Eastern Orthodox Rite for Making Brothers

Based on various texts from Same-sex unions in pre-modern Europe by John Boswell.

This version as used in re-enactments during 2004, with minor revisions January 2008.

Text © Croydon Area Gay Society, 2004–2008.

 

Narrator:
Today we are re-enacting the Eastern Orthodox ceremony for the “Making of Brothers” or “Adelphopoiesis”. It’s recorded in several versions and many manuscripts of different ages, some in Greek and some in Slavonic. Our version is intended to show the general shape of the service, rather than sticking strictly to any one manuscript. In any case we can assume that the full service would be considerably longer than our re-enactment, and possibly part of a celebration lasting several days.
The service has some elements in common with the Eucharist or Sacred Liturgy, but it’s really a “Blessing Ceremony”. The Orthodox Church has various ceremonies for blessing persons and objects; but this one is unusual: the couple receive communion from the presanctified Body of Christ, consecrated at the previous Sunday’s Eucharist.
We should imagine the service taking place in a church very different from what we’re used to in the West. The altar would be behind the icon screen or iconostasis, and so hidden from view except when the Royal Doors are open. There would be no seats or pews: the clergy and people would remain standing throughout, and the church would be full of clouds of incense — we’ve got a censer today, but it’s not been lit.
The entire service would be chanted or sung, but we’re speaking the words today. The people would join in with “Amen” or “Lord have mercy” and there would be a choir or chorus to sing the more complicated passages. Most of the manuscripts include part or all of Psalm 133, which begins “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together!” and is often associated with the concept of sworn brotherhood.
You will notice that the couple do not exchange vows, and indeed remain silent throughout, just as they do in Eastern Orthodox marriage ceremonies to this day.
The book of the Holy Gospels has an important place in the ceremony: it is present as an icon on the altar at the beginning, the Priest blesses the people with it, the couple place their hands on it, it is taken in procession by the Deacon when he reads the Gospel, and the couple kiss the book before receiving communion.
The two Deacons, the Priest, and the couple enter in procession. Deacon 2 is swinging the censer.
Narrator:
The service begins with the ceremonial entrance of the clergy, followed by the couple. We can imagine that we, the couple’s friends and relations, will have come with them in procession from their home, and now follow them into the church.
We’ve simplified the actions, the locations, and the vestments, for today’s re-enactment, but we’ve got a Deacon, a Priest, and of course a couple, whom we’re calling “John” and “Andrew”. We also have a chorus to recite the chants.
Deacon 2 puts down the censer and both Deacons take their places behind the blessing table; the Priest goes to the altar. The couple stand in front of the blessing table. Deacon 1 turns towards the Priest.
Deacon 1:
Master, give the blessing!
The Priest picks up the Holy Gospel and blesses the people with it, while everyone makes the sign of the cross.
Priest:
Blessed be the kingdom of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit now and forever and unto ages of ages.
People:
Amen.
The Priest puts the Holy Gospel on the blessing table. He gives his hat to Deacon 1 who puts it away.
Narrator:
In the first part of the service, the couple have their right hands on the book of the Holy Gospels and hold candles in their left hands.
The Priest puts the couple’s right hands on the Holy Gospel, the older first. Deacon 1 lights a candle and gives it to the Priest, who gives it to the older of the two to hold in his left hand. This is repeated with the younger of the two. Deacon 2 picks up the censer and gives it to the Priest, who censes the couple. The Priest gives the censer back to Deacon 2, who puts it down.
Narrator:
The service begins with a litany, led by the Deacon: the people answer “Lord have mercy” to each petition.
Deacon 1:
In peace we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Deacon 1:
For heavenly peace, we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Deacon 1:
For the peace of the entire world, we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Deacon 1:
For this holy place, we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Deacon 1:
That these your servants, John and Andrew, be blessed with your spiritual benediction, we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Deacon 1:
That their love may abide without offence or scandal all the days of their lives, we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Deacon 1:
That they may be granted all things needed for salvation and godly enjoyment of life everlasting, we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Deacon 1:
