Re: CHAT: Religions (was: Visible planets)

--- Isidora Zamora <isidora@...> wrote:

> >All that in contast to the Eastern Liturgies,
> >where everything was sung by everyone and the
> >priest and lectors have a great sense of
> >rhythm
> >and tone in chanted English. While I don't
> >hold
> >with iconostases, there were other pleasing
> >decorations to make up for it.
>
> What have you got against the iconostasis?
> That it blocks your view?
How Western of me!! ;) Don't get me wrong, I like
the icons themselves, and prefer them to statues.
I really don't like the idea of not being able to
witness what's going on around the altar. The
whole point of Mass was to commemorate the Last
Supper (I forget what the Eastern churches call
it); and I don't think Jesus went off into a
secluded place to take care of business. This
probably comes in part from the fact that since
the 1960s, RC churches switched from using the
high altar (which is oriented like altars in
Eastern churches) to using a central altar table
which is plainly visible. My whole experience in
churches of any denomination has been one of
plain visibility. Even in the Tridentine Mass,
you can see what the priest is doing at least.

> The
> view is better during Bright Week (the week
> including and following
> Pascha=Easter.)  During Bright Week, the Royal
> Doors and the Deacon's doors
> are all wide open all week, as are the doors
> (if there are any) to the narthex.
Now, I went to a Byzantine Liturgy a couple
months ago and the Royal Doors were indeed closed
except for, I think when they either brought the
Gospel out or when they brought the gifts out.
(Can't recall the precise moment now.) When I was
up in Syracuse last month (first Sunday of
October, and it was Ruthenian), the Royal Doors
were open for the whole Liturgy.

> So what other decorations made up for the
> presence of the iconostasis?
One of the principal things that I really can't
stand about modern churches is the architectural
design. New RC churches almost always look like
sports arenas or dinner theaters. Protestant
churches are little better in that respect. While
I don't have much experience in Eastern churches,
I haven't seen one yet that isn't traditionally
designed. There's a reason why the things are
traditionally cross shaped after all. There's
also a reason why there was a fancy tabernacle up
on the high altar. In most churches now, you're
lucky to even realise your IN a church and not an
auditorium of some sort; and you get extra points
if you can find the tabernacle. it's often a wee
little box hidden off to one side now.

Well, the icons themselves, for one are a big
draw. I also like placing a varying icon out in
the nave for veneration. (The only object of
veneration in the RC church that I'm aware of is
on Good Friday when they put out a big cross in
the floor of the nave.) The altar itself was
nicely adorned, and the vestments were slightly
different and much more pleasing than the tired
polyester retro-70s look you still get in many
Roman vestements and decorative styles.

And although I did a stint as church organist
(Methodist), I really am drawn to the idea of a
sung liturgy where people actually participate.
[Personally, I am sure the Cambriese Liturgy,
from Ill Bethisad, is sung as well.] I also liked
the Byzantine Mass I went to cos even the
readings and the Gospel were sung. I'd only ever
heard the Gospel sung once in a RC Mass and liked
the sound of that very much.

In a typical Roman Mass, the overall tenor is one
of mumbled responses and quiet tedium punctuated
with hum-and-strum hymns written in the 1970s.
Either that or mumbled responses and quiet tedium
punctuated by choir and organ. In either event,
it lacks much.

Padraic.


=====
la cieurgeourea provoer mal trasfu ast meiyoer ke 'l andrext ben trasfu.


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