www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Proper Seasonal Greetings

I have a question regarding the different seasonal greetings/responses, and the proper times to use them.

First, are the greetings/responses listed below worded properly?

Christ is Risen - He is truly Risen!
Glory to Jesus Christ - Glory to Him forever!
Christ is with us - He is and always shall be!
Christ is born - He is truly born!

Are there any more than these?

Also, can someone give me the time frames during the Liturgical year, when it is appropriate to use the above greetings and/or others I have left out?

What is the proper greeting/response used during the current pre-Nativity fast?

Thanks.

[Christ is born - He is truly born!]

We say Christ Is Born - Glorify Him!

Dear Double Eagle,

Orthoman is right - the response is "Glorify Him!"

In the Carpathian tradition, one may also use this greeting during the season of Theophany from January 6th (new style) or January 18th (true style - hee, hee!) "Christ is being baptized" to which the response is "In the Jordan!"

In my Church, we give the Christmas/Jordan greeting from Christmas Eve until the Feast of the Purification or Presentation.

The Paschal Greeting is from Pascha until Ascension.

The greeting "Christ is among us" is not really one that the laity have traditionally used, except when going to the priest to venerate the Cross. Usually, this is a priest's greeting.

One may use "Glory to Jesus Christ" throughout the rest of the year.

There is a wonderful Slavic tradition in greeting someone when you visit them.

One may say, "On this (day of the week, Monday or whatever) on the feast of (holy-day or saint's day), I greet you!"

Before this, one could go to the icon corner in the home and do the Publican's Prayer with bows and then turn to greet the people.

Alex

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.

American Byzantine Catholic greetings and responses:

ordinary time: Good morning. - Good morning.
Christmas: Merry Christmas. - Same to you!
Paschaltide: Happy Easter. - You too.
At festal anointing: Christ is among us! - <What?>

Dear RichC,

Thank you for sharing that.

All along, I thought there was a "one size fits all" greeting for every holiday: "Hey" response: "Hey yourself."

I understand that some areas simply drop the "yourself" because if said in an inaudible way, it could be construed as being offensive . . .

Have a great day!

Alex

Obscure greetings and responses:

One I heard at St Paisius Abbey (St Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, now in the Serbian Church) in Forestville (outside Santa Rosa), CA, between Ascension and Pentecost:

Christ is ascended!
From earth to heaven!

From my priest, who knows and loves the details of Russian usage but is tired of obscure greetings and responses:

(Joke)

Christ is circumcised!
Ouch!

http://oldworldrus.com

Dear Serge,

Who says the Russians are humorless . . .?

I like the Ascension greeting and will use it from now on. Who knows? Perhaps it will be all the rage next year!

I might alter it a little in Ukrainian this way:

"Xpuctoc Voznissya"

Response:

"Na Nebo i sidit pravoruch Otsia!"

Apparently, the full response to "Christ is Risen!" as St John Damascus says in his "De Fide Orthodoxa" is"

"Truly the Lord of Heaven and Earth and all things visible and invisible has risen from the dead."

I was once teaching a religion class and someone got on my case about the Divinity of Christ.

For some reason that still mystifies me, I quoted the Nicene Creed regarding Christ ascending to Heaven and sitting at the Right Hand of the Father.

I told that delightful fellow that only an equal may sit in the King's presence and this is how the Creed underlines Christ's Divinity.

For some reason, also mystifying, this argument was totally compelling for him and the rest of the students who said, "Ahhhh . . ."

I understand they told their parents and everyone was happy with me, including the principal.

It was an "Alex" moment. . .

As for the Circumcision, a number of prayerbooks I have tend to call it the "Naming of Jesus."

If so, perhaps a connection can be made with this Feast to the Jesus Prayer? Am I stretching things? (it's happened before, you see).

Alex

[ 11-30-2001: Message edited by: Orthodox Catholic ]

Ouch, indeed! How's about:

"Christ is ascended into heaven"

"Please ensure that your tray table and seat back are in their fully upright and locked position."

(Perhaps that is more in line for the feast of St. Elias.)

More?

In Saint Lawrence,
Blessings!

Dear Dr. John,

We Barbarian Slavs may not have the cosmopolitan civility and aristocratic manners of youz Greek guys, but we have our traditions.

We actually greet our friends with the feast of the saint for EACH DAY, as you have suggested.

We are most grateful for receiving the Faith from Constantinople.

But we've done a few things with it since . . .

Alex

Yes, indeed, and much of it involves cabbage and onions.

Apropos of which, is it also a Slavic custom to not have "head shaped" foods like lettuce, cabbage, etc. on the Feast of St. John the Baptist? Was just thinking about that for some reason and thought I'd ask.

Blessings!

and the reason why...

Jewish boys are not given a name until Brit Milah, the Covenant of Circumcision.

Am I gonna have to go up to hoserland and beat you up?

I guess if you come from The Ukraine you can't even tell time...*grunt*

</WildLaughter>