Consecrations in Eastern Christianity can refer to either the Sacred Mystery (Sacrament) of Cheirotonea (Ordination through laying on of hands) of a bishop, or the sanctification and solemn dedication of a church building. It can also (more rarely) be used to describe the change of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ at the Divine Liturgy. The Chrism used at Chrismation and the Antimension placed on the Holy Table are also said to be consecrated.
Divine Liturgy or Holy Liturgy is the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite, developed from the Antiochene Rite of Christian liturgy which is that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. As such, it is used in the Eastern Orthodox, the Greek Catholic Churches, and the Ukrainian Lutheran Church. Although the same term is sometimes applied in English to the Eucharistic service of Armenian Christians, both of the Armenian Apostolic Church and of the Armenian Catholic Church, they use in their own language a term meaning "holy offering" or "holy sacrifice". Other churches also treat "Divine Liturgy" simply as one of many names that can be used, but it is not their normal term.
Chrismation consists of the sacrament or mystery in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches, as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East initiation rites. The sacrament is more commonly known in the West as confirmation, although Italian normally uses cresima ("chrismation") rather than confermazione ("confirmation").
An altar is a structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches and other places of worship. They are used particularly in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Modern Paganism. Many historical faiths also made use of them, including Roman, Greek and Norse religion.
Eastern Christians believe their bishops to be in apostolic succession, and that at their Ordination they receive the fullness of the Grace of the Priesthood (priests and deacons function as the "hands" of the Bishop and are thus an extension of his ministry). For the Eastern Christians, the office of bishop is the highest rank in the Church. Although certain bishops may receive titles such as Patriarch, Metropolitan, or Archbishop, ultimately all bishops are equal, and such titles constitute marks of dignity and honor, but not any higher order in the Church or greater measure of grace. At his Ordination, a bishop receives grace not only to perform the Sacred Mysteries but also to bestow the grace of Ordination on others.
Apostolic succession is the method whereby the ministry of the Christian Church is held to be derived from the apostles by a continuous succession, which has usually been associated with a claim that the succession is through a series of bishops. This series was seen originally as that of the bishops of a particular see founded by one or more of the apostles. According to historian Justo L. González, apostolic succession is generally understood today as meaning a series of bishops, regardless of see, each consecrated by other bishops, themselves consecrated similarly in a succession going back to the apostles. According to the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, "apostolic succession" means more than a mere transmission of powers. It is succession in a Church which witnesses to the apostolic faith, in communion with the other Churches, witnesses of the same apostolic faith. The "see (cathedra) plays an important role in inserting the bishop into the heart of ecclesial apostolicity", but, once ordained, the bishop becomes in his Church the guarantor of apostolicity and becomes a successor of the apostles.
Divine grace is a theological term present in many religions. It has been defined as the divine influence which operates in humans to regenerate and sanctify, to inspire virtuous impulses, and to impart strength to endure trial and resist temptation; and as an individual virtue or excellence of divine origin.
A priest or priestess is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities. Their office or position is the priesthood, a term which also may apply to such persons collectively.
Acts of the Apostles, often referred to simply as Acts, or formally the Book of Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian church and the spread of its message to the Roman Empire.
The First Epistle of Paul to Timothy, usually referred to simply as First Timothy and often written 1 Timothy, is one of three letters in the New Testament of the Bible often grouped together as the Pastoral Epistles, along with Second Timothy and Titus. The letter, traditionally attributed to the Apostle Paul, consists mainly of counsels to his younger colleague and delegate Timothy regarding his ministry in Ephesus (1:3). These counsels include instructions on the organization of the Church and the responsibilities resting on certain groups of leaders therein as well as exhortations to faithfulness in maintaining the truth amid surrounding errors.
Election—In the Early Church, bishops were elected by the entire local church over which they were to preside. Bishops in neighboring dioceses would assemble the local clergy and laity, and all together would elect the new bishop. It should not be thought, however, that such elections were merely democratic—the emphasis was upon consensus rather than majority rule—and election by acclamation was not unheard of. In time, with the danger of so sacred an undertaking descending into base electoral politics, it became the custom for episcopal nominations to be performed by a Synod of bishops. In the Early Church a bishop could be married, but the danger arose of episcopal dynasties forming. So with the rise of monasticism in the 4th century, it became customary to choose bishops from among the monks. Episcopal celibacy became a canon of the Church at the Sixth Ecumenical Council.[2] In the Russian tradition, if he has not yet been Tonsured, he must make his vows before Consecration. Technically, a bishop must be chosen from among the Archimandrites; so prior to his Consecration, a bishop-elect will normally be elevated to the rank of Archimandrite. A candidate for the episcopate does not have to be in Holy Orders, but if not, he must be ordained a deacon[3] and then priest (each successive Ordination—deacon, priest, bishop—must be performed on separate days). The person elected to the episcopate must voluntarily accept his nomination before the Consecration can proceed.
