First Prostrations

[tizziale]

Wow! What a great service yesterday @ Divine Liturgy. The blessing of the water, and the procession of the cross. It was so wonderful.

I had asked a friend of mine just the day before, "I keep reading about prostrations - how do I do them?" Well, I got my answer at during the veneration of the cross. It was wonderful.

How do you incorporate prostrations into your prayer life at home? Also, I have heard there are times you do not prostrate yourself - during the time between Lent and Pentecost for example, and on most Sundays. Any more times like these?

Thanks,

Rusty

[Grand_Duchess-Elizaveta]

Wow! What a great service yesterday @ Divine Liturgy. The blessing of the water, and the procession of the cross. It was so wonderful.

I had asked a friend of mine just the day before, "I keep reading about prostrations - how do I do them?" Well, I got my answer at during the veneration of the cross. It was wonderful.

How do you incorporate prostrations into your prayer life at home? Also, I have heard there are times you do not prostrate yourself - during the time between Lent and Pentecost for example, and on most Sundays. Any more times like these?

Thanks,

RustyI hope someone who knows more than I can answer you, Rusty. I know that kneeling is not done on Sundays in churches with a Russian background (including OCA) because Sunday is a day to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Antiochians generally do kneel on Sundays for the prayer before Communion. As far as prostrations go, I'm not sure if the same rule applys. I know I've been attending an OCA parish for a while and I've never seen anyone prostrate on a Sunday. I think they do it for Vespers, though (but I'm not sure because I never get to go to Vespers).

[readerpaul]

Generally, prostrations tend to be a part of public service more during penitential seasons---the weekdays of Great Lent for example. But I know many people who prostrate on weekdays during the Epiklesis, the moment in the Divine Liturgy when the priest calls down the Holy Spirit to bless the Holy Gifts, changing them into the Lord's Body and Blood. It is perfectly appropriate to prostrate oneself at this moment of the Divine Service.

Prostrations are usually not made during the services of the festal seasons like the "twelve days of Christmas" nor during the glorious forty days after Pascha.

In one's personal prayer life, prostrations are always appropriate. Any prayer addressed to God would serve: the Trisagion, for example; if "Lord have mercy" is recited prostrations could accompany this most frequent Orthodox prayer; often the "Prayer of the Heart" (Jesus Prayer) is recited with prostrations. If you're young and fit, you could prostrate at every petition! Many people try to prostrate every ten petitions or so---especially when you get my age!

As with most things Orthodox, the "rules" are meant to guide us and shape us---but we always need to worry about "our own transgressions, and not to judge our brother" as the prayer of St. Ephraim says.

I was gently taught this long ago when, as a new Orthodox Christian, I complained to a priest that members of the congregation were making prostrations during the Epiklesis of the SUNDAY Liturgy---I had read all the books and knew this was totally unacceptable!. Father smiled and suggested that I should be the person to go tell them that they shouldn't bow down and prostrate themselves before their Lord and Savior---that they were "breaking the rules!" He smiled as he saw I immediately got what he was gently trying to tell me, then went on to inform me that these were simple country people who lived 100 miles from the Church, who left their farms once a week to come to Liturgy, who couldn't come to the weekday services and thus couldn't make prostrations at the "correct time." How could anyone tell them how they should worship their Lord?

So the bottom line is that prostrations are always appropriate in personal prayer, and in the public prayer of the Church, are usually reserved for penitential seasons (like now) and during the weekday Liturgy. But in all things we need to be careful not to irritate our brothers and sisters, and to try to do everything out of love---better to prostrate in secret than to cause contention. It's the spirit that is most important.

Sorry for so long-winded an answer. Orthodoxy is so simple...yet the simplest thing often turns out to be incredibly deep.

Pray for me.

[ExOrienteLux]

Sorry for so long-winded an answer. Orthodoxy is so simple...yet the simplest thing often turns out to be incredibly deep.
But that's what I love about it! I've had protestant friends get ticked at me when I can't exactly explain a bit of our theology, especially when I tell them a.) to explain one thing, you have to explain everything, and b.) it's better just to come to Liturgy than to hear a theological dissertation.

His sinful and unworthy servant,
Josh

[Grand_Duchess-Elizaveta]

But that's what I love about it! I've had protestant friends get ticked at me when I can't exactly explain a bit of our theology, especially when I tell them a.) to explain one thing, you have to explain everything, and b.) it's better just to come to Liturgy than to hear a theological dissertation.

His sinful and unworthy servant,
Josh
This is so VERY TRUE. Someone once said that the Orthodox faith is like a seamless garment. Everything is connected!

[Matthias]

An awesome way to put it. :)