How Angels Serve Priests in the Holy Altar

by Fr. Stephanos K. Anagnostopoulos

This incident was narrated to the author by the blessed departed Gerondas Gabriel, who for a great period of time was the abbott at the Holy Monastery of Dionysios on Mount Athos.

“There once lived a most devout Priest. Even though he barely knew how to read and write, he was a Priest, a clergyman of strong faith, great virtue and of many spiritual struggles. He used to stand up-right for hours during the Proskomedia, despite the fact that the veins of his feet had been affected and were hemorrhaging. There were times when one could see the blood running down since he was standing up-right commemorating the names of numerous people. He was a man of sacrifice to his last breath, in fact, his soul departed just after the Divine Liturgy.

As he barely knew how to read and write, by some misunderstanding, he did not place the portions on the Holy Diskos properly. When we place the portion of the All-Holy Theotokos on top of the Holy Diskos,we say; The Queen stood at thy right hand…” The Gerondas (Elder) Priest was under the impression that,since he said”at thy right hand”, the portion of the All-Holy Mother of God must be placed on the right side of the Lamb (as he was looking at the Holy Diskos). In other words, he was placing the portions backwards.

Once a Hierarch [Bishop] visited the Holy Monastery for the Ordination of a Deacon. During the Psalms of Praise, when the Bishop enters the Holy Altar, he vests, then later goes to the Proskomedia, which has already been prepared up to a certain point. From then on he alone is the one to continue commemorating.

Thus, the Bishop noticed that the portions had been placed backwards by the priest:

“You did not place the pieces properly, father,” he told him.

“Father, come here for a minute. The All Holy Theotokos is placed over here and the Orders are placed over there. Hasn’t anyone told you; hasn’t anyone seen how you do the Proskomedia?”

“Certainly,Your Eminence,” replied the Geronda Priest. “Everyday, when I celebrate (for a day did not go by unless he celebrated the Divine Liturgy), the Angel who serves me sees what I am doing but does not tell me anything at all. I apologize, illiterate as I am, for making such a mistake; I will be careful from now on.”

“Who did you say? Who did you say serves you here?” asked the Bishop, “Isn’t he a monk who serves you?”

“No”, answered the Priest, “an Angel of the Lord.”

The Bishop fell silent,what could he have said, anyway? He was astonished and had certainly realized that a holy priest was standing before him.

At noon, following the meal in the trapeza, the Bishop said goodbye to the Abbot as well as the rest of the monks, and departed. The following day, as it was still night, when the Geronda Priest went to the Holy Altar in order to hold the Proskomedia.

The Angel of the Lord came down. During the act of breaking the Lamb, the Angel noticed that the Priest had placed the portions properly.

“Fine father!” he told the Priest. “Now you have placed them properly!”

“Yes, you knew the mistake I have been making for so many years!”

“And why didn’t you tell me anything; why didn’t you correct me?”, he asked.

“I could see it, but I do not have the right to tell you anything. I am not worthy to correct a Priest.

“God,” the Angel continued, commands me to serve the Priest. “Only a Bishop has the right to correct you!”

~ from The book “Experiences during the Divine Liturgy”