Worship & Services
84 writings in Worship & Services. Clear
Worship & Services
What are the Hours?
The Hours are short services of prayer that mark specific times of the day. There are four main ones: First Hour, Third Hour, Sixth Hour,…
Worship & Services
What is a Molieben or prayer service?
A molieben is a short prayer service you can request for a specific need or occasion. Think of it as the Church’s way of gathering…
Worship & Services
What is a Panikhida or memorial service?
A Panikhida is a prayer service for someone who’s died. We’re asking God to forgive their sins, grant them rest, and raise them to eternal…
Worship & Services
What is the Akathist to the Theotokos?
An Akathist is a hymn of praise that you pray standing up. The word itself means “not sitting” in Greek, and that tells you something…
Worship & Services
What is a Paraklesis service?
A Paraklesis is a service of supplication where we ask the Theotokos or a saint to intercede for us before God. The word itself means…
Worship & Services
Why do Orthodox services involve so much repetition?
Because we forget. We’re forgetful people who need to hear the same truths over and over before they sink in deep enough to change us.…
Worship & Services
What does ‘Lord have mercy’ mean and why is it repeated so often?
“Lord have mercy” is our most basic prayer. It’s what the blind men shouted at Jesus on the road, what the Canaanite woman cried out…
Worship & Services
What is a litany?
A litany is a form of prayer where the deacon or priest calls out petitions and the congregation responds, usually with “Lord, have mercy.” It’s…
Worship & Services
What is the Great Litany?
The Great Litany is the long series of petitions chanted by the deacon (or priest) near the beginning of the Divine Liturgy and other major…
Worship & Services
What is the Little Entrance?
The Little Entrance is a procession that happens early in the Divine Liturgy. The priest or deacon carries the Book of the Gospels from the…
Worship & Services
What is the Great Entrance?
The Great Entrance is the solemn procession during the Divine Liturgy when the priest and deacon carry the bread and wine from the Table of…
Worship & Services
What is the Gospel procession?
The Gospel procession is the moment during the Divine Liturgy when the priest or deacon carries the Book of the Gospels from the altar, through…
