Greek Orthodox Practices

[TomS]

Nicholas,
In the Greek practice, the priest walks out the North door and goes all the way to the rear of the Church, then returns down the center.

OOD - I have never seen this done in any GOA church I have attended. I have only seen it done like you say the Russians do it; out the North door and face the Royal doors.

I WISH they did that at the GOA churches I have attended (Wash DC area). It would bring so much more symbolism to the act.

Also, thanks for telling me the difference between the Small and Great Entrance, I had never read about that.

Could you please refer me to a book that explains the symbolism in the Divine Liturgy?

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

TomS,

I believe a big problem with the new-calendarist Greek churches is that they are usually so huge. Large churches are very bad in many ways, and this makes it difficult to do the entrances as I described. In Greece, all of the modern churches which are few, and the many olf and even ancient churches are all very small, and it seems theres a church at the end of every block! In Russia, someone correct me if I am wrong b/c I have never been there, it SEEMS there churches tend to be bigger, which could explain the difference.

While the priest is walking through the church during the great entrance, he sings very solomly and slowly: "May the Lord God remember all of you in His kingdom, now and forever and to the ages of ages."

Another part of this you will usually not see is that when he does reach the front of the Church, he turns and lifts the bread and wine in front of his face and the people gather around with their heads bowed. The priest then says some more prayers solomnly.

I have a book that explain the Divine Liturgy, I will post it tonight.

[Natasha]

In Moscow there are churches everywhere...big and small. It seems as if there is an Orthodox Church on every street!

[OrthodoxyOrDeath]

Natasha,

Thank you for the correction. I then have no explanation for the difference.

TomS,

There are many good books about the Divine Liturgy and it really goes a long way in our appreciation for this truly DIVINE service.

I strongly recommend "On the Divine Liturgy - Orthodox Homilies" by Augustinos Kantiotes. Simply a wonderful book.

http://www.apostoliki-diakonia.gr/multi ... HS/08.html

[Bethany]

I used to be in the GOA... I miss the great entrance from in the Greek churches. It was a really beautiful time.

As for the frequency of confession in the Russian church. There is a ROCOR priest who used to be in the GOA and even went to Holy Cross in Brookline. He explained (and I may have this a bit wrong, I don't remember EXACTLY how he explained it) that one of the Tsars regulated that all soldiers must go to confession and communion four times a year. No communion without confession, at least those four times. However, this was for the distinguished soldiers, not the civilians. And the soldiers could go to communion more- but they at LEAST had to go to confession four times and communion four times. The other times did not need confession. When the Church left Russia, they came here and made in mandatory that everyone go to confession everytime before communion. The church leaders took it to the extreme. This former GOA priest doesn't agree with it, and I believe he lets his parishoners go to communion without confession (I will wait while you pick your chin up from the desk ) He tells them to go to confession when they feel it necessary, but at least once a month. I can't say that I disagree with him, as I think confession can become this rote thing when people are regulated to go each week. "Go to confession, have communion; Go to confession, have communion." Confession becomes more "comfortable" when you do it week in, week out.

Anyway, just a few of my ramblings.