18. Holy Mysteries

GETTING TOGETHER

            People often gather together.  They come together to celebrate the special occasions of their own life or others.  Do we not get together for celebrating birthdays, feasts, baptism, marriage and several other days of commemoration?

TO CELEBRATE THE MYSTERIES

            Mar Toma Nazranees also get together for many things.  The most important occasion when they come together is that of the Holy Qurbana.  It is a time when they celebrate in signs and symbols the whole of their redemptive history, fulfilled in the Christ event.

“Holy Qurbana for a Mar Toma Nazranee is the inexplicable event, where he or she proclaims and bears witness to his or her consecrated existence according to the Mar Toma Margam.”

           

            Celebration of Holy Qurbana is the decisive event of one’s growth into the personality and identity of Iso’-Msiha.

HOLY QURBANA AND HISTORY OF SALVATION

            Holy Qurbana is the commemoration of the whole history of salvation, namely, the incarnation, its background of Old Testament history, private and public life of Iso’-Msiha, his passion, death, burial, resurrection, gift of the Holy Spirit, reconciliation of mankind with God and final union with Him.

            Holy Qurbana is a unique celebration where the holocaust, the supreme sacrificial action of Old Testament, the Last Supper together with the death of Iso’ on Calvary, the Pentecost, the whole sacrificial life of the Church and the life in heaven are brought together

            Iso’-Msiha himself is the offerer and the victim of the Holy Qurbana; and everything is perfected through his representatives, the priests.

SEVEN PARTS

The Holy Qurbana in Mar Toma Margam may be divided to seven sections:

1. Enarxis, 2. Liturgy of the Word, 3. Rite of Preparation, 4 Quddasa (Anaphora), 5.  Rite of Reconciliation, 6.  Rite of Communion,  and  7.  Concluding Rites.

            The priests and other ministers wear proper and prescribed liturgical vestments during the Holy Qurbana.  Usually it is celebrated in the church with proper structural settings.  Specific articles are also used while offering the Holy Qurbana.