The priest enters the altar and opens the veil paying “Eleyson emas…”
One deacon exits the altar holding the cross and stands behind the priest. This deacon will be the one who says the following 3 responses as it is through the cross that he has the authority to instruct the congregation:
”Epieprosevki estasite”
”Let us pray”
”Pray that God may have mercy and compassion…”
One deacon will enter the altar for the altar circuit and ONLY hold the cross. Beshara is not to be used. The following are instructions of the incense circuit:
Deacon will present the censor to the priest and priest will put 5 spoonfuls of incense
Deacon will take the cross and go around the altar with the priest 3 times
Each time the deacon faces west (towards the congregation) he will silently say one of these 3 prayers - Response of the Litany of Peace: “Pray for the peace of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Orthodox Church of God”, Response of the Litany of the Fathers: Pray for our archpriest Pope Abba Tawadros the second Pope and patriarch and archbishop of the great city of Alexandria; and for our orthodox bishops.”, Response of the Litany of the Assemblies: “Pray for this holy church and for our assemblies.”
Deacon will then prostrate in front of the altar and stand at the right side of the altar holding the cross until the priest walks away.
Deacon will put back the cross in its designated location on the right side of the altar next to the Beshara.
Deacon will then present the priest the censor for the litany
Deacon will take the cross and stand behind the priest outside to say the response of the litany
Every litany and every response will be prayed outside by a deacon holding the cross EXCEPT the litany of the Oblations, it is prayed inside the altar.
For the Litany of the departed the deacon must present the box of incense to the priest so he can put one spoon of incense into the censor before he says “From the east to the west…”
Priest will cense the entire church as doxologies are chanted
Intro to Creed and Creed are said
Priest is presented the 3 candles on the cross to pray “Efnouti nai nan”
Two deacons will stand outside behind the priest: one holding the cross the other holding the beshara (only time it is used)
For the sake of organization and to minimize conversation: Deacon holding the beshara will be the one to say “Pray for the Holy Gospel”
As the priest concludes the litany the deacon holding the cross will take the beshara and enter the altar. He will walk backwards as the priest takes from him the beshara (this is a symbol of when Simeon carried the baby Jesus in his arms in the temple. As Simeon held the Word of God incarnate, the priest also holds the Word of God (the Beshara or Gospel).
Deacon will stand at the right side of the altar facing the congregation and say “estasithe”
Deacon reading the Gospel will kiss the beshara and take it from the priest after all priests and full deacons have kissed the beshara
He will read the gospel as he’s holding the beshara
After he is done he will bow down holding the beshara as the priest prays the absolution then he will give it to the priest
All deacons will kiss the cross, then gospel, then the priests hands as he stands at the door of the Altar