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116 The Armenian Church

begins. The deacon carries the chalice to the
holy table and gives it to the celebrant. This
follows with the kiss of peace between the
faithful. During the kiss of peace, the person
who gives the greeting, says: "Christ is
revealed among us"; and the one who receives
the greeting responds: "Blessed is the revelation
of Christ." (At Christmas the greeting is
exchanged in the following way: "Christ is
born and revealed" is answered by "Blessed is
the revelation of Christ"; and on Easter: "Christ
is risen from the dead" is answered by "Blessed
is the resurrection of Christ.") And then, while
the deacon and choir sing hymns, praising
and thanking God for His mercy and love
towards us, the celebrant takes the bread and
repeats the words of Christ said during the
Last Supper: "Take, eat; this is my Body which is
broken for you and for many for the expiation and
remission of sins." Raising the chalice the
celebrant says: "Drink this all of you. This is my
Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for
you and for many for the expiation and remission
of sins" (cf. Mat. 26:26-28). He calls upon the
Father to send the Holy Spirit to bless the
gifts; he prays over the bread and wine sepa-
rately, making the sign of the cross three
times over each, and then, over the bread and
wine together, three times again. This is the
most sacred moment, when the bread and
wine are symbolically changed into the Body
and Blood of Christ.