Cheirotonia—Because the Acts of the Apostles describes the Cheirotonia being accomplished with prayer, the Consecration is always performed in the context of the Divine Liturgy. Normally, this will occur on a Sunday or Feast Day which has an All-Night Vigil. During the Vigil (or before the beginning of the Divine Liturgy), the bishop-elect must make a formal and public Profession of Faith to ensure the orthodoxy of his belief (see the article on orlets for a more detailed description of this procedure). During the Divine Liturgy, after the Trisagion the bishop-elect kneels before the Holy Table, touching his forehead to the Holy Table, and the Gospel Book is opened and laid, with the writing down, upon his neck. All of the consecrating bishops place their hands on the Gospel and say the Prayer of Consecration, during which the Holy Spirit is believed to descend upon the new bishop and imparts the grace of the episcopate upon him. The bishop is then clothed in the vestments of a bishop and presented to the people. The ancient participation of the laity in the election of bishops is retained in their triple acclamation of Axios ("He is worthy") at the time the Omophorion is placed on the new bishop's shoulders.
Early Christianity covers the period from its origins until the First Council of Nicaea (325). This period is typically divided into the Apostolic Age and the Ante-Nicene Period.
The word diocese is derived from the Greek term dioikesis (διοίκησις) meaning "administration". Today, when used in an ecclesiastical sense, it refers to the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
An acclamation, in its most common sense, is a form of election that does not use a ballot. "Acclamation" or "acclamatio" can also signify a kind of ritual greeting and expression of approval in certain social contexts as in ancient Rome.
According to the Canon I of the Apostolic Canons, a bishop must be consecrated by at least two or three bishops.[4] Normally, there will be three or more consecrating bishops.
The Greek words meaning ‘dedicate’ and ‘dedication’ are not easy to translate into English, since they also have the connotation of ‘newness’, ‘renewal’. The opening Stichera for Vespers, for example, make frequent play on the ideas of ‘new’ and ‘old’. David, in Psalm 51:10, asks God to ‘renew a right Spirit within me’, rather than ‘dedicate a right Spirit’.[5]
Vespers is a sunset evening prayer service in the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours. The word comes from the Greek ἑσπέρα ("hespera") and the Latin vesper, meaning "evening". It is also referred to in the Anglican tradition as evening prayer or evensong. The term is also used in some Protestant denominations to describe evening services.
The Consecration of a Church is a complex service filled with many profound symbolisms. Many biblical elements taken from the Consecration of the Tabernacle (Exodus 40) and the Temple of Solomon (1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5-7) are employed in the service. According to Eastern theology, once a building has been Consecrated as a church, it may never again be used for any secular purpose.
No one may construct an Eastern church without the blessing of the local bishop. Before construction begins on a new church, the bishop or his representative lays a foundation stone which may or may not contain relics of a saint. Only after all construction on the new church has been completed may it be Consecrated.
The Eastern ritual for the Consecration of a Church is modeled on the ritual of Baptism and Chrismation. Before the Consecration begins, there is a Great Blessing of Waters as is served at Theophany;[6] Chrism, white robes, and tapers are used during the service (the bishop will wear a special white linen garment over his vestments, called a savanon). A procession goes three times around the church building, just like a similar triple procession around the font at Baptism. Another symbolism which occurs frequently in the service is the Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection of Christ.
Relics of Saints (preferably martyrs) are placed in the Holy Table during the Consecration (Revelation 6:9). This is a continuation of the practice of the ancient Church of celebrating the Liturgy over the tombs of the Martyrs.
The Consecration should be performed by the diocesan bishop; but if he is unable to do so, the bishop may delegate an Archimandrite or other senior priest to perform the service in his behalf. The bishop himself must consecrate the Antimension (see below) and send it with the priest who will be performing the service. In this case, the rite of Consecration is briefer than normal. There is no Consecration of the Antimension (since the bishop himself accomplished this earlier), and no Relics are placed in the Holy Table.
There are a number of differences between the rite of Consecration as practiced by the Greeks and as practiced by the Slavic churches. Generally, the Greek rite presumes that the Holy Table will be made of stone, while the Slavic presumes it will be made of wood.
