The Holy Sacrament of Ordination to the Diaconate
During the Liturgy, after the Hierarch has intoned “And may the mercies of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all,” two Deacons exit, and bring the Subdeacon is before the Hierarch. They stand on the solea, facing the Hierarch who stands in the Beautiful Gate.
1st Deacon: Command
2nd Deacon: All command
1st Deacon: Command, Holy Master, the one who presents himself before you.
Bishop: In the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (3)
The subdeacon addresses the bishop, then the bishop counsels thesubdeacon. Afterwards, the subdeacon is brought into the sanctuary, and led by the deacons, circles the altar three times while the clergy sing:
Clergy: Hear us, you martyred Saints who have fought the good fight and received crowns, entreat the Lord, to have mercy on our souls.
Glory to you, Christ our God, the Apostles’ boast and pride, the Martyrs’ fervent joy whose preaching is the consubstantial Trinity.
O Isaiah dance with joy, for the Virgin is indeed with child and brought forth a son, Emmanuel. Who came both as God and man, Day-at-the-Dawn is his name, and by magnifying him, we call the Virgin blessed.
They bring the Candidate to the Hierarch at the front of the Altar. TheSubdeacon kneels before the Altar placing his hands on the Altar and his head upon his hands. The Hierarch makes the sign of the Cross three times over his head. After the Deacon proclaims, “Let us be attentive!” the Hierarch places his hand on the head of the Subdeacon and recites the Prayer, “The Divine grace…”
Deacon: Let us be attentive.
Bishop: The divine grace, which always heals that which is infirm and completes that which is lacking, ordains the most devout Subdeacon (name) to the office of Deacon. Let us, therefore, pray for him, that the grace of the All-Holy Spirit may come upon him.
The clergy in the Holy of Holies say:
Clergy: Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.
Bishop: Lord our God, in Your providence You send your Holy Spirit upon those who are ordained by Your unsearchable power to become servants to minister Your Pure Mysteries, do You Lord, look upon this man whom You have consented to be ordained by me to the service of the Diaconate and preserve him in all humility, that he may hold the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
Grant to him the grace which You gave to Stephen, Your first martyr, whom You called first to the ministry of Your Diaconate. Make him worthy to please You as he serves You in the office which you, in your goodness, bestowed upon him. For those who minister well prepare themselves for good reward; and proclaim him Your perfect servant.
For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, of the Father, the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages.
Chanters: Amen.
The first deacon recites the following petitions in a low voice while the clergy in the Holy of Holies slowly respond “Lord, have mercy.”
1st Deacon: In peace let us pray to the Lord.
For the peace from above and the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.
For peace in the whole world, for the stability of the holy churches of God, and for the union of all, let us pray to the Lord.
For our Archbishop (Name), and our Bishop (Name) for his priesthood, sustenance, sojourn, peace, health, salvation, and for the works of his hands, let us pray to the Lord.
For the servant of God (Name of the new deacon), who has now been ordained a deacon, and for his salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
That God who loves mankind will grant to him a pure and blameless diaconate, let us pray to the Lord.
For this parish and this city, for every city and country, and for the faithful who live in them, let us pray to the Lord.
For our deliverance from all tribulation, wrath, danger, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.
Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace.
Commemorating our all-holy, pure, most-blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commit ourselves and one another and all our life to Christ our God.
Chanters: To You, O Lord.
Bishop: For to You belong all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father and to the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages.
Chanters: Amen.
While the 1st deacon intones the petitions, the bishop reads the following prayer with his hand still on the new deacon’s head:
Bishop: O God our Savior, by your immortal voice You established the office of the diaconate through Your Apostles and showed forth the First martyr Stephen whom You elected first to fulfill the work of a deacon. It is written in your holy Gospel, “whoever would be first among you, let him be your servant.” Lord of all fill this, Your servant, whom you have consented to enter the ministry of a deacon with the totality of faith, love, power, and sanctification by the descent of Your Holy and Life-giving Spirit. For not through the laying on of my hands, but by the divine visitation of your rich mercies grace is bestowed upon your worthy ones; that he, liberated from every sin, may stand blameless by You in the awesome Day of Judgment and receive the true reward of Your promise.
For You are our God, and to You we ascribe glory, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages.
Chanters: Amen.
Everyone stands and the bishop proclaims the newly-ordained Deacon “Axios!” (“worthy”) to which the congregation responds “Axios!”
