My commentary on the Divine Liturgy has reached the point where we have completed the sequence of praying to the Father, remembering the words and actions of the Son and invoking the Holy Spirit to transform the gifts we bring, the symbols of life. In the process we become aware of Christ’s presence in our midst and we also ask God to transform us into persons who embrace the same attitudes and behaviors of Jesus – who realize that God became incarnate in order to help us learn how to live this earthly existence and achieve the true meaning and purpose of our lives. After these prayers and actions, we include our commemorations of those who have believed in this way (saints) and the Mother of God. It is important to note that the commemoration of the Mother of God was not initially in the Divine Liturgy at this juncture. It was inserted at this point to confirm what the Councils declared, namely that she is the MOTHER OF GOD, the Theotokos.

In the same way that the Hymn of the Incarnation was inserted into the Divine Liturgy to affirm the belief of Jesus as both God and Man, so this prayer was inserted to affirm that we believe that Mary is the Mother of God. The congregational prayer that follows these commemorations is a direct statement of our belief about Mary. She is “more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim” and she “gave birth to God the Word” and she is the Mother of God.

While this hymn to the Mother of God is being sung, the priest has a series of silent prayers which, at one time, were said aloud. Again these prayers are a continuation of the commemorations – those who we remember during our communal prayer. Among those are John the Baptist and the saint(s) of the day and the entire episcopate and clergy.

The priest then indicates that we offer this “spiritual sacrifice” for the “whole world”, our “civil authorities”, and “those in the service of our country.” He then adds this: “Grant them, O Lord, a peaceful rule, that we also, sharing their tranquility, may lead a tranquil and calm life in all piety and dignity”.

It must be remembered that the early Church was ruled by the emperor – the civil authority – who was the head not only of the State but also the Church. That is a whole history which is important to understand.