The priest now proceeds to the covering of the Holy Gifts. First he offers incense to God in thanksgiving, a gesture which also acts as an icon of the Holy Spirit: 'Incense we offer Thee, O Christ our God, as an odour of spiritual fragrance. Do Thou accept it at Thy Heavenly Altar and send down upon us the Grace of Thy Holy Spirit'. He then takes one of the sacred accessories called the Asterisk and places it on the Diskos, over the Amnos and the aforementioned portions. This gesture is an image both of the star, which stopped over the place where Christ was born, and of the Universe, which was created by God: 'By the word of the Lord the heavens were made' (Psalms 32:6).

Over the Asterisk a crosswise cover is placed by the priest, who simultaneously recites the psalm verse: 'The Lord is reigning, He is clothed with Majesty', underlining the fact that Christ acquired a human body and by virtue of His Incarnation has trampled the enemy of man.

Another crosswise cover of the same size as the first one is placed over the Chalice by the priest as a reminder of God's benefactions towards humankind and the rest of the Creation: 'Thy virtue, O Christ, has covered the Heavens, and the Earth is full of Thy praise'. These two covers of equal size signify the bands of cloth of Christ's Birth as well as the linen wrappings of his Burial.

Then the priest places a rectangular cover, called the Aer (air), across the Diskos and the Chalice, asking God—on behalf of the faithful—for protection, inner peace and mercy: 'Cover us under the shelter of Thy wings; drive away from us every enemy and adversary; give us a peaceful life; O Lord, have mercy on us and on Thy world, and save our souls, for Thou art Good and Kind and Compassionate'.

After having covered the aforementioned sacred accessories, the priest censes them, blessing God. This act is an offer of incense to God in thanksgiving and a praise for all His benefactions towards humankind.

The preparation of the Gifts for the Eucharist will soon be concluded. The priest now recites the closing prayer of the Office of Preparation, asking God to accept the offering, bless those who brought it and those who have already been commemorated, and make him worthy to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, by creating in him a clean heart and conscience. This is the end of the Office of Preparation. The priest then kisses the Holy Gifts and blesses the Holy Trinity.

Finally, the priest censes every part of the bema as well as the area outside it, an act that underlines the holiness of the Divine Liturgy, which is about to begin. The faithful will shortly meet the Lord, the air is already fragrant with incense, just as it was fragrant with oil every time the ancient peoples of the East went out to meet their King.