THE CONSECRATION SERVICE

THE PREPARATION OF THE HOLY RELICS

The Consecration Service will commence on Saturday evening, October 23, with the Great Vesper Service, celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos assisted by Fr. Paul Pappas, Proistamenos, and many of the clergy of our Metropolis. The Metropolitan will bring to our Church on this evening the holy relics of three martyr saints. Before the service begins, all the articles on the Altar Table are removed, and the Altar is left uncovered. When the Metropolitan enters the Church, he will carry the holy relics into the Altar and place them on a Paten (Diskarion) and cover them with a veil. The relics remain on the Altar Table as a vigil light burns in front of them all night. Once the relics are placed upon the Holy Altar, a short prayer service is chanted honoring the memory of the saints, prior to the beginning of the Vesper Service.

The holy relics represent the martyrs of the Church, the foundation of the Christian faith. Symeon of Thessalonica writes that without “the relics of martyrs or holy saints it is not permissible to perform a consecration, for the martyrs are the foundation of the Church, built over the foundation of the Savior. In the Church, it is necessary that the saints and martyrs be beneath the altar, since this is the Church, and since the altar is the throne of God and the Tomb of Christ our God…”

THE PROCESSION OF THE HOLY RELICS

On Sunday morning the order of services is: Orthros (Matins), the Procession and the Consecration Service, followed by the first Divine Liturgy in the newly consecrated Church.

Immediately following the Orthros, the Consecration Service commences with a processional around the exterior of the Church three times. The three processions around the Church represent its being set apart from all other buildings as a sacred area. Everyone leaves the interior of the Church except one person. As clergy and laity file out, Metropolitan Evangelos leads the procession holding the paten that contains the holy relics. The faithful follow the Metropolitan as he circles the exterior of the Church three times. During the processions around the Church, special consecration hymns are sung, as well as the Trisagion Hymn, “Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.”

The Metropolitan stops in front of the Church each time he passes the main door and places the holy relics on a table. Epistle and Gospel lessons are read from the New Testament the first two times. After the third procession around the Church, Metropolitan Evangelos offers a special prayer. Then the Metropolitan, representing Christ returning to heaven at the Ascension, stands in front of the doors of the Church, and commences a short dialogue from Psalm 24 with the single person left remaining in the Church. The Metropolitan raps on the door with his staff and cries out:

“Open, open the gates, and let them remain open forever and let the King of Glory enter.”

From within comes the response,

“Who is this King of glory?”

The Metropolitan replies,

“The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, the Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.”

This dialogue is repeated three times, after which the Metropolitan raises the Paten and makes the sign of the Cross before the Church doors. The doors are then unlocked and opened by the Metropolitan surrounded by the clergy and all the

faithful. The Metropolitan, representing Christ, enters the Church carrying the holy relics followed by the clergy and the congregation. The heavens were opened by Jesus, the great martyr of God the Father, and thus we followed Him to His Kingdom. The faithful light candles, reverencing the holy icons in the narthex, and return to their seats.

THE DEPOSITION OF THE HOLY RELICS

Metropolitan Evangelos enters the Sanctuary, carrying the Paten with the holy relics. Uncovering the Paten, he places them into a small gold box (reliquary). He then pours holy Chrism over the relics; this act symbolizes the union between our Lord and His Martyrs. Having done this, the Metropolitan prays for the founders of the Church who have fallen asleep in the Lord. For many years the early Christians were persecuted and killed for their faith in Christ. In those days, the Christians met in underground burial places and celebrated the Eucharist on the graves of martyred saints. When the persecutions ended, the custom of celebrating the Eucharist over the graves of martyrs continued by placing holy relics in the Altar at the time of the Consecration. In this manner, we are always reminded that the Church was built on the blood of the martyrs and their faith in the Lord.

Following a prayer, Metropolitan Evangelos places the gold box containing the holy relics into a special cavity in the Altar Table. Together with the holy relics of the saints, the names of all the faithful and those who are deceased are sealed inside the Holy Altar. In order to seal them permanently, he pours wax-mastic over them. The ingredients of the wax-mastic are wax, myrrh, aloe, incense, resin and laudanum. They represent the sweet-smelling spices used by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus to anoint the body of Jesus before laying him in the tomb (John19:38-40) The Altar represents the tomb in which our Lord’s body was placed. All of this takes place during the reading of Psalm 145.

