ON THE LITURGY
If you have not been reared in a liturgical church, the experience of Orthodox Christian worship can be confusing and overwhelming. The vestments, ritual, fixed prayer, repetition, incense, bells, and ancient music can be quite intimidating for one who has never experienced the ancient Christian forms of worship. This article is an attempt to explain the basic actions of that worship. If you are planning to attend an Orthodox service, are about to attend a service, or have just experienced Orthodox worship for the first time, then you should read this synopsis carefully, as it will make the experience of Orthodox worship become much more palatable.
The First Question
The first question one might ask after experiencing our worship is, “Why would these people worship this way?” The reason, of course, is simple; the first Christians prayed this way, and, consequently, this is the style of worship practiced in the New Testament period. the same Faith in Jesus Christ AND the same worship of Jesus Christ has been handed on from generation to generation from the beginning. We see no good reason to abandon Apostolic worship, in the same way that we see no good reason to abandon Apostolic Faith. Thus, we worship as the Apostolic community worshiped, and in the experience of Orthodox worship, one can participate in the worship of the Apostolic community.
The Interior of the Church
As one enters an Orthodox Church he is first stricken by the visual appearance of the building interior. In traditional Orthodox style, icons abound. The images which you see will always include our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of the parish [the saint after whom the parish is named], and archangels. There may be additional icons of other saints and events from the Bible and Church history. These icons appeal to the visual sense, providing us focus for our worship, while simultaneously teaching us aspects of the Faith.
At St. Benedict’s the icon over the altar shows our Lord Jesus Christ enthroned in heaven. Around Him twelve holy angels can be seen, while the four corners of the icon reveal the symbols [lion, man, eagle, ox] of the four Gospels. In the image Christ holds the book of life while holding his right hand in the posture of blessing. This imagery reflects the truth that our Lord Jesus Christ is enthroned in heaven, He holds the determination of who is enrolled in the Book of Life, and the angels bear witness to Him as do the gospels. those who believe in Him are duly blessed, when He is enthroned in their hearts.
Beside the icon of Christ are images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist. These two saints point to Christ and represent the faith of the Christian life as it is lived: the Blessed Virgin Mary, who said “Be it unto me according to thy Word,” [Lk. 1:36] and “Do as he tells you” [Jn. 2:5], reflects Christian obedience to Christ. St. John the Baptist, who cried “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” [Matt. 3:2], reflects the Christian need to repent should obedience fail. Both saints point to Christ as the only way to eternal life.
Other icons in the Church are St. Benedict of Nursia [the founder of western Orthodox spiritual discipline], St. Scholastica [his pious and God-fearing sister] and the holy archangels Michael and Gabriel. On the walls of the Nave [where the people sit], are fourteen images of Christ’s passion story. These are called the Stations of the Cross, and tell the story of Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion. There is a separate service said at the foot of these stations but it is usually only prayed during Great Lent [the six weeks preceding Easter].
The building is divided into three parts. The Sanctuary [the holy space] is where the altar is located; it is divided from the rest of the Church by an altar rail. This rail separates the sanctuary and delineates it as holy space, and, by Orthodox rule, only those serving the altar [men only] should enter the Sanctuary. This discipline maintains the sanctity of the space and prohibits its being treated as a common area.
The people congregate in the Nave. The word “nave” derives from the Latin word “navis,” or “ship.” It is believed that it is borrowed in concept from 1 Peter 3:20-22, which suggests that the Noah’s ark story is a type of Holy Baptism. In being baptized, Orthodox Christians are saved from the judgment, being preserved in the “ark” [the Church] which will settle, ultimately, on the rock which is Christ.
Between the Sanctuary and the Nave is the Chancel, and the Chancel is delineated from the Nave by a partially open partition called the Rood Screen. The Chancel is the space from which certain services, other than the Mass, are celebrated [that is, where the priest, cantors, and acolytes might sit, as, for example, in the prayer services of Vespers and Matins]. Atop the Rood Screen is a scene of Christ’s crucifixion; this is known by the old Anglo-Saxon word “rood” or “cross,” and by which the screen takes its name. In the eastern Orthodox tradition, the screen is closed, has icons on it, and is called “iconostasis” or “icon-screen.”
