« Liturgical workshop for Altar servers to be held in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God and the Royal Martyrs in London (ROCA), Sunday 10th July »

A liturgical workshop for Altar servers and clergy will be held at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God and the Holy Royal Martyrs (Russian Orthodox Church Abroad), London, on Sunday 10th July 2022 from approximately 2.00 p.m. 

For those attending the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral that day, a customary parish lunch following the service will be offered by the Sisterhood, at which all can be refreshed before the workshop begins; while the 2.00 p.m. hour will afford the possibility for those from nearby parishes of greater London, who might be interested to participate, to travel to the Cathedral after the conclusion of the Divine Services in their parishes.

The workshop will by led by His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, as part of an ongoing series of workshops aimed to increase the knowledge of all clergy and Altar servers of both the practical rubrics of correct service, as well as their spiritual meaning and importance.

The workshops will focus on many aspects of service that are relevant to all those who serve in the Altar, including such topics as:

• General instruction on comportment for serving in the Altar, and the spiritual meaning of Altar service
• Precise instructions and rubrics on all regular elements of Altar service (tending to censers, candles, vestments, etc.)
• Assisting the priest with the Proskomedia
• Processions within the Liturgy and other Divine Services (who carries what, order, instructions, etc)
• Guidance for Readers in fulfilling their duties (position of readers in the temple, manner of reading, taking blessings; reading during the Liturgy)
• Specific details on serving with a Bishop, including instructions on greeting the Bishop, vesting; processions with a Bishop in mantia and how it is tended to; zhezl- and book-bearing, etc.
• Instruction in chants and portions of the Divine Services sung by the Altar servers and clergy in the Altar
• Specific instruction on the Little and Great Entrances of the Divine Liturgy, as well as the various Entrances of the Vigil, relating to both Altar servers and the celebrating clergy.
• Special instruction for the Litya and Polyelei of the Vigil.

The doors are open to clergy and Altar servers of all the Orthodox parishes, who might wish to attend. Those wishing to participate are requested to confirm this to diocesan.chancellery@gmail.com as soon as possible, since it is anticipated that certain materials will be distributed in advance to participants.

Orthodox-europe.org/Sourozh.org