After the procession of the Little Entrance and the singing of the troparia, two priests of highest rank, having received the blessing from the Patriarch, escort the bishop-designate to the middle aisle at the door of the church and announce:

Professions of Faith

The Profession of Faith section of the ceremony of the ordination of a bishop is customarily held before the actual ordination

The priest then leads him into the church and repeats the same words. He then leads him to the solea and says the same words for the third time. The bishop-designate, holding in his hands the Gospel book, in which he has carefully inserted his professions of faith, written and signed by his own hand, makes three metanies, first to the Patriarch and then to those on his right and to those on his left. The priest of highest rank says in a loud voice:

Priest: Let us be attentive!

The bishop-designate says:

I, the priest Nicholas, chosen by the mercy of God, have signed with my own hand my professions of faith.

The priest leads him to the feet of the Eagle for the first

profession of faith. The Patriarch asks the bishop-designate in a

loud and distinct voice:

Why are you here? And what do you ask of my humble

person?

The bishop-designate answers clearly and distinctly:

Bishop-Designate: The laying-on of hands for the grace of the most holy episcopal order.

The Patriarch asks again:

Patriarch: What is your belief?

Bishop-Designate:<D> I believe in one God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and was made man; who was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate and suffered and was buried; who rise again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and is enthroned at the right hand of the Father; who will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; and of whose kingdom there shall be no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I profess one baptism for the remission of sins. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and life of the world to come. Amen.

When the bishop-designate has finished the first proclamation of faith, the Patriarch blesses him with the sign of the cross, saying:

Patriarch: The grace of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit be with you.

The priest leads the bishop-designate to the middle of the Eagle for the second profession of faith, saying aloud:

Priest: The beloved of God, the priest Nicholas, chosen and confirmed, is conducted here to be ordained Titular Bishop of ...

The Patriarch asks him once more:

Patriarch: Explain to us more fully what is your profession of faith, and your belief concerning the incarnation of the Son and Word of God who exists in one Hypostasis.

Bishop-Designate: I believe in one God in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is unbegotten and without an originating principle. There was nothing before Him. He was and always is God. I proclaim that the Son is an eternal and infinite Principle, a principle deriving from One who is without a principle. With this principle, and therefore with the Son, I associate the Holy Spirit, since they both alike have their being from the Father, that is, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the one by generation, the other by procession. I confess also that the Word of God co-eternal with the Father before all time, incomprehensible and infinite, condescended to mankind and took upon himself our fallen and humble nature from the pure and virginal body of the stainless and undefiled virgin alone, in order that in his mercy He might bestow salvation and grace upon the whole human race. He who takes away the sin of the world was not subject to death; but He accepted it in order to deliver us from the all-devouring hand of death, and to bring us to his Father by means of his own blood. And death, which struck his human body, was overcome by his divine power, and from its dominion were led the souls of the just which had been held captive for ages. Having appeared on earth among his disciples for forty days after his resurrection from the dead, He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. ay we inherit eternal and incorruptible goods in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

The Patriarch blesses him with the sign of the cross, saying:

Patriarch: The grace of God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit be with you.

The priest leads the bishop-designate to the head of the Eagle for the third profession of faith, saying aloud:

Priest: The beloved of God, the priest Nicholas, chosen and confirmed, is conducted here to be ordained Titular Bishop of ...

The Patriarch asks him in a loud and distinct voice:

Patriarch: Declare to us your belief in the Trinity.

Bishop-Designate: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And I believe in his only-begotten Son, begotten of him, without change and without time, being of one essence with him by whom all things were made. And I believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the same Father, and with him is glorified and coeternal. I believe these doctrines and all traditions taught and explained by the one, catholic and apostolic Church concerning God and the things of God. Furthermore, I confess the one Person in the Word made flesh; and I believe and proclaim that Christ is one and the same in two natures after his incarnation, preserving all things which are of these two natures and proceeding from them. As for our Lady Mary, the Theotokos, I confess and proclaim that she gave birth, a real and true birth, in the flesh to Christ our God, one of the Holy Trinity. May she be to me a helper and protector and defender all the days of my life. Amen.

When the bishop-designate has finished his third and final proclamation of faith, the priest takes the Gospel book from him and places it on the holy table. The Patriarch blesses him with the sign of the cross, saying:

Patriarch: The grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit be with you, enlightening you, strengthening you, and endowing you with wisdom all the days of your life.