Visibly, one gets the notion from the interior of the Church, that 1], Christ is present in out midst, 2], that we are surrounded by His Saints and His angels [Heb. 12:1], and 3] that we are on a journey to Him.
Liturgical Colors
There are other features in Orthodox worship which appeal to the sense of sight. One might notice the vestments of the priest, which are ornate and colorful. The colors reflect themes, and one can denote the liturgical theme by noting the color of the priest’s vesture. For example, celebrations which commemorate events in our Lord’s life are always celebrated in the color white, which symbolizes purity [the only exception to the rule is Good Friday where black is used to accentuate the solemnity of Christ’s dying on the cross for us]. White is also used in celebrations of Saints who died of natural causes [as opposed to being martyred].
Red is the color of martyrdom and the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost Sunday and its octave[the eight days following] the color red is used to highlight the theme of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Church. On the feast days of martyrs [that is, those having been killed for their Christian faith], red is also used to indicate that they shed their blood for their Lord.
Violet is the color of repentance and humility. This color is used during the “seasons” of Advent [the month prior to Christmas], and pre-Lent/Lent [nine weeks preceding Easter]. It is also used on some minor celebrations, during the giving of blessings, in hearing confessions, and in anointing of the sick, because it is only in humility that we receive blessings, make our confessions, or receive the Divine healing.
Green is the color of life and symbolizes what is sometimes called “Ordinary Time,” that is, those periods in the Church calendar which are not devoted [seasonally] to the drama of salvation. The routine of Christian living is then the theme.
Holy Water and Incense
One may also note the use of holy water and incense. Not only do these appeal to the sense of touch and smell, they reflect other aspects of the faith. At times holy water is used, being sprinkled on the people to symbolize that Christians have become Christ’s by virtue of Holy Baptism. The Asperges, a short rite at the beginning of Divine Liturgy, involves the priest sprinkling the altar, himself and the people with holy water. This reminds them that through their baptism they have become Christ’s; they have been purified, made acceptable to God, and how belong to Him.
Incense reminds us of the sweet savor of our prayers before God and of the fact that WE are sweet to Him. It is also a reminder of worship in heaven, which is always portrayed in the Bible as including smoke and incense [Is. 6, Rev. 8].
Physical Actions
Orthodox worship also appeals to the physical, that is, you will note the faithful doing all sorts of physical actions during the service. They will make the sign of the cross upon themselves, perhaps as few as twenty times, they will bow, they will genuflect, they will kneel [in the Eastern Rite, they will prostrate themselves], they will raise their hands. All of this occurs amidst the normal posture of prayer, which is standing. Orthodox Christians stand for much of the service [although those with health problems are permitted to sit, and the Western Rite kneels during part of the service]. One generally doesn’t just sit and watch during an Orthodox service.
PURPOSE OF THE LITURGY
The purpose of the Liturgy is the telling and enacting of the drama of salvation as lived out in the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also the stepping out of time by the Christian as he enters, for a few brief moments, into the eternal realm of God’s time. In so doing, the Orthodox Christian experiences the passion of Christ, and feeds with the Apostles on His body and Blood in the sacrament.
There are several overlapping actions which occur in our service. First and foremost there is the drama of salvation. As the service begins, there is the litany known as the Kyrie Eleison. This is from the Greek language and it means “Lord have mercy upon us.” This is one of the earliest prayers of Christianity and dates to the time when all Christians prayed in Greek. The Kyrie is ninefold, that is, it is offered to the three Persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It represents man’s crying out to God for salvation. The Gloria in Excelsis follows the Kyrie. This is the angelic salutation mentioned in Luke 2:14, which announced the Good News of the Incarnation, that is, God becoming man. It also includes references to Christ which are borrowed from St. John the Baptist, which suggest the beginning of Christ’s ministry. It ends with a Trinitarian doxology.
After several prayers called Collects, we hear the Scripture readings. The first is called the Epistle and is taken from one of the Apostolic letters [hence, the name]. It speaks of how life in Christ is lived out in the Church. After a short hymn taken from the Psalms, the Gospel lesson is sung. This reflects Christ’s life and tells us the Good News. The Gospel is always read facing west [which represents the domain of the Devil] or northeast, which is an ancient direction representing those who have not heard the Gospel.
