Deacon Services

Each of the liturgical services of the Byzantine Catholic Church, with the exception of the Divine Liturgies and the sacraments, can be celebrated without a priest; the priestly prayers and blessings are omitted, and certain other traditional changes are made. This article on Reader Services provides a (proposed) order for these celebrations.

In the past, when a deacon has served, the emphasis on the priest's role in the liturgical order has led to the tradition that a deacon leading services in the absence of a priest did so as if he were a layman. This was consonant with the gradual loss of the understanding of a deacon's liturgical role, especially when a priest serving alone customarily took on the deacon's parts of the service as well.

The order of services presented here were prepared by Father David Petras of Saints Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and are used at the seminary when services are led by a deacon, in the absense of a priest. They provide for a more service, with more opportunities for ceremonial than are customary when a lay ecclesiarch leads the service, and prayers from the monastic tradition which replace certain of the priest's prayers at the conclusion of the litanies.

This order of services assumes the presence of:

A deacon to lead the service; he may be assisted by a single server.
A reader
Any number of additional members of the faithful, with a cantor to start and lead the singing.

In keeping with the traditions of the Carpathian Rus', all singing at services is done, as much as possible, by the entire congregation, except for those parts appointed to individuals. In some cases, the faithful may be divided to form two "choirs", singing in alternation (antiphonally).

Preparing for Services

In church, a tetrapod may placed in the nave before the Royal Doors, according to custom, with two candle, a cross, and an icon.

If festal Matins is celebrated and a festal icon is to be enthroned, the icon is placed on the Holy Table in place of the Gospel Book before the start of Vespers; the Gospel Book is made to stand in the middle of the Holy Table (as in the Liturgy when the gifts are brought forth).

For Vespers and Matins, a censor may be prepared, and placed on a stand. (In the altar?)

General Guidelines for Diaconal Services

When services are led by a deacon::

Instead of the opening blessing of each service, the deacon says: "Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us." And the people respond, "Amen."
All priestly exclamations and blessings are omitted, and prayers reserved to the priest are either omitted or replaced with a prayer from the monastic tradition, which does not presuppose the presence of a priest at most services. When a prayer is omitted, so is the "Amen" which follows it.
The deacon censes as usual. The incense is not blessed; the deacon takes the censor from the server or stand with the
words, "Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us."
The deacon may open and close the Royal Doors and curtain wherever appointed, and perform the Entrance with the censer.
The deacon leads the Great Litany ("In peace, let us pray to the Lord") and the Litany of Supplication ("Let us complete
our prayer…") as usual. In place of the priest's concluding prayer, a monastic prayer is provided below in each case. The deacon reads the prayer; the people do not respond "Amen."
The deacon does not lead the Small Litanies ("Again and again, in peace…"); instead, those present sing: Lord, have mercy(three times), Glory, Now and ever.
The common dismissal for each service is given below. Whenever there is a particular dismissal appointed for the day, it may be used by changing "May Christ" to "O Christ" at the beginning, to signify a request for a blessing rather than the bestowal of a blessing. Wherever the dismissal prayer uses "his" in reference to Christ, this is changed to "your", and so on.

Diaconal Vespers

The deacon stands (fully vested) before the closed Royal Doors, and says: "Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us." The people answer, "Amen."

The deacon and the people, or the people all together, according to custom, say the beginning prayers as usual, from "Glory to You, our God" onward; the exclamation "For thine is the Kingdom…" is omitted.

After the beginning prayers, the reader, or the people, sing Psalm 103, "Bless the Lord, O my soul", and the concluding "Alleluia" as usual.

IThe deacon says the Litany of Peace, as usual, through the people's response, "To you, O Lord."   Then he says the Prayer of the Hours:

O good God, in all times and places you are worshipped and glorified both in heaven and on earth. You are long-suffering and generous in your mercy and compassion. You love the just and show mercy to the sinner, calling all to repentance through the promise of blessings to come. Deem, O Lord, at this very hour, to receive our supplications and to direct our lives in the path of your commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, set right our minds, cleanse our thoughts; deliver us from all affliction, trouble and distress; surround us with your holy angels so that, guided and guarded in their camp, we may obtain oneness of faith and the knowledge of your unspeakable glory. For you are blessed, forever and ever. Amen.

The people do not respond "Amen."

While the Lamp-Lighting Psalms are sung, the deacon censes the church as usual, and returns to the altar. As the "Glory to the Father…" of the lamp-lighting stichera is sung, he opens the Royal Doors, takes the censer, departs the altar via the northern door, and goes to stand before the Royal Doors; but he does not say the prayer of entrance, nor does the bless the entrance.

When the stichera are completed, he intones, "Wisdom! Be attentive!" Then the people sing the Hymn of the Evening, "O Joyful Light", while the deacon enters the altar through the Royal Doors. The deacon censes the altar, the major icons and the people as usual, and returns to the altar.

