Q&A Home > R > Rituals

• All the Divine Liturgy books mention that "Pe Oik" is a hymn during communion for the weekdays' liturgies, while "Je efzmaro-out" is used on Sundays. What is the reason behind that?
• At the beginning of the Divine Liturgy, why does the priest put the cross at an angle on the top of the chosen bread (Korbana) while he goes around the altar?
• At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the priest goes around the altar kissing its four corners and clapping his hand. What is the symbolic meaning of his action?
• dDuring the Holy Thursday Liturgy, we skip the commemoration of saints because we are supposed to be focused on Christ, correct? Why then do we say "hail to the saints" in the Verses of the Cymbals of Matins? What is the difference here? Shouldn't we skip that also?
• Do we chant "Je efzmaro-out" only on feasts and fasts? Or we have the choice to chant it if we are not going to chant "Pi Oik"?
• Does the papal seat within each respective church need to be located in a specific spot or direction or can/should it be placed within the altar to allow His Holiness to sit throughout the Liturgy? If there is a general meeting with the congregation where His Holiness is giving the congregation a sermon (not during the Liturgy) followed by a general Q&A session, should H.H. be seated on his papal seat facing the congregation or should he be seated on a separate chair? Does either of these situations change if there is a bishop enthroned in that diocese?
• During the Divine Liturgy, how many times does the priest cense before the Pope, Bishop and Priest?
• During the period between the Ascension Feast and the Pentecost Feast, is there a procession done every day in the sanctuary only or is it only the Sunday between the feasts according to the Holy Synods’ precedence?
• I have a question regarding when the "allelouia ente ti eprosfora" is said. Is there any other day, apart from the feasts of our Lord Jesus Christ and the regular Sundays, when it is chanted and also is "fai pe pi e hou-o" a continuation of the "allelouia ente ti eprosfora".
• On the Feast of Theophany, during the sanctification of the water and the washing with the water, do we sing "Praise God" in the joyful tune or the annual tune? The book of the "Lakkan" is not clear on the issue. If we sing in the joyful tune, we must say "Jesus Christ the Son of God was baptized in the Jordan" which the book does not mention, whereas it does mention the Gospel response, for example.
• This year, the beginning of the Fast (Feb. 16) coincides with one of the minor Master's Feast (Presentation of the Lord to the Temple). Normally, for the fast,we pray the evening prayer on Sunday night. However, it should be Vespers for the Feast. Should we pray both? Please advice.
• Which of the following are/are not practices of the Oriental Orthodox Churches: -Eating the agape meal -Transubstantiation -Praying directly to deceased Christians -Meeting in cathedrals -Laity does not usually speak in the church -Infants are baptized -The overseers wear vestments -Icons are venerated
• Why are the altar curtains in the church "white" instead of "red" during the 50 days following the Holy Resurrection?