Shortly before the ending of the first part of the Divine Liturgy, the priest reads the prayer of the Catechumens.

The Catechumens were in the ancient Church the people who intended to be baptized and had thus started attending the Catechism, learning their new faith. They participated in the Divine Liturgy, heard the readings from the Scripture but then were called to leave, for they had not yet been baptized, i.e. they were not eligible to participate in the Sacrament. Before their leaving the Nave, the priest was reading the prayer of the dismissal of the Catechumens, who stood with their heads bowed in order to receive the blessing from the Bishop or the priest.

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Nowadays that there are no Catechumens in the ancient sense of the word, the above prayer concerns first and foremost every child born to Christian parents, which has not yet been baptized and secondly the ones who learn the faith in Christian missions as well as those who seek the truth. But it also concerns the faithful, who, despite the fact that they are baptized, they still are 'Catechumens' due to their need for a post-baptismal deeper instruction in the faith. The prayer of the dismissal of the Catechumens reminds us that we should incessantly study the content of our faith and constantly try to perfect our Christian life.

This prayer, by the use of such words for the Sacrament as: 'the washing of rebirth', 'the forgiveness of sins' and 'the garment of incorruption', is also an outline of the theology of Baptism. With the above words Baptism, in accordance with the Lord's commandment, is presented as a new life for humans, a life which, through Jesus Christ, extends to all eternity.

At the same time the prayer includes the notion of the Church as a Body. This Body prays fervently and is in anguish and pain over those who are not yet members of the Body of Christ.