Page 113 - The Sacred and Divine Liturgy

Following the Hierarch, the rest of the priests proceed to enter through the holy doors. The Hierarch, having entered into the altar, gives to the deacons the trikiri and dikiri. The Hierarch venerates the Holy Table and taking the censer, censes around the holy table, prothesis and entire altar, holding in his left hand the staff and singing the appointed troparion. After­ ward he goes out before the holy doors and censes the icon of Christ, the Most Holy Mother of God, and then all the people. Returning to the altar, he stands in front of the Holy Table and censes those present in the altar. Then the chanters chant from the analogion the troparia and kontakia according to their proper order.11
The Hierarch together with his co­celebrants sing together the final kontakion.12 Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord. Hierarch: For You are holy... Deacon: And to the ages of ages.
Holy God – the chanters chant this twice, then the altar once, before which the dikiri is handed to the Hierarch. Then the chanters again chant once, then the altar another time, be­ fore which the trikiri is handed to the Hierarch. Then the chant­ ers chant Glory, Now and ever. Holy Immortal... After this the priests in the altar sing Holy God divided into four separate segments, at which the Hierarch proceeds to bless the people with the dikiri and trikiri13 offering a prayer of blessing at each point. Then the Hierarch goes to the high place saying the same words the priest would say if he were serving and removes the great omophorion. The liturgy follows ordinarily thereafter.
Before the end of the Epistle reading, the deacon approaches (with the censer) together with the reader (with a container of incense) and asks for a blessing to cense.
11 Right before the final kontakion, if the Hierarch approves, Lord save the pious and the acclamations may be sung.
12 Činovnik Arhijerejskog sveštenosluženja, p. 24. It is customary for the last words or line of the kontaion be sung by the chanters so that the priests might be allowed to prepare for their exclamation.
13 V. Nikolajević, Veliki tipik, p. 264.
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