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Singing the Ordination Services

The ordination of a deacon or presbyter (priest) is a significant event in the life of a Church, and one of the more common of the special episcopal services contained in the Archieratikon. Even if the number of ordinations that take place in a particular parish will be small, when one does occur the local cantors should be prepared to lead the singing of the congregation.

This article describes the singing of the three major ordination services. Note that in general, a book will be prepared in advance for the service, and that the directives in whatever book is used, together with the wishes of the ordaining bishop, the local pastor, and the master of ceremonies for the event, take precedence over whatever is said here.

Major ordinations take place during a hierarchical Divine Liturgy, and share a common set of responses and hymns. Review the material at those two links before proceeding. For reasons that will become clear, you will generally want TWO cantors for an ordination service, one on each side of the church, or each side of the choir loft at certain points.

Ordination of a deacon

The ordination of a deacon takes place in the Divine Liturgy AFTER the Eucharistic sacrifice has been completed, but before Holy Communion. The hierarchical Divine Liturgy is celebrated as usual. At the end of the Anaphora, the celebrant exclaims:

May the mercies of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ be with you all.

the cantor and faithful respond, "And with your spirit." Then the ordination of the deacon takes place.

The archdeacon leads the candidate for ordination out of the sanctuary and through the church to the bishop's chair, where the bishop greets him with "Christ is among us!" Then the archdeacon leads the candidate around the holy table (altar) three times. During during the first circuit around the holy table, the following troparion is sung twice, first by those within the sanctuary, then by the cantor and faithful in the nave of the church:

O holy martyrs, * you have struggled courageously * and have received your crowns. * Pray to the Lord to have mercy on our souls.

During the second circuit around the holy table, the following following is sung twice as before, once by those in the sanctuary, and once by those in the nave:

Glory to you, O Christ our God, * boast of the apostles * and joy of the martyrs * who proclaimed the Trinity, one in essence.

During the third circuit around the holy table, this irmos is sung, once by those in the sanctuary, and once by those in the nave:

Rejoice, O Isaiah!  The Virgin was with child and bore a Son, Emmanuel.  He is God and Man.  His name is Rising of the Sun.  By extolling him, we bless the Virgin.

Then the candidate kneels before the bishop, who imposes hands on him and says the prayer of ordination:

Divine grace, which always heals what is infirm and supplies what is lacking, ordains the pious Subdeacon (Name) to be a deacon.

The bishop immediately continues,

Therefore, let us pray for him, that the grace of the all-holy Spirit may come upon him, and let us all say:

The response to this invocation is "Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy,", which is sung to one of two special melodies:

All four times should be sung using whichever melody the first group of clergy sing.

The bishop blesses the candidate, and the archdeacon intones, "Let us pray to the Lord." The cantor and people do NOT respond with "Lord, have mercy"; instead, the bishop prays aloud, and all respond "Amen" with the usual short melody. This is followed by a Litany of Peace with special petitions for the newly-ordained deacon; the ordinary responses are sung.

Finally, the bishop clothes the newly-ordained deacon with his orarion, the sign of his office, and exclaims, "Axios!" (Greek for He is worthy). The clergy in the sanctuary respond by singing "Axios!" to one of two special melodies (marked A and B in the music leaflet), and the cantor and faithful in the nave sing it again to the same melody.

This process is repeated as the bishop gives the deacon his censor. Finally, the bishop gives the deacon a ripidion (liturgical fan), and when he exclaims, "Axios!", first the clergy, then the cantor and faithful sing "Axios!" to a third melody (marked C). The newly-ordained deacon remains at the altar, waving the ripidion over the Gifts, as another deacon comes out to begin the litany, "Now that we commemorated all the saints...." The hierarchical Divine Liturgy continues as usual.

After Holy Communion, the newly-ordained deacon comes out of the sanctuary, to intone the litany, "Arise! Now that we have received....."

Ordination of a presbyter (priest)

The ordination of a priest takes place in the hierarchical Divine Liturgy immediately after the Great Entrance and the singing of the Cherubic Hymn. The order is almost identical to the ordination of a deacon.

The archdeacon leads the candidate from the sanctuary and though the church to the bishop's chair, where the bishop greets him with "Christ is among us!" Then the archpriest leads the candidate around the holy table three times. During each circuit, one of the following hymns is sung twice, first by the clergy within the sanctuary, then by the cantor and faithful in the nave of the church:

O holy martyrs, * you have struggled courageously * and have received your crowns. * Pray to the Lord to have mercy on our souls.

Glory to you, O Christ our God, * boast of the apostles * and joy of the martyrs * who proclaimed the Trinity, one in essence.

Rejoice, O Isaiah!  The Virgin was with child and bore a Son, Emmanuel.  He is God and Man.  His name is Rising of the Sun.  By extolling him, we bless the Virgin.

Then the candidate kneels before the bishop, who imposes hands on him and says the prayer of ordination:

Divine Grace, which always heals what is infirm and supplies what is lacking, ordains the pious deacon (Name) to be a presbyter.

The bishop immediately continues,

Therefore, let us pray for him, that the grace of the all-holy Spirit may come upon him, and let us all say:

The response to this invocation is "Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy," which is sung to either the A or B melodies:

The bishop blesses the candidate, and the archdeacon intones, "Let us pray to the Lord." The cantor and people do NOT respond with "Lord, have mercy"; instead, the bishop prays aloud, and all respond "Amen" with the usual short melody. This is followed by a Litany of Peace with special petitions for the newly-ordained presbyter; the ordinary responses are sung.

Instead of the orarion and censer of the deacon, the bishop gives the newly-ordained priest the marks of his office: an epitrachilion (stole), zone (belt), cuffs, and phelonion. Each time, the bishop exclaims, "Axiios!", and then this is sung three times to either the A or B melody, first by the clergy in the sanctuary, then by the cantor and faithful in the nave, repeating it in the same melody.

