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On The Divine Liturgy and the cycle of prayers known as the hours:
The 'hours' is the given name of the daily cycle of prayers. (Early Christians didn't say '9 oclock am', they said '3rd hour'. Time was measured during the day by the hours of prayer. (Not that a prayer would take an hour. More like ten minutes during the day, longer at the beginning
and end of the day.)
The 'hours' consist of the psalms. Using the cycle of praying 'the hours', the psalms are all been sung in a weeks time. This is repeated every week. Attending the hours, we learn all the psalms by heart. (The early Christian radio station!)
The 'Divine Liturgy' was revealed by Christ Jesus in it's entirity to the Apostles Peter, James and John. It is the rite of the order of Melchizedek (bread and wine). John saw the heavenly liturgy while he was liturgizing on The Lord's day. (Revelation 1)
The "Divine Liturgy" has a pattern. There were over 100 written Christian liturgies by year 200ad. They all have small variants, but contain the core elements. St. James said that he 'recorded every word of the Lord and left off nothing.'
Litany * (supplications; prayers for the sick, the captive, the travelers, civil authorities etc. This took place in the streets as people were gathering together going to worship.)
Antiphons * (Singing; back and forth in groups. This started in the streets as people were gathering together going to worship. These are from the psalms and is why the psalms are in our bible today.)
The Small Entrance * (When the Apostle or Bishop gathers with all the people where they have come together. Everybody stands, seeing in their spirit Christ entering.)
The Trisagion Hymn * (Singing the songs the angels have taught. "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us.")
Reading of the Epistle * (letters from Apostles)
Reading of the Gospel * (When the Apostle speaks or the Gospel books are read in their absence. This is done from the altar.)
The Homily * (Preaching This is done from the altar area called the solea. It represents the steps of Solomons porch.)
The Great Entrance * (The offering of bread and wine is brought forward by the members. The doors get closed and this becomes a private service.)
Petitions * (Prayers for blessing of the offerings.)
*The Prayers of the Proskomide * (Preperation of the bread and wine. Breaking the bread and placing it in the wine.)
The Creed * (The earliest creed was the baptismal creed, formed around the statement of St. Peter in Matthew 16:16 "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Later expanded to the Nicene creed.)
*The Holy Anaphora * (The prayers said by all present; asking that The Holy Spirit change the offering of bread and wine to body and blood of Christ.)
*The Lords Prayer * (Our father...; surely we all know this one.)
*Holy Communion * (The baptised, confessing members partake of the body and the blood of Christ at the hands of the minister.)
*The Communion Hymn * (Singing hymns of thanksgiving.)
*The Prayer of Thanksgiving * (Prayers; thanking God for allowing us to be partakers.)
The Dismissal * (The prayers for the members present, that they may have a blessed day.)
Strung together... these make up The Divine Liturgy.
Most of these 'pearls' are from Solomon's porch and were taught by Christ God and the Apostles themselves. It is their examples that are being closely followed. Parts can be shortened or expanded depending on the needs... for instance think of a service where ten people are partaking of communion versus a service where 3000 people are partaking.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Many say that there is no scriptural evidence of these things (The cycle of hours and the liturgy) being done by Christ and the Apostles.
To that end I have compiled this list of scripture, so that you too may see the truth of our Christian history.
As first evidence I will give one of Christ's parables where he used the terms for the hours. By this we see that these things were very familiar to Christ and the Apostles.
We see 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th hours used as timemarker in a parable of Christ.
The 'hours' is the given name of the daily cycle of prayers. (Early Christians didn't say '9 oclock am', they said '3rd hour'. Time was measured during the day by the hours of prayer. (Not that a prayer would take an hour. More like ten minutes during the day, longer at the beginning
and end of the day.)
The 'hours' consist of the psalms. Using the cycle of praying 'the hours', the psalms are all been sung in a weeks time. This is repeated every week. Attending the hours, we learn all the psalms by heart. (The early Christian radio station!)
The 'Divine Liturgy' was revealed by Christ Jesus in it's entirity to the Apostles Peter, James and John. It is the rite of the order of Melchizedek (bread and wine). John saw the heavenly liturgy while he was liturgizing on The Lord's day. (Revelation 1)
The "Divine Liturgy" has a pattern. There were over 100 written Christian liturgies by year 200ad. They all have small variants, but contain the core elements. St. James said that he 'recorded every word of the Lord and left off nothing.'
Litany * (supplications; prayers for the sick, the captive, the travelers, civil authorities etc. This took place in the streets as people were gathering together going to worship.)
Antiphons * (Singing; back and forth in groups. This started in the streets as people were gathering together going to worship. These are from the psalms and is why the psalms are in our bible today.)
The Small Entrance * (When the Apostle or Bishop gathers with all the people where they have come together. Everybody stands, seeing in their spirit Christ entering.)
The Trisagion Hymn * (Singing the songs the angels have taught. "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us.")
Reading of the Epistle * (letters from Apostles)
Reading of the Gospel * (When the Apostle speaks or the Gospel books are read in their absence. This is done from the altar.)
The Homily * (Preaching This is done from the altar area called the solea. It represents the steps of Solomons porch.)
The Great Entrance * (The offering of bread and wine is brought forward by the members. The doors get closed and this becomes a private service.)
Petitions * (Prayers for blessing of the offerings.)
*The Prayers of the Proskomide * (Preperation of the bread and wine. Breaking the bread and placing it in the wine.)
The Creed * (The earliest creed was the baptismal creed, formed around the statement of St. Peter in Matthew 16:16 "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Later expanded to the Nicene creed.)
*The Holy Anaphora * (The prayers said by all present; asking that The Holy Spirit change the offering of bread and wine to body and blood of Christ.)
*The Lords Prayer * (Our father...; surely we all know this one.)
*Holy Communion * (The baptised, confessing members partake of the body and the blood of Christ at the hands of the minister.)
*The Communion Hymn * (Singing hymns of thanksgiving.)
*The Prayer of Thanksgiving * (Prayers; thanking God for allowing us to be partakers.)
The Dismissal * (The prayers for the members present, that they may have a blessed day.)
Strung together... these make up The Divine Liturgy.
Most of these 'pearls' are from Solomon's porch and were taught by Christ God and the Apostles themselves. It is their examples that are being closely followed. Parts can be shortened or expanded depending on the needs... for instance think of a service where ten people are partaking of communion versus a service where 3000 people are partaking.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Many say that there is no scriptural evidence of these things (The cycle of hours and the liturgy) being done by Christ and the Apostles.
To that end I have compiled this list of scripture, so that you too may see the truth of our Christian history.
As first evidence I will give one of Christ's parables where he used the terms for the hours. By this we see that these things were very familiar to Christ and the Apostles.
We see 1st, 3rd, 6th, 9th hours used as timemarker in a parable of Christ.
Would it be ok just to call you John?
