Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts with Panahyda @ 7:00 p.m.
The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is a special liturgical service in the Eastern Catholic churches, that is celebrated during Lent, particularly on Wednesdays and Fridays. It is a unique form of the Divine Liturgy, in that it does not include the full celebration of the Eucharist with the consecration of new elements (bread and wine) during the service. Instead, it uses Presanctified Gifts — consecrated bread and wine that were sanctified at a previous Divine Liturgy (typically on Sunday). These gifts are reserved and then distributed during this special service.
Preparation: The bread and wine used for the Presanctified Gifts are consecrated during the Divine Liturgy on Sunday or another major feast day earlier in the week.
Liturgy Format: The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts follows a format similar to that of the regular Divine Liturgy, but without the consecration. Instead, the presanctified bread (the Eucharist) is distributed to the faithful.
Role in Lent: It is traditionally celebrated during Lent when fasting is emphasized, and there is a focus on repentance, prayer, and reflection. This liturgy allows the faithful to partake of the Eucharist without the usual full celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
Main Features:
In terms of the Catholic Church, this practice isn’t typically found in the Roman Rite but is present in some Eastern Catholic traditions that follow the Byzantine Rite, such as the Ukrainian or Melkite Catholic churches.
In essence, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is a way for the faithful to receive Communion during the penitential period of Lent without having the full Eucharistic consecration take place during that specific service.
