Instructions for the priest who is to serve St. Liturgy

Try, priest, to be an impeccable worker, rightly ruling the word of truth. Never come to a church service if you are at enmity with someone, so that the Holy Spirit does not leave you on the day of the service. Do not sue or quarrel on that day, but while staying in church, pray and read until the time comes to perform the divine sacrament, and then contritely and with a pure heart approach the holy altar, and do not look around, but with trembling and fear appear before the heavenly King. For the sake of pleasing people, do not rush and do not shorten your prayers, do not pay attention to people, but turn your gaze to the King present here and the heavenly forces standing around. Be a worthy executor of the holy rules. Do not serve with those for whom it is prohibited. Look who you stand before, how you serve and whom you give communion to. Do not forget the Lord’s commandment and the commandment of the holy Apostles, which says: “You shall not give the holy thing to a dog, nor cast your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6). “Beware of dogs,” etc. (Phil. 3:2). Be careful not to fall, fearing man, and do not give the Son of God into the hands of the unworthy. At that hour, do not be afraid of the nobles of the earth and even of the one who wears the diadem. Those who are worthy of divine communion, receive communion freely, just as they themselves received it freely; but do not give communion to those who are forbidden by divine rules, for they are like pagans, and if they do not convert, woe to them and to those who give them communion. Be careful (not my business, but yours) that through your negligence a mouse or anything else does not touch the holy gifts, that the gifts do not spoil, that the smoke does not turn black, that the hands of the unclean and unworthy do not touch them. If you always keep this and the like in your mind, you will be able to save yourself and those who listen. This is the instruction of St. Basil compiled it in 375, and each priest received a copy of it immediately upon ordination. You might be interested in: