What was this?

[Butaperson]

So I went to a Divine Liturgy today at a Byzantine church. After the service, everybody lined up, and it looked like father kind of painted their foreheads with a little brush (with holy water?) and then they took something from the altar server before leaving the church.

I didn’t go up because I wasn’t sure what was happening and kinda thought it better to just observe. My best guess would be a final blessing? Or something of the sort? I don’t know.

 

[Vico]

So I went to a Divine Liturgy today at a Byzantine church. After the service, everybody lined up, and it looked like father kind of painted their foreheads with a little brush (with holy water?) and then they took something from the altar server before leaving the church.

I didn’t go up because I wasn’t sure what was happening and kinda thought it better to just observe. My best guess would be a final blessing? Or something of the sort? I don’t know.

Mirovanije (anointing). It takes place after the liturgical service when the faithful approach for the veneration of the festal icon, normally displayed on the tetrapod. For Paschal season, when anointing the priest says: “Christ is Risen!” Response: “Indeed He is Risen!” Then also the faithful receive a piece of the bread (prosphora).

It may be done for the 12 Great Feasts. Historically it is derived from the all-night vigils and the lighting of the oil lamps in front of the festal icon.

 

[Aramis]

So I went to a Divine Liturgy today at a Byzantine church. After the service, everybody lined up, and it looked like father kind of painted their foreheads with a little brush (with holy water?) and then they took something from the altar server before leaving the church.

I didn’t go up because I wasn’t sure what was happening and kinda thought it better to just observe. My best guess would be a final blessing? Or something of the sort? I don’t know.

Holy Oil. It’s called Mirovanie. Bread is what is taken. The bread is the portion of the loaf not used for preparing the Eucharist.

See, the loaf used for communion is marked with a seal - usually square - and that square is what is used for communion; the rest has already been blessed, and is shared after liturgy. It is not communion, nor is it restricted like communion. All baptized christians are welcome.

 

[Aramis]

It may be done for the 12 Great Feasts. Historically it is derived from the all-night vigils and the lighting of the oil lamps in front of the festal icon.

It’s also done for patronal feasts, and the sharing of the prosphora can be done with icon veneration just about whenever the priest decides to do so. And I’ve seen it done at liturgy following a wedding. And at baptisms.

 

[Vico]

It’s also done for patronal feasts, and the sharing of the prosphora can be done with icon veneration just about whenever the priest decides to do so. And I’ve seen it done at liturgy following a wedding. And at baptisms.

Thank you, I didn’t know that. I think our parish only has Mirovanije about two or three times a year.

 

[Aramis]

Thank you, I didn’t know that. I think our parish only has Mirovanije about two or three times a year.

The veneration with sharing of the antidorion (remaining prosphora) is an excellent method for allowing protestants to share in liturgical praxis without admitting them to communion - sharing in the feast in a practical way, but not a sacramental way.

Mirovanije for patronal feasts is because the patron of a parish or eparchy is a major celebration. Of course, my parish, the feast is a major one anyway. But we also tend to have Mirovanije on the patronal feast of our mission, as well.

 

[babochka]

It’s also done for patronal feasts, and the sharing of the prosphora can be done with icon veneration just about whenever the priest decides to do so. And I’ve seen it done at liturgy following a wedding. And at baptisms.

My parish distributes antidoron after every Divine Liturgy, as have most of the Byzantine Rite parishes I’ve attended (Ruthenian and Ukrainian).

Usually, we venerate the hand cross, but we have Mirovanije on major feast days, the Sunday following major feast days, and throughout Pascha.