That the Lord God may grant them unashamed faithfulness and sincere love, we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Deacon 1:
That they and we ourselves be saved from all affliction, we pray to the Lord.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Narrator:
The litany would continue with a number of standard petitions, but we move on to a prayer which adds status to the relationship by recalling well-known paired saints: Philip and Bartholomew, Sergius and Bacchus, and in other versions also Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John, George and Demetrius, and the two Theodores.
Priest:
Forasmuch as you are merciful and loving, O Lord, who established humankind according to your own image and likeness, who were well pleased that your holy apostles Philip and Bartholomew should become brothers, joined one to the other not by nature but by faith and the spirit; as you found your holy martyrs Sergius and Bacchus worthy to become brothers; bless also these, your servants, John and Andrew, joined together not by the bond of nature but by faith and the spirit, granting unto them peace and love and concord.
Cleanse from their hearts every stain and impurity; may they love one another without hatred and without scandal all the days of their lives, with the help of Mary the Mother of God and all your saints, for all glory is yours, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.
People:
Amen.
Narrator:
During the next prayer the Priest takes his epitrachelion or stole and lays it across the hands of the couple, symbolically binding them together.
The Priest takes his epitrachelion and lays it across the hands of the couple.
Priest:
O Lord Our God, who grants us all those things needed for salvation and teaches us to love one another and to forgive each other our failings, bless and consecrate, kind Lord and lover of mankind, these your servants who love each other with a love of the spirit and have come into this your holy church to be blessed and consecrated.
Grant them unashamed fidelity and sincere love, and, as you gave your peace and your love to your holy disciples and apostles, give them also to these, O Christ our God, and give them all those things needed for salvation and life eternal.
For you are the light and the truth and yours is the glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for ever and ever.
People:
Amen.
The couple remove their hands from the Gospel. The Priest takes the candles from them and gives them to Deacon 1, who puts them away.
Narrator:
We believe that the ceremony would have included an exchange of gifts as a symbol of union.
Deacon 2 fetches the cushion with the torques.
Narrator:
Giving a ring, as in a marriage ceremony, would have been inappropriate, so we’ve included an exchange of necklaces or torques, as in icons over many centuries, including a well-known icon of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.
The Priest takes one of the torques and passes it to the older of the two, who puts it round the other’s neck. This is repeated with the younger of the two. Deacon 2 puts the cushion away.
Narrator:
The next part of the service comprises epistle and gospel readings, with chants from the psalms.
All remain in their places for the epistle reading.
Chorus:
Wonderful is the Lord among his saints, the Lord of Israel.
Bless the Lord in his congregations.
Note: Passages printed in black are said by the chorus leader only.
The full chorus join in with the passages in green, and with all the
passages marked as spoken by the people and printed in blue.
Deacon 1:
Let us attend!
Reader:
The reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
Now you are Christ’s body, and each of you a limb or organ of it. Within our community God has appointed, in the first place, apostles, in the second place prophets, thirdly teachers; then miracle-workers, then those who have gifts of healing, or ability to help others, or power to guide them, or the gift of various kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles? All prophets? All teachers? Do all work miracles? Have all gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Can all interpret?
The higher gifts are those you should aim at. And I will show you the best way of all.
I may speak with the tongues of men or of angels, but if I am without love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I may have the gift of prophecy, and know every hidden truth; I may have faith strong enough to move mountains; but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may dole out all I possess, or even give my body to be burnt, but if I have no love, I am none the better.
Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offence. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over other men’s sins, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope and its endurance.
[1 Corinthians 12 v.27-31 and 13: v.1-8]
Narrator:
The Gospel reading is surrounded with some solemnity.
