the gift of the Life-giving Spirit. Behind the deacons holding twelve wings, that is, ripids, come other deacons in pairs, as custom dictates, preceding the shrine. The rest of the ranks follow the entrance. Twelve wings - according to the number of twelve disciples who were sanctified by the grace of the Spirit at the beginning of Christianity, and partly - in the image of the two Cherubim who were in the tabernacle and had twelve wings, as it is said: “six wings of one, and six wings of another” (Is. 6:2). The same is written about the Seraphim, although some write the Cherubim with four wings, and the Seraphim with six, explaining that these latter belong to a higher order than the Cherubim. The Church, being above the law, depicts them as six-winged and has twelve ripids instead of two Seraphim. So, when the readers come out, the deacons, holding wings, stand on both sides of the presbyter holding the myrrh, giving him honor and, as it were, giving him honor. When he reaches the holy gates, the patriarch descends from the sacred foot (at the throne), takes the myrrh from the hands of the presbyter and places it at the sacred meal, paying greater honor to the world, even than to the Gifts, which at this time have not yet been consecrated, or perhaps because the myrrh is more sanctified by prayers. For, although the gifts have been consecrated and offered to God, they have not yet been completed and are gifts in place of images, and the ointment, although also not yet consecrated, has already twice received prayers from the bishop and has been blessed by him. Or, I suppose, because it is sometimes needed sooner (earlier), since the myrrh is received before communion. After all, we are first anointed with myrrh, and only then we partake of the Mysteries. And the throne is first consecrated by the world, and only then the liturgy is performed on it. For first we need to be sanctified, and then we can receive the Holy One. So, having placed myrrh on the left side of the paten on the divine meal, the patriarch performs the liturgy. After the consecration of the Holy Gifts, saying: “And may there be the mercies of the great God” - before the deacon says: “Having remembered all the saints” - he ascends to the foot of the holy table and, opening the ointment, marks it three times. Thus, the ointment becomes already sanctified; and it is necessary that at the same time it should not be covered, but that it should directly and immediately receive consecration. 41. Explanation of the prayer for peace Having made the sign (myrrh), the bishop descends, bows his head and reads the first prayer, Lord of Mercy and Father of Lights. Do you see now that oil is a symbol of God’s mercy? And everything else that is part of the world serves as an image of the Divine Gifts. But here it actually accepts the very grace of the Spirit, for the bishop remembers Him from Whom every good gift comes and every gift is perfect (saying to Him): “Thou hast given this ointment both in the law, and to the prophets, and to Thy apostles. Send down Your Holy Spirit on him and make him a royal anointing, a spiritual gift, sanctifying for souls and bodies.” This is truly sanctified ointment: it imparts the sanctification of the Spirit. Here is the oil of gladness, which is very expressively called oil, as a gift of God’s mercy, pre-sent in the law. This is what the world under the law was a prototype of and what appeared in full light in the New Testament. Do you see how much more clearly the ointment appears in grace when the gift of the Holy Spirit is abundantly given to us? In the law, priests and high priests, prophets and kings were anointed. And they truly received the firstfruits of the Spirit, as Moses and the seventy men who received of the Spirit that was upon him; as Aaron and Samuel, and David, who received the Spirit through the anointing after Saul, having received the anointing, sinned; and others who followed them. “In the same way,” says the bishop, “you anointed your apostles themselves.” Do you see now that the coming of the Spirit upon them was a holy anointing for them? And all who, until this day, were reborn through the washing of rebirth from successively succeeding bishops and presbyters. Behold, not only the high priests, priests, prophets and kings received the Divine Chrism, but also all who were baptized into Christ and became “anointed of the Lord.” Therefore, all the faithful (if only they keep themselves in the shrine) have, thanks to this anointing, the power to prophesy, and perform healings, and abound in many other gifts of the Divine Spirit. “Here, Lord God Almighty, sanctify with the influx of the worshiped and Your Holy Spirit,” again the bishop prays for the influx of the All-Holy Spirit, for everything happens in us from the Father by the Word in the Holy Spirit. And just as “by the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their power” (Ps. 32:6), for they were perfected by the same Spirit, so it is precisely in relation to every gift that is given from the Father by the Word in the Holy Spirit, especially after the economy of our salvation, perfected by God the Word. The Father demonstrates His good pleasure, the Son works by His power, and the Holy Spirit accomplishes. “A robe of incorruptibility,” the bishop prays, “and a sacred seal, imprinting upon those who receive Your Divine Bath, Your holy name and Your Only Begotten Son and Your Holy Spirit.” “Incorruptible clothing” - since the Spirit is life-giving and bestows immortality. “The Sacred Perfecting Seal” - since He gives us grace and the name