Later in the evening after vespers I was asked if I would do Orthros in the morning as it was a holiday and the Patriarchate is officially closed. Bayram.
Of course, I would do Orthros. This would be a high honor for me to celebrate a service at the Patriarchal Cathedral. Even though the normal attendees at the Orthros and Vespers are the staff of the Patriarchate it is an honor to stand where Patriarchs and Hierarchs have stood since 1601 when Patriarch Matthew II moved the Patriarchate here. The Patriarchal Church was refurbished in 1614, destroyed by fire in 1720, rebuilt in 1726, repaired in its present form in 1836 and restored by Patriarch Bartholomew.
The morning call to prayer at 5:30 AM was different this morning. Bayram.
At 8:00 AM I begin Orthros. It was a little difficult since I was not used to the Daily Orthros but only the Sunday Orthros. Usually during weekdays I start the Psalti going and let them continue without my interrupting since I have many things to do before the Liturgy. This time its different- I'm under the proverbial microscope. I hope this American Archimandrite doesn't make too many gaffes. I get through it with encouragement from the few staff present. I will get better as I serve more and more.
The History of the Orthodox Church is no longer abstract to me. Not after this trip to Constantinople I have stood at the same spot that St Patriarch Gregory V stood celebrating the Paschal Liturgy on April 10, 1821 before he would be dragged out in his vestments and hanged at the gate of the Patriarchate in retaliation for the uprising in the Peloponessos. "Bayram" is the Turkish word for "Holiday" whether it was religious or civil. This Bayram is for the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice. A Commemoration of Abraham offering his son as a sacrifice as God had commanded him. At the last moment the angel of the Lord stayed his hand from committing to the final action of killing his son and a ram substituted for his son. For Jews and Christians the son is Isaac. For Muslims, the son that was the sacrifice was Ishmael, Abraham's son by Hagar the Egyptian, slave to Abraham's wife Sarah.
The Muslims traditionally sacrifice the animal in the street and gut the animal as well. Istanbul frowns on this particular act for public health reasons. For those families that sacrifice, the animal is divided up into pieces. A piece of meat is given to a neighbor, a piece for the family (some say not), a piece is given the poor.
I was asked later to celebrate Vespers which, again, I was happy to do. And Orthros and Vespers the next day.
The Vespers would prove to be a real turning point for me. The word had come down that His- All Holiness would be at Vespers. There was also a crowd that evening- visitors from Kavala. The Grand Chancellor came into the altar and I was about to take off the Epitracheilion for him- not sure of protocol. He smiled and said it looked good on me. My signal that I'm the celebrant. I started vespers, no Patriarch. However, as I began to cense at the proper moment, the unmistakable deep voice of the Patriarch burst forth. I am serving vespers in his cathedral and he is chanting as one of the staff. I understand that he does this from time to time.
I could see that the visitors didn't quite know what to do with this. Maybe they couldn't believe that this is the Patriarch of Constantinople without all the attendant trappings of his office. Luckily I had not made any major goof-ups. I am starting to really get the hang of serving these daily offices.
The only change of protocol is that in the US as we finish the service if the Bishop is present we move to the side during the dismissal so he can come to the altar. Not here. You stand where you normally stand because the Patriarch normally bows to the Altar and turns and walked out. This time it was different. As he walked out he greeted the pilgrims and gladly posed with them for a group photo. These people were excited to meet the Patriarch unexpectedly. Celebrity!
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