Gospel (liturgy)

The Gospel in Christian liturgy refers to a reading from the Gospels used during various religious services and Mass or Divine Liturgy. 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, 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

:"See also: Gospel Book"

The Gospel Book, usually decorated with an elaborate metal cover, is normally kept in a central place on the Holy Table (altar), referred to as the High Place. The only other objects that are permitted to occupy this place on the altar are the Antimension, chalice and discos (paten) for the celebration of the Eucharist or, on certain feasts, a Cross. The Gospel is considered to be an icon of Christ, and is venerated by kissing, in the same manner as an icon.

During the Little Entrance at Divine Liturgy or Vespers, the Gospel is carried in procession from the Holy Table, through the nave of the church, and back into the sanctuary through the Royal Doors. 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

At the Divine Liturgy the Gospel is publicly read by the deacon after he receives a blessing from the celebrating priest or bishop. If there is no deacon present, the priest will read the Gospel himself.

Gospel pericopes (passages) are assigned for every Sunday, weekday (except during Great Lent), and 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.

At Liturgy, the Gospel is usually read by the deacon. The Gospel is brought from the altar to the ambo, and afterwards returned to its place on the Holy Table. 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 at the Paschal Vigil. The readings from John end on the Sunday of Pentecost, followed on Holy Spirit Monday (the day after Pentecost) by Matthew, starting in Chapter 4 (the previous chapters covering the Genealogy of Christ through the Nativity are read during the services for Christmas). From the 12th Monday through the 17th Friday after Pentecost, the readings are from the Gospel of St. Mark, with readings from Matt. Ch. 25 on Saturday and Sunday of the 17th week. The 18th Monday after Pentecost begins the readings from Luke, ending on the 29th Sunday. During the remaining weeks, 30-32, the weekday reading are from Mark, the weekend from Luke. The 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 are structured differently to allow this arrangement of reading without the Gospel; see Presanctified Liturgy). 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). This practice continues through Holy Week, with the exception of Matins of Great and Holy Friday, during which the 12 Passion Gospels are read, and the service culminates with a procession with a large wooden Cross, borne by the Priest to the ambo, or the center of the Temple. There will be Gospel lessons at the Royal Hours and at the Vesperal Liturgy of 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 Liturgy.

Other Services

In the Sunday Matins service the Gospel is always read by the celebrant (the priest or, if he is present, the bishop), rather than the deacon. On Sundays he reads from one of the eleven Matins Gospels, each of which gives an account of the Resurrection of Christ. During the reading, the Gospel Book remains on the Holy Table and the Holy Doors are opened (the Holy Table representing the Tomb of Christ, and the Holy Doors representing 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 Book of Gospels and then receive the celebrant's blessing.

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.

On the first three days of Holy Week (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) the four gospels are read in their entirety at the Little Hours, stopping at John 13:32. The remainder of John, together with readings from the other Gospels having to do with the Passion, is read at Matins of Great Friday at a service called the Twelve Passion Gospels.

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.

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 minister 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.

External links

* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06659a.htm Gospel in the Liturgy] - Catholic Encyclopedia entry
* [http://www.churchofthenativity.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=13&Itemid=54 Excerpts from the Gospel Commentary] — An explanation of each Sunday's Gospel reading in the Orthodox Church, attributed to St. John Chrysostom.
* [http://www.dailygospel.org/ DailyGospel.org] - daily reading from the gospels (Roman Catholic)

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