The Priest censes his hands over the censer three times, to purify them and to confess the partnership of the Holy Trinity in the salvation of the human race, before taking the offering with both hands. He catches some of the rising incense from the censer to proclaim that when Christ offered himself as an acceptable sacrifice on the Cross, His Father smelled him as a pleasing aroma.

Another interpretation is that this is in remembrance of Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and Mary Magdalene who each prepared precious ointments and spices for the Body of Christ.

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

— John 19:38-39

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

— Luke 24:1

Two Deacons light candles and hold them towards the oblations as the Priest takes the Lamb upon his hands. This symbolises the act of enlightenment that the sacrifice of Christ brings to us.

When the Priest says, “He took bread…” he takes the offering in his hands, lifts the cloth underneath it on the paten, kisses it, wipes it over his eyes, then raises his gaze upward, saying, “He looked up…”.

The Priest looks upwards and raises the Lamb aloft, making the sign of the cross upon it three times. This is to remind us of the crucifixion of the Lord, Who was was raised up on the Cross as a sacrifice to His good Father.

The Priest tells us the story of establishing the sacrament by the hands of the Lord Christ. The words of institution are the words spoken by our Lord on the bread and wine to consecrate them into His pure Body and Blood.

The Priest breaks the bread into two thirds and one third, without separation, keeping the back intact, signifying the sufferings of Christ and the tearing of His body without breaking His bones.

In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones.

— Exodus 12:46

The Priest moves his right index finger tracing the rim of the cup clockwise and then counterclockwise, indicating that this cup at this time is the very cup that Christ used at that time, a temporal and eternal cup. This is also to signify that Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross is above both time and place.

He then makes the sign of the cross upon the cup three times.

He called the bread His living Body, and did Himself fill it with Himself and the Spirit. Take, eat, entertaining no doubt of faith, because this is My Body, and whoever eats it in belief eats in it Fire and Spirit. Eat of it all of you, eat in it the Holy Spirit, for it is My Body in truth.

— St Ephrem the Syrian

The Priest moves the cup from east to west and north to south. This is to remind us that our Lord shed His Blood for all people, from the four corners of the earth.

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

— 1 John 2:2

The Priest repeats the same words as if they were from the mouth of Christ Himself, believing in His holy presence to sanctify the offerings.

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

— 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

— Matthew 26:26-28