After the sermon, there is the Offertory, when the elements of bread and wine are offered on the altar. The priest prays prayers of oblation or offering of the bread and wine, and then they are placed on a linen called the corporal, and under a small board called a pall. This represents the self-oblation of Christ on the cross, His death, and His burial in the tomb. At the end of the prayer of consecration, sometimes called the canon of the Mass, the pall is removed from the chalice. This represents the resurrection of Christ and is accompanied by bells as the priest receives communion. As this action represents the resurrection, the first to witness the action is the priest, the apostolic representative. As did the Apostles before him, he then reveals the resurrection to the people, showing them the Body of Christ with the Chalice, declaring “Behold the Lamb of God!”
After communion, the symbols of that resurrection [the chalice and paten] are shrouded, removed from sight [like Christ in the Ascension] and we are sent out into the world with the words of the Gospel of John: “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory...” It is this personal experience of the living Christ which the Orthodox Christian is to take into the secular realm, as he returns to the world.
GOD'S TIME
The next point to be made is that Orthodox worship enters into God’s time. Throughout the Liturgy one will hear the phrase “world without end,” or “unto the ages of ages.” These both bear the same meaning, and reflect the Christian belief that one enters into the span of God’s time when he leaves the world and approaches God in prayer. The constant references to this accentuate this belief.
There are other portions of the liturgy which emphasize this truth. The book of Revelation [4:8] tells us the angels of heaven never to cease to sing Sanctus [”holy, holy, holy”]. When we sing the same hymn, we join them in that chorus: “therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven...” the liturgy tells us.
In addition to this is the action of the anamnesis. This is a Greek word which means something along the lines of manifesting in the present something which happened in another period of time. Unfortunately for English speaking people, it is translated “remembrance” which does not adequately convey the true meaning of the word. In essence, the word tells us this: when we say the prayers of consecration, the bread and the wine, which we offer on the altar, become the Body and Blood of Christ [1 Cor. 11:26-29]. This is the same Body broken and the Blood which was shed upon the cross, and which are now in heaven. When we partake of the anamnesis, that action is enacted and the eternal is brought into our presence, into our lives, in THIS moment. Thus we partake of the eternal, and, in so doing, we are taken out of temporal time, if only for a few brief moments.
Finally, there is that which we call “the Communion of Saints.” Since Scripture tells us that “nothing can separate us from the love of Christ...neither death nor life...” [Rms. 8;39, 38], we believe we are not separated from those Christians who have gone before us. Though we don’t see or hear them, we know that they are in the Body of Christ as well as we, and that they pray for us [Rev. 8;5]. When we pray the liturgy our prayers are joined with theirs; together we worship our Lord Jesus Christ. The icons of the saints serve to reinforce this theme.
This truth is no more clearly seen than when we enter into God’s time. Thus our liturgy accentuates the fact that we are having a foretaste of eternal life when we experience Orthodox worship.
A Taste of Heaven
Orthodox Worship is a taste of heaven. If one examines worship in heaven, he will find it described in considerable detail in the book of Revelation in the Bible. This book not only tells about events of the last times, but speaks of heavenly worship. Many of those heavenly actions mentioned in Revelation are imitated in Orthodox worship.
For example, heaven has an altar, as we see in chapter eight [8:3]. In Orthodox worship, the central point of the liturgical action is the altar. In heaven, the saints and angels stand around the altar and worship [4:4, 5:11, 14:1]. Icons in an Orthodox sanctuary suggest the presence of the Angels and Saints with us [Heb. 12:1]. Saints in heaven wear vesture during worship [4:2,4]; thus, those who serve the earthly altar are also vested. Heavenly worship involves continuous singing, as Revelation informs us that they never cease to sing [4:8]. Consequently, Orthodox worship is sung and the said prayer is the rarity rather than the norm.
Heavenly worship involves physical gestures; the Saints fall down before the throne, and they cast their crowns before God [4:9-10, 5:8]. Orthodox worship also includes physical gestures as we have seen above. In heaven, the Gospel is carried about [14:6] and the angels sing “Alleluia” while a psalm is recited [19:4-5]. In Orthodox worship the Gospel book is always carried about in procession [except in the Western Rite when an acolyte shortage renders that impossible], and the musical accompaniment is the singing of a psalm followed by multiple alleluias.
