the altar. At the end of these prayers, they bow to the throne of the bishop who oversees the church, or, if it is a monastery, the abbot, acknowledging the authority of their spiritual superiors, without whose permission they may not celebrate the divine services. Vesting Next The priests and deacons venerate the holy table and vest. For each vestment, the priest blesses it, kisses the cross on it, and dons it reciting a Biblical verse, usually from the Psalms. The deacon brings his vestments to the priest to bless, kisses the priest's hand, and likewise for each vestment kisses the cross on it and dons it, but only for the sticharion recites a verse, the same verse for it as does the priest. Each subdeacon, reader, and server vests in the same manner as a deacon, except for not reciting anything. If a bishop who is not celebrating is present, he, rather than the priest, may bless their vestments. After vesting, the priest and deacon wash their hands, saying the Prayer of the Washing of Hands (Psalm 26:6-12) They then go to the Prothesis (Table of Oblation) where the Gifts are to be prepared. Proskomedia If there are several priests concelebrating, usually only one—traditionally, the most junior— celebrates the Proskomedia. Others may assist in taking out particles for the living and the dead. In the Greek traditions (Constantinople, Antioch, etc.) all particles are frequently taken from one large prosphoron which is stamped with a seal that serves as a template, but in the Slavic traditions there are several (usually five) prosphora, from which particles are taken as described below. The Lamb The priest takes a prosphoron and blesses it three times, making the sign of the cross over it with the liturgical spear. Then, cutting on all four sides of the square seal on the prosphoron, he removes a cube (the Lamb), taking from both layers of the loaf, and places it in the center of the diskos. He then cuts the underside of the Lamb, making a cross, then turns the Lamb right side up and pierces it with the spear, saying the words from the Gospel (). (See Lamb for more details). The deacon mingles a little water with the wine that is poured in the chalice and presents it to the priest for him to bless. The deacon then pours the wine and water into the