Divine Liturgy and Panachida

The Divine Liturgy is the primary worship service of the Church. The most commonly celebrated forms of the Divine Liturgy are the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, the Liturgy of St. Basil, and the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, but there are others such as the Liturgy of St. James; the Liturgy of St. Mark; the Liturgy of St. Gregory the Great and the Liturgy of St. Tikhon of Moscow. The Divine Liturgy is a eucharistic service. It contains two parts: the Liturgy of the Catechumens, sometimes called the Liturgy of the Word, at which the Scriptures are proclaimed and expounded, and the Liturgy of the Faithful, sometimes called the Liturgy of the Eucharist, in which the gifts of bread and wine are offered and consecrated. The Church teaches that the gifts truly become the body and blood of Jesus Christ, but it has never dogmatized a particular formula for describing this transformation. The Prothesis (or proskomedia), the service of preparing the holy gifts, can be considered a third part which precedes the beginning of the Liturgy proper.

A panachida is a memorial service. It is a liturgical observance in honor of the departed which is served in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches.

In the Eastern Churches, the various prayers for the departed have as their purpose: to pray for the repose of the departed; to comfort the living; and to remind those who remain behind of their own mortality, and the brevity of this earthly life. For this reason, memorial services have an air of penitence about them, and tend to be served more frequently during the four fasting seasons (Great Lent, Nativity Fast, Apostles' Fast and Dormition Fast).

It is also served on the numerous Soul Saturdays throughout the year. On these days, not only is the memorial service served, but there are also special propers at Vespers, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy. These days of general memorials are:

Because of the great solemnity of the days, the celebration of memorial services is forbidden from Holy Thursday through Bright Week (Easter Week), and on all Sundays throughout the year.

Visitors are welcomed and encouraged to come! Don't worry about anything. We look forward to meeting you!

Guidelines for the reception of Holy Communion:

All practicing Catholics (Roman, Eastern, and Oriental) who have received their First Communion according to the standards of their particular Church and who are in good standing with their Church may receive the Holy Mysteries (including Holy Communion).

All practicing members of the Eastern or Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, or the Polish National Church who are in good standing with their Church and who spontaneously request it may receive the Holy Mysteries of Repentance and Holy Communion, but they are counseled to follow the guidelines their own Churches have set.

In order to receive the Body and Blood of our Savior in Holy Communion, just tell the priest your Christian name (the name you were baptized with) when you approach, then open your mouth wide with your tongue in. Father will take care of the rest!