In heavenly worship, incense is used [5:8, 8:3], and the Temple is filled with smoke; in Orthodox ritual, we do the same and the scent of incense permeates our worship while it is not uncommon to see the altar shrouded in smoke.
Thus, we emulate aspects of heavenly worship. Heaven is our home; it is the goal of our earthly journey. To worship in the style of heavenly worship is 1]. to acknowledge that our hope is other-worldly, 2] to participate in that heavenly hope in the present (via our worship), and 3] to prepare us for the forms of worship which we will celebrate for all eternity.
Historical Worship
Orthodox worship is also based upon historical foundations, particularly Jewish. St. Paul tells us that the true Israel is comprised of those who believe in Jesus Christ [Rms. 2:28-29]. However the true Israel also has continuity with the ancient Israel, as is evidenced in St. Paul’s concept of Gentiles being grafted into Israel [Rms. 11:17-18]. This continuity is most clearly perceived in the continuity of worship, and much of Orthodox worship and ritual is Jewish in origin.
For example, Orthodox worship is done standing. Most of an Orthodox service is prayed on one’s feet, and this is a characteristic of ancient Jewish worship. As mentioned in the previous section, Orthodox worship is sung, and we continue to use the eight modalities of ancient Jewish chanting. Orthodox services always include the reading of the Scriptures, first an epistle, and secondly a Gospel reading. These lessons are derived from a lectionary or collection of assigned readings for each service. The concept of the lectionary is a Jewish idea, practiced in the Synagogues in Christ’s time. In addition, the Gospel book is carried in procession with much celebration. This is in imitation of ancient Jewish practice of celebrating the Torah with processions and music. The common salutation, “the Lord be with you,” and its response “And with thy spirit,” are borrowed from Jewish worship, as attested in Ruth 2:4, and the Mishnah. The preparation of the altar includes ablutions, the ritual washing of the hands by the priest; this action imitates ancient rabbinic and Temple washings.
These are just some of the many actions of Orthodox worship which derive from Judaism and reflect the historical lineage of our worship with the ancient Jewish Christian Church. If one is looking for New Testament worship, this is it.
Repetition
Perhaps the most bothersome aspect of Orthodox worship might be the repetition. If one has been reared on the belief that repetition in worship is somehow evil [”traditions of men”] then one might find our worship to be distasteful. However, one must note that ALL Christian worship has a certain amount of repetition; no one is without it.
On another note, however, Orthodox worship is not completely unchanging. There ARE some parts of the liturgy which remain unchanged from week to week. The basic structure of Divine Liturgy is always the same, the words of the fixed parts are unaltered, and the tonalities on parts of the Liturgy [in the Western Rite] are always the same. However, there are many other aspects of the Liturgy which change weekly and even according to each service. For example, the Scriptures are different at each service. The collects [individual prayers] differ likewise, as do the Lesser Propers, the psalms which are assigned for the respective services. The colors differ according to service and/or season, and parts of the Liturgy may be altered or omitted during different seasons or holy days, i.e., Gloria in Excelsis is omitted during Advent and Lent, Alleluias are omitted during Lent, additional alleluias are added during Eastertide, the Asperges are not said on weekdays, the Last Gospel may be changed depending on the Holy Day. The hymnody changes depending upon the Feast, and service music can change if the choir has the knowledge and ability to learn and use different Mass settings.
We believe that repetition is good. It sears the prayers of the Church into our souls. It impresses the prayers and Faith of the Church into the depths of our beings. Obviously, we see a reason for our repeating so many parts of our Liturgy.
Summary
Having read this brief synopsis, one can understand why the experience of Orthodox worship can be so overwhelming. There is so much happening which assaults the senses that one can experience something akin to “sensory overload.” The best way to combat this sense of being overwhelmed is to understand the basic principles and actions of our worship, such as reading this article carefully, and to experience our liturgy more than once.
As one Orthodox priest has stated, one should attend our services at least four Sundays before making a judgment. It takes that long just to get comfortable with what one is experiencing. Keep that in mind, ask the priest as many questions as you wish, participate to the best of your ability. After that, you be the judge as to whether you have experienced a piece of ancient, eternal and true Christian worship.