Then the people sing the Prokeimenon of the day; the deacon chants the verses. If there are readings, the Reader announces the title, and begins to read. After the prokeimenon and any readings have been completed, the deacon closes the Royal Doors and returns to the ambon.

If it is a Sunday or feast-day, the deacon says the Litany of Fervent Supplication ("Let us all say with our whole soul…"), as usual; in place of the doxology, he concludes by saying "Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us", and the people respond "Amen."

The Hymn of Glorification ("O Lord, keep us this evening without sin") is sung by the people, either all together or in alternation.

Then the deacon says the Litany of Supplication, as usual, through the people's response, "To you, O Lord." Then he says the following evening prayer of St. Basil the Great:

Blessed are you, O Almighty Master, for you have lighted the day with the brilliance of the sun and the night with the fiery stars. You have counted us worthy of the length of this day and to come to the beginning of night. Hear our prayer and forgive the voluntary and involuntary sins of all your people. Accept our evening prayers and send down in return the greatness of your mercy and kindness upon us, your inheritance. Guard us with your holy angels, clothe us in righteousness as a defense, protect us in your truth, and keep us in your strength. Deliver us from all our enemies and their hostile attacks. Grant that this evening and the approaching night and all the days of our life may be perfect, holy, peaceful, sinless, without violence and free of nightmares. Through the prayers of the holy Theotokos (Fr. David has "the holy God-bearer") and of all the saints who from all ages have been pleasing to you. Amen.

The people do not respond "Amen."

If Litija is appointed, the Litija stichera are now sung, and the deacon and people process to the narthex.   Then all sing "Lord, have mercy" forty times, "Glory", "Now and ever" in place of the litany of the Litija, while the deacon censes the icons and people in the narthex.

The prescribed aposticha are then sung, followed by "Now you shall dismiss your servant..." and the rest; if a procession was held, the deacon and people return to the nave during the singing of the aposticha. After the Lord's Prayer, the exclamation "For thine is the Kingdom…" is omitted.  Then all sing the troparia of the day as usual.

If Litija is appointed and bread has been previously blessed by a priest, then it is distributed at this point, accompanied by the singing of Psalm 33. Otherwise this psalm is omitted.

If it is an ordinary weekday, the deacon now says the Litany of Supplication at the ambon, concluding "Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us", and the people respond "Amen."

The dismissal is as follows:

Deacon:    Wisdom!

Faithful:    More honorable...
(or, from Easter to Pentecost, "Shine in splendor, O
new Jerusalem", followed by the Easter troparion,
"Christ is risen from the dead")
Glory, Now and ever
Lord, have mercy (three times)
Bless, O Lord!

Then the deacon says the dismissal, facing East:

O Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of your most pure Mother, by the might of the precious and life-giving Cross, through the prayers of the holy, glorious and praiseworthy apostles, and of the holy (patrons of the church and saints of the day), and of all the saints, have mercy on us.

And the people respond "Amen."

Diaconal Matins

The deacon stands (fully vested) before the closed Royal Doors and says: "Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us." The people answer, "Amen." The deacon may return to the altar during the Hexapsalmos, or remain before the Royal Doors.

After the Hexapsalmos, the deacon says the Litany of Peace before the Royal Doors, as usual, through the people's response, "To you, O Lord." Then he says the Prayer of the Hours:

O good God, in all times and places you are worshipped and glorified both in heaven and on earth. You are long-suffering and generous in your mercy and compassion. You love the just and show mercy to the sinner, calling all to repentance through the promise of blessings to come. Deem, O Lord, at this very hour, to receive our supplications and to direct our lives in the path of your commandments. Sanctify our souls, purify our bodies, set right our minds, cleanse our thoughts; deliver us from all affliction, trouble and distress; surround us with your holy angels so that, guided and guarded in their camp, we may obtain oneness of faith and the knowledge of your unspeakable glory. For you are blessed, forever and ever. Amen.

The people do not respond "Amen."

At "The Lord is God", the deacon chants the verses, then makes a small bow and returns to the altar.

If the kathismata of the psalter are taken, then in place of each Little Litany, all sing "Lord, have mercy" (three times), "Glory", "Now and ever", followed by the sessional hymns.

On Sunday or a feast day, the deacon opens the Royal Doors at the beginning of the third kathisma (either the Polyeleos of Psalm 118). He censes the church while the Polyeleos or "Hosts of Angels" is sung.

If the festal icon is to be enthroned: at the end of the Polyeleos, the deacon takes the icon from the Holy Table in both hands and, singing the festal exaltation once, carries it, showing it to the faithful, to the tetrapod. He places it on the tetrapod and censes around it three times, while the cantor and faithful sing the remaining exaltations and versicles. After the final exaltation by the faithful, the deacon sings the exaltation one last time, and returns to the Holy Table.

