The First Service

The first part of the Preparatory Service, during which the bread and wine are prepared on the altar, is known as the Service of Melchisedec. This recalls the story of Melchisedec, the “Priest of the Most High God,” who brought out bread and wine when he met Abraham (Genesis 14:18).

In the Epistle to the Hebrews, Melchisedec is presented as a type of Christ, who is called a “Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 6:20). This signifies that Christ came not only to fulfill the sacrifices of the Jewish Law but also those of the Natural Law, which have been offered since the dawn of human history. Thus, Christ is the Saviour of all mankind.

The prayers of this service begin with the penitential Psalm 51 (“Have mercy on me, O God”), expressing the desire for a pure heart with which the priest must approach the altar. After preparing the Table, the priest prays that his sacrifice may be accepted on the spiritual altar above, and that he and his congregation may become a living sacrifice on this heavenly altar. This prayer seeks that they may be deemed worthy of the new life in God's heavenly temple.