| ‘Prayers at the ordination
(cheirotonia) of a deacon’ |
‘Prayers at the ordination
(cheirotonia) of a deaconess’ |
| After the sacred offertory, the doors [of the
sanctuary] are opened and, before the Deacon starts the litany ‘All
Saints’, and after the prayer ‘his mercies’ has been said, the
man who is to ordained Deacon is brought before the Archbishop. And when the
‘Divine Grace’ [statement] (see
text) has been said, the ordinand bends only the right knee. The
Archbishop puts the sign of the cross on his forehead three times, keeps his
hand imposed on his head and prays: |
After the sacred offertory, the doors [of the
sanctuary] are opened and, before the Deacon starts the litany ‘All
Saints’, the woman who is to ordained Deacon is brought up [before the
Archbishop]. And after he has said the ‘Divine Grace’ [statement] (see text) with a loud voice, the woman to
be ordained bows her head. The Bishop imposes his hand on her head , makes the
sign of the cross on it three times, and prays: |
“Lord our God, in your providence you send the
working and abundance of your Holy Spirit on those who through your inscrutable
power are constituted liturgical ministers to serve your immaculate mysteries,
please, preserve, Lord, this man whom you want me to promote to the Deacon's
task [leitourgia of the diaconate], in all seriousness and strictness of
good behaviour, that he may guard the mystery of faith with a pure conscience.
And give him the grace which you have given to Stephen your first
martyr.
And after having called him to the work of your ministry, in your
good pleasure make him worthy to perform the degree [of responsibility] you
entrust to him.
For those who perform it well, will acquire for themselves
a high degree.
Make your servant perfect, for yours are the kingdom and the
power.” |
“Holy and Omnipotent Lord, through the birth of
your Only Son our God from a Virgin according to the flesh, you have sanctified
the female sex. You grant not only to men, but also to women the grace and
coming (from above) of the Holy Spirit. Please, Lord, look on this your maid
servant and dedicate her to the task of your diaconate, and pour out into her
the rich and abundant giving of your Holy Spirit.
Preserve her so that she
may always perform her ministry (leitourgia) with orthodox faith and
irreproachable conduct, according to what is pleasing to you.
For to you is
due all glory and honour.” |
| The Archdeacon now makes the intercessions, as stated
before. Meanwhile the Archbishop keeping his hand on the head of the ordinand,
prays as follows: |
After the ‘Amen’, one of the Deacons now
makes the usual intercessions. Meanwhile the Archbishop keeping his hand on the
head of the woman to be ordained, prays as follows: |
“God, our Saviour, with incorruptible voice you
have foretold it, you announced that he would be first who would perform the
ministry of the diaconate, as is written in your holy Gospel: ‘Who ever
wants to be first among you, must be your servant [diakonos]’,
please, Lord of all, fill this servant of yours whom you have made worthy to
enter the ministry [leitourgia] of Deacon, through the lifegiving coming of
your Holy Spirit with all faith, charity, power and holiness.
Now, Lord,
look upon this man. For grace is given to those you deem worthy, not by the
imposition of my hands, but by the visitation of your rich mercy, so that,
purified from sin, he may on that fearful day of your judgment be presented to
you without guilt, and receive the reward of your unfailing promise.
For
you are our God, God of mercy and salvation, and to you we give glory, Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. ” |
“Lord, Master, you do not reject women who
dedicate themselves to you and who are willing, in a becoming way, to serve
your Holy House, but admit them to the order of your ministers
[leitourgôn].
Grant the gift of your Holy Spirit also to this
your maid servant who wants to dedicate herself to you, and fulfil in her the
work and the office of the ministry of the diaconate, as you have granted to
Phoebe the grace of your diaconate, whom you had called to the work of this
ministry [leitourgia].
Give her, Lord, that she may persevere
without guilt in your Holy Temple, that she may carefully guard her behaviour,
especially her prudence and chastity.
Moreover, make your maid servant
perfect , so that, when she will stand before the judgement seat of your
Christ, she may obtain the worthy reward of her good conduct, through the mercy
and generosity of your Only Son.” |
| And after the ‘Amen’, the ordinand’s
scarf [phenolis] is taken from him and [the Archbishop] imposes the
stole [to horarion] on him. He kisses him and hands him
the holy fan and makes him fan the holy gifts when
they are exposed on the [altar] table. |
The Archbishop puts the stole of the diaconate [to
diakonikon horarion] round her neck, under her [woman's] scarf
[maphorion], pulling the two extremities of the stole towards the front.
|
| When [at the time of communion] the newly ordained has
taken part of the sacred body, the Archbishop hands him the holy chalice. He in
turn makes all those who approach him take part in the sacred blood. |
When [at the time of communion] the newly ordained has
taken part of the precious body and blood, the Archbishop hands her the holy
vessel. She accepts it and, without distributing it to others, puts it back on
the holy table [of the altar]. |
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