The bishop will hold up each item of the deacon’s vestments and again proclaim “Axios!” each time to which the congregation also responds “Axios!” and vests the new deacon.
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ΤΑΞΙΣ ΓΙΝΟΜΕΝΗ ΕΠΙ ΧΕΙΡΟΤΟΝΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟΥ
Μετὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν τὸω Ἀρχιερέα τήν ἐκφώνησιν, τό:
Ἀρχιερέα: Καὶ ἔσται τὰ ἐλέη τοῦ μεγάλου Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν,
ἐξελθόντες δύο Διάκονοι, ἐκ τοῦ ἁγίου Βήματος ἀπὸ τῆς βορείαςΠύλης, λαμβάνουσι τὸν μέλλοντα χειροτονεῖσθαι Διάκονον ἐξἑκατέρου μέρους καὶ φέρουσιν αὐτὸν ἄχρι τῶν ἁγίων θυρῶν. Καὶ τοῦ Ἀρχιερέως ἱσταμένου πρὸ τῆς ὡραίας Πύλης, ἐκφωνεῖ ὁ πρῶτος τῶν Διακόνων.
Πρῶτος Διάκονος: Κέλευσον.
Δεύτερος Διάκονος: Κελεύσατε.
Καὶ πάλιν ὁ πρῶτος:
Πρῶτος Διάκονος: Κέλευσον, Δέσποτα ἅγιε, τὸν νῦν προσφερόμενόν σοι.
Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Ἀρχιερεὺς ὑπο δέχεται αὐτὸν καὶ σφραγίζων τρὶς τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, λέγει:
Ἀρχιερέα: Eἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος (τρίς)
Καὶ εἰσάγουσιν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Βῆμα, κυκλοῦντες τὴν ἁγίαν Τράπεζαν τρὶς ἀπὸ τῶν δεξιῶν πρὸς τὰ ἀριστερὰ καὶ ψάλλοντες.
Ἦχος βαρύς
Ἰστεόν ὅτι, ὅταν ψάλλωσι τὰ τροπάρια, κάθηται ἔμπροσθεν τῆς ἁγίας Τραπέζης ὁ Ἀρχιερευς εἰς θρονίον μικρὸν καὶ ἐκεῖ ὅπου κυκλοῦσι γύρωθεν, ἀσπἀζεται ὀ χειροτονούμενος τὰ τέσσαρα κέρατα τῆς ἁγίας Τραπέζης. Καὶ ὅταν ἔρχωνται πρὸ τοῦ Ἀρχιερέως, ποιοῦσι μετάνοιαν καὶ ἀσπάζεται ὁ χειροτονούμενος τὴν χεῖρα καὶ τὸ ἐπιγονάτιον αὐτου μετὰ δὲ τὴν τρίτην περιφορὰν ἐξέρχονται τοῦ Βήματος καὶ ἀσπάζεται ὁ χειροτονούμενος τὰς ἁγίας εἱκόνας κατὰ τάξιν.
Εἶτα προσέρχεται ὁ χειροτονούμενος τῶ Ἀρχιερεῖ, καὶ ἵσταται κατὰ τὸ δεξιὸν μέρος αὐτοῦ, καὶ θέτει τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τραπέζης σταυροειδῶς, καὶ ἐρείδει τὸ μέτωπον αὐτοῦ τῆ ἁγία Τραπέζη, καὶ κλίνει τὸ γόνυτὸ δεξίον καὶ ἐκφωνεῖ ὁ Ἀρχιδιάκονος:
Ἀρχιδιάκονος: Πρόσχωμεν.
Ὁ δε Ἀρχιερευς θέτει τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ Ὠμοφορίου καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν αὐτοῦ χεῖρα ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς τοῦ χειροτονουμένου καὶ ἐκφωνεῖ εἰς ἐπήκοον πάντων:
Ἀρχιερευς: Θεία Χάρις, ἡπάν τοτε τὰ ἀσθενῆ θεραπεύουσα καὶ τὰ ἐλλείποντα ἀναπληροῦσα, προχειρίζεται (τὸν δεῖνα) τὸν εὐλαβέστα τον Υποδιάκονον εἰς Διάκονον εὐξώμεθα οὖν ὑπερ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ἔλθηἐ π αὐτον ἡ χάρις τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος.
Καὶ ψάλλεται παρα τεταμένως καὶ ἴσον τῶ ἀκούεσθαι τό Κύριε ἐλέησον(γ΄) παρὰ τῶν ἐντῶ Βἠματι καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐκτός.
