After which the entire church sings (Cherubic Hymn or another hymn according to the Typikon of Great Thursday and Saturday): We who mystically represent the Cherubim, and sing to the Life-Giving Trinity the Thrice-Holy Hymn, let us now lay aside all earthly cares. That we may receive the King of all, who comes invisibly escorted by the angelic hosts. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
During the singing of the Cherubic Hymn, the transition from the altar of the prepared bread and wine to the Altar (at which the Kingdom’s Banquet will take place) – the so-called “Great Entrance” occurs. After the transfer of the Gifts to the altar, a supplicatory ektenia is proclaimed (this ektenia is a later insertion; immediately a prayer was recited, which goes at the end of the ektenia): “Let us complete our prayer to the Lord,” “For the offered…,” “For this holy temple…”… at the end of the ektenia the priest prays (prayer after the transfer of the Gifts to the Altar):
Lord God Almighty, the only Holy One, You who accept the sacrifice of praise from those who call upon You with their whole heart! Accept also the petition of us sinners, and bring it to Your holy altar, and enable us to offer You gifts and spiritual sacrifices for our sins and for the errors of the people. Deem us worthy to find grace in Your sight that our sacrifice may be acceptable to You and that the good spirit of Your grace may dwell in us, in these gifts here presented, and in all Your people. Through the mercies of Your only-begotten Son, with whom You are blessed, together with Your all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages (highlighted by V.A.).
Faithful: Amen.
The priest (turns to the faithful and blesses them): Peace be to all.
Faithful: And to your spirit.
Priest: Let us love one another, that with one accord we may confess.
Faithful: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Trinity, one in essence and undivided.
A mutual kiss is exchanged among the members of the entire community with the greeting: “Christ is among us” – “He is and always will be” (or: “Christ is Risen” – “Truly He is Risen”. Since the communities (more precisely, many people are present at the liturgy) are large, the priest addresses the community with the greeting “Christ is among us”, and the entire assembly responds “He is and always will be”. There are traditions of shaking hands, greeting those around you. (In some communities, there is a tradition: during the singing of “Our Father” – all the faithful join hands).
Priest: The doors, the doors! In wisdom let us attend.
The entire church sings the Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages.
Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made.
Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man.
And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried.
And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father;
And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.
In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.
I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Priest: Let us stand aright, let us stand with fear. Let us attend, that we may offer the holy oblation in peace.
Faithful: A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.
The priest (addressing the faithful and blessing them):
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Faithful: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us lift up our hearts. Faithful: We lift them up unto the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord.
Faithful: It is meet and right to worship the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit: the Trinity, one in essence and undivided.
The priest (prays, and the whole assembly listens attentively to the prayer):
It is meet and right to hymn You, to bless You, to praise You, to give thanks to You, and to worship You in every place of Your dominion. For You are God ineffable, inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible, ever-existing, eternally the same, You and Your only-begotten Son and Your Holy Spirit. You brought us from non-existence into being, and when we had fallen away, You raised us up again, and did not cease to do all things until You had brought us up to heaven, and had endowed us with Your kingdom which is to come.
For all these things, we give thanks to You, and to Your only-begotten Son, and to Your Holy Spirit; for all things we know and those we do not know, for blessings manifest and hidden that have been bestowed on us. We thank You also for this liturgy which You have deigned to accept from our hands, even though there stand before You thousands of archangels and ten thousands of angels, the Cherubim and Seraphim, six-winged, many-eyed, soaring with their wings,