Dismas In The Liturgy?

[Thatgirloncfforums]

Hi,

A friend of mine recently told me that Dismas, The Good Thief, has more mentions in the Divine Liturgy than anyone other than Mary but I can't seem to verify it online.

Can anyone help me please?

Thanks

 

[ArmyMatt]

I don’t think so. St John Chrysostom is mentioned in all of his liturgies, which is the primary one we use.

 

[prodromos]

Perhaps they are referring to the pre communion prayers where he is mentioned three times, although not by name.

Of your mystical supper, Son of God, receive me today as a partaker, for I will not speak of the mystery to your enemies, I will not kiss you as did Judas, but as the Thief do I confess you: Remember me Lord in your kingdom.​

in the Prayer of St John Chrysostom;

I believe that you will do this, for you did not turn away from the Harlot who approached you with tears, you did not reject the Tax Collector who repented, you did not drive away the Thief who recognised your kingdom, you did not abandon the Persecutor who repented of what he was; but all who were brought to you by repentance you established in the choir of your friends, ...​

and the prayer of St John of Damascus;

but, Christ our God, who accepted the Tax Collector as righteous, had mercy on the Canaanite woman, and opened up the gates of paradise to the Thief, ...​

but then others are mentioned just as many times such as Zacchaeus.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Perhaps they are referring to the pre communion prayers where he is mentioned three times, although not by name.

Of your mystical supper, Son of God, receive me today as a partaker, for I will not speak of the mystery to your enemies, I will not kiss you as did Judas, but as the Thief do I confess you: Remember me Lord in your kingdom.​

in the Prayer of St John Chrysostom;

I believe that you will do this, for you did not turn away from the Harlot who approached you with tears, you did not reject the Tax Collector who repented, you did not drive away the Thief who recognised your kingdom, you did not abandon the Persecutor who repented of what he was; but all who were brought to you by repentance you established in the choir of your friends, ...​

and the prayer of St John of Damascus;

but, Christ our God, who accepted the Tax Collector as righteous, had mercy on the Canaanite woman, and opened up the gates of paradise to the Thief, ...​

but then others are mentioned just as many times such as Zacchaeus.

good point, I forgot he was referencing there. especially since the first prayer is said twice during the Liturgy.

 

[Andrei D]

I believe this.

I do not know the English wording used so forgive mistranslations. But a central "arc" of the Liturgy is the "remembrance / commemoration" which is an unequivocal reference to the thief.

This really starts before the Liturgy, during the Holy Proskomedia as the particles are taken out for the commemoration of the living and the asleep: "Remember, O Master, Lover of mankind..." And at the conclusion "In the grave bodily, but in Hades with Thy soul, as God; in paradise with the thief..."

The Small Entrance has that as a central theme since the Third Antiphon (the Blessings) have the repeated stychera "In Your Kingdom remember us, O Lord, when You come in Your Kingdom." A direct reference.

The Litany for the fallen asleep (at least in our tradition) uses the same theme: "Memory Eternal" is an (indirect) reference to the thief, too!

The Great Entrance opens with "You and all Orthodox Christians may the Lord God remember in His Kingdom always, now and ever and unto ages of ages." A reference to the thief. And all the petitions during the presentation of the Gifts end with "may the Lord God remember [him/them] in His Kingdom".

The Eucharystic prayers end with the commemoration of the entire Body of Christ, living and asleep. And the Communion itself, the culmination of the Liturgy, is centered around this same theme: "...but like the thief will I confess You: Remember me, O Lord, in Your Kingdom."

This is one of several elements that gives me goosebumps about the Divine Liturgy.