Part 31: Final Commemorations and Prayer for Unity in Worship.

 

1. “Among the first, remember, O Lord…” Commemoration of the Hierarchy

The priest’s exclamation, “Among the first, remember, O Lord, our lord, the Most Reverend…” introduces a vital moment of the Liturgy: the commemoration of the canonical episcopal authority under which the Eucharist is being offered. This is a prayer for the presiding bishop or metropolitan and any other bishop in jurisdiction, that God may “grant unto Thy holy churches in peace, safety, honor, health, and length of days, rightly dividing the word of Thy truth.”

This prayer has a profound ecclesiological significance. In Orthodox theology, the unity of the Church is expressed not abstractly, but concretely through communion with the bishop, who himself is in communion with the wider episcopacy of the Orthodox Church. The priest, though celebrant at the altar, does so in the name of and under the authority of the bishop, who is the true liturgical president of the Eucharist—even if not physically present.

The phrase “rightly dividing the word of Thy truth” is a biblical allusion to 2 Timothy 2:15, where St. Paul exhorts Timothy to rightly handle the word of truth. This is a petition for doctrinal fidelity and fearless preaching of the Gospel—an essential function of the episcopacy.

2. The Deacon’s Commemoration and “And All Mankind”

At this point, the deacon remembers the living—naming, if desired, those who have requested prayers. This moment of intercession links the gathered Church to the entire Body of Christ on earth, encompassing those who are suffering, laboring, traveling, or ministering.

The choir’s response, “And all mankind” (καὶ πάντων καὶ πασῶν in Greek), is a powerful reminder that the Eucharistic prayer is not limited to the faithful present in the temple, but embraces all humanity. This echoes the Orthodox understanding of the Church as the sacrament of the world’s salvation. Even those who do not know Christ are remembered in this sacred moment.

3. “Remember, O Lord…” — Prayers for the Living

The priest then continues with a series of intercessions for the city, every city and country, and “those who in faith dwell therein.” The Church prays not just for the faithful within her walls, but for all people, society, and the local context in which the Church is embedded. This is a liturgical act of love and mission, grounded in the incarnational vision of Orthodoxy—God came to redeem all of humanity, not a select few.

The prayer goes on to name specific categories of people:

• Those who travel by land, sea, or air — recognizing the dangers of travel and the human longing for safety and return.
  
  

• The sick, the suffering, and the captives — recalling Christ’s ministry to the afflicted and imprisoned.
  
  

• Those who do good works in the Church, and those who remember the needy — recognizing the synergy between liturgical life and diakonia (service).
  
  

These prayers mirror the compassionate universality of Christ, who Himself remembered and ministered to each of these categories during His earthly life.

4. “Grant us with one mouth and one heart…” — Prayer for Liturgical Unity

The final portion of this section is a doxological and eschatological petition:

“And grant us with one mouth and one heart to glorify and hymn Thine all-honorable and majestic name…”

Here, the Church prays for unity of spirit and of confession—that the faithful may offer the Eucharistic praise not with scattered minds or divided hearts, but as one body, gathered in the name of the Holy Trinity. This echoes Romans 15:6: “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This unity is not a mere social ideal but is made possible by the Eucharist itself—which unites all believers in Christ through partaking of His one Body and Blood. It is a foretaste of the heavenly liturgy, in which every tongue and nation will glorify the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

This segment of the Divine Liturgy reveals the expansive breadth of Orthodox intercessory prayer. From the hierarchical structure of the Church to the farthest corners of the world, from travelers to the sick and suffering, from bishops to civil authorities, everyone is brought to the foot of the altar. It is a vision of the Church not turned inward, but one deeply engaged with the world, offering up the needs, the praises, and the very lives of all people into the hands of the Triune God. This final crescendo of intercession sets the stage for the final preparation to receive the Holy Gifts—unified in voice, mind, and heart.