of the Holy Trinity, since we are sacredly perfected in the Trinity. “Let them be known before You,” that is, known to You, God. O gift of Divine peace! O greatest grace! What a gift is lost to the one who does not receive this gift! “Dearest,” continues the priest, “and cohabitants, Thy servants and children.” That is: thanks to the acceptance of the world, the pious become close and true servants of God. Truly the greatest gift! “But also sanctified,” he says, “in soul and body.” Behold, it makes them holy and sinless. For he adds: “Free from all malice and cleansed from all sin by putting on the garment of incorruptibility.” This suggests that the ointment is given immediately after the bath of rebirth, that is, baptism. Consider another great gift. “Yes, by this holy sign of Thy,” he says, “they will be known by the holy Angels, Archangels and all the Heavenly Powers.” This expresses that through the ointment we become like the Angels and through it we are led by them. Thus, it turns out that those who are not anointed with the world are not known (as their own) either to God or to the Angels. Since they are not sealed, they are not marked for Christ. A Christian will also receive another great gift. “And terrible,” he says, “for all evil and unclean demons.” From this it is clear that those designated by the divine world are terrible for demons. O greatest grace of God! See further how we, the faithful, become something new through the Divine world. “Let there be to You, a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy people,” those who are sealed with this most pure Thy world. Thus, through this we accept upon ourselves the seal of the Holy Trinity; and the one who is not anointed with this divine ointment does not have such a seal. But what other greatest gift does this prayer give us, which I have outlined in its entirety, so that we recognize the gifts given through the ointment? “And they had,” he says, “Thy Christ in their hearts, (sanctifying themselves as) a dwelling place for You, God and Father, in the Holy Spirit.” Behold: through him Christ is in our hearts, and we are made the dwelling and church of God the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Thus, baptism is completed with this world, and through it we become churches of the Trinity. Therefore, it is taught after baptism and brings down the Spirit upon us, which the Savior also revealed when he was baptized in the Jordan. Through this same world we become spiritual and blessed, and sealed with the seal of the Divine Trinity, since we are sanctified, cleansed and reborn in holy water in Her name, and through the world we accept Her seal and gifts. And just as someone who is not baptized remains unclean and is not reborn into eternal life, so someone who is not anointed after baptism does not have the seal and sign of the Holy Trinity, and does not accept the grace of the Spirit. For the Divine Mysteries are mutually connected with each other; and just as the Trinity is inseparable, so are Her gifts inseparable. So, having completed this prayer, the patriarch proclaims in conclusion: “For you are holy, our God, and rest in the saints,” bringing thanksgiving corresponding to the Sacrament, since the myrrh is a sanctifying world and is intended for sanctification and giving the gifts of the All-Holy Spirit. Then the patriarch says: “Peace to all.” And this is appropriate, because the Spirit is the true and generous giver of peace. When the deacon says: “Let us bow our heads to the Lord,” the patriarch bows his head (for we must prostrate ourselves before such great gifts and thank God) and adds another prayer: “To you, the God of all and the King, we bow the neck of our hearts with thanksgiving.” This should be done by grateful slaves - why? “May you grant us, unworthy, to be servants of these Divine Mysteries of Yours.” Truly, the greatest gift is that He revealed earthly and physical people as servants of the Heavenly (Mysteries). “And to proclaim Your mercy, which You have abundantly poured out on us.” So again he teaches why the oil is consecrated, namely, in the image of Divine mercy. To pour out for the sake of the Spirit, which through Joel he promised to pour out on all flesh. “We pray,” he says, “(that we may be worthy) to receive sanctification from You, like ointment falling on the head.” This is the most important power of the world: “Sanctification.” “Because the Myrrh poured out is the name of Your Only Begotten Son, Christ our God, by Whom the whole world, both visible and invisible, is fragrant,” says the bishop, bringing prayerful singing from the Song of Songs to the Heavenly, beautiful and most fragrant Bridegroom of souls. Then, raising his head, he proclaims: “For all worship is due to You, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages.” That is: You alone are worshiped and no one else; You sanctify everyone, and worship is due from everyone. 42. About the fact that the chrism is received by all the faithful, and ordination is carried out exclusively by bishops and priests When this is done and pronounced, the ointment is already consecrated at the sacred meal. And everyone who is baptized is anointed with it and, being signified, is sanctified. And the most holy altars, together with the churches, being anointed by him, are sanctified and filled with the glory of God and sanctification. And kings, being anointed a second time, become anointed of the Lord and are leaders of the pious. And bishops and priests - only one - are consecrated through ordination. Neither the king nor the monk receives it. This is a special grace and (the work of) an all-active power that recreates and sanctifies everything. However, if you delve into the matter, you will find that ordinations are not performed without peace. “What you said, sir, we have learned carefully and are filled with joy.” And thanks be to God, who does all this for us! Explain the rest to us. And first of all, clarify what you just said: how is it that ordinations are not performed without the Sacrament of Peace? 