Tikhon29605
High Elder
- Joined
- May 20, 2003
- Messages
- 670
- Reaction score
- 1
- Points
- 0
I would like to invite a discussion of the Priest's Silent Prayers in the Divine Liturgy. I am aware that the prayers that the priest prays "in a low voice" are a subject of much discussion within the OCA today. My purpose in starting this thread is NOT to condemn any priest (or jurisdiction, for that matter) for saying these prayers aloud or in secret. I am not interested in pointing fingers at anyone. My purpose is merely to state some observations I have made, and to learn from others who obviously know more about this matter than I do.
My current priest (whom I truly respect) preached a sermon Sunday almost demanding that Orthodox priests worldwide recite these prayers in a loud voice. Himself an adult convert to Orthodoxy, he had just returned from a trip to the Old Country and was apparently horrified that there are still Orthodox priests who follow the rubrics and say these prayers in a low voice. He is a graduate of Saint Vladimir's Seminary.
On the other hand, just a few years ago, when I went on a pilgrimage to Saint Tikhon's Monastery I met another OCA priest who was just as scandalized that any priest would DARE recite these prayers aloud. He was also an adult convert to Orthodoxy.
When ever I have worshipped in a Greek Orthodox Church, these prayers have always been recited in a low voice. I've never been to the "Old Country" but every video I've ever seen, every CD I've ever heard from Greece, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia etc., all of them say the priest's prayers in a low voice.
Every ancient Liturgy that I have studied or read always contains prayers with the rubric "the priest prays secretly" or "the priest says in a low voice". In fact, from my study of Church History, this seems to be the universal Christian practice. I simply cannot find an ancient liturgy that does not have rubrics for the priest to pray certain prayers in a low voice.
From what I can gather, it seems to me that praying the prayers aloud is limited to graduates of Saint Vladimir's Seminary, and esp. those who were influenced by Father Alexander Schmemann. I am IN NO WAY criticizing St. Vladimir's or the beloved Father Schemmann of blessed memory for doing this. Personally. I love to hear the Anaphora chanted aloud. It can be quite moving. However, I do suspect that doing it aloud is a modern adaptation (not that that makes it evil or wrong in any way). I also know that my Bishop is aware of this and blesses his priests to say the prayers aloud or in a low voice according to their preference. For instance my parish priest always says them aloud, but when the bishop celebrates in our parish , the bishop recites them silently. I am interested in others comments and stories about this.
My current priest (whom I truly respect) preached a sermon Sunday almost demanding that Orthodox priests worldwide recite these prayers in a loud voice. Himself an adult convert to Orthodoxy, he had just returned from a trip to the Old Country and was apparently horrified that there are still Orthodox priests who follow the rubrics and say these prayers in a low voice. He is a graduate of Saint Vladimir's Seminary.
On the other hand, just a few years ago, when I went on a pilgrimage to Saint Tikhon's Monastery I met another OCA priest who was just as scandalized that any priest would DARE recite these prayers aloud. He was also an adult convert to Orthodoxy.
When ever I have worshipped in a Greek Orthodox Church, these prayers have always been recited in a low voice. I've never been to the "Old Country" but every video I've ever seen, every CD I've ever heard from Greece, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia etc., all of them say the priest's prayers in a low voice.
Every ancient Liturgy that I have studied or read always contains prayers with the rubric "the priest prays secretly" or "the priest says in a low voice". In fact, from my study of Church History, this seems to be the universal Christian practice. I simply cannot find an ancient liturgy that does not have rubrics for the priest to pray certain prayers in a low voice.
From what I can gather, it seems to me that praying the prayers aloud is limited to graduates of Saint Vladimir's Seminary, and esp. those who were influenced by Father Alexander Schmemann. I am IN NO WAY criticizing St. Vladimir's or the beloved Father Schemmann of blessed memory for doing this. Personally. I love to hear the Anaphora chanted aloud. It can be quite moving. However, I do suspect that doing it aloud is a modern adaptation (not that that makes it evil or wrong in any way). I also know that my Bishop is aware of this and blesses his priests to say the prayers aloud or in a low voice according to their preference. For instance my parish priest always says them aloud, but when the bishop celebrates in our parish , the bishop recites them silently. I am interested in others comments and stories about this.