Holy Qurbono

We must always remember that the Christ who manifests himself in the Qurbana is the one who has risen from the dead and now sits at the right hand of the Father. The Qurbana signifies not only Christ's death but also his resurrection and ascension, allowing us to partake in both his death and his resurrection, entering into the presence of God where he continually intercedes for us. Throughout the Qurbana, our focus should be directed towards the risen Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father. Particularly in the Eastern Churches, the liturgy is centred around the presence of the Risen Christ. Our liturgical tradition portrays the altar as a visible symbol of the heavenly altar, while the Church is depicted as an earthly reflection of the heavenly Jerusalem. Thus, during the Qurbana, the worship on earth is united with that of the angels and saints in heaven.

According to the tradition of the Eastern Church, it is believed that not only the Risen Christ is present in the Holy Qurbana, but also the Holy Spirit. After Christ's resurrection and ascension into heaven, he poured out his Spirit upon his disciples. This spiritual reality is represented in the liturgy through the Epiclesis, or invocation of the Holy Spirit. In all Eastern liturgies, following the words of Institution, there is an invocation of the Holy Spirit, asking for His descent to perfect the offering. Just as Christ, through His resurrection, is described as becoming a “life-giving Spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45), so too, in the Eucharist, He imparts His Spirit to His disciples through His living body.

The first part of the Qurbana symbolizes the initial stages of our salvation history: Christ's incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension. The second part, occurring after the consecration, symbolizes the coming of the Holy Spirit and His indwelling among God's people. This culminates in Communion, where believers partake in the life of the Risen Christ and become recipients of His Holy Spirit. Thus, the Christian community shares in the new life of Christ's resurrection and eagerly anticipates the glory to come while awaiting His second coming.