Orders for the Blessing of Various Objects. Molebens and Akathists (Vol 5, Ch 13)

To be taught on Feb 23, 2020:

In this is the final in the last volume of Metropolitan Hilarion’s work on the Orthodox Church.  In this volume, he has described the Sacraments and other rites of the Orthodox Church.

The Orthodox Book of Needs is a four volume set that, according to St Tikhon’s Monestary bookstore, “contains the prayers and services for all aspects of Church life.”  Most of what has been described in this volume are the rites contained in the Book of Needs.  The specific content of this book varies depending on the time and place of publication.

In this chapter, the Metropolitan gives us the rest of the story, as it were.  He briefly describes rites that have been left undescribed to this point.  The Metropolitan divides these into the following categories:

• The blessing of liturgical implements and icons;

• Molbens (supplications) for various occasions; and

• Molebens and Akathists (hymns).  Worship according to and outside the Typicon.

The Typicon contains the rules and rubrics for the religious services of the church.  Over the past two centuries, the Chruch has become more open to conducting “‘customized’ divine services” for individuals that are unregulated by the rules and regulations of the Typicon.

Next week, we begin in Volume 1, which covers the history of the Orthodox Church.  Nearly two years ago, the St Thomas school began and our first study was with Volume 2 of the Metropolitan’s 5 volume set.  Completing Volume 1 will take us through the first complete cycle of this work.

The Consecration of a Church / The Preparation and Consecration of Chrism (Vol V, Ch 11 - 12)

Taught on Feb 15:

This week at the St Thomas school, we will cover two chapters.

Vol V, Ch 11: The Consecration of a Church

In this chapter, Metropolitan Hilarion describes the rites associate with the blessing of a church.

There are several occasions during initial construction when a church shall be blessed:

• The founding;

• When placing the cross on the cupola;

• The blessing of the bell tower; and

• The dedication.

During the dedication of the church, various liturgical items and the icon are commonly blessed; however, there may be a separate service for these items.  Similarly, the antimins (antimension), which contains a holy relic and is signed by the Bishop, is generally consecrated during the dedication.

In addition to the blessing of a new church, there exists a lesser blessing for the renovation of a previously blessed church..if the alter was not moved during the renovation.

Vol V, Ch 12: Preparation and Consecration of Chrism

Chrism (Greek χρίσμα, meaning "ointment") is consecrated oil used during the administration of certain mysteries and rites of the Orthodox Church.  It is comprised of olive oil mixed with aromatic essences—plant oils, set smelling herbs, and fragrant resins.  In the Russian church, it also includes white grape wine and may also include frankincense, rose petals, violet, spice, torment root, and nutmeg.  Metropolitan Hilarion notes that the specific recipe has never been firmly established in the Orthodox Church.  Over the past few hundred years, the list of elements used in chrism has ranged from the forties and into the fifties.

The consecration of chrism is “inseparably linked to the sacrament of chrismation.”  The order of consecration consists of censing, singing of Psalms, reading Scripture, and prayers.  The rite is performed by a Patriarch, though not all Patriarch’s have the authority to consecrate chrism. 

Chrism is consecrated once a year or less frequently, depending on the needs of the Church.  The elements are brought into the church on the third week of Great Lent.  On that Wednesday, the elements are combined and “cooked” over the following two weeks.  On Wednesday of the sixth week, the oil is poured off into vessels. The rite of consecration takes place over the course of several days during Holy Week with the actual consecration occurring during the Divine Liturgy on Holy Thursday.

The significant of this rite is easily lost in our modern culture.  From Metropolitan Hilarion:

This ritual is of great symbolic significance, attesting that, like the apostolic succession of the hierarchy, there is a direct line of succession linking the holy chrism consecrated in our own time with the chrism consecrated in the ancient church.  Thus, along with the gift of the Holy Spirit and the blessing of the primate of the Church in the sacrament of chrismation a Christian also receives the apostolic blessing of many generations of Orthodox hierarchs—a blessing that may be traced back to the time of the apostles.

The Blessing of a Church (Vol V, Ch 11)

To be taught on Feb 15.