In the Syriac Orthodox Church, the altars are invariably used to be consecrated with the name of St. Mary before the prayer to all the other saints.[7] This type of veneration concerns with the so-called hyperdulia.
If the term "Consecration" is used to refer to the change of the Eucharistic elements (bread and wine) into the actual Body and Blood of Christ, the Eastern Christians emphasize that the Consecration is the Divine response to the Epiclesis, in which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit to come down upon the Gifts and change them. Unlike the prevailing opinion in the West, the Eastern Christians do not hold that there is one specific moment at which this "change" takes place; it is a Sacred Mystery, which begins with the Prothesis (see Liturgy of Preparation). Instead, Eastern Christians would say only that the change is completed at the Epiclesis (rather than at the Words of Institution).
While Eastern Christian declarations have used the term "transubstantiation" (in Greek, "metousiosis") to refer to the change, Eastern Christians often avoid this term, regarding it as an attempt to explain the unexplainable. The shared faith of East and West is "that" the elements are changed, but "how" they are changed is Mystery. The Latin Church too holds that the manner in which the change occurs "surpasses understanding".[8]
Sacred Chrism (Myron) is used for the Chrismation (Confirmation) of the faithful after Baptism. In the Eastern Church the Sacred Mystery of Chrismation is performed immediately after Baptism. Persons from other Christian confessions who are not received into the Church by Baptism may be admitted by Chrismation (depending upon the regulations of the jurisdiction).[9] Apostates who have left the Church and then repented and returned are restored after appropriate penance to full communion through Chrismation.[10] Chrism is also used in the Consecration of the Holy Table and the entire church building, and is used to anoint the Relics of the Martyrs before they are placed in the Holy Table, and to Consecrate the Antimension. In the past, Chrism was used at the Anointing of Eastern Emperors and Kings.
In the early church, after an individual was Baptized, one of the Apostles would then lay hands upon them and they would receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17). According to Eastern Christian Tradition, as the Church grew it became impossible for the Apostles to go to each convert personally, so the Apostles laid their hands upon a vessel of oil, consecrating it, and the oil was distributed to the various churches so that all could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Whenever new Chrism is consecrated, it is added to the existing stock. The Eastern Church believes that the same Chrism consecrated by the Apostles is still in use today, having been added-to by all generations of the Church. The earliest mention of the use of Chrism is by Saint Hippolytus of Rome (†235).
While any bishop is empowered to Consecrate the Chrism, so long as he adds to the existing stock; in practice the Consecration is reserved to the Primates who preside over the local autocephalous churches. Traditionally, the Consecration of Chrism occurs during Holy Week. The preparation of the Chrism begins on Great Monday, using a recipe based upon the Anointing Oil consecrated by Moses (Exodus 30:22) Then, on Great Thursday the Patriarch or Metropolitan will consecrate the Chrism. Chrism is not consecrated every year, but only according to need. The Patriarch or Metropolitan will normally make a formal announcement beforehand when there is going to be a Consecration of Chrism.
The Antimins (literally, "In place of the Table") is a piece of cloth, often silk, that has depicted on it Christ laid out for burial with Icons of the four Evangelists in the corners.[11] It also has a space provided for the bishop to inscribe and sign the Antimins. Relics of Martyrs are sewn into the Antimins, and it is usually wrapped in another protective cloth called the Iliton, which is often red in colour and symbolizes the swaddling-clothes with which Christ was wrapped after His birth, and also the winding-sheet in which His body was wrapped after His Crucifixion.
It is forbidden to celebrate the Divine Liturgy without the Antimins. If the Holy Table is damaged or destroyed the Divine Liturgy may still be celebrated with the Antimins. If it becomes necessary to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in an unconsecrated building, it is permitted to do so as long as the priest uses an Antimins.
Only a bishop may Consecrate an Antimins. This may take place as a part of the Consecration of a church, or as a separate rite. The bishop wears a special linen garment over his vestments, called a savanon, during the service, just like when he consecrates a church. He will anoint the pocket sewn into the Antimins to receive the Relics with Chrism, he then places the Relics in the Antimins and seals them in place with wax mastic. He then inscribes the Antimins with the name of the church for which it has been Consecrated and signs it. He may also stamp it with his official seal.
The Antimins always remains the property of the Bishop. He bestows an Antimins and Chrism on a priest as a sign that the priest has his authorisation to celebrate the Sacred Mysteries. If a bishop withdraws this authorisation from the priest, he takes the Antimins and Chrism away from him.