Ὁ Διάκονος: Τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν.
Ὁ Ἀρχιερεὺς ἔχων τὴν χεῖρα ἐπικειμένην, εὔχεται οὕτω χαμηλοφώνως.
Ἀρχιερευς: Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς ἡμων, ὁ τῆ προγνώσει τῆ σῆ τὴν τοῦ Ἀγίου σου Πνεύματος χορηγίαν καταπέμπων ἐπὶ τοὺς ὡρισμένους ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς ἀνεξιχνιάστου δυνάμεως, λειτουργοὺς γενέσθαι, καὶ ἐξυπηρετεῖσθαι τοῖς ἀχράντοις σου Μυστηρίοις αὐτός, Δέσποτα, καὶ τοῦτον, ον εὐδόκησας προχειρισθῆναι παρ’ἑμοῦ εἰς τὴν τῆς Διακονίας λειτουργίαν, ἐν πάση σεμνότητι διατήρησον, ἔχοντα τὸ μυστήριον τῆς πίστεως ἐν καθαρᾶ συνειδήσει. Δώρησαι δὲ αὐτῶ τὴν χάριν, ην ἐδωρήσω Στεφάνω τῶ πρωτομάρτυρί σου, ον καὶ ἐκάλεσας πρῶτον εἰς τὸ ἔργον τῆς διακονίας σοθ καὶ καταξίωσον αὐτόν, κατὰ τὸ σοὶ εὐάρεστον, οἰκονομῆσαι τὸν παρὰ τῆς σῆς ἀγαθότητος δεδωρημένον αὐτῶ βαθμόν οἱ γὰρ καλῶς διακονήσαντες, βαθμὸν ἑαυτοῖς καλὸν περιποιῦνται καὶ τέλειον ἀνάδειξον δοῦλόν σου. Ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα, τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱου καὶ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
Καὶ μετὰ τὸ Ἀμήν, λέγει ὁ Διάκονος λεπτῆ τῆ φωνῆ, ὅσον ἀκούειν καὶ ἀποκρίνεσθαι τοὺς συμπαρόντας Διακόνους καὶ Ἱερεῖς τὸ Κύριε ἐλέησον, τὰ διακονικὰ ταῦτα:
Ὁ Διάκονος: Ἐν εἰρήνη, τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν.
Ὑπερ τῆς ἄνωθεν εἰρήνης, καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν ψυχῶν ἡνῶν….
Ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης τοῦ σύμπαντος κόσμου….
Ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἀρχιεπισκόπου ἡμῶν (τοῦ δεῖνος), ἱερωσύνης, ἀντιλήψεως, διαμονῆς, εἰρήνης, ὑγείας, καὶ σωτηρίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἔργου τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ, τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν.
Ὑπὲρ τοῦ δούλου τοῦ Θεοῦ (τοὺ δεῖνος), τοῦ νυνὶ προχειριζομένου Διακόνου, καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶ, τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν.
Ὅπως ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς ἡμῶν , ἄσπιλον καὶ ἀμώμητον αὐτῶ τὴν Διακονίαν χαρίσηται, τοῦ Κυρίου δεηθῶμεν.
Ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως, ταύτης, πάσης πόλεως, χώρας…
Ὑπὲρ τοῦ ῥυσθηναι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πἀσης θλίψεως…
‘Αντιλαβοῦ, σωσον, ἐλέησον…
Τῆς Παναγίας ἀχράντου, ὑπερευλογημένης…
Καὶ τούτον ῥηθέντων, ὁ Ἀρχιερευς ἔχων τὴν χεῖρα ἐπικειμένην, ἐπεύχεται καὶ αὖθις οὕτως:
Ἀρχιερευς: Θεὸς Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, ὁτῆ ἀφθάρτω σου φωνῆ τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις σου θεστίσας τὸν τῆς Διακονίας νόμον καὶ τὸν πρωτο μάρτυρα Στἐφανον τοιοῦτον ἀναδείξας, καὶ πρῶτο ν αὐτὸν κηρύξας τὸ τοῦ Διακόνου πληροῦντα ἔργον, καθὼς γέγρα πταιἐντῶ
ἀγίω Εὐαγγελίω σου «Ὅστις θέλειἐν ὑμῖν εἶνα ιπρῶτος, ἔστω ὑμῶν διάκονος» Σὺ Δέσποτα τῶν ἁπάντων, καὶ τὸν δοῦλόν σου τοῦτον, ον κατηξίωσας τὴν τοῦ Διακόνου ὑπεισελθεῖν λειτουργίαν, πλήρωσον πάσης πίστεως, κα ὶἀγάπης, καὶ δυνάμεως, καὶ ἁγιασμοῦ, τῆ ἐπι φοιτήσει τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ σου Πνεύματος οὐγὰρἐντῆ ἐπι θέσει τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν, ἀ λλ’ έν τῆ ἐπισκοπῆ τῶν πλουσιῶν σου οἰκτιρμῶν δίδοται χάρις τοῖς ἀξίοις σου ἵνα καὶοὖτος, πάσης ἁμαρτίας ἐκτὸς γενόμενος, ἐν τῆ φοβερᾶ ἡμέρα τῆς κρίσεώς σου ἀμέμπτως σοι παρα στῆ, καὶ τὸν μισθὸν τὸν ἀδιάψευστον τῆς σῆς ἐπαγγελίας κομίσηται. Σὺ γὰρ εἶ ὸ Θεὸς ὴμῶν, καὶ σοὶ τὴν δόξαν ἀναπέμπομεν, σὺν τῶ Πατρὶ καὶ τῶ Υὶῶ καὶ τῶ Ἁγίω Πνεώματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰῶνων. ‘Αμήν.