WASHING OF THE ALTAR

On the morning of the Consecration, the Metropolitan comes to the Church “just as God came to us to sanctify us,” says Symeon.

(The Metropolitan) puts on all his pontifical vestments, signifying thereby the

incarnation of the Word of God which took place on our behalf. Over these

He puts on a white linen garment (savanon) which reaches from his shoulders to his feet: this typifies the shroud of Christ on His tomb. For he is about to

erect and sanctify the tomb of Christ-I speak of the Holy Table-and thus

he typifies the events of the tomb by recalling the buried Christ.

Since the Altar Table represents the Tomb of Christ and His body lies therein, the Altar must undergo its own baptism (washing) and chrismation (anointing). Before washing and anointing the Altar Table, Metropolitan Evangelos puts on a white linen garment called the “savanon.” While the faithful kneel, the Metropolitan reads the prayer of Consecration:

O God, without beginning and eternal, who calls all things into being from

nothingness: who dwells in light unapproachable, and has the heavens for

your throne, and the earth for your footstool…and through the same, O

Lord of Hosts, did plant your churches and your altars in all the earth, that

there might be offered unto you consecrated and unbloody sacrifices; who,

also, has graciously been pleased to found this Temple, in the name of the

Annunciation… strengthen us with the grace and inspiration of your

life-giving Holy Spirit, that without condemnation we may accomplish

the renewal of this Temple, and fulfill the consecration of the Altar therein;

…send down your all-holy, and adorable, and almighty Spirit, and sanctify

this Temple and this Altar: Fill it with the light everlasting; elect it for your

dwelling-place; make it the adobe of your glory. Adorn it with your divine

and supernal gifts. Appoint it for a haven of the tempest-tossed for a

healing of passion, for a refuge of the weak, for an expelling of evil

spirits. Let your eyes be open upon it day and night, and let your ears be

heedful of the prayers of those who shall enter therein in your fear and in

devoutness, and shall call upon your all-honorable and adorable Name…

Preserve it indestructible even unto the end of the ages, and show forth the

Holy Altar therein, the altar of your Holy Things through the power and

effectual operation of your Holy Spirit…

The next step is the cleansing and purification of the Altar. A basin of warm water is now brought before Metropolitan Evangelos who blesses and prays for its sanctification. The Metropolitan then pours water on the Altar three times saying, “In the name of the Father, son, and Holy Spirit,” and washes the Altar table while Psalm 84 is read. This act symbolizes Baptism. The Altar is cleaned by washing, and sanctified-made holy- by the Grace of the Holy Spirit through the anointing. After the washing, the Altar is then dried. Following this the Metropolitan takes wine and rose water, mingles them, and pours them on the Altar three times in the form of a cross, while saying: “you shall sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be clean: You shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Rosewater is a sweet smelling fragrance which was used to anoint the Body of Christ for burial. The Metropolitan continues the rest of Psalm 51 while the Altar Table is wiped dry by the priest using the antiminsia.

THE ANOINTING OF THE ALTAR WITH HOLY CHRISM

Metropolitan Evangelos now takes a vase filled with Holy Chrism and pours the contents on the Altar “as is done in baptism” as he makes the sign of the Cross three times, while he sings “Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.” Next he proceeds carefully to anoint the whole Altar as he recites a section from Psalm 133. The washing and anointing of the Altar is based on the rite of Christian initiation. Just as the Christian is consecrated by water and oil-by baptism and Holy Chrism-so are the Altar and Church consecrated by washing and anointing. Symeon of Thessalonica has the following to say about this:

The Altar is perfected through Holy Chrism. “Alleluia,” a prophetic

hymn is chanted, signifying the incoming presence and praise of God.

