The answer
Actually, the deacon holding the water should not be standing by the priest at all. He should be standing by the altar waiting for the procession. The deacon holding the bread should be standing in front of the priest, while the one holding the wine should stand on the right hand of the priest towards the North side. This manner of standing symbolizes the right side of the Lord from which the blood gushed out. The priest chooses the Lamb-to-be-bread, smells the wine and consults with the two deacons confirming its good quality. This consultation between the three of them is also a symbol of the accord among the Trinity on the Incarnation of the Son.Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)