An Interesting site

Liudmilla · Post by **Liudmilla** » Mon 14 August 2006 8:05 am

http://www.saintsconstantineandelena.or ... turgy1.htm

A interesting site with beautiful pictures.......

Milla

Jean-Serge · Post by **Jean-Serge** » Thu 17 August 2006 7:58 am

The text is quite good. But the photographies reveal a highly modernist parish. No veil, pews, a kiss of peace etc

The Apostate · Post by **The Apostate** » Thu 17 August 2006 8:24 am

Jean-Serge wrote:
The text is quite good. But the photographies reveal a highly modernist parish. No veil, pews, a kiss of peace etc

Dear Jean-Serge,

I looked at the link yesterday (for which I thank you, Liudmilla ), and thought the same thing as you, especially as I saw which calendar they use.

However, I was unaware that the kiss of Peace was considered to be modernist. S. Justin Martyr refers to it in his 2nd-Century apology to the Roman emperor, where he explains the Eucharistic worship of the Christians at the time.

Did it fall from practice at some point in the East, perhaps to only to be restored at a later date?

Certainly, in the Orthodox West it never fell out of use, as it was practised in the Liturgy of S. Gregory, the Liturgy of S. John the Divine, the Liturgy of S. Ambrose, and other similar Orthodox rites. It continued right up until the Schism of the 11th century, and even after that, the Catholic church of the Latin rite, though separated from Orthodoxy at that time, retained the text of the Kiss of peace (known as the Pax), even though the actual physical exchange of a sign of Peace fell out of use in the 16th century until the 20th century.

I have never before heard to it referred to as modernist, except by a small minority of Anglicans who think that the Book of Common Prayer fell from heaven. Then again, there are some Orthodox who think the same thing about the Liturgy of S. John Chrysostom.

The Apostate · Post by **The Apostate** » Thu 17 August 2006 12:00 pm

Having looked at it again, the church really is quite lovely, and the pews are only around the perimeter, with a double-row at the west end. This seems reasonable to me, as there are perhaps those who are physically unable to stand throughout the entire Liturgy.

I'm rather taken by their icon of Our Lady of the Sign as well. I once saw a slide of one in very bright colours and haven't been able to ascertain where the original is. I would very much like a copy of it or one similar to it for my icon corner but have had no success in finding any similar.

Jean-Serge · Post by **Jean-Serge** » Thu 17 August 2006 5:19 pm

As regars the Kiss of Piece, it was indeed suppressed in the Orthodox church. I do not know why... But when I see how talkative people are in church... I guess why... Well I am very cautious about this archeologism that aims at restoring old practices... We could also put off the iconostasis an so on... Strangely, those advocating for a greater participation of faithful...

If you look at the wedding photography, you see pew everywhere... But you are right : it is a nice parish...

You can see two row of benches...

The Apostate · Post by **The Apostate** » Thu 17 August 2006 6:46 pm

I see what you mean, Jean-Serge. That seems to be an entirely different building to the one depicted in the photographs on this page.

Hmmm.

Ekaterina · Post by **Ekaterina** » Mon 21 August 2006 9:28 am

I think you may be missing the point here.....I think the picture were ment to illustrate the descriptions of the services. I believe the writer simply used whatever pictures were available to him personallly. It is the descriptions of the various aspects of the services that are the most interesting to me.

I understand that this was the work of a young seminarian for his parish site. Personally I think he did a good job with the descriptions.

Katya