- 1.Upon completing the censing, the deacon takes his place at the priest’s right and holds the censer with the ring finger of his left hand. Both deacon and priest, with hands elevated on high, together say the Cherubic Hymn three times, and make a small bow after each recitation.
- 2. Where it is customary, the priest and deacon kiss the Holy Table and, if they so desire, the hand cross; then the deacon leads the priest to the Prothesis table. There the priest takes the censer and censes the holy gifts in strokes of three while praying quietly: 0 God, be merciful to me a sinner. The priest returns the censer to the deacon, who holds it with one of the fingers of his right hand.
- 3.Then the deacon says to the priest: Master Lift it up; the priest takes the large veil called the aer and places it upon the left shoulder of the deacon, saying: Lift up your hands …
- 4.Then the priest, with full attention and reverence, takes the diskarion covered with its veil, and places it at the forehead of the deacon, holding the end of the orarion in his left hand, the deacon holds the diskarion to his forehead with both hands.
- 5.The priest himself takes into his hands the chalice, covered with a small veil, and holds it before his breast. The candlebearers, the deacon, and the priest all depart in order through the north door. The candlebearers proceed to the royal doors where they stand facing one another.
Notes