The liturgical "Apostle": content and reading order

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Very often among the visitors of the Orthodox church there are people who stand in the most important places during the service, as if absent. This happens because people simply do not understand what is happening in the service. The article reveals one of the important moments of worship, namely, the reading of one of the main liturgical books - "Apostle". During the liturgy, this service takes place almost as solemnly as the reading of the Gospel.

Service

The liturgical "Apostle" is a book that describes the deeds of Jesus' disciples, as well as their messages to Christian communities in different cities. In addition, it contains conciliar messages. Despite the fact that the reading of the "Apostle" during the liturgy takes place within a few minutes, this service is considered very important. For his service, the reader of the "Apostle", having taken a blessing from the priest, goes to the middle of the temple, being among the flock, andtalks about what they did, how the apostles at the dawn of Christianity called people to exploits in the name of God. This happens during the Divine Liturgy before the beginning of the reading of the Gospel. Also, the liturgical "Apostle" is read on the Royal Hours. Turning to the east, the reader offers prayers not only on his own behalf, but also on behalf of all the parishioners standing in the temple with him. When reading prokimons, the reader's voice should sound loud, but not harsh. To do this, he gradually raises it, calling the parishioners to attention. If there is more than one prokimen, then at the end of the first, the voice of the reader drops again. The next one is recited no less solemnly and ends on a high note with the singing of allilluary.

It is considered very important to familiarize the reader with the prokeimenon, which will be pronounced during the liturgy. The catholicity of the Church of Christ bears in itself the understanding that people learn faith in the Lord not from books, but directly from services to God. If the priest and readers understand what they are proclaiming to the people, then this, in the form of knowledge, passes to the flock. If the reader and the priest treat the ministry formally, then they will not find understanding among the people. That is why the reader, before going out with the liturgical "Apostle" to the people, must read everything that he has to read during the service. If something is not clear to him, the priest must explain it to him so that the words reach the heart of the reader. The clergy must also be initiated into the mysteries of this service, as it is also their responsibility to repeat the prokimens, as well as to sing allilluaries intended for this service.

Singing words familiar to the Orthodox ear"Hallelujah" is considered not just the glorification of God, but also the announcement of His coming to earth. The solemnity of this divine service lies not only in the ability to convey to the parishioners the meaning of what is happening, but also in the skill of the clergy to help in this singing, which should not resemble a memorized score, but the singing of angels at the throne of the Lord.

Many services are held solemnly, but without spiritualization. Even if the reading order of the Apostle is strictly observed, without the spiritual participation of all participants, this service remains incomprehensible and dead. Many parishioners may find it strange that a priest is absent from such an important service. This is explained by the fact that the priest, when reading the "Apostle", should sit on the south side of the High Place, as an equal to the apostles - a teacher of the Christian faith.

Short rules of service based on fragments of the liturgical book containing the acts and epistles of the apostles can be read in brochures published especially for readers. An excerpt from the book clearly shows that for a person who is not involved in church services, it will cost a lot of work to understand all these intricacies.

During the singing of the Trisagion, or verses sung instead of it, the reader is blessed by the priest, and proceeds with the book "APOSTLE" to the middle of the church, among the people, as if to the peoples of the whole world, to sow the Word of Christ into the hearts people.

Priest proclaims: "Let us listen, peace to all."

The reader, facing east, on behalf of all those praying, answers: “And your spirit” (the reader and all the people bow at the waist without the sign of the cross) - a response wish to the clergyman teachingblessed peace, the same peace from the Lord.

Priest: "Wisdom, listen."

Reader: “Prokeimenon, Psalm of David…”, and says the prokeimenon and his verse. And paki repeats the most prokimen.

Lik, meanwhile, sings the prokeimenon three times. But besides the great holidays, on weekdays and on Sundays they almost always read two, and sometimes three conceptions, so then two prokeimns are sung, but there are never three prokeimns, even if there were three conceptions.

History of Christianity in the liturgical book

At the same time, the "Apostle" carries the very history of the development of the Christian church. If you read it consistently daily, you can find out that at the dawn of Christianity, judging by the epistles of Jude, there was already a tradition among people who were impure in their thoughts to pretend to be apostles - messengers of the Lord. Christian communities, accepting such people, could, according to their example and teachings, move away from God.

