main : catechism - services and sacraments

This is a page about the Eucharist, particularly in it's theological significance and early historical development. For information on the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, go to the page on this topic.

The basic structure of the Eucharistic celebration was first outlined in the second century A.D. by St Justin Martyr, making clear that there was a set pattern, even at this early time, to the commemoration of the Eucharist.

...on the day called Sunday there is a meeting in one place of those who live in the cities on the country, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as time permits. When the reader has finished, the president in a discourse urges and invites us to the imitation of these noble things. Then we all stand up together and offer prayers...and when we have finished prayer, bread is brought, and wine and water... - St Justin Martyr, First Apology, 67:3-5, tr. C.C. Richardson, Early Christian Fathers, Library of Christian Classics I (New York, 1970) 287 (from Schmemann, A., The Eucharist, 2003:66).

Our Liturgy, even in the modern day, follows this pattern: the main meeting is on Sunday in one place (albeit a church, not a house possessed by a parisioner); the memoirs of the apostles (i.e. the gospels and the epistles) are read, a sermon is given (at St Barnabas, immediately after the readings). Prayers are offered, and then bread is brought, and wine and water, for the administering of Communion

We can speak of three active agents in the Divine Liturgy: God, the celebrant (i.e. the priest) and the laity. The laity have two main activities - to offer gifts (i.e. bread and wine) to God, and to pray; the priest leads the prayers and, on behalf of the laity, offers them to God; and God receives the offering and changes the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, receives the prayers of the people and blesses them. In turn, the priest bestows God's blessing on the people and administers Communion to those who partake.

It should be noted that the text of the Divine Liturgy presupposes that everyone present will receive Communion. That being said, a number of things have changed that do not make this standard practise. Firstly, the Divine Liturgy was originally designed to have only Orthodox present during and after the Consecration, while in modern times anyone is welcome to be in the church. Secondly, there is a widespread practise of infrequent Communion (sometimes four times a year). It must be stated at this point that at any given Divine Liturgy, only those Orthodox who have prepared themselves for Communion (i.e. by Confession, prayer and fasting) are able to commune at an Orthodox Liturgy.

For more information on the communion service that the Orthodox Church has (i.e. the Divine Liturgy), please refer to this page.

We must restate that knowing the texts is a different thing from praying these texts in community, as they were designed to be used. We invite you to visit us.

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Contact the Parish
P.O. Box 448
Southport   4215
Ph: (07) 5573 7977
E-mail: Fr Raymond
E-mail: Webmaster

Regular Services
Divine Liturgy
Sunday 8am
The Chapel,
18 Tonga Pl, Parkwood

The Parish of Saint Barnabas the Apostle, 2007-2008, is in the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand.
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