Theology  -  Hierarchy  -  Locations  -   Education  -   Stewardship  -   Other Information  -  Index  -  Thesaurus  -  Sitemap  -  Arabic fonts  -  Home

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

Great Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ Blessing of Grapes

6 August - Great Feast of the Transfiguration of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ took The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Peter, Glorious Apostle John the Theologian and Evangelist , and Holy Apostle James, Brother of John the Evangelist with Him onto Mount Tabor, where He revealed to them His Divine Nature to the extent that human eyes could see it and human flesh could experience it. Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ appeared in His divine glory, transfigured into a figure dazzling with light. The Apostles saw Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ conversing with the Holy Prophet Moses and The Holy Prophet Elias. The Apostles, stricken by the vision of Divine Glory, fell down.
Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ showed them "as much of His glory as they could behold". The Gospel says that they fell stunned on the ground, overcome by the revelation of the Divine Glory in Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Afterwards, Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ strictly told the Apostles not to tell anyone what they had seen.
The hymns for the feast tell us that Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ did revealed to His Apostles His Divine Nature to the extent that human eyes could see it and human flesh could experience it:

• "...so that having seen You in glory, they would not be dismayed at the time of your suffering..."
• "...You showed the reality of the resurrection You are to grant us, in your love for humanity and your almighty power as God..."

Blessing of Grapes

This Blessing of Grapes text is from August Menaion and from Byzantine Melkite Euchologion published by the Eparchy of Newton (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, MA), Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States. These books are available from Sophia Press, Eparchy of Newton (Our Lady of the Annunciation (Al Bisharah) in Roslindale, Massachusetts, United States).

Priest: Let us pray to the Lord.

Response: Lord, have mercy.

Bless, O Father, this new fruit of the vine, which you permitted to ripen through good weather, and drops of dew and may it bring joy for us who will partake of this fruit of the vine, and forgiveness of sins to those who offer it, through the pure Body and Blood of Your Christ, with whom You are blessed, together with Your all holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
R.Amen.

When Bless

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, fruit is blessed by the priest. The fruit are symbols of transfiguration, new life, and God's gifts. Then, the fruit is distributed to the people to eat and to take home.

Why Bless

Blessing of Grapes - Representation of transformation

Grapes are blessed because they show physical transformation and represent a religious transformation.

• The transformation of flowers into fruit
• The transformation of fruit into wine
• The mystical transformation of wine into the Blood of Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ in the Divine Liturgy.

Blessing of Fruits - New Life and Thanksgiving for a Good Harvest - Holy God's Gifts

All fruits represent new life. Mature fruits are blessed in thanksgiving for a good harvest. New life and a good harvest are Holy God's gifts to us.

Theology Home  -  Hierarchy Home  -  Locations Home  -  Other Information Home  -  Alphabetical Index  -  Thesaurus  -  Sitemap  -  Arabic fonts  -  Home

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is an unofficial Melkite Greek Catholic Web site and has not been reviewed or approved by any Melkite clergy person.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center contains a range of World Wide Web sites on Melkite faith, belief, practice, history, etc. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center does not endorse any World Wide Web site nor takes any responsibility for the contents of any World Wide Web site. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center offers these links with the understanding that Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center can not vouch for any of the contents on each site. Listing a site does not indicate acceptance nor endorsement of the doctrines / ideas / theology of the World Wide Web site. Please remember that Web sites will change their content and their location. It is the user's responsibility to decide whether or not the content on a particular World Wide Web site is appropripate.

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles) and Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000 and Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-givng Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

This site copyright©2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2006,2007,2008 Martha Liles. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: Friday, June 15, 2007, 20:47:43, PDT
The current date and time is: Thursday, November 20, 2008, 07:34:20, PST or Thursday, November 20, 2008, 15:34:20, GMT