I have been considering the history of the major feasts of our Church and the factors that have caused them to be established. In more recent weeks I have been sharing information about the Marian feasts of our Church. The … Continue reading
Category Archives: Learning About the Practices of Our Religion
Although I already referenced the Hymn to the Mother of God that appears in the Anaphora of St. John’s Liturgy, it was only introduced in the seventh century by St. Sophronius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem. This was after the Council … Continue reading
Again I would interrupt my thoughts on the Divine Liturgy to draw your attention to the prayers that are special to the feast of Theophany. The proper prayers for the feast (i.e., the Tropar and Kondak) are magnificent statements of … Continue reading
During this holy time, our worship is filled with special prayers that convey the meaning of what we celebrate. In today’s Tropar for our Christ-feast, we pray: O Jesus, enthroned on high together with Your eternal Father and Divine Spirit, … Continue reading
Since we celebrate this weekend the glorious feast of God’s Incarnation as made know to us through the Birth of Jesus, the Christ, I would diverge from my commentary on the Divine Liturgy to reflect upon some of the special … Continue reading
After we commemorate the Mother of God and the various different kinds of saints, we pause to remember those who have departed that have been a part of our lives. I cannot stress how important I believe this is. Each … Continue reading
My commentary on the Divine Liturgy has reached the point where we have completed the sequence of praying to the Father, remembering the words and actions of the Son and invoking the Holy Spirit to transform the gifts we bring, … Continue reading
Key to our understanding of the Divine Liturgy is our understanding of the idea of Anamnesis. This word is taken from the Attic Greek word ἀνάμνησις meaning “reminiscence” or “memorial sacrifice”. In Christian worship it is the liturgical statement in … Continue reading
After we join with the Angelic Host in proclaiming the Hymn of Victory, we enter into a sequence of prayers which, it is our belief, lead to the true transformation of the gifts of bread and wine into the Body … Continue reading
After the congregation professes in God as Three-In-One and the priest in his priestly prayer likewise confirms this belief, the priest introduces the hymn which all present sing together with the angels in heaven. The prayer is the Holy, Holy, … Continue reading