Καὶ μετὰ τὸ ‘Αμήν, ἀνισταμένου τοῦ χειροτονουμένου ἐμφανίζει τοῦτον ὁ ‘Αρχιερεὺς τῶ λαῶ καὶ περιτίθησι τὸ Ὀράριον τὸν άριστερὸν αὐτοῦ ὦμον, λέγων ἐκφώνως «Ἄξιος»
Καὶ ψάλλεται τὸ «Ἄξιος» τρὶς παρὰ τῶν τοῦ Βήματος. Εἶτα ἐπιτίθησιν ὁ ‘Αρχιερεὺς ἑκατέρα χειρὶ τοῦ τὰ ἐπιμάνικα, λέγων ἐκφώνως «Ἄξιος»
Καὶ ψάλλεται τὸ «Ἄξιος» τρὶς παρὰ τοῦ α΄ χοροῦ.
[Εἶτα στρέφων ὁ ‘Αρχιερευς τὸν χειροτονηθέντα κατενώπιον τοῦ Λαοῦ, λέγει ἐκφώνως «Αὕτη ἡ ἀλλοίωσις τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ Ὑψίστου.» Καὶ χἀλλεται τρίς, ἅπαξ παρὰ τῶν ἐν τῶ Βήματι καὶ παρ΄ἑκατέρου τῶν χορῶν, «Τίς Θεὸς μέγας ὡς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμὼν; Σὺ εἶ ὁ Θεός, ὁ ποιῶν θαυμάσια μόνος].
Εἶταὁ ‘Αρχιερεὺςδίδωσιναύτῶἀγάπην,ἤτοιἀσπάζεταιαὐτὸνεἰςτὸμέτωπον,ὁδὲχειροτονούμενοςἀσπάζεταιτὴνχεῖρατοῦἈρχιερέως.
Εἶθ’ οὕτως συνεχίζεται ἡ θεία Λειτουργία.
Εἰς δὲ τὸν τῆς Μεταλήψεως καιρόν, πρῶτος τῶν ἄλλων Διακόνων ὁ χειροτονηθεὶς μετὲχει τῶν θείων Μυστηρίων, καὶ λέγει τὰ διακονικὰ εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν, ἤγουν τό, «Ὀρθοί Μεταλαβόντες…»
Ταῦτα δὲ γίνονται, ὅταν γίνηται Λειτουργία τελεία. ‘Επεὶ δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς Προηγιασμέναις γίνεται χειροτονία Διακόνου, ἰστέον ὅτι μετὰ τὸ ἀποτεθῆναι τὰ Προηγιασμένα ἐν τῆ ἁγία Τραπέζη, πρὶν εἰπεῖν τὸν Διἀκονον «Πληρώσωμεν τὴν δέησιν…», προσάγεται ὁ μέλλων χειροτονεῖσθαι, καὶ γίνεται ἡ τάξις τῆς Χειροτονίας, ὡς ἀνωτέρω.
АВТОНОМНА ПРАВОСЛАВНА ЦЕРКВА ЗАХІДНОЇ ЄВРОПИ І КАНАДИ - 1993 УПЦ КП-Медіоланського i Святоюлінського Епархiя 