Liturgy and Sacraments (Mysteries): Structure, Epiclesis, and the Seven Mysteries
This domain tests the shape of the Byzantine Divine Liturgy, the theology of the Eucharist, and the seven mysteries. Expect questions on order, attribution, and consecratory language.
The Eucharistic liturgies
- St John Chrysostom is served on most days; St Basil on the Sundays of Great Lent, Holy Thursday, Holy Saturday, the eves of Theophany and Christmas, and his feast; the Presanctified (attributed to Gregory the Dialogist) on Lenten weekdays; St James in Jerusalem on 23 October.
- The order: Proskomedia (prothesis, the Lamb, the lance, the asterisk, commemoration), Enarxis (blessing, Great Litany, antiphons, Little Entrance), Trisagion, readings, Cherubic Hymn and Great Entrance, petitionary litany, Creed, Anaphora (preface, Sanctus, institution narrative and anamnesis, epiclesis, intercessions, Theotokion), Lord's Prayer, communion, dismissal.
- Leavened bread; wine mixed with water; communion of both kinds is the norm for the faithful.
- No full Liturgy on Lenten weekdays; the Presanctified has no anaphora and no consecration.
The mysteries
- Seven: Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist, Repentance, Holy Orders, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick. The number is catechetical; the Church's sacramental life is not exhausted by it.
- Baptism is by triple immersion in the name of the Trinity, followed immediately by chrismation and first communion. Chrism is consecrated by the head of an autocephalous church.
- Only a bishop ordains; the orders are bishop, priest, deacon.
- Marriage consists of betrothal and crowning; crowns signify martyrdom and the kingdom. Second marriages are permitted with a penitential rite; a fourth is not.
- Confession is made to a priest, who is a witness rather than a judge; the seal is absolute.
Worked example
"What consecrates the gifts?" The Western scholastic answer locates consecration in the words of institution alone. The Byzantine anaphora treats the whole prayer as one act, with an explicit epiclesis: "send down thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts here offered." The safe answer is that consecration is accomplished by the Holy Spirit invoked in the epiclesis, within the anaphora as a whole - which is why Nicholas Cabasilas wrote his commentary against the Latin criticism.
Traps
- Saying the Presanctified Liturgy consecrates, or that it has an anaphora.
- Assuming the Liturgy of St Basil lacks an epiclesis.
- Restricting communion to one kind as though that were the Byzantine norm.
- Treating the sevenfold number as a dogma denying other sacramental acts.