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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

Divine Liturgy - Kissing the cross and receiving the Antidoron

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the custom / tradition is for the priest to go out throught the Holy Doors to the location from which he distributed Holy Communion and to hold the Cross for the people to kiss and for the Altar Server stand next to the priest and to hold a bowel of Antidoron (Blessed Leavened Qurban) from which the people take a piece.

Kissing the Cross

Some books of The Divine Liturgy of Our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom include this custom / tradition.
The priest goes out through the Holy Doors and holds the Cross for the people to kiss and says to each person:
Priest holding the cross says: May the Lord protect your body and soul for eternal life or May the blessing of the Lord and his mercy come upon you or Christ is amoung us.
Each person kisses the cross and says: Amen or He is and always will be.
Nativity Season
Priest holding the cross says: Christ is born or Al-Masihu wulida! or Christos yennateh!
Each person kisses the cross and says: Glorify Him or Famajjiduh! or Dhoxazateh!.
Paschal Season
Priest holding the cross says: Christ is risen! or Al-Maseeh qaam! or Christos anesti!
Each person kisses the cross and says: He is truly risen! or Haqqan qaam! or Alithos anesti!

Receiving the Antidoron

The Altar Server stands next to the priest and holds a bowel of Antidoron (Blessed Leavened Qurban). The people take a piece of the Antidoron.

Antidoron is blessed leavened Qurban (Holy Bread).
Antidoron is blessed on two ocassions.

• Leavened Qurban is blessed to become Antidoron during the Memorial Service (Jennaz with the "Evlogitaria of the Dead") for the people who have fallen asleep in the Lord.
  Then, Antidoron is distributed immediately following the Memorial Service to all the people.
• Leavened Qurban is blessed to become Antidoron after the Consecration during the Divine Liturgy, Antidoron is the particles of the Levened Qurban (Holy Bread) which were not consecrated or particles of another unconsecrated Levened Qurban (Holy Bread) loaf.
  Antidoron was originally intended as a blessing for those unable to receive the Holy Mystery of the Holy Eucharist. Then, antidoron is distributed immediately following the Divine Liturgy to all the people.

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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Last Updated: Wednesday, June 03, 2020, 16:45:00, CDT
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