House
In the Eastern Church each household is considered to be a house church. The husband and wife are the ministers of the house church, and the crowning (wedding) is their ordination. Though the Eastern Christian married life is sacramental in nature, the ministry of the husband and wife is a ministry of love, not the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries (sacraments). Naturally, their house is consecrated, that it may be a fitting sanctuary for their ministry. The consecration of a dwelling is modelled on the consecration of a church, though it is not considered to be as solemn as that of a church. The service may be conducted by any priest, and does not require the permission of a bishop. However, if the family erects a chapel on their property and desires to have it consecrated, the ceremony for that chapel would be the same as for a church, and only the ordained clergy would actually celebrate the Sacred Mysteries in the chapel.
In consecrating a home, there are several services that take place. First of all, there is the "Blessing for the Foundation of a Home", similar in concept to the blessing of the foundation stone, but consisting only of a single prayer. Obviously, this service is used only when a new home is being constructed from scratch.
There is also a "Prayer When One is About to Take Up His Abode in a New Home", said before the family moves into a new home, whether they built it or not.
The actual "Blessing of a New Home" takes place once the family is fully moved in, and repeats many of the ceremonies at the Consecration of a Church. The house is blessed with holy water, the walls are anointed with blessed oil, and a candle is placed in front of each place where the house was anointed. As he anoints each wall in the Sign of the Cross, the priest says, "This house is blessed through the anointing with this Holy Oil, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."[12] Among the imagery used in the service is the salvation which came to the house of Zaccheus when Jesus visited it (Luke 19:1-10).
There are a number of other blessings which take place in the home, such as the annual blessing at Theophany, and the slava which is celebrated on the feast day of the family's patron saint. These, however, are simple blessings, and not consecrations.
Related Research Articles
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Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body. By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or other fat. Scented oils are used as perfumes and sharing them is an act of hospitality. Their use to introduce a divine influence or presence is recorded from the earliest times; anointing was thus used as a form of medicine, thought to rid persons and things of dangerous spirits and demons which were believed to cause disease.
In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of Christianity created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. In some denominations, such as the Anglican Communion and Methodist Churches, confirmation bestows full membership in a local congregation upon the recipient. In others, such as the Roman Catholic Church, confirmation "renders the bond with the Church more perfect", because, while a baptized person is already a member, "reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace".
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The Antimins, is one of the most important furnishings of the altar in many Eastern Christian liturgical traditions. It is a rectangular piece of cloth of either linen or silk, typically decorated with representations of the Descent of Christ from the Cross, the Four Evangelists, and inscriptions related to the Passion. A small relic of a martyr is sewn into it.
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word consecration literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups. The origin of the word comes from the Latin stem consecrat, which means dedicated, devoted, and sacred. A synonym for to consecrate is to sanctify; a distinct antonym is to desecrate.
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A paten, or diskos, is a small plate, usually made of silver or gold, used to hold Eucharistic bread which is to be consecrated during the Mass. It is generally used during the liturgy itself, while the reserved sacrament are stored in the tabernacle in a ciborium.
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The East Syriac Rite or East Syrian Rite, also called Assyrian Rite, Persian Rite, Chaldean Rite, or Syro-Oriental Rite, is an Eastern Christian liturgical rite that uses the East Syriac dialect as its liturgical language. It is one of two main liturgical rites of Syriac Christianity.
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In Christianity, the laying on of hands is both a symbolic and formal method of invoking the Holy Spirit primarily during baptisms and confirmations, healing services, blessings, and ordination of priests, ministers, elders, deacons, and other church officers, along with a variety of other church sacraments and holy ceremonies.
References
↑ Saint Clement of Alexandria in his Stromata says that the election is the work of men, but the ordination is the work of God.
↑ Note that among the Russian Orthodox the requirement is not merely celibacy, but specifically monasticism.
↑ He may be blessed as a Reader and Subdeacon on the same day he is ordained to the diaconate.
↑ Canon IThe Seven Ecumenical Councils (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, V2-14, Erdmans) p. 594.
↑ All Chrismated members of the Church are admitted to Holy Communion, even infants.
↑ Thus, while Baptism may not be repeated, Chrismation may be repeated.
↑ The Antimins bears some similarities to both the Corporal and the Altar stone of the pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic Church.
↑ A Monk of St. Tikhon's Monastery, ed. (1987), "Order for the Blessing of a New Home", Book of Needs (Abridged), 2nd printing, South Canaan, PA: St. Tikhon's Seminary Press (published 1995), p.276, ISBN1-878997-15-7
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