Finally, instead of a ripidion, the bishop gives the newly-ordained priest a liturgikon, or book for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, and exclaims, "Axios!" This time, the clergy in the sanctuary respond by singing "Axios!" three times to the C melody, and the cantor and faithful sing the same melody in turn.

The newly-ordained priest exchanges the kiss of peace with the bishop and the other presbyters, and takes his place at the holy table. The hierarchical Divine Liturgy continues with the blessing with candles by the bishop that follows the Great Entrance.

Just before the dismissal, the newly-ordained priest comes out of the sanctuary, to intone the Ambon Prayer, beginning with "Let us go forth in peace."

Ordination of a bishop

The ordination of a bishop is a more complicated process than the ordination of a deacon or presbyter – which is not surprising, given his greater responsibilities, and the authority he will have in the Church.

The preparatory services, including the naming of the bishop, and his formal profession of faith, may take place the day before his episcopal ordination, or earlier in the same day. The faithful should be present if possible, but these services are conducted primarily by the ordaining bishops and the archdeacon; faithful sing, "Many years" at the end of the profession of faith.

At the beginning of the hierarchical Divine Liturgy, the candidate to be ordained enters the sanctuary at the start of the service, but he remains in the sanctuary, and does not take part in the Small Entrance with the Gospel book.

Immediately after the singing of the Trisagion ("Holy God"), the archpriest and archdeacon lead the candidate out of the sanctuary and though the church to the holy doors, where he is met by the bishop who will ordain him. The concelebrating bishops lead the candidate three times around the holy table. During each circuit, one of the following hymns is sung twice, first by the clergy within the sanctuary, then by the cantor and faithful in the nave of the church:

O holy martyrs, * you have struggled courageously * and have received your crowns. * Pray to the Lord to have mercy on our souls.

Glory to you, O Christ our God, * boast of the apostles * and joy of the martyrs * who proclaimed the Trinity, one in essence.

Rejoice, O Isaiah!  The Virgin was with child and bore a Son, Emmanuel.  He is God and Man.  His name is Rising of the Sun.  By extolling him, we bless the Virgin.

The candidate is led before the holy table, and the archdeacon intones,

May the Lord God grant to his servant, the priest (Name), chosen to be bishop of the God-saved city of (Name), peace, health, and happiness for many years.

to which the cantor and faithful respond by singing, "God grant you many years", three times as usual. (During the Divine Liturgy, "In health and happiness" is NOT sung.) The presiding bishop gives the candidate his pastoral staff, which he then surrenders; it is placed before the icon of Christ. The concelebrating bishops place the open Gospel book upon the head of the candidate, place their hands on it, and say the prayer of ordination:

Divine Grace, which always heals what is infirm and fulfills what is lacking, ordains the beloved of God, the Archimandrite, [or:the Hieromonk; or: the Priest] (Name), chosen to be the bishop of the God-saved city of (Name).

They immediately continue,

Therefore, let us pray for him, that the grace of the all-holy Spirit may come upon him, and let us all say:

and just the bishops and clergy in the sanctuary, all together, sing "Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy." to either the A or B melodies. It is not repeated by the faithful.

The bishops impose hands on the new bishop and the presiding bishop says a prayer beginning, "Master, Lord our God," calling down the Holy Spirit upon the new bishop. The cantor and faithful respond with the usual short "Amen." This is followed by a Litany of Peace with special petitions for the newly-ordained bishop; the ordinary responses are sung.

The presiding bishop nows bestows the episcopal insignia on the new bishop: the sakkos (liturgical robe), omophorion, and panaghia (medallion with the image of the Theotokos), and (if the newly-ordained is an archbishop) the pectoral cross. Each time, the presiding bishop exclaims, "Axios!", and then this is sung three times to either the A or B melody, first by the clergy in the sanctuary, then by the cantor and faithful in the nave, repeating it in the same melody.

Finally, the presiding bishop takes the new bishop's crown, places it upon his head, and exclaims, "Axios!" This time, the clergy in the sanctuary respond by singing "Axios!" three times to the C melody, and the cantor and faithful sing the same melody in turn.

The newly-ordained bishop exchanges the kiss of peace with the other bishops, and takes his place at the holy table. The hierarchical Divine Liturgy continues with the readings.

Just before the dismissal, a priest comes out of the sanctuary, to intone the Ambon Prayer, beginning with "Let us go forth in peace," If the newly-ordained bishop is also to be enthroned at this time, The Metropolitan (or the presiding bishop, if a Metropolitan is being enthroned) blesses the throne, escorts the new bishop to it, and announces:

The God-loving Bishop (Name) [or:  the most reverend Metropolitan (Name)] is enthroned as the [first second, etc] Metropolitan Arch]Bishop of (City).  Axios!

and the clergy and faithful together respond, "Axios! Axios! Axios!" using either the A or B melody. (Check with the master of ceremonies to determine which melody is to be used. If no one else starts it, the cantor should do so.)

Then the newly-enthroned bishop exchanges the kiss of peace with the other bishops, and with his clergy. This may take some time! During the kiss of peace, the cantor and faithful should sing Psalm 132 and 133 ("How good it is for brothers to dwell in unity"), or during the Paschal season, the Paschal stichera.

After the exchange of peace is complete, the presiding bishop takes the new bishop's pastoral staff from before the icon of Christ and presents it to the newly-enthroned bishop, saying

Receive this pastoral staff with which you are to watch over Christ’s flock that has been entrusted to your care.  Axios!

to which the clergy and faithful respond with "Axios! Axios! Axios!" sung to the C melody. The hierarchical Divine Liturgy continues with "Blessed be the name of the Lord."