In place of the Little Litany at the end of the third kathisma, all sing "Lord, have mercy" (three times), "Glory", "Now and ever".

The deacon chants the verses at the prokeimenon. After the prokeimenon is sung, the deacon does not intone "Let us pray to the Lord"; instead, the faithful sing "Let everything that breathes…", and the deacon chants the verse.

The deacon takes the Gospel Book from the Holy Table, enters through the northern door, stands before the Royal Doors and reads the Gospel, as usual, except that the priest's blessing is omitted. After reading the Gospel, the deacon kisses the closed Gospel Book and places it upon the Tetrapod, where it remains for the rest of the service.

After Psalm 50 (and its stichera, on Sundays or feasts), the deacon says the prayer "Lord, save your people", and the faithful sing "Lord, have mercy" (twelve times); the deacon says "Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.", and the people respond "Amen". The cantor or choir begin the Canon.

While the Canon is being sung, the deacon venerates the Gospel Book, then stands beside the tetrapod while the faithful come forward to venerate the Gospel Book; no anointing is done. If bread was blessed at Vespers by a priest, it may be distributed as well. After the faithful have venerated the Gospel Book, the deacon returns to the altar.

In place of the Small Litanies after the third and sixth odes of the Canon, all sing "Lord, have mercy" (three times), "Glory", "Now and ever".

Before the ninth ode of the Canon, the deacon goes to stand before the icon of the Theotokos, and chants "Let us greatly extol the Theotokos…" Then he censes the church, but does not enter the altar; when the incensing is complete, he returns to stand before the Royal Doors.

After the Canon, the people sing "Holy is the Lord our God", and the deacon chants the verse.

After the Psalms of Praise and the accompanying stichera, the priest's exclamation, "Glory to You who show us the light" is omitted, and the Doxology is sung or chanted as appointed.

The deacon says the Litany of Supplication at the ambon, as usual, through the people's response, "To you, O Lord." Then he says the following prayer:

Arising from sleep, I thank you, O Holy Trinity; because of your great kindness you have not been angry with me, though I am lazy and sinful, nor have you destroyed me in my sins. Rather, you have shown your customary love for us, and you have raised me up as I lay in neglect, that I may sing this morning hymn and glorify your dominion. Enlighten now the eyes of my understanding, open my ears to receive your words, and teach me your commandments. Help me to do you will, to glorify you, to confess you from my heart, and to extol your all-holy name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and even and forever. Amen.

The people do not respond "Amen."

The dismissal is as follows:

Deacon:    Wisdom!

Faithful:    More honorable...
(or, from Easter to Pentecost, "Shine in splendor, O new Jerusalem", followed by the Easter troparion,
"Christ is risen from the dead")
Glory, Now and ever
Lord, have mercy (three times)
Bless, O Lord!

Then the deacon says the dismissal, facing East:

Diaconal Hours

(These are identical to Hours celebrated as a Reader Service, except that the Deacon stands before the Royal Doors instead of in the nave of the church.)

The deacon stands (fully vested) before the Royal Doors, facing East, and says: "Through the prayers of our holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us." The people answer, "Amen." (This is omitted if Matins or another Hour was celebrated immediately beforehand.)

The deacon and the people, or the people all together, according to custom, say the beginning prayers as usual, from "Glory to You, our God" onward. The Lord's Prayer concludes with ".. and deliver us from evil."; the exclamation "For thine is the Kingdom..." and "Amen"are omitted.

After the beginning prayers, the service continues as usual through the appointed kontakion, followed by "Lord, have mercy" (forty times). Then the deacon says the Prayer of the Hours ("O good God, in all times and places"), concluding with "Amen." The people do not respond "Amen" to this prayer.

Then "Lord, have mercy" (three times), "Glory, Now and ever", "More honorable", "Bless, O Lord", and the deacon reads the prayer that folllows (either "May God be merciful to us" or "Through the prayers of our holy fathers", depending on the hour being celebrated). The prayer of the priest which follows is omitted.

At the dismissal, the faithful sing:

Glory, Now and ever
Lord, have mercy (three times)
Bless, O Lord!

Then the deacon says the dismissal, facing East:

O Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of your most pure Mother, by the might of the precious and life-giving Cross, through the prayers of the holy, glorious and praiseworthy apostles, and of the holy (patrons of the church and saints of the day), and of all the saints, have mercy on us.

And the people respond "Amen."

Notes and commentary

See the notes for Reader Services.

During the Paschal Season, "More honorable..." at the dismissal is replaced by "Shine in splendor... Christ is risen from the dead..." as usual, and from Ascension to Pentecost, "Heavenly King" is omitted from the beginning prayers.

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