Gospel (liturgy)

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Incipit page from the Gospel of Matthew (Lindisfarne Gospels).

The Gospel in Christian liturgy refers to a reading from the Gospels used during various religious services, including Mass or Divine Liturgy (Eucharist). In many Christian churches, all present stand when a passage from one of the Gospels is read publicly, and sit when a passage from a different part of the Bible is read. The reading of the Gospels, often contained in a liturgical edition containing only the four Gospels (see lectionary), is traditionally done by a minister, priest or deacon, and in many traditions the Gospel Book is brought into the midst of the congregation to be read.

Usage in the Eastern Churches

Byzantine Rite

Siysky Gospel
(1339).

The

chalice and discos (paten) for the celebration of the Eucharist or, on certain feasts, a Cross or the Epitaphios. The Gospel is considered to be an icon of Christ, and is venerated
by kissing, in the same manner as an icon.

The reading of the Gospel is usually preceded by the chanting of a

prokimenon or alleluia. The Gospel lesson is not simply read, but is chanted by one of the higher clergy (deacon, priest, or bishop). During the reading of the Gospel, all stand, and at the conclusion of the Gospel, a blessing
may be made with the Gospel Book.

Divine Liturgy

).

During the

Royal Doors
.

The Gospel is read after the

censing, and the priest says the silent prayer
before the Gospel:

Shine forth within our hearts the incorruptible light of Thy knowledge, O Master, Lover of mankind, and open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of the

preaching
of Thy Gospel; instill in us also the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that, trampling down all lusts of the flesh, we may pursue a spiritual way of life, being mindful of and doing all that is well-pleasing unto Thee. For Thou art the enlightenment of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory, together with Thine unoriginate Father, and Thy Most-holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The deacon will ask a blessing from the celebrating priest or bishop:

Bless, master, the bringer of the Good Tidings of the holy Apostle and Evangelist _______(here he names the author of the Gospel he is about to read).

The priest (or bishop) blesses him saying:

May God, through the intercessions of the holy glorious, all-praised Apostle and Evangelist _______, give speech with great power unto thee that bringest good tidings, unto the fulfillment of the Gospel of His beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Priest reading the Gospel during the Divine Liturgy.

The priest hands him the Gospel Book, and he brings it out to the

hexapteryga (ceremonial fans). In the Greek practice, the deacon may read the Gospel from the Bishop's throne
.

Prior to the reading, the following exchange takes place:

Deacon: Wisdom! Arise! Let us listen to the Holy Gospel!

Priest: Peace be unto all.

Choir: And to Thy spirit.

Deacon: The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to _______.

Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee!

Priest: Let us attend!

The deacon then reads the selection from the Gospel, after which the priest blesses him:

Priest: Peace be unto thee that bringest good tidings.!

Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee!

After the reading, the deacon returns the Gospel Book to the priest who places it in its place on the Holy Table.

Other Services

Peresopnytsia Gospels
(1561).

In the Sunday

Tomb of Christ, and the open Holy Doors represent the stone rolled away from the entrance). In this way, both the priest and the congregation face east during the reading (east being the direction the sun rises, symbolizing the Resurrection). Afterward, the priest and deacon bring the Gospel into the center of the Temple
, and the faithful venerate the Gospel Book and receive a blessing from the celebrant.

On Weekdays, if there is a higher-ranking feast there will be a Gospel at Matins (normal weekday Matins does not have a Gospel reading). If so, the Gospel is still read by the priest, but from the center of the Temple, facing east, after which he returns the Gospel Book to the Holy Table. Instead of venerating the Gospel Book, the faithful venerate the Icon of the Feast, and receive the celebrant's blessing.

There will also be Gospel readings at other occasional services from the Euchologion. These are usually read by the priest and normally follow the pattern of Matins.

When a bishop or priest passes away and his body is prepared for burial, a Gospel Book is placed in the coffin with him. After the preparation of the body and before the funeral itself begins, it is traditional for the Gospels to be read continuously over him. The reading may be performed by a bishop, priest or deacon. During the funeral procession, the Gospel Book is carried in front of the coffin, and there are several Gospel readings during the funeral.

Cycle of readings

Gospel

feast day of the liturgical year
. There is always at least one Gospel reading any time the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. There may be up to three Gospel readings at the same service.

The reading is determined according to the annual

liturgical calendar. (If a feast falls on a Sunday, the reading for that feast will often be included after or in place of the Sunday reading.) The cycle of readings begins with Pascha (Easter) and the Pentecostarion (the period from Pascha to Pentecost), continues with the Sundays after Pentecost, and concludes with Great Lent and Holy Week
. The number of Sundays from one Pascha to the next varies from year to year; in some years, not all the passages for Sundays after Pentecost will be read, while in others, some weeks will have to be repeated.

The entirety of the four Gospels is read in the course of the liturgical year, beginning with

Lenten Triodion (the Orthodox service book containing texts for Great Lent and Holy Week
) assigns Gospel readings for Saturdays and Sundays, but not for weekdays. The Divine Liturgy is not celebrated on weekdays of Lent, due to the penitential nature of those days.

Once Great Lent begins (during the service of Vespers on Forgiveness Sunday), there are no Gospel readings on weekdays; instead, three Old Testament readings are appointed, one each from Genesis, Isaiah, and Proverbs (note: the Lenten services have a different structure so as to allow this arrangement of readings without the Gospel; see Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts). On Saturdays and Sundays, a Gospel is read with a message applicable to what the theme of that Sunday is (e.g. St. Mary of Egypt, the Cross, Restoration of the Icons).

There are Gospel lessons appointed for

Wednesday of Holy Week. Also, on these days the four gospels are read in their entirety at the Little Hours, stopping at John 13:32
.

There is a Vesperal Divine Liturgy on

Passion, is read at Matins of Great Friday at a service called the Twelve Passion Gospels. There will also be Gospel lessons at each of the Royal Hours on Great Friday, and at the Vesperal Liturgy on Holy Saturday
.

In the Greek practice, there is a reading of the Resurrectional Gospel at Midnight, during the procession of the Paschal Vigil. In the Slavic tradition there is no Gospel reading at the procession, but both traditions have a Gospel at the Paschal Divine Liturgy which concludes the vigil.

Uses in the Western Churches

In the

Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion, a passage from one of the gospels is placed between the Alleluia or Tract and the Credo in the Mass. In a High Mass
, it is chanted in a special tone (the Tonus Evangelii).

Many Western churches follow a Lectionary cycle of readings, such as the Revised Common Lectionary, which uses a three-year cycle of readings.

In

Anglican Churches it is customary for the deacon or priest to read the Gospel from either the pulpit or to process to part way along the aisle and to read the Gospel from a Bible or lectionary that is being held by an altar server
.

In the Lutheran Divine Service, the pastor reads a passage from one of the gospels before the homily.

External links