Feast day of the Holy Lance; a question that stumps everyone

[Pani_Rose]

First, the priest cuts the square with the IC|XC NIKA impression. The center square with the IC|XC NIKA impression is symbolic of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Therefore, the center square is called “The Lamb”. “The Lamb” is cut out of the qurban with the “Lance”. Next, “The Lamb” is pierced by the “Lance”.

Particles for Holy Eucharist for the Clergy are cut from this square.
**Ceremony of Preparation of the Oblations or Prothesis**

When the priest and deacon come to the Proskomide or Altar of Preparation, they bow three times, while saying, “O God, be gracious to me a sinner and have mercy on me.” Then, the priest says, “You have redeemed us from the curse of the Law by your precious blood; by being nailed to the Cross and wounded with the lance, You have become for us the fountain of immortality. Glory to You, our Savior!” “proskomide” or “table of oblation” or “Altar of Preparation”. Then the priest gives the blessing: “Blessed is our God at all times, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

**The priest takes the prosphora in his left hand and the Holy Lance in his right hand. The priest blesses the bread three times over the square with the IC|XC NIKA impression while he says:

**
"In remembrance of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ." (Three times)
The priest thrusts the Holy Lance into the right side of the square with the IC|XC NIKA impression and makes an incision while he says:
"Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter."
The priest thrusts the Holy Lance into the left side of the square with the IC|XC NIKA impression and makes an incision while he says:
"Like a spotless lamb silent before His shearer, He opens not his mouth."
The priest thrusts the Holy Lance into the top of the square with the IC|XC NIKA impression and makes an incision while he says:
"In His humiliation, His judgment was taken away."
The priest thrusts the Holy Lance into the bottom of the square with the IC|XC NIKA impression and makes an incision while he says:
**“And who shall declare His generation?”

**
The Deacon pays attention to the ceremony and holds the orarion with three fingers of the right hand. The Deacon says at each incision by the priest:
**“Let us pray to the Lord.”

**
The priest thrusts the Holy Lance obliquely into the right side of the bread, lifts out “The Lamb” while he says:
"For His life was taken away from the earth."

These words are a quotation from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 8, verse 33. The Apostle Philip read from the Prophet Isaiah when he instructed the Ethiopian eunuch in the Catholic faith before his baptism.

**The priest places "The Lamb" upside down on the Diskos (the side bearing IC|XC NIKA impression faces down) in the center of the Diskos.

**
The priest immolates “The Lamb” cutting it crosswise from top to bottom and side to side, without cutting it apart and says:
"The Lamb of God ,who takes away the sins of the world, is immolated for the life and salvation of the world."
**These words are from the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 29 and chapter 6, verse 51.

**
The priest turns over “The Lamb”, (the side bearing IC|XC NIKA impression faces up) in the center of the Diskos, and pierces it with the lance on the right side, below the letters XC, the abbreviation of the name of Jesusand says:
"One of the soldiers pierced His side with the lance, and at once there came forth blood and water; and he who saw it bore witness, and his witness is true."
**These words are from the Gospel of John, chapter 19, verse 34 - 35.

**
Then, to represent this blood and water from IC|XC’s (Jesus Christ’s) side, the priest or the deacon pours together wine and a few drops of water into the poterion. Then, the deacon says to the priest:
“Bless this holy union, Father.”

And the priest blesses the wine  and  water in the poterion by making the Sign of the Cross while he says:
"Blessed is the union of your holy things at all times, now and everand unto the ages of ages. Amen."

This luquid becomes the Blood of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ via “Transubstantiation”.

**Con’t
**

 

[Pani_Rose]

One Large Triangle for The Theotokos

  [The one large triangle - The Theotokos](http://www.mliles.com/melkite/qurbanpreparationtheotokos.shtml)

The Theotokos is in the square to the right of the Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA Impression on the Holy Seal and to the left of the Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA Impression on the Qurban.
Nine Small Triangles for the Angels, Prophets, Apostles, Pontiffs and Doctors, Martyrs, Fathers, Wonderworkers, and Saints, and the Saint whose Liturgy is being Celebrated

  [The nine small triangles - Angels and Saints](http://www.mliles.com/melkite/qurbanpreparationsaints.shtml)

The angels, apostles, pontiffs and doctors, martyrs, fathers, wonderworkers, The Ancester of Christ, Ann, The Ancester of Christ, Joachim and saints, and the saint whose Liturgy is being celebrated are in the square to the left of the Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA impression on the Holy Seal and to the right of the Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA Impression on the Qurban.
Small IC|XC NIKA Impression in the square above the Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA impression. Particles for the living are cut from this square.

  [The small IC|XC NIKA impression - Living](http://www.mliles.com/melkite/qurbanpreparationliving.shtml)

The Living is in the square above the Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA impression on the Holy Seal and on the Qurban.
Small IC|XC NIKA Impression in the square below the Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA impression. Particles for the dead are cut from this square.

  [The small IC|XC NIKA impression - Dead](http://www.mliles.com/melkite/qurbanpreparationdead.shtml)

The Dead is in the square below the Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA impression on the Holy Seal and on the Qurban.
Other Information

 **Particles for Holy Eucharist for the People**

 The priest cuts particles used for [Holy Eucharist](http://www.mliles.com/melkite/holyeucharist.shtml) for the people from the rest of the Qurban.  There is no specification about what part.

“The Lamb” (Center Square with the IC|XC NIKA impression) is prepared for the clergy’s (priest, deacon, bishop, and patriarch) reception of Holy Eurcharist. But, if not all of “The Lamb” is required for the clergy, particles from it may be given to the people.

 

[jfallaw]

Pani Rose, dziekuje! It’s interesting to learn of the Orthodox traditions. I attended a Greek Orthodox mass once in Corpus Christi, TX, and found it very beautiful. One thing that confused me was why the altar was hidden, though.