“The Lord comes,” says the Metropolitan, referring to Christ’s First and

Second Coming and the continuous presence of the Spirit with us. …

Since the Chrism is poured out in the name of Christ our God, and the

Table represents Him Who was buried therein, it is anointed with

Chrism; and it becomes Holy Chrism for it receives the Grace of the

Spirit. And for this reason, as we have said, the “Alleluia” is

chanted, for God dwells in there; and the Altar becomes the workshop

of the Gifts of the Spirit. For on it the Awesome and Mystical

Sacraments are celebrated: the ordination of priests, the most Holy

Chrism, and the Gospel is placed thereon, and beneath it the Holy

Relics of the Martyrs are deposited. Thus this table becomes an Altar

of Christ, and a Throne of Glory, and the dwelling-place of God, and

the Tomb and Grave of Christ and a place of Rest.

Following the washing and anointing, icons of the four Evangelists-Mathew, Mark, Luke and John-are glued on the corners of the Altar Table with the wax-mastic compound. The consecrated Altar represents the entire Church, which from the four corners of the world is held together by the Lord, and is built on Him through the preaching of the Gospel.

VESTING OF THE ALTAR

The cleansed and purified altar now receives a covering called the “katasarkion.” This white linen cloth symbolizes the burial shroud of Christ. A cord tied around the altar table symbolizes the cord tied around our Lord’s hand when he was led before the high priests. The katasarkion will never be removed and will remain on the Altar for as long as the Church remains standing. As the katasarkion is being placed on the Altar, Psalm 132 is read by the chanter. Having placed the katasarkion over the Altar, Metropolitan Evangelos says: “Glory to You our God unto the ages of ages.” He washes his hands, and covers the Altar Table with a brighter and more elaborate cover which symbolizes the Glory of God. While he covers the Altar Table, the reader reads Psalm 93: “The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty…” Finally the Metropolitan proceeds to place the other holy articles on the Altar Table. First he places the antimens on the Altar, and on top of this is placed the Gospel Book which represents the teaching of Christ. The artoforion, in which the Body and Blood of our Lord is placed and is reserved for Communion of the sick, is placed in the center of the Altar. This artoforion is symbolic of the ever-presence of our Lord. The candles are placed on the Altar, representing the Light of Christ that shines forth during the sacred services. Now that the Altar has been consecrated, sanctified and adorned with all its furnishings, the Altar and the entire Church is now censed with incense while Psalm 26 is read.

ANNOINTING OF THE CHURCH

Metropolitan Evangelos then anoints the four walls of the Church and the holy icons making the sign of the Cross on them with the Holy Chrism.This act symbolizes the sanctification of all creation with the Grace of Christ. Cabasilas writes that as Christ “was anointed with Divinity so is the Church anointed with Holy Chrism.” Upon completion of the anointing, the Metropolitan offers prayers for the Altar and the Church, asking God to fill this Altar with His Grace so that the bloodless sacrifices may be offered upon it. The Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrews (3:1-4) is read, as well as a selection from the Gospel of Saint John (10:22-30).

LIGHTING OF THE VIGIL LIGHT

During the service Metropolitan Evangelos invites the faithful to come forward and to offer a few drops of oil in a vigil light. They do this as an offering to the Church. The Metropolitan’s final liturgical act during this consecration service is to light the eternal vigil light which he places on the Altar Table near the artoforion. This eternal light will be kept burning at all times reminding us that Christ is the Light of the world, and whoever follows Him will never be in darkness.

The Metropolitan then removes the savanon. This savanon-robe-will be cut up into small pieces and distributed to each person in the Church to keep as a blessed keepsake “phylacton.”

The Church has now been baptized, chrismated, sanctified, consecrated, and dedicated to God for eternal use as an Orthodox Christian house of worship. The first Divine Liturgy is then celebrated upon our newly consecrated Altar, in our newly consecrated “House of the Lord.”

In addition to studying this explanation as a family prior to the Consecration weekend, it is important that our preparation also include fasting, prayer, and reading of the Holy Scriptures. May this Consecration become for our Saint Barbara parish family a new beginning-a renewal of our spirits-and an opportunity to recommit ourselves to living a holy and blessed life according to the teachings of the faith. May God count us worthy of this great blessing.