PREPARING FOR DIVINE LITURGY
HOLY COMMUNION REQUIREMENTS
To receive the Eucharist; the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, communicants must be:
1. Baptized and Chrismated in the Orthodox faith
2. Actively participating in the sacrament of Confession
3. Properly prepared through fasting from food and water from midnight
This discipline reflects the seriousness of Saint Paul's warning in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 and maintains the apostolic practice of worthy preparation for receiving Christ Himself.Communion is offered to members of the Eastern Orthodox Churches in full communion with the Coptic Orthodox Church: Coptic, Eritrean, Syrian, Ethiopian, Armenian, and Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Churches.
THE STRUCTURE OF DIVINE LITURGY
The Divine Liturgy serves as the weekly culmination where Heaven and earth unite. Through it, earthly gifts of bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, and all who receive this "medicine of immortality" enter into mystical union with their Savior. The Liturgy extends Christ's life into the daily existence of His faithful people.
The Offertory (8:30-9:00 AM)
"Choosing the Bread and Wine"
The liturgy begins with the priest's selection of the Lamb (bread) and wine while the congregation chants "Kyrie Eleison" (Lord, have mercy). This opening section includes:
•Psalmodic prayers preparing hearts for worship
•The selection and preparation of the Eucharistic elements
•Thanksgiving prayers acknowledging God's gifts
•The Absolution prayer, as the priest extends God's forgiveness to the gathered faithful
"The Scriptures Proclaimed and Expounded"
God speaks to His people through the proclaimed Word:
•The Intercession Hymn: Invoking the saints' prayers
•Pauline Epistle: Reading from Saint Paul's letters
•Catholic Epistle: Reading from James, Peter, John, or Jude
•Praxis: Reading from the Acts of the Apostles
•Synaxarium: Commemorating the saints and martyrs of the day (the Coptic calendar honors departed saints daily, connecting us to the "cloud of witnesses")
•The Trisagion: "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal" - the angelic hymn
•Gospel Preparation: Litanies and psalm verses preparing for Christ's words
•Holy Gospel: The congregation stands as Christ speaks through His written Word
•Homily: Breaking open the Scriptures for spiritual nourishment
The Liturgy of the Word (9:00-9:45 AM)"
The Liturgy of the Faithful (9:45-11:00 AM)
"The Eucharistic Sacrifice"
The baptized faithful participate in the Church's central act of worship:
1.The Creed: "We believe in One God...", our common confession of faith
2.Reconciliation Prayer: Concluding with the exchange of peace (Holy Kiss)
3.The Anaphora ("Lifting Up"): Beginning with "The Lord be with you," this section proclaims God's majesty and salvation history
4.The Sanctus: "Holy, Holy, Holy", joining the eternal heavenly worship
5.Institution Narrative: Christ's own words establishing the Eucharist
6.Epiclesis: Invoking the Holy Spirit to transform bread and wine into Body and Blood
7.Seven Litanies: Prayers for peace, church hierarchy, clergy, mercy, place, creation and the needy, and the offerings
8.Commemoration of Saints: Honoring the heroes of faith
9.The Fraction: Varying prayers based on liturgical seasons, concluding with the Lord's Prayer
10.Confession of Faith: "Amen, Amen, Amen. We believe and confess and glorify..."
11.Holy Communion: Distribution beginning with deacons, then men, then women
Liturgical Practices
Seating Arrangement:
Following ancient Christian tradition dating to the apostolic era, men and women stand on opposite sides of the church (men on the left, women on the right). This practice, found in the earliest Christian archaeological sites, reflects the order of worship maintained by our fathers in faith.
Common Liturgical Terms:
•Kyrie Eleison (Key-ryalison): "Lord, have mercy" - the fundamental Christian prayer acknowledging our dependence on divine grace
•Pantocrator: "Almighty" - emphasizing Christ's sovereign lordship over creation
•Agios: "Holy" - joining the Seraphic hymn of Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8
The Sacred Liturgy: Heaven on Earth
The Divine Liturgy: from the Greek "leitourgia," meaning "the work of the people", represents the pinnacle of Christian worship, preserving the ancient forms established by the apostles themselves. During the liturgy, the eternal breaks into time, and heaven touches earth as we gather around the throne of grace.
Saint John Chrysostom, the Golden-Mouthed Doctor of the Church, taught that during the liturgy, "the angels hover around the priest, and the whole sanctuary and the space before the altar is filled with the heavenly powers." This is our weekly participation in the heavenly liturgy described in Revelation, where "thousands upon thousands" worship the Lamb who was slain.
Our Sunday Divine Liturgy is conducted primarily in English (approximately 95%), making this ancient worship accessible to our diverse community in Daytona Beach. Strategic Coptic hymns during the opening and Scripture readings preserve our linguistic heritage while maintaining the spiritual beauty passed down through generations. These are not mere cultural artifacts but vehicles of prayer that connect us to the Egyptian martyrs and saints who sang these same melodies under persecution.
The Beauty of Orthodox Hymnology
Our liturgical hymns reflect the principle that "love is not rushed." Like the Psalms of David or the eternal worship of Revelation 4-5, Orthodox hymnography allows us to enter deeply into divine mysteries rather than racing through surface experiences. Saint Basil the Great reminds us that "singing is not for the ear, but for the heart."These extended hymns serve as extended meditations, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us as we join our voices to the angelic choirs. We are not performing but praying, not entertaining but worshipping the One who deserves our very best offering.
Sacred Art and Icons
Our church is adorned with icons, sacred windows into the heavenly realm. As Saint Paul wrote to the Galatians, "before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed [proegraphē] among you as crucified" (Galatians 3:1), using a term meaning "vividly depicted" or "written out clearly." The apostle himself used visual imagery to communicate spiritual truth.God Himself commanded the decoration of His house with sacred art (1 Kings 6:29-35, 2 Chronicles 3:7,14, Exodus 25:18-20, 26:1). Icons are not idols but theological statements; visual gospels that teach, inspire, and connect us to the communion of saints. Through icons, we affirm both the Incarnation of Christ (who can be depicted because He truly became man) and our participation in the body of Christ that transcends earthly boundaries.
The Holy Altar:
The sacred table within the sanctuary where bread and wine await transformation into the Body and Blood of Christ (Hebrews 13:10, 1 Corinthians 9:13). This is the earthly image of the heavenly altar before which the martyrs cry out (Revelation 6:9).
The Holy Kiss:
Following the sermon, we exchange the peace as Christ commanded: "First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:24). This ancient practice, mentioned throughout the New Testament (Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20), signifies our unity in Christ before approaching the sacred mysteries.