A HOUSE OF PRAYER PRAYER TO THE EAST DAILY PRAYER IN THE HOME ccording to the age-old tradition of n Eastern Christian tradition, all ith , crosses, incense and other the Byzantine Churches, both prayers, both public and private are sacred objects, all imbued with the A Catholic and Orthodox, the home is I said facing the East, “for as lightning W sense of God's presence, Byzantine a kind of church, because it houses that comes from the east and shines Christian homes can truly be called an assembly of believers. When people occu- as far as the west, so will be the coming of the miniature churches. Those who dwell within py a new house, the priest performs a conse- Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27). Thus churches are reminded that God lives with and in them, cration, anointing the four walls with holy oil are always built with the apse pointing East, and they recall the words of St. Gregory the and sanctifying the house with and towards the rising sun, symbolic of Theologian, “It is better to remember God than incense. Psalms are chanted and the Gospel Christ, the Sun of Justice. In church the priest, even to breathe.” On rising in the morning, story of Jesus' visit to the house of Zacchaeus deacon, and people worship standing upright, before and after every meal, in the evening (cf. Luke 19:1-1O) is proclaimed. At the conclu- facing this direction, awaiting the One who and before going to bed the corner sion the traditional prayer for “Many Years” is will lead them to the heavenly promised land, stands as an invitation for the family to pray. sung by the priest for the family members. the New Jerusalem. In their homes, therefore, The Byzantine liturgical tradition offers a When the family moves into a new Eastern Christians unite themselves with their limitless treasury of prayers for every day, dwelling, they choose an eastern wall, prefer- brothers and sisters throughout the world and every feast, and every season of the year. In able in the living room, for the icon corner. pray standing up, facing the East. addition to the hours of the daily offices, there This corner is furnished with icons of Christ, The custom of standing at prayer can be are numerous akathists and canons which may the , the holy cross and the patron traced both to the Old Testament and to pa- be recited, as for example, when someone is saints of the family members. Some families gan antiquity. God commanded His people to preparing to receive Holy Communion. preserve heirloom icons, handed down for eat the Passover meal “standing, with loins girt Before Christ left His disciples, He generations, or icons of special clan or family and staves in their hands” (Exodus 12:11). The promised that they would one day dwell with patrons. The icon corner usually includes a pagan Greeks always stood while praying be- Him: “And when I go and prepare a place for lectern or small table upon which are placed a fore their idols. you, I will come again and take you to myself, cross, a small incense burner, the Holy Scrip- Early Christians imitated the Greeks, rea- that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3). tures and prayer books. soning that man, the only animal that walks The Eastern Christian home reminds all Since icons are considered to be sacra- erect and is created in the image and likeness who enter it of Christ's promise and the heav- ments of the special presence of the holy of God, should pray standing to exemplify his enly home which awaits them. ones depicted in them, oil lamps are burned dignity as a child of God. before them. At the door of the house one of- Kneeling was done only as a sign of re- FASTING, ALMSGIVING AND ASCETIISM ten finds a special icon of the Theotokos, pentance for sin. In addition, early Church known as the Doorkeeper, guarding the councils forbade kneeling on Sunday, com- n prayer we rise to the throne of dwelling from all harm. manding the faithful to stand as a testimony God who has given us access to People entering a Byzantine home may to their belief in Christ's resurrection. Conse- I Himself. We also attempt to take the often go directly to the icon corner and greet quently Eastern Christians do not regularly lifestyle of heaven and bring it the holy icons with a bow or a kiss, some- kneel at prayer in their homes as Western ‘down’ to reorient our daily activities. Fasting times before greeting the people, just as one Christians often do. is one such practice. It stands out in contrast does when entering church. to the ways of the world around us, especially in a culture such as ours that endorses con- tinual consumption. When we put aside food, entertainment, pleasure in the spirit of fasting us actual coheirs with Christ of all that the we are saying to the world, “We are not from Father has promised. here.” When we fast we recognize that life is not simply to be found in the enjoyment of A HOUSE OF material creation, but in the relationship we HYMNS FROM have with its Creator. PRAYER Closely linked to fasting is almsgiving, THE BLESSING another denial of the way of this world. Our OF A NEW society promotes consumerism. It says, “Build up for yourselves treasures on earth.” We say, HOME with St. Paul, that material goods are given us not only to satisfy our own needs, but for the TROPARION (TONE 8) doing of good. We say, as Christ did, that our As salvation came to the kingdom is not ultimately of this world and house of Zacchaeus by Your en- imitate His love for mankind by the way we trance, O Christ, Now by the en- use the resources He has given us. trance of Your sacred ministers Finally, while our place is in the heavenly and with them Your holy angels, realm, we do not have full possession of it yet. Grant Your peace to this house and mercifully bless it, Sav- And, so we find ourselves each day engaged ing and illumining all who desire in an unseen warfare, “not against human to live in it. forces but against the principalities and pow- ers, the rulers of this world of darkness” STICHERON (TONE 5) (Ephesians 6:12). Many of our Church’s daily prayers are invocations asking for help and Bless this house, O Lord, and fill it with the good things of Your protection against the powers of evil. We rec- earth, Preserving unharmed from ognize that there is more to the world in every evil circumstance which we live than what is visible on the Those desiring to live in it physical level. with piety. Living, then, as citizens of the heavenly Grant to them all heavenly realm, we surround ourselves at all times with abundance and Your earthly bless- ings, And, as You are compassion- means of access to that kingdom. Icons are ate, Be merciful according to Your found in our homes, like churches, and we great mercy. gather there for prayer. We bring the values of that realm to bear in our domestic affairs as well. There we fast and we extend hospitality Adapted in part from an article by Rev. James King originally published in Catholic Near East Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 3 in Christ’s name, deepening our experience of (Fall, 1981). Reprinted with permission. our true homeland. We try to live every day in an atmosphere of the kingdom, to continually Also adapted in part from the 2nd edition of A Guide for the Domestic Church OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES remind ourselves that our baptism has made (Eparchy of Newton, Office of Educational Services, 2012). MELKITE EPARCHY OF NEWTON http://melkite.org/