The Murderers of God, the Lawless Nation of the Jews

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WOMEN FROM WESTERN PROVINCES ON “THE MURDERERS OF GOD, RETREAT IN ALBERTA THE LAWLESS NATION OF THE JEWS …”: Coming to Grips with Some of Our Holy Week Hymns Fr. Bogdan G. Bucur

Tis article draws on a larger Sixty-fve Orthodox ror darkly.” We are to humble ourselves and say, “I really am study, “Anti-Jewish Rhetoric women from the three blind. I don’t know what God is doing in my life, or my in Byzantine Hymnography: western provinces of church.” Exegetical and Teo logical Canada (British Colum- Father Michael brought out the icon of the Teotokos Contextualization,” in bia, Alberta, and Sas- holding the Christ-Child. He asked us to notice a range of St. Vladimir’s Teo logical katchewan) enjoyed an- things, and ask ourselves some questions. Te Teotokos Quarterly 62 (2017). other beautiful weekend looks like gentleness, meekness, self-control. She represents in the foothills of the every mother, our mother. Te Word of God comes to us Maryann Kowalsky St. Vladimir’s Ukrainian Rocky Mountains September 16–18, 2016, at the Entheos in Jesus Christ. Te Scripture is the Word of God. Te hu- Orthodox Church Calgary, Alberta Retreat Centre, Alberta. Of these, there were ten mother/ man heart can perceive spiritual reality. What does gentleness daughter pairs, two matushkas, one presbytera and one do- smell like? What does peace look like? How is it that an icon brodiyka. Women from twenty diferent Orthodox parishes can be to us a symbol, to which our hearts can say, “Tat is attended, and two from Roman Catholic churches. Eleven what love, peace and gentleness looks like”? women were frst-time attendees; they were given special Father Michael had many such thought-provoking state- stickers on their name tags to help identify them, so we could ments and questions throughout his presentation. He said make them feel welcome. that we are always asking the wrong question, the “Why?” Entheos Retreat Centre is located 20 kilometers west of question. Te correct question is “Who?” What does this Calgary in the country, bordering the Elbow River. I have have to do with my relationship with God. We need to be at been told many times that we are so fortunate to have this peace with our blindness. A DISCUSSION OF THE ANTI-JEWISH RHETORIC IN ORTHODOX HYMNOGRAPHY IS ESPECIALLY facility available to us, as it is unique. Te peace and quiet Heartfelt thanks are given to retreat organizers Joan DIFFICULT TODAY – IN THE AFTERMATH OF ANTI-JEWISH POGROMS, IN THE SINISTER SHADOW is perfect for a Christian retreat. Te staf at Entheos always Popowich, Matushka Barbara Eriksson, and Ghada Ziadeh, OF AUSCHWITZ, AND AT A TIME WHEN THERE ARE CONTINUING TENSIONS BETWEEN PALES- provide delicious, wholesome meals, and the rooms are al- for all their hard work in coordinating another successful ways clean and comfortable. gathering of Orthodox women. God grant you many years. TINIAN CHRISTIANS IN THE HOLY LAND, ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE MODERN-DAY JEWISH Guest speaker Father Michael Gillis, the priest Tank-you to the following clergy who beautifully served STATE OF ISRAEL AND THEIR OWN GREEK HIERARCHY, ON THE OTHER. SUCH A DISCUSSION IS of Holy Nativity Antiochian Orthodox Church in throughout the weekend: Rt. Reverend Father Taras Kro- NECESSARY, HOWEVER. THE WORDS IN THE TITLE ARE FROM ONE OF THE STICHERA AT THE Langley, B.C., spoke to us on the topic, “Seeing the chak, and Reverend Father Timothy Chrapko, Priests at St. 1 World as an Icon.” “We are all blind, but until we Vladimir’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Calgary; and Arch- BEATITUDES CHANTED ON HOLY THURSDAY EVENING. SIMILAR REFERENCES TO “ARROGANT realize we are blind (and we like it that way), we priest Father Phillip Eriksson, Priest of the Holy Martyr Pe- ISRAEL, PEOPLE GUILTY OF BLOOD,” “BLOODTHIRSTY PEOPLE, JEALOUS AND VENGEFUL,” AND cannot see very well the iconographic meaning of ter the Aleut Orthodox Church, Calgary. Special thank-you “THE PERVERSE AND CROOKED PEOPLE OF THE HEBREWS” OCCUR IN THE UN AB BRE VIATED the world around us, and engage it efectively for to Father Michael Gillis for serving Sunday Divine Liturgy. ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE LAMENTATIONS SERVICE