Glossary of Terms
Aer - Large veil used to cover the diskarion and chalice.
Ambon - Area of the solea immediately before the holy doors.
Antidoron - The remainder of the prosphora, distributed after the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy to the faithful, and in some churches (including ours) to non-Orthodox as well, as fellowship bread.
Antimins - Cloth, usually imprinted with the entombment of Christ, issued by the bishop of the diocese and kept on the holy table.
Diskarion - Footed plate for the eucharistic bread.
Divine Liturgy - The eucharistic mystery (sacrament) served every Sunday and feast day, at which the local community gathers to take part in the heavenly worship of the Holy Trinity and to receive the "Body and Blood of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ."
Dyanmis - Greek word, meaning "with strength," used by the priest or deacon to exhort the people before the fourth and final verse of the Trisagion Hymn ("Holy God").
Ektenia - Petitions or litanies used in Orthodox services, particularly in the Liturgy. They refer to the world in general, peace, leadership and those in need. The response to an ektenial petition is: "Lord have mercy."
Epistle - Any of the New Testament writings, other than the Gospel, read at the Divine Liturgy according to the Church's cycle of readings known as the lectionary.
Gospel - Literally, "the good news." The term comes from the ancient title announcing the ascension of a new ruler to the throne. The Christian gospel is summarized in the statement, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matt. 3:2; 4:17).
Icon - Christ is "the image of the the invisible God" (Col. 1:15). Because Christ is God who became Man, He can Himself be pictured or imaged. Thus, icons of Christ-- together with those of His saints - express the reality of the Incarnation. Orthodox Christians honor or venerate icons, but never worship them, for worship is due to God alone. The honor given to icons passes on to the one represented on the icon, as a means of thanksgiving for what God has done in that person's life.
Kontakion - Second principal (short) hymn of the day.
Prokeimonon - Short verse generally chanted as an introduction to a reading from Holy Scripture.
Prosphora - The prayerfully made yeast bread from which a special portion (the "Lamb") is taken to be consecrated in the Divine Liturgy to be the Body of Christ. Other portions signify the Virgin Mary, certain orders of saints and martyrs, and the living and the dead who are to be remembered before God.
Sanctuary - The Holy of Holies or Most Holy Place, the place in the Old Testament tabernacle or temple containing the ark of the covenant, the dwelling place of God. Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place and only on the Day of Atonement. When the early Christians built churches, they followed the general pattern of the temple, and the altar area is often called the sanctuary.
Solea - Elevated area at the eastern-most end of the nave running the length of the iconostasis.
Theotokos - God-bearer, birth-giver, frequently translated "Mother of God." Because Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, Mary is called the Mother of God to profess our faith that in the Incarnation, God was in her womb. Elizabeth called Mary "blessed" and "the mother of my Lord" (Luke 1:42, 43). At the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431, the Church condemned Nestorius and other heretics who refused to call the Virgin Mary the Theotokos. For if it was not God in Mary's womb, there is no salvation for humanity.
Trinity - God the Father and His Son and His Holy Spirit: one in essence and undivided. God revealed the mystery of the Trinity at Christ's baptism (Matt. 3:13 17), but even before that event, numerous Old Testament references pointed to the Trinity. For example, the frequent use of the plural pronouns referring to the one God (Gen. 1:26); the three angels who appeared to Abraham (Gen. 18:1-16); and the Triple Holy Hymn sung by the angels in Isaiah's vision (Is. 6:14) all suggest one God in three Persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).
Trisagion - The "thrice-holy hymn", the hymn of the angels before the throne of God, is sung solemnly during the Divine Liturgy and at other services: "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us."
Troparia - Generic name for several types of hymns; most often the first principal hymn of the day, called the Apolytikion.
Ambon - Area of the solea immediately before the holy doors.
Antidoron - The remainder of the prosphora, distributed after the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy to the faithful, and in some churches (including ours) to non-Orthodox as well, as fellowship bread.
Antimins - Cloth, usually imprinted with the entombment of Christ, issued by the bishop of the diocese and kept on the holy table.
Diskarion - Footed plate for the eucharistic bread.
Divine Liturgy - The eucharistic mystery (sacrament) served every Sunday and feast day, at which the local community gathers to take part in the heavenly worship of the Holy Trinity and to receive the "Body and Blood of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ."
Dyanmis - Greek word, meaning "with strength," used by the priest or deacon to exhort the people before the fourth and final verse of the Trisagion Hymn ("Holy God").
Ektenia - Petitions or litanies used in Orthodox services, particularly in the Liturgy. They refer to the world in general, peace, leadership and those in need. The response to an ektenial petition is: "Lord have mercy."
Epistle - Any of the New Testament writings, other than the Gospel, read at the Divine Liturgy according to the Church's cycle of readings known as the lectionary.
Gospel - Literally, "the good news." The term comes from the ancient title announcing the ascension of a new ruler to the throne. The Christian gospel is summarized in the statement, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (Matt. 3:2; 4:17).
Icon - Christ is "the image of the the invisible God" (Col. 1:15). Because Christ is God who became Man, He can Himself be pictured or imaged. Thus, icons of Christ-- together with those of His saints - express the reality of the Incarnation. Orthodox Christians honor or venerate icons, but never worship them, for worship is due to God alone. The honor given to icons passes on to the one represented on the icon, as a means of thanksgiving for what God has done in that person's life.
Kontakion - Second principal (short) hymn of the day.
Prokeimonon - Short verse generally chanted as an introduction to a reading from Holy Scripture.
Prosphora - The prayerfully made yeast bread from which a special portion (the "Lamb") is taken to be consecrated in the Divine Liturgy to be the Body of Christ. Other portions signify the Virgin Mary, certain orders of saints and martyrs, and the living and the dead who are to be remembered before God.
Sanctuary - The Holy of Holies or Most Holy Place, the place in the Old Testament tabernacle or temple containing the ark of the covenant, the dwelling place of God. Only the High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place and only on the Day of Atonement. When the early Christians built churches, they followed the general pattern of the temple, and the altar area is often called the sanctuary.
Solea - Elevated area at the eastern-most end of the nave running the length of the iconostasis.
Theotokos - God-bearer, birth-giver, frequently translated "Mother of God." Because Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, Mary is called the Mother of God to profess our faith that in the Incarnation, God was in her womb. Elizabeth called Mary "blessed" and "the mother of my Lord" (Luke 1:42, 43). At the Council of Ephesus in A.D. 431, the Church condemned Nestorius and other heretics who refused to call the Virgin Mary the Theotokos. For if it was not God in Mary's womb, there is no salvation for humanity.
Trinity - God the Father and His Son and His Holy Spirit: one in essence and undivided. God revealed the mystery of the Trinity at Christ's baptism (Matt. 3:13 17), but even before that event, numerous Old Testament references pointed to the Trinity. For example, the frequent use of the plural pronouns referring to the one God (Gen. 1:26); the three angels who appeared to Abraham (Gen. 18:1-16); and the Triple Holy Hymn sung by the angels in Isaiah's vision (Is. 6:14) all suggest one God in three Persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).
Trisagion - The "thrice-holy hymn", the hymn of the angels before the throne of God, is sung solemnly during the Divine Liturgy and at other services: "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us."
Troparia - Generic name for several types of hymns; most often the first principal hymn of the day, called the Apolytikion.