www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Prostration in the Divine Liturgy

I've just finished watching a video of an Antiochian Orthodox Divine Liturgy and I was surprised to see that, after the Epiclesis, the priests knelt at the sides of the altar for an appreciable moment of time, while the servers all prostrated on the floor, foreheads touching the floor. They must have been like that for a couple of minutes.

It certainly disabused me of any lingering notions that the Byzantine East does not have as lively a sense of the "Real Presence" as the Latin West (a theme so beloved of certain Western apologists).

Anyway, is this just an Antiochian tradition, or is it common to all Byzantines?

Christ is in our midst!! He is and always will be!!

I've seen it in Russian parishes, especially during the Presanctified Liturgy during Great Lent, but also at the Sunday DL during Great Lent.

BOB

While not all "Byzantines" do this, it is fairly common.

I have seen it in Ruthenian parishes during the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, and also by Antiocian converts during a Divine Liturgy at the Epiklesis; if the Epiklesis is even audible (since most parishes I have attended belt out "We praise you..." during the Epiklesis.)

Prostrations are done by the clergy and faithful post epiclesis when it is not a Sunday or a Feast. On a Sunday or a Feast, metanias are done.

During the Presanctified, prostrations are done during the "Lord I call," prior to the reading of the Epistle "the Light of Christ Illumines all", at the entrance of the Presanctified Gifts, and during the prayer of St. Ephraim.

nun alexandra

Dear Nun Alexandra,

Evloyeite!!

Welcome to the forum! We are so blessed to have you here.

In Christ,
Alice, Moderator

Just one further note so as not to be confusing. The practice in Orthodox parishes often differs and prostrations will be done on Sundays in Lent. I think this is because many people experience the season of Lent only at church on Sunday. Thus, the vestments and the altar coverings remain dark colored or purple. Orthodox practice is fully seen in monasteries when the altar cloths, candles, and the vestments change color on Friday evening during vespers to light color. (vestments, usually to gold -white being reserved for Pascha). The Lenten prayers are also suspended. The change back to purple and Lenten practices occurs on Sunday during vespers.

Also, a prostration or metania is done when the eucharist is brought out.

nun alexandra

Dear Alice,

tou kyriou

Thank you. It is good to be here.
nun alexandra

Who is Nun Alexandra? Where is her post to which you have replied? I do not see it in this thread.

Fr David Straut

Dear Father David,

HEHEHE!! You are not going crazy, I promise!

I also promise that I am not going crazy by responding to a ghost!

Nun Alexandra's post could be seen by me (and not by you) because all new posters' posts need approval in the beginning.

Hope this helps--and you probably can see her posts now, anyway.

Respectfully in Christ,
Alice

The Divine Liturgy I am describing had priests and servers in gold vestments and was apparently a Sunday Liturgy in the Lenten season.

In the Greek Orthodox Cathedral here in the Philippines I did see a devout Greek woman prostrate on the floor during the Epiclesis during a Sunday DL. I didn't see what the servers did, though.

One really stupid question: since I thought that many Byzantine parishes didn't celebrate daily Divine Liturgies, and prostrations generally aren't done on Sundays or feasts, then - when would they routinely be done, inside the Divine Liturgy, with any regularity?

Alexis

Though it seems to me they have not done so of late, our servers prostrate at the consecration. I think though, now that we have
two priests and two deacons/three at preparation(one who is retired only helps with Eucharist) and about seven to nine servers at the Divine Liturgy we do not have the room. So the servers use a deep bow from the waist.

-oOo-

Dear Mother Alexandra,

I remember how when I came here (New Zealand) after the monastery in Serbia, I was quite a martinet in trying to stop the grannies and other people from doing prostrations at Sunday Liturgy.

But I gave up! I came to realise that in our situation in this country where we had such a paucity of church life that if those people were not doing their prostrations on Sundays then they would never get to do them in church. And the other people would never have the chance to see a prostration and know it was a normal part of our church praxis.

So I stopped grumbling at them and I even joined them. I opened the Holy Doors briefly after the epiclesis (to give me space) did my own prostration. I woudn't have had the nerve to do such an extraordinary thing except the Russian archimandrite who visited the Russian parishes now and again himself opened the Doors and did a full prostration, on Sundays!!

Dear Hiermonk Ambrose,

Father, bless.

I am not grumbling about it, and I do know that people do this, having seen it myself here in the US. When I am at another parish or monastery, I do whatever their custom happens to be. I thank God that you were wise a pastor and desired to save souls rather than turn them away for being pious!

I only responded to a post. I think that the practice has evolved in parishes for the reason stated above. For many people, Sunday or Festal Liturgies are the only time they may be able to attend Liturgy.

And from another post above, I did not know that Byzantines do not have Liturgy during the week? Is this true even in Byzantine monasteries?

nun alexandra