The Deacons put their service books away. Deacon 1 takes up the Holy Gospel book from the blessing table and holds it before him as he processes to the centre of the nave, preceded by Deacon 2. The Priest remains in his place.
Chorus:
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together! Alleluia!
Deacon 1 opens the book at the appropriate place, and Deacon 2 holds it for him while he reads. All turn to face Deacon 1 while he reads.
Deacon 1:
The reading from the Holy Gospel according to John.
After these words Jesus looked up to heaven and said: “As you have sent me into the world I have sent my disciples into the world, and for their sake I now consecrate myself, that they too may be consecrated by the truth.
“But it is not for these alone that I pray, but for those also who through their words put their faith in me; may they all be one: as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so also may they be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you gave me I have given to them that they may be one, as we are one; I in them and you in me, may they be perfectly one. Then the world will learn that you sent me, and that you loved them as you loved me.
“Father I desire that these men, who are your gift to me, may be with me where I am, so that they may look upon my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world began. O righteous Father, although the world does not know you, I know you, and these men know that you sent me. I made your name known to them, and they will make it known, so that the love you had for me may be in them, and I may be in them.”
[John 17 v.1 and 18-26]
Deacon 1 closes the Holy Gospel and holds it before him as he returns, preceded by Deacon 2, and replaces the book on the blessing table. Both Deacons take up their service books and return to their places.
Narrator:
We can imagine the couple and congregation reflecting on the Gospel reading that we’ve just heard, and comparing the love between the couple with the love described in the reading between Christ’s apostles and between Jesus himself and God the Father.
Following the scripture readings, we continue with the kissing of the Holy Gospel and the kiss of peace between the couple.
Priest:
Peace be to all.
Deacon 2:
Let us love one another.
The couple kiss the Holy Gospel, the older first, and then kiss each other.
Deacon 2:
Let us bow our heads!
All except the Priest bow their heads.
Priest:
O Lord our God, you are the creator of love, the master of peace, and the saviour of all; bestow upon us true love to love one another, and grant us to think on that which is of Jesus, your only Son, our God. Deem us worthy to receive each other in love as your only Son received us, and grant us to serve each other in love and fulfil the law of your Christ with our whole hearts. For yours is all honour and glory, for ever and ever.
People:
Amen.
All raise their heads.
Narrator:
Next the couple would receive communion from the reserved sacrament: we are not re-enacting this part today, but after the Priest and people had said the Our Father, the Deacon would say “Behold, holy things for the holy people!” and the Priest would go to the altar, bring out the Body of Christ, consecrated at the previous Sunday’s Eucharist, and give it to the couple.
Following the communion, the Priest leads the couple three times round the sanctuary, while a chant is sung.
During the following chant, the Priest takes the older of the two by the hand, the older takes the younger by the hand, and the Priest leads them three times round the blessing table.
Chorus:
O Lord lead me in your truth.
Turn again, O God of hosts, look down from heaven.
Behold and visit this vine;
And the place of the vineyard that your right hand has planted.
Blessed is the man who fears God.
Who delights greatly in his commandments.
O Lord, O Lord, look down from heaven.
Hear us, O shepherd of Israel, who leads Joseph like a flock.
O Lord, O Lord, look down from heaven.
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together!
Just like the ointment on his head which descended to his beard, the beard of Aaron, that ran down to the hem of his garments;
As the dew of mount Hermon, that comes down upon the mountains of Zion:
For there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
Both now and forever and to ages of ages. Amen.
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together!
O Lord, O Lord, look down from heaven.
The Priest and couple return to their places.
Priest:
Have mercy upon us, O God, of your great kindness. Lord hear us and have mercy.
People:
Lord have mercy.
Narrator:
The service would end with a dismissal prayer naming again the couple, their name saints, and the other paired saints that have been mentioned during the ceremony.
Following the end of the blessing service, we can imagine that we would join the happy couple returning home for continued festivities with their friends and relations.
Deacon 1 gives the Priest his hat. The Priest puts it on. The clergy and couple process to the vestry to disrobe.
Narrator:
To summarise what the service has said about the relationship being celebrated: