17 February 1997
The Pious Pastors
of the Holy Diocese of Denver
Beloved in the Lord,
From time to time I have issued guidance to the priests and deacons of this Diocese concerning the proper order to be followed in celebrating the liturgical services. This guidance has sometimes been given through formal Protocol letters such as this one, at other times through general informational letters, and on other occasions through the Diocesan newsletter.
However issued, this guidance is not optional, but is the correct and uniform manner according to which I expect you to celebrate divine services throughout the Diocese of Denver.
You are well aware that we as priests of the Orthodox Church are not permitted to innovate or alter the Liturgical practices of our Typikon, but rather we are to faultlessly transmit the faith and its order of worship to the faithful.
Truly lex orandi est lex credendi; alterations in liturgical practice and the use of poorly translated liturgical texts transmit erroneous or false teachings to the people of God, and we bear an eternal responsibility for everything we communicate to His flock.
I previously sent you in December 1993 entitled "Priestly Concelebration Ð Ieratikon Sulleitourgon" and "Rubrics Whenever a Hierarch Officiates or Presides Ð Diataxis Chorostatountos Archiereos."
Both works are translations into English of information provided in the ïIeratikovn published by the EKDOSIS THS APOSTOLIKHS DIAKONIAS THS EKKLHSIAS THS ELLADOS, Athens, 1981.
The use of the these liturgical guidelines by all priests and deacons in the Diocese will not only ensure uniformity among our parishes but will also ensure that our practices conform with those of the Great Church of Constantinople whose Typikon is the one governing our churches.
Note that in general the same applicable order and procedures are to be followed when a priest is serving alone as well as when he serves with a deacon.
These instructions are not recommendations, but rather directives regarding the proper rubrics to be followed when two or more priests concelebrate in the Divine Liturgy and whenever a Hierarch presides or celebrates.
Additionally, the guidelines should minimize the confusion that all too often reigns whenever two or more priests concelebrate among themselves or with the Bishop.
Concelebrated liturgies are not an occasion to show hospitality to our visiting brethren; rather it is the divine and angelic worship offered to God in accordance with the practices handed to us by Holy Tradition. The senior priest in ecclesiastical rank during any liturgical celebration is the chief concelebrant. The parts prescribed for each of the remaining clergy in order of seniority are clearly defined. Each priest and deacon must therefore fulfill his liturgical duties as specified, without innovation or confusion.
Always remember that there is always only one celebrant at the Divine Liturgy, our Lord Jesus Christ Who is iconographically represented by His living icon, the Bishop, or in the absence of the Bishop by the senior priest.
Whenever the Pastor invites a visiting or a retired priest to concelebrate, the Pastor himself shall normally be the senior celebrant, and concelebrating clergy take their places (rank) according to ordination date and offikion.
Note that the other priests are concelebrants, not cocelebrants. Consequently it is only the senior priest who stands before the Holy Altar while the other priests stand on the south (right) and north (left) sides of the Altar. The junior priests never stand before the altar, except to receive Communion and when joining together to make reverences (e.g., prior to the Great Entrance and before the Creed).
In regard to seniority and the chief celebrant, please remember that the Pastor of a parish is the direct representative of the Bishop to that parish, and as such he is the senior concelebrant ex officio in the absence of the Bishop himself or the Diocesan Chancellor who is my senior direct representative. This is true regardless of the ordination date or ecclesiastical offikion held by the Pastor.
Should an older and more senior priest visit a parish with a much younger pastor, however, the Pastor should strongly consider inviting the visitor to be the celebrant while he remains in the altar vested in his rasson (and at communion with his epitrachelion). Other junior clergy may of course be concelebrants with him at the altar.
Similarly, when an Archimandrite visits a parish the Pastor should accord him the place of seniority in view of his ecclesiastical rank. In this case the Pastor either becomes the second in seniority and takes his place at the south (right) side of the altar (regardless of other clergy present) or remains in the altar vested in his rasson (and at communion with his epitrachelion).
Some of our parishes are blessed to have venerable priests living nearby who "retired from active duty" after serving faithfully in the Lord's vineyard for many years. These retired priests normally attend the Divine Liturgy and other services standing in the sanctuary area, vested in their rassa. Whenever the Pastor invites a retired priest to concelebrate, the pastor himself shall be the senior celebrant; if the Pastor should invite the retired priest to be the celebrant (such as on his name day or other special commemoration) the Pastor shall remain in the altar vested in his rasson (and at communion with his epitrachelion).
It is not appropriate for clergy, retired or active, to stand among the congregation. Instead they should either be concelebrants or take their place standing in the sanctuary vested in their rassa. Clergy who are not concelebrants shall receive Holy Communion wearing an epitrachelion from the Altar after all of the concelebrating clergy have communed.
As you follow the guidance contained on the enclosures, please note that it is not proper for the concelebrant clergy to recite the petitions in the Litany of Peace in a "round robin" fashion; instead, they are recited exclusively by the senior celebrant or the senior deacon. Also note that only the senior priest (celebrant) blesses the congregation.
In those very large parishes where more than one Divine Liturgy is offered, Matins should precede the first Liturgy. The second Liturgy may thereafter begin with or without the preceding service of the third and sixth hours; the Great Doxology (either complete or in abbreviated form) shall not be sung before the second Liturgy since this hymn is part of Matins and is not Ð as some parishioners had wrongly been accustomed to think Ð the beginning of the Divine Liturgy.
Pastors in the large parishes with assistant priests may not modify the order described in the enclosed documents simply because their assistants customarily serve with them on Sunday mornings. This guidance is to be followed uniformly on all occasions in every parish of the Diocese.
With Paternal Blessings,
+ Bishop Isaiah of Denver