www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West No kneeling during Paschaltide.

The pastor of the UGCC church I normally attend instructed us from the pulpit that it was incorrect to kneel during the liturgy during Paschaltide and asked that we remain standing, which we have.

This morning, however, I went to a different UGCC church and found that half the congregation knelt and the other half remained standing. I found this odd. Was this some sort of quiet protest or was it simply the case, perhaps, that this parish took a more "go your own way" approach(with apologies to Fleetwood Mac)to liturgical posture?

I've also been to a UGCC church which had no kneelers and consequently had no kneeling at any time of year.

Is there any sense that one practice will ultimately be adopted universally within the UGCC or is this always going to vary from one parish to the next?

Canon 20 from the First Council of Nicaea instructs people to stand while praying during the Paschal / Pentecost season.

Kneelers induce kneeling. Removing them solves the problem of kneeling. Also, Canon 20 is not strictly limited to Paschaltide, because every Sunday is Pascha. Canon 20 really prohibits kneeling on Sundays as well as during the forty days between Pascha and Ascension.

Yeah. In fact, I think the only time one kneels at all now is during points of the Liturgies of Presanctified Gifts during Great Fast, during the Burial Vespers on Great and Holy Friday, and for Reconciliation. Those are the only times I know that kneeling is appropriate anymore.

THE CANONS OF THE 318 HOLY FATHERS ASSEMBLED IN THE CITY OF NICEAE, IN BITHYNIA. [faculty.cua.edu]

As translated here, it's more of a very strong recommendation.

It is also noted there:

The UGCC is slowly getting this Latinization out. 2 Paschas ago (when I was still with the UGCC), we had the same call on the bulletin for no kneeling during the Paschal Season. The usual people who knelt still knelt. Then last year we finally got everyone to stand throughout the Liturgy during Pascha. And this differs from parish to parish, some parishes may encourage it, some may not, even in the same Eparchy. A lot really depends on the parish priest.

Yeah, I know that there are some UGCC and Ruthenian parishes in my area that have some Latinization to how they pray during the Divine Liturgy and how they enter the Church, etc... I'm sure we should start seeing less and less of kneeling during this season, and more people adhering to the Paschal standards within the next few years (hopefully).

Regarding tradition during the Pascal season, I recall hearing that when "Christ is Risen" is sung we are always to stand. This includes before DL, after DL and after Communion. Yet I don't see this happen consistently. Is sitting an "Americanization" or an "ohyeah?inzation."

What have you all been taught?

We don't sit at Holy Transfiguration, except for the Epistle and the homily.

Ever.

You Latinizers sit for the homily! for the epistle!

We stand like they did in 19th century Russia!

Hmmm... I intended to put in the post, not just the "posting icon"

Is outrage! Of course, in 19th century Russia, the homily usually came AFTER the dismissal, which meant nobody was there to hear it in the first place. Also, we don't go out of the church in the middle of the liturgy to smoke a cigarette or shoot the breeze with our friends before going back in for the rest of the service--both of which were common in 19th century Russia (and are still common in Russia today).

We stand on our heads, similar to the dove which represents the descending Holy Spirit.
I guess that makes us holier than you.

The dove is suspended by his feet, so, perhaps it would be wise to have everyone strung up from the ceiling by his ankles?