The Rite of Consecration of a New Bishop
By the laying on of their hands on those
chosen from among the faithful, the Apostles consecrated bishops, priests and
deacons. It is evident from this that the Christian faith is not merely dogma
but spiritual power. (Bishop
Nikolai Velimirovich)
The
consecration of a bishop is comprised of three separate rites: the rite of
election, of confession and the actual consecration.
Election: Before the Vigil on the
eve of the consecration, the hierarchs who are to perform the rite take their
places at a table in the middle of the church. From the altar two senior
priests lead the candidate to the table. All stand as the protodeacon reads the
nomination, to which the candidate responds: "I return thanks, and accept,
and say nothing contrary thereto." The hierarchs chant some brief prayers,
invoking the Holy Spirit Who was sent down upon the Apostles and empowered them
to "catch the universe" with the preaching of the Gospel. After a
short litany, the nominee delivers his acceptance speech. He then retires to the
altar and the Vigil begins.
Confession: The next morning, after
the reading of the Hours, the hierarchs again take their places behind the
table, in front of which is a large eagle rug. The senior priest and
protodeacon lead the bishop-elect onto the tail of the eagle. He is asked,
"How believest thou?" and responds by reciting the Creed. Advancing
to the middle of the rug, he expounds on the Creed by reciting a second
"confession of faith". Finally, at the top of the rug, he is asked to
explain his attitude towards the canons and traditions of the Church. The
candidate promises to observe these and likewise "to preserve the peace of
the Church and firmly to hold and zealously to teach the people entrusted to
me, and not to devise any thing whatsoever which is contrary to the Orthodox
Catholic Christian faith of the East all the days of my life....I promise also
to do nothing through constraint, whether coerced by powerful persons, or by a
multitude of the people....I promise to visit and watch over the flock now
confided to me, after the manner of the Apostles...and to inspect with diligence,
and to exhort and inhibit, that there be no schisms, superstitions and impious
veneration, and that no customs contrary to Christian piety and good morals may
injure Christian conduct....And may our God, Who seeth the heart, be the
witness to my vow." The bishop-elect then bows down before the assembled
hierarchs and kisses their hands as a sign that he is entering their ranks and
as a pledge of love and peace with them in Christ. The choir sings "Many
years", and the bishop-elect goes into the altar, where he stands at the
side on an eagle rug, waiting like a bride-to-be, as the Liturgy begins.
Consecration: After
the Small Entrance (which represents the coming to earth of the Lord incarnate)
and the singing of the Trisagion, the senior priest and protodeacon lead the
bishop-elect through the south door onto the ambo to the Royal Doors where he
is received by two hierarchs. While the candidate kneels with his head touching
the altar table, an open Gospel is placed face down upon his head, as a sign that
although he is given authority over all, he himself is under the law and his
head is Christ. Holding the Gospel in this way, the bishops pray: " O Lord
our God...do Thou make this man...to be an imitator of Thee, the true Shepherd,
Who didst lay down Thy life for Thy sheep; to be a leader of the blind, a light
to those who are in darkness, a reprover of the unwise, a teacher of the young,
a lamp to the world..."
The new
bishop is then vested as a hierarch, and when the omophorion-an article unique
to the episcopal office- is placed upon his shoulders, the clergy followed by
the people shout thrice, "Axios!" ("worthy"), indicating
their assent to the implied question: "Is he, in truth, worthy of this
ministry?"
At the
end of the Liturgy, the Chief Bishop gives a word of instruction to the new
bishop and hands him his pastoral staff. The new bishop blesses the
congregation with both hands as the choir sings, "Eis pollá éti
Déspota" (Many years, O Master).
Source: http://www.roca.org/OA/115-116/115q.htm
