Kneeling during Holy Qurbana
During Indian Orthodox Liturgy, there is no kneeling while celebrating the Holy Qurbana (Mass). At first I thought this was just something that evolved in India over the ages due to environment, but learned there are theological reasons.
One explanation that was echoed by our Parish Priest was that as each Mass is a celebration of Christ's resurrection, it is a joyous occasion and hence we don't kneel. Another theory seems to be that the early Christians viewed Jesus as God and man, and stood during worship services to show reverence and equality. The person quoted further explains that Catholics around the 7th century put more emphasis on Christ’s divinity and introduced kneeling as the only appropriate posture at points in the Mass when God was believed to be present.
Taking a step back and analyzing it from the eyes of 2008 ... I think one can make a strong argument that introducing kneeling at specific points in our Indian Orthodox Qurbana would go far in bringing back the holiness into the Service.
For example, right before the Thubdens, the priest invokes the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. I love this point in the Qurbana, as the priest cries out loud three time prior to this - "Answer me, Oh Lord", and then the consecration begins with the sounds of bells and the shaking of the Marvahso.
Sadly, though - in many churches we see this moment as a signal for people to sit down (i.e., get a head-start during the Thubden readings), or worse, many men begin their escape to the basements to talk ... all sad testimony to the general lack of understanding of the Liturgy.
Kneeling at this moment and praying along with the priest would bring everyone so much closer to God. Despite the "Western" influence, it would bring back the reverence and significance. Interesting, it seems other Orthodox Churches do allow kneeling, with the following exception:
I could live with that :) This would also bring awareness to the various seasons of the Church.
*Sigh* another dream that in all likelihood will never happen.
One explanation that was echoed by our Parish Priest was that as each Mass is a celebration of Christ's resurrection, it is a joyous occasion and hence we don't kneel. Another theory seems to be that the early Christians viewed Jesus as God and man, and stood during worship services to show reverence and equality. The person quoted further explains that Catholics around the 7th century put more emphasis on Christ’s divinity and introduced kneeling as the only appropriate posture at points in the Mass when God was believed to be present.
Taking a step back and analyzing it from the eyes of 2008 ... I think one can make a strong argument that introducing kneeling at specific points in our Indian Orthodox Qurbana would go far in bringing back the holiness into the Service.
For example, right before the Thubdens, the priest invokes the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. I love this point in the Qurbana, as the priest cries out loud three time prior to this - "Answer me, Oh Lord", and then the consecration begins with the sounds of bells and the shaking of the Marvahso.
Sadly, though - in many churches we see this moment as a signal for people to sit down (i.e., get a head-start during the Thubden readings), or worse, many men begin their escape to the basements to talk ... all sad testimony to the general lack of understanding of the Liturgy.
Kneeling at this moment and praying along with the priest would bring everyone so much closer to God. Despite the "Western" influence, it would bring back the reverence and significance. Interesting, it seems other Orthodox Churches do allow kneeling, with the following exception:
the exceptions with regard to Sundays and the days between Pascha and Pentecost apply generally to everyone. According to ancient tradition and a clear church law, kneeling must not be performed on these days ... for ever since Jesus Christ, "blotting out the handwriting of the ordinances that was against us, ... nailing it to His Cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2:14-15)—ever since then "there is, therefore, no condemnation to them who are in Jesus Christ" (Rom. 8:1). For this reason, the practice was observed in the Church from the earliest times, beyond a doubt handed down by the apostles, whereby on all these days, in that they are consecrated to the commemoration of the glorious victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death, it was required to perform the public divine service brightly and with solemnity, and in particular without kneeling, which is a sign of repentant grief for one's sins.
I could live with that :) This would also bring awareness to the various seasons of the Church.
*Sigh* another dream that in all likelihood will never happen.
Comments
Deacon: After this holy and divine peace which has been given, let us once bow down our heads before the merciful Lord.
People: Before You, our Lord and our God.
The celebrant, with crossed hands, says aloud:
O You, Who are alone merciful Lord, Who dwell on high and behold the humblest things; send blessings to those who have bowed down their heads before You and bless them by the grace of Your Only-begotten Son with Whom to You belong glory, honor and dominion with Your all holy, good, adorable, life-giving and consubstantial Spirit, now, always and forever.
It seems as if at one point the people bowed and stayed bowed...perhaps through the Consecration...that's my theory though.
http://sor.cua.edu/Liturgy/Anaphora/James.html
I'm beginning to think the single most reason for both the exodus as well as apathy in the Church is the lack of understanding of the Liturgy.
Language contributes partially, but is definitely not the only reason
The best part is this book is mostly online at google...search "West Syrian Liturgical Theology"
"Prayer of laying on hands: Prayer of Inclination: Before the prayers starts the deacon says” Let us bow our heads before the merciful Lord.” The people answer: “We bow our heads before Thee, Our Lord and our God.” The blessings of the prayer come upon those who bow their heads. All are supposed to bow their heads till the prayer is over. In early days the priest stretched his hand and blessed the people at this point.