The first Christians were former pagans with their sins, which were not so easy to eradicate. If people came to them, urging them to continue doing all sorts of indecent things, then it was easy for them, who were not strong in their faith, to fall into temptation. The false apostles, in order to be received more cordially, indulged human weaknesses, preaching blasphemous thoughts. After all, these people came only to have a hearty meal, indulge in fornication and talk about what they do not understand. No wonder St. Jude compares them with dumb animals, who only know how to defile themselves. They seek profit in everything, communicating with people, butwhile everyone is dissatisfied. For them, the Lord has prepared punishment, as for the unbelieving Israelites, brought out of Egypt by Moses, for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, mired in fornication, as for the angels who rebelled against the Lord. In his epistle, Jude warns believers against associating with such people, who, like clouds without rain, wander about, carried by the wind.

The real apostles were distinguished by non-possessiveness. Visiting Christian communities in various cities, they did not stay anywhere for a long time, seeing their mission in spreading the faith, and not in preaching in one place. For their travels, they asked the community only for bread, which should have been enough for them until the next city. Thus, they showed their disinterest in material goods.

Apostle Paul's sermon

In his letter to the Romans, Paul first of all explains that his faith is not only for the Jews, that he will preach to the Gentiles. However, claiming that he brings faith to everyone, he denounces those who do not accept it, since they cannot renounce their sins committed with faith in the mind, which is inclined to pervert any truth. At the same time, knowing that they are doing lawlessness, they not only continue to engage in indecency themselves, but also encourage others to do so.

Christians, he forbids condemnation. First of all, only the Lord has the right to judge. If a person condemns another, then he, as it were, takes his sin upon himself, which cannot be a defense for him before God. No matter how diligently a person does good deeds, if in himif there is no faith and love, then there is no use in all his endeavors.

Fight against sins

And yet, in the epistles to the Romans, Paul mourns over the sins that the early Christians continued to commit due to their weakness. He threatened with a terrible judgment from the Lord, who would not tolerate being deceived by external worship, when inside a person continues to live like a pagan. However, dealing with the temptations of this world is not easy. That is why Paul calls not only to be baptized, but to accept faith with one's spirit, which will make it possible not to do evil not according to the law, but out of love for God. After all, the Israelites knew about the coming of the Mission, and when he came, they did not recognize Him. The pagans did not know any of this, but accepted God with all their hearts and were among the elect.

Any power is from God

Separately, he speaks of the obedience to any authority from above, since it is always from God and disciplines people. It is only necessary to remember this, not to blaspheme, but to do all the good things prescribed by the authorities. Then the one who did no evil will not be punished, and the one who does good will be rewarded.

At the end of the epistle, Paul lists people who have worked gloriously to spread the Christian faith, as well as to strengthen the Christian church. These are people of different classes from different cities and, most likely, had different religious views before converting to Christianity.

The wisdom of God and the madness of the world

In the first epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul calls the community to unity not by the name of the one who baptized, but for the sake of the one whose name is preached. SoThus, Paul, denying himself, says that he came to them not as Paul, but as the messenger of the crucified Jesus Christ - only He is worth remembering, only His name is worth being called. Paul himself is unable to explain the power of his sermons. Only the Holy Spirit, in his opinion, could give strength to the sermons of a weak and insecure person. Only God's blessing could unite the strong and the weak, the poor and the rich. Only the Lord could give strength to his unlearned apostles to convince the wise men of their age and the mighty of the world.

The pagan roots of the first Christians

Also, the Apostle Paul, in his first epistle to the Corinthians, argues that the Holy Spirit, who helps him in converting pagans to Christianity, is the greatest mystery for those living on this earth. But this mystery is open to knowledge not by reason or soul, but by the same Spirit that unites them in one faith. Not in the faith of Paul or the other apostles, but in the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.

At the same time, Paul realizes that a person who has grown up in a pagan environment cannot immediately absorb the full power of the Christian faith. He compares them to babies who need to be fed milk instead of solid food. They must realize that everything the apostles do is only help to the Lord, who is both the foundation and the cultivator of everything. Humans are the sacred temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells. Woe to him who destroys that temple. And then he denounces his disciples in great fornication and pride, which is capable of destroying not only individual people, but, like bad leaven, the whole dough. And at the same time,those who have not sinned should not associate with sinners, but they should not be judged either. Judgment is the work of the Lord, only he sees a person not externally, but from the inside.