In this chapter, Metropolitan Hilarion describes the rites associate with the blessing of a church.

There are several occasions during initial construction when a church shall be blessed:

• The founding;

• When placing the cross on the cupola;

• The blessing of the bell tower; and

• The dedication.

During the dedication of the church, various liturgical items and the icon are commonly blessed; however, there may be a separate service for these items.  Similarly, the antimins (antimension), which contains a holy relic and is signed by the Bishop, is generally consecrated during the dedication.

In addition to the blessing of a new church, there exists a lesser blessing for the renovation of a previously blessed church..if the alter was not moved during the renovation.

The major features of the orders for the consecration of a church are mostly unchanged from the 8th century.

The Blessing of the Water (Vol V, Ch 10)

Taught on February 8th.

In this chapter, Metropolitan Hilarion discusses the rites of the blessing of the water.  Since this volume, the fifth in the series, is focused on the sacraments and rites of the Orthodox Church and not theology, this chapter only describes the two rites for the blessing of the water.

There are two traditional rites for the blessing of the water: 

The Great Blessing of the Water

This blessing takes place on the eve of or on the actual day of Theophany.  This feast day, celebrated on January 6, commemorates the baptism of Jesus.  By the fourth century, water drawn on this day was widely believed to be particularly sanctified.  By the sixth century, the rite of the blessing of the water on the feast of Theophany was the universal custom of the Church.  This water is given to the people for drinking, anointing, and for sprinkling others, among other uses.  When drunk for healing of soul and body, it should always be drunk on an empty stomach.

The Lesser Blessing of the Water

Unlike the Great Blessing, in the history of the Church the Lessor Blessing has occurred at various times of the year.  It is a rite that seems to have appeared later in Church history.  In early Constantinople, the blessing occurred on August 1st on the feast of the Procession of the Tree and the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.  By the 12th century, the rite was performed monthly.  In modern day Russia, the Lessor Blessing of the water occurs three times during the year: On the feast of the Procession of the Cross (Aug 1); the feast to honor the icon of the Mother of God the Life-bearing Font (Friday of Bright Week); and at the mid feast of Pentecost.  In all aspects, this water is used just as the water of the Greater Blessing, with one exception, it does not have to be drunk on an empty stomach.

Burial and Commemoration of the Dead (Vol V, Ch 9)

To be taught Feb 1, 2020.

From Michael Ruse:

Praying for the dead is an expression of worship. It’s based on the Holy Trinity’s love for all of us and it’s an ancient practice of the Church. 

First Timothy in Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition teaches us that Orthodox Christians prayed for the dead. We love our departed family and friends, whether or not they are in the Church. We care about their eternal state just as God is, except God loves humanity perfectly. Since God is the “lover of humanity,” we offer prayers for relief for sinners and prayers for more perfect union with the Trinity for the saints.

Can our prayers really help the departed? It’s not just a pious gesture nor is it ancestor worship. Our prayers help all those to whom we devote our good works and prayers because Hades was destroyed, and we have been given Jesus Christ Himself in the Eucharist.

In previous chapters we learned that Jesus Christ through his death, descent and resurrection has destroyed Hades and death so that until the Final Judgment we can always ask for God’s mercy because of God’s “ineffable love for mankind.” Protestants might argue that’s not possible. Roman Catholics might argue that’s it’s possible, but with limitations to the righteous who are already being purged in the fire, also known as Purgatory. The Orthodox Church practices praying “for all men” (1 Tim.2:1). 

Metropolitan Hilarion’s use of the Church Fathers, such as St. Augustine and St. John Chrysostom, shows that the prayers for the dead are powerful because “the dreadful Mysteries” are offered. This point is particularly seen in the prayers for the departed that are said right after the consecration in the liturgy of St. Basil and St. John Chrysostom. The fact that these prayers are offered in every liturgy on Sunday highlights the importance of how Orthodox Christians view the whole Church. Every Orthodox Christian, in the grave or not, are together as one body. There is a section too that deals with the question of praying for non-Orthodox Christians. Metropolitan Hilarion already hints at the answer by quoting Holy Scripture from St. Paul’s letter to Timothy.