Rembachen Lazarus's notes on Holy qurbana is online
http://iods.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=list_pages_categories&cid=4
Just quickly - how wonderful it would be if our Churches taught *both* adults and children the details of our Qurbana. I have 2 kids in Sunday School and generally feel not enough time is spent on what the children see in the mass ... of course, other Churches have proper catechism, and not just a rushed 45 minutes before or after Mass.
I think the gist of your post has to do with bringing a sense of reverence for the Divine Liturgy back to our people. The fact is that the reverences that the Church enjoins upon our faithful are almost universally disregarded by us. For ex while entering the Church, one is asked to say Psalm 5:7 and Psalm 96:8 as a prayer.
Frankly I don't think I have obeyed this at all. Then there are others like venerating the Cross that is installed in the middle of the Church during lent, bowing before tabernacle on the Altar, crossing oneself as he leaves the precence of the Thronos and so onitable ; approaching the Blessed Gifts in a suitable posture(I saw one guy with his hands in his pockets once).
Tweaking our current liturgical practices should be the very last resort. A sense of reverence can be brought without adding or substracting something .
Steve is right, kneeling (atleast by the deacons in the Madbaha during the Epiklesis ) was done in the Malankara Church atleast upto 1850's. This was stopped by Yuyakim Mar Coorliose and Patriarch Peter III. I have seen a 1840's Thaksa which mentions kneeling clearly. Kneeling in the Malankara Church was a latinism picked up during the 54 year occupation by the Jesuits.
The monstrance on most altars today is a relic of those days. There were others -then lent was begun by a anointing of the congregation with Zeith. See the parallel with Ash Wednesday. Patriarch Peter III stamped this out and brought in the Subkono service we see today( A handwritten Thaksa beloging to Mar Baselios Ivanios First Catholicose which mentions this is extant today).
Kneeling was restored once in later years, at Bethany Ashram Mar Ivanios introduced kneeling during the Epiklesis and at the reception of the Blessed Elements( This was the first sign of his flirtation with Rome). After his departure to form the Reeth, Mar Alexios Theodosios restored the Orthodox practice. In my old church there was a family of Konkani Bramhavar Orthodox, one of those knelt to recieve the Eucharist and Mar Iraenios insisted that he stand to recieve.
In fact considering the fact that Nicea Canon 20 , prohibits fasting and penitential kneeling during all Sundays and from Bright Week to Pentecosti, the current Malankara practice of avoiding kneeling at Grand Vespers on Saturday eveing, Sunday Prabatha Namaskaram and at every Euchristic liturgy except Pentekosthi is quite correct. The Divine liturgy is the marriage feast of the Lamb at the end of time , it is a singularly jouful event, I personally feel that kneeling may not be enjoined here.
In the Coptic Church, I think while they indeed prohibit penitential kneeling, there is some kneeling allowed as an expression of piety. In the Armenian Church a friend confirmed that while kneeling in sundays was prohibited it was commonly done as an expression of piety. Same case in some Greek parishes.
Even our church, allows the priest to kneel while commemerating and interceding for the congregation during the liturgy(remember that this is before the Anaphora proper)Hence not to kneel after the Anaphora proper has begun is the right thing to do.
Western Christianity ofcourse has its own theology of worship, that is something different altogether.
Suraj Iype
I agree that tweaking the Liturgy is last resort, but how the people participate in the Qurbana (in my humble opinion) is not changing the Liturgy or the Faith. If the result is that it brings that community of Christians closer to Christ through the Qurbana, its an absolute step forward.
In America, it's troubling that many people proclaim they "found" Christ after they left our Church. We make an assumption that everyone is at the same level of understanding and personal relationship with Christ, and considering that I do believe our Church is in crisis ...
If anybody has found what he thinks is a better way of life after leaving our Church, I would like to be happy for them . Every single Protestantgroup since the Reformation has made that claim. They self certify their holiness.
Yes, many say they found Jesus, imo they left to find a Jesus who fits the Jesus they have in mind.
This is not to say , that genuine holiness does not exist outside Orthodoxy, Gods grace may act in ways we dont know. After all the Salvation of "All" was what He came for; He may have mysterious ways of achieving that.
What worries me is that our Church has often chosen shortcuts to allegedly solve problems. But these shortcuts just hide the problem until it gets worse.
The way we came up with choirs, without investing time and effort into the strengthening of our liturgical music is another case in point. Many many such examples abound.
If some people kneel during the liturgy, I dont think it is unorthodox. If they do to "feel" holy, I would like to ascertain the real benefits of that. Feelings are often delusional aren't they.
Till that time I would prefer to follow the rubrics. The problem we have is the need to communicate the riches of Orthodox spirituality to our people.
We have to doubly sure that we are not taking a shortcut which in the long run achieves nothing.