43. That the Sacraments are taught one through the other and are performed one through the other – So that the continuity of grace from Christ always remains in us, neither the Sacrament of peace is performed without peace, nor the Sacrament of ordination without peace. Why the priesthood is not accomplished without peace - you will learn this from this. First, the ointment is placed and consecrated on the throne, and without the throne it cannot be consecrated. The throne is first anointed with myrrh and sanctified by it. Consequently, the ointment is not sanctified without the ointment. And again: the myrrh is consecrated by the bishop and without the bishop it is impossible to consecrate it. The bishop is anointed at baptism with myrrh and has been ordained by the grace of the Spirit. And ordinations, we said, are not performed without peace, for they are performed at the throne, and the throne is anointed with peace, and without the throne none of the Orthodox are ordained. Thus, there is a need in the world for priestly ordination, which includes both the laying on of hands and the invocation of the Spirit. The Latins introduce something new: at ordination they are anointed, according to the old law, with chrism and are ordained not at the throne. The myrrh is consecrated only by the bishop, as it is written in the rite of the Sacrament of Peace, because it is the bishop who has the power to enlighten souls and, in all its fullness, the grace of the Spirit, which is why he has the abundant grace to give Divine light, that is, the ability to give gifts, in imitation of God, the Father of lights. 44. About the fact that a bishop combines seven sacred rites Therefore, the bishop has the power to perform seven sacred rites, according to the number of Divine actions of the Spirit. These sacred rites are baptism, confirmation, sealing of the reader, consecration (χειροθεσια) of a subdeacon, ordination (χειροτονία) of a deacon, presbyter, bishop. Being consecrated for all this, he alone is endowed with the grace of communicating the gifts of grace to others. Therefore, he alone performs both the laying on of hands and the chrism, and through this duality he can accomplish everything and does everything himself, imitating God and having His grace in abundance. For the bishop himself performs everything in the Sacraments through priests and other clergy (ordained by him). Dionysius also affirms this. - How does this happen, father? 45. That chrism and ordination come from one bishop, that through him episcopal grace extends to all sacred actions – Find out the following. No priest can perform the liturgy or other sacred rites by the power of the Spirit unless he has been ordained; ordination is from the bishop. Consequently, bishop’s grace acts through the priest. Further, the priest does not perform the Sacraments without the throne, but the throne is consecrated by the chrism, and the chrism is consecrated only by the bishop. This means that without the bishop there would be no sacrifice, no priest, no throne. Thus, all this happens only through the mediation of the bishop. Also, no one baptizes unless he has been ordained, and ordination is from the bishop. A priest cannot baptize without myrrh, but myrrh belongs to the bishop. Hence: the bishop performs all the Divine Sacraments and participates in all sacred actions. So without him there will be no throne, no ordination, no holy chrism, no baptism, and, therefore, no Christians. So, through the bishops - true Christianity and through them - all the Sacraments of Christ. Those who are ordained are rightly not anointed in a sensual (visible) way, since they do not do anything material, but everything is spiritual, because they have approached the true world - Jesus Christ, whose name is Poured-Out Myrrh. 46. ​​That Christ is the source of the priesthood and that grace is imparted from Him through His successors So, having received blessing and breath, ordination and grace from those Divine hands and lips, when we are consecrated, through those sanctified from Him (Christ) we receive grace by succession, and the source of grace for us is Christ, Who acts all in all. - How does a bishop, being a monk and often participating in communion, receive the right to only seven sacred rites? – Communion is offered to all the faithful and, in fact, is not for the bishop, but so that the sacred rite relates to the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, which are given as communion to all the faithful. And this, the sacred rite, in itself is the only one, the goal of all sacred rites, taught only for Communion. The monastic image is an image characteristic of repentance: it purifies the fallen or elevates those who succeed in virtue, but does not ordain a priest. Therefore, bishops were appointed without a (monastic) image, and monks who do not lead a decent life cannot achieve the priesthood. Do you see now what the deanery of the Church is? – And we understood this. Finally, lord, teach us what follows. For when we learn, a new need for knowledge arises in us. You might be interested in: