Chapter 42 Part One - Thirty Nine

The service began. The liturgy went like this: the priest, wearing a grotesque brocaded surplice, cut a plate of bread into small pieces and put them in a wine glass, while saying various names and prayers.The chant kept saying various Slavic prayers, and then took turns singing with the choir of prisoners.These prayers were difficult to understand at first, but now they were said and sung quickly, and they became more and more difficult to understand.The content of the prayer is mainly to pray for the longevity and well-being of the emperor and the royal family.This prayer of blessing was said many times on knees, sometimes with other prayers, sometimes alone.Besides, the chanter read some verses from the Acts of the Apostles in such a strange, strained voice that he could hardly hear a word.The priest also read a passage from the Gospel of Mark, but he read it very clearly.The content is that after Jesus was resurrected, before ascending to heaven and sitting at the right hand of the Holy Father, Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, expelled seven devils from her, and later appeared to eleven disciples, commanding them to spread the word to all peoples in the world. Gospel, and declare that those who do not believe will be condemned, those who believe and be baptized will be saved, can cast out demons, lay hands on the sick, and the sick will be healed, can speak new tongues, can hold snakes, and if they drink any poison, they will not be killed. victimized. ①

-------- ① See the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of Mark. The essence of the service is said to be that the priest cuts the bread into small pieces, puts it in the wine, and through certain techniques and prayers, turns it into the body and blood of God.The technique went like this: the priest, in his brocade surplice, which obstructed his hands and feet, raised his arms aloft in a deliberate way, held them still, and knelt down to kiss the altar and its contents.But the crucial ritual is the priest taking a napkin in both hands and slowly waving it over the saucer and gold cup.It is said that at this time the bread and wine became the body and blood of God, so this part of the ceremony is particularly grand.

"Greatest glory to the Most Holy, Most Pure, Blessed Mother," the priest shouted through the partition after finishing these ceremonies.Then the choir solemnly sang: Glory be due to the virgin Mary, who gave birth to Christ without losing her virginity, and she deserves more glory than the sage, more glory than the seraphim.So the change is complete.The priest removed the napkin from the plate, cut the bread in the center of the plate into four, dipped it in the wine, and put it in his mouth.Everyone thinks that he just ate a small piece of God's flesh and drank a small mouthful of God's blood.Then the priest raised the curtain, pushed open the door in the middle, and walked out with the golden cup in his hand, inviting the believers who wanted to enter the Holy Communion to eat and drink the flesh and blood of God soaked in the cup.

Several children wanted to take communion. The priest first asked each child's name, then carefully scooped out a small piece of wine-soaked bread from the cup with a teaspoon, and sent it deep into each child's mouth.The chanter wiped the mouths of the children on the spot, and happily sang that the children eat the body of God and drink the blood of God.Then the priest put the cup behind the partition, drank the blood in the cup there, ate the body of God, licked his moustache with his heart, wiped his mouth and the cup, and came out from behind the partition in high spirits and spirits, The thin-heeled calfskin boots creaked and creaked.

This concludes the main ritual of the worship service.But the priest, wishing to comfort the unfortunate prisoners, added a special ceremony to the usual service, that is, the priest stood on the wrought-iron and gold-covered icon with a black face and black arms, illuminated by ten candles—it is believed to be In front of the God who was eaten just now, he sang and recited in a weird falsetto, and added the following paragraph: "O dear Jesus! Glory of the apostles, O my Jesus! Praise of the martyrs, O Almighty Lord Jesus! Save me, my Savior Jesus, my most beautiful Jesus, save those who seek you, save Lord Jesus wow! Forgive me, all saints, Jesus who was born in the prayer of all the prophets, wow my Savior Jesus! Give us the joy of heaven, wow Jesus who loves mankind!"

He stopped reading here, took a breath, made a sign of the cross, knelt down and kowtowed.Everyone did the same.The warden, guards, and prisoners all knelt down.The clanking of the fetters was especially frequent in the loggia above. "Creator of angels, Lord of hosts," he went on, "Jesus most wonderful, wonder of angels, Jesus almighty, Savior of fathers, Jesus dearest, praise of the patriarchs, most glorious Jesus, the emperor's backing, the good Jesus, the fulfillment of prophecy, the most wonderful Jesus, the stronghold of the martyrs, the most gentle Jesus, the joy of the monks, the most merciful Jesus, the joy of the priests, the most merciful Jesus , Restraint of the Ascetic, Jesus of the Most Optimistic, Joy of the Saints, Jesus of the Most Pure, Chastity of the Virgin, Jesus of Eternity, Savior of the Sinner, Jesus, Son of God, forgive me!" After reading, he called out "Jesus" again and again, but his voice became hoarse.With one hand he slightly lifted the satin-lined cassock, bent one leg, knelt on the ground and kowtowed.The choir sang the last words: "Jesus, Son of God, forgive me!" The shackles on the legs rattled.

This ceremony lasted for a long time.Always start with a compliment and end with "Forgive me."Then came a new set of praises, ending with "Hallelujah."The prisoners crossed themselves, knelt down, and prostrated themselves on the ground.At the beginning, the prisoners bowed once every time they praised; then they bowed every other time, or even twice every other time.After all the praises were finished, the priest breathed a sigh of relief, closed the Bible, and went behind the partition.Everyone is very happy.The last remaining ritual was that the priest took from the large table a gilded cross with four enamel medallions on its ends, and carried it to the center of the church.First the warden went up to the priest and kissed the cross, then the deputy warden, then the guards, and finally the prisoners.The prisoners crowded one another, cursed under their breath, and came up to the priest.While the priest was talking to the governor, he brought the cross and his hands to the mouths and noses of the prisoners, and the prisoners tried to kiss the cross and the hands of the fellow priests.This is the end of this service dedicated to comforting and teaching the lost brothers.