The Divine Liturgy is the primary worship service of the Orthodox Church. It is a
a Eucharistic service. At Holy Trinity, we celebrate the Divine Liturgy every Sunday and on major Feast Days. (see our Calendar). The Divine Liturgy contains two parts: the Liturgy of the Catechumens sometimes called the Liturgy of the Word, at which the Scriptures are proclaimed and expounded; and the Liturgy of the Faithful, in which the gifts of bread and wine are offered and consecrated; the faithful then partake of them in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. The Church teaches that the gifts truly become the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Baptized Orthodox Christians who have prepared for the Eucharist by meeting the fasting and confession precepts of the Orthodox Church are welcome to partake.
On most Sundays and Feast Days, we celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. On certain specific Feast Days and on Sundays during the Great Lent before Pascha, (Easter) we celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great. The two liturgies differ primarily in the prayers of the anaphora, the most solemn part of the Liturgy, when the offerings of bread and wine are consecrated as the body and blood of Christ. A Third Divine Liturgy, the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts, is celebrated at Holy Trinity on Wednesdays during Great Lent. It differs markedly from the other two Liturgies and it contains no anaphora, as the Eucharist is distributed from gifts consecrated on the previous Sunday.