Terminology -

LAST SUPPER– (Sl. Taynaya Vecherya) The meal which Jesus Christ had with His Apostles in the upper room in Jerusalem the night before He was crucified. At this moment He instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. In Slavonic it is called the Mystic Supper.

LAURA – (lavra) A type of monastery which is directly under the authority of the Patriarch, viz. Troitska Laura in Moscow, Kievo-Pecherckaya Laura in Kiev. A large, rich monastery of importance that has special privileges and is A cultural center in the region it occupies.

LECTERN – A high movable reading desk of wood or metal with slanting top for reading the Gospel during Liturgy. It is brought in front of the Royal Doors on the Ambo and after the reading it is removed to the side.

LENT – (Great Lent) The seven weeks of fasting in preparation for the glorious Resurrection of Christ. The faithful attend special prayer services, go to confession and Holy Communion. Each Sunday is designated for special commemoration the first Sunday is the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the second –  St. Gregory of Palama, third – Veneration of… Read More

LESSER ENTRANCE – The procession of the priest preceded by the altar boys during the singing of the Beatitudes at Divine Liturgy. The priest carries the Gospel Book. When a Bishop is serving at this point he enters the sanctuary from the cathedra where he was from the beginning of the Liturgy.

LITANY – (Sl. Ekteniya) A form of prayer consisting of brief invocations and petitions to which the choir or congregation makes a response.

LITIYA – (Lity, litia) A word implying a fervent, prolonged prayer. It is a service of blessing of the breads joined to the Vespers on the eve of major feasts. Five breads, oil and wine are blessed. In the prayer of blessing we ask our Lord that as He blessed the five loaves and fed… Read More

LITURGICAL BOOKS – The first place among the books used in the divine services is occupied by the books of the Gospel (Gr. Evangelion; Sl. Evangelie), the Epistle and the Psalter, which are from the Bible. The next place belongs to the following books: the Priest’s Service Book (Hieratikon or Sluzhebnik), the Horologion (Book of… Read More

LOGOS – (Gr. Word) St. John the Evangelist uses this expression for the Word of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Who was God from the beginning, and through Him all things were made. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (JoHN 1:1-18). This Gospel is read at Divine Liturgy… Read More

LORD’S PRAYER – The prayer “Our Father” taught by our Lord to the Apostles. In the Gospel of Matthew (6:9-13) in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches about prayer and tells how to pray: After this manner therefore pray ye . . . This form is universally used by Christians. In Luke 11:2-4 the… Read More

JESUS CHRIST –  Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Who became man for our sakes. The Word, begotten of the Father from all eternity, Who took flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Ghost; Who lived in Galilee and Judea, preached the Kingdom of God, did miracles and established the Church; Who suffered and died on the cross for the sins of mankind. He was buried and on the third day rose from the dead, and forty days later ascended into Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life for all Christians.

KAMILAUKA – A hat worn by the clergy, black cylindrical and has a flat top. Its use is liturgical.

KANON – Versicles sung at Matins, divided into nine Odes.

KELLIA – Monk’s room or cell in a monastery.

KONTAKION – A hymn giving in an abbreviated form the substance of the day’s feast.  Originally, this was a hymn composed of many stanza (18-24) whose lengthy text required the use of a scroll. What remains today are short preliminary stanzas that give a concise meaning to the feast being celebrated. It is sung following… Read More

KYRIE ELEISON – (Gr. Lord have mercy) The response of the choir or the congregation to the petitions of the Litany.

ICONOGRAPHY – The art of painting icons. The art was developed chiefly in monasteries by monks. There are several schools of iconography each having its particular style. Andrei Rublev was one of the great icon painters and he established a certain style which has been followed because it gives the true Orthodox expression in iconography.

ICONOSTASIS – (Sl. Iconostas) The screen which separates the sanctuary from the nave, covered with icons. Actually, there are two or three tiers of icons. To the right of the Royal Doors is the icon of our Lord Jesus Christ, bearing the open book of the Gospel; to the left is the icon of the… Read More

ILITON –(eileton) The silk cloth used to wrap the antiminsion or corporal.

IMMERSION ? In Baptism the submerging of the body in water.

INCENSE – An aromatic resin substance which upon being burnt in the censer gives off a sweet smelling smoke used in the services. It symbolizes the rising of prayer to God and the zeal of the Christian. It is the sap of the frankincense tree, or other aromatic substances, dried and burned in honor of… Read More

INCLINATION – Bowing the head. A gesture usually accompanying the making the sign of the cross as an unspoken “Amen” to any prayer. Bows, kneeling, the sign of the Cross, the lifting of our hands, the bowing of our heads, kissing icons — all these things are expressions of that state of mind of which… Read More

INTONE – To recite in a singing tone.

GREAT VESPERS – refers to the Vespers done the evening before a major feast day. Since Sunday is always the commemoration of the Day of Resurrection, Vespers on Saturday evening is always a Great Vespers. There are only minor variations between regular and Great Vespers, but generally there is more chanting as opposed to intoning… Read More