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Question: 13
Greetings Father!
In
the Greek Orthodox churches here in Australia, during the Divine Liturgy,
when the priest announes «Πρόσχωμεν τα Άγια τοις Αγίοις», the Curtain or
Royal Doors are closed. I have seen on television broadcasts of the Divine
Liturgy from other countries. Yet, when the above line is said in those
Liturgies, the Curtain/Royal Doors are not closed. Now I know during the
Easter period the Curtain/Royal Doors are left open, but my viewings of
the Divine Liturgy on television were not during that festive period. So
my question is:
Is it required that the Curtain/Royal Doors are closed during the Divine
Liturgy when «Πρόσχωμεν τα Άγια τοις Αγίοις» is said? Or is this tradition
fading away and optional?
I thank you and hope to hear from you soon.
Evangelos.
Answer to Question 13
Dear Evangelos,
Most of the services we have in Parishes are in fact Monastic services and
the liturgical books which contain these services (Book of Hours,
Paracletiki, the Menaia, Triodion and Pentecostarion) are monastic
liturgical books. Town parishes had different services for Vespers,
Mattins and Hours which have not survived except only in manuscripts. Thus
up to the 7th and 8th century there were two sets of Rubrics, the monastic
and the worldly which were used side by side. The monastic rule came form
St. Savva's Monastery in Jerusalem and is called St. Savva's rule, and the
worldly rule came from Antioch and Constantinople and is called the
Constantinopolitan rule. In time the monastic rule took preference in
parish churches and this is the rule we have today in all the Orthodox
Churches. With the monastic rule, certain Monastic practices were also
adopted in the Parish Churches. One of these is the closing of the Curtain
of Royal Doors during the Communion of the Priests. In fact, in some
Monasteries, the doors are opened and shut more than once during the
Liturgy. They are shut after the opening Blessing “Blessed is the Kingdom
of the Father…” reopened for the Little Entrance, closed after the Great
Entrance and remain closed until the time of giving Communion to the
laity. The practice of closing the Royal Doors at the words «Πρόσχωμεν. Tα
Άγια τοις Αγίοις» (Let us attend. The Holy things unto the Holy) is a
custom still kept in many Monasteries and Parishes. In monasteries, during
this time, the Abbot and then the brethren according to their rank, will
very quietly and reverently go one by one and kiss the Icons on the
Iconostasis then standing in the middle of the Church will bow to all the
brethren asking forgiveness. This custom was copied by Parishes, but
without the solemn and reverent order of the monks. Like many things in
Parishes, the people have no idea of order and would all rush to kiss the
Icons before receiving Holy Communion and in many places would sound like
a stampede of cattle. With the curtains closed, many people very wrongly
and irreverently treat this time similar to an interlude at the theatre
and start talking among themselves: all that is missing is the popcorn.
Far from being an interlude, this time should be used to recollect our
thoughts and pray from the heart that God may find us worthy to partake of
the fearful Mysteries without condemnation. In an attempt to bring back
some order at this most solemn time, many Parishes have put a ban on
kissing the Icons at this time and purposely leave the curtain open so
that the people can see that the service is not in an interlude but is
still continuing with the preparation for Holy Communion. So traditionally
the curtains should be closed, but circumstances have forced us to find
solutions to teach the people a sense of orderly conduct. Sadly we still
have a long way to go. You need only be witness to the communion of the
people on the Great feasts. They completely ignore the proclamation “With
fear of God, faith and love draw near” and with a disorderly madness
everyone pushes to reach the Chalice first, stepping on each other toes in
the process.
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