Christian family

In the same message, he gives clear instructions about the family life of Christians. However, he does not insist on them, but only offers. If you follow them strictly, you will not fall into sin and defile yourself before God.

1. And what you wrote to me about, it's good for a man not to touch a woman.

2. But, [in order to avoid] fornication, each one should have his own wife, and each one should have her own husband.

3. Husband show his wife due favor; like a wife to her husband.

4. The wife has no power over her body, but the husband; likewise, the husband has no power over his own body, but the wife does.

5. Do not deviate from each other, except by agreement, for a while, for the exercise in fasting and prayer, and [then] again be together, so that Satan will not tempt you with your intemperance.

6. However, I said this as a permission, not as a command.

Paul also condemns the idolatry that continued among the early Christians, as many of their families remained pagan. However, the apostle calls on Christians to flee from fellowship with them, so as not to fall into temptation. It is better to be restrained in body than to perish spiritually.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

Paul speaks about taking Holy Communion, remembering the Last Supper, during which bread, the symbol of the Body of Christ, was broken, and wine was drunk - as His Holy Blood. The first Christians, not knowing the secret meaning of this Supper, gathered to dine, andtherefore they got drunk and ate or remained hungry, who did not have enough. This is how they squandered their spiritual we alth to satisfy their flesh.

Separately, he says that what matters in preaching and deeds is not knowledge and wisdom, not diligence and diligence, but only love.

1. If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but have no love, then I am a ringing copper or a cymbal sounding.

2. If I have [the gift of] prophecy, and know all mysteries, and have all knowledge and all faith, so that [I can] move mountains, but do not have love, then I am nothing.

3. And if I give away all my possessions and give my body to be burned, and I do not have love, it is of no use to me.

4. Love is long-suffering, merciful, love does not envy, love does not ex alt itself, is not proud, 5. does not behave violently, does not seek his own, is not irritated, does not think evil, 6. does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7. covers all, believes all, hopes all, endures all.

8. Love never ceases, though prophecy will cease, and tongues will be silenced, and knowledge will be abolished.

9. For we know in part and we prophesy in part;

10. when the perfect comes, then that which is in part will cease.

The Epistle to the Galatians of St. Paul the Apostle

Paul addresses the Galatians after a long time since the beginning of his sermons. First of all, he tries to prove the integrity and correctness of his sermons by the fact that they come from the Lord, and only he is ready to serve andplease Paul. No one - neither men nor angels - is able to refute the truth of his sermons.

In his letter to the Galatians, he explains why some of the apostles were sent to the Jews, while others - to the Gentiles. Everyone works in the field prepared just for him. For many years, Paul traveled through the countries of the Gentiles, occasionally visiting Jerusalem for a new blessing. So the other apostles went each in their own way.

Judging by the vocations that he expresses in his epistle, the Galatians, having initially accepted faith in Christ with all their soul, gradually deviated from it, falling into the observance of the laws, which carries only empty fulfillment. Only helping each other, doing good with love and faith in the name of Christ will help you accept the Lord with all your heart and not fall into the temptation of the flesh.

1. Carry one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

2. For whoever thinks himself to be something, being nothing, deceives himself.

3. Let everyone try his own business, and then he will have praise only in himself, and not in another, 4. for each will bear his own burden.

5. Guided by the word, share every good thing with the guide.

6. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. What a man sows, that he will also reap:

7. he who sows to his own flesh from the flesh will reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

8. Doing good, let us not lose heart, for in due time we will reap if we do not weaken.

9. So, as long as there is time, let us do good to everyone, and especially to our own by faith.

The relevance of the ancientServices

Reading the liturgical "Apostle" has no price for those who wish to strengthen their faith, as well as join Christianity with all their heart. In each chapter and in each Act, you can find answers to questions that are still relevant.

The difficulty of perceiving this service lies only in the fact that the liturgical "Apostle" is read in Church Slavonic, which, unfortunately, is increasingly losing its relevance in everyday life. However, the question of understanding this ministry is not only in understanding the words themselves (at present, the "Apostle" is translated into modern Russian), but in accepting all the teachings with the heart and not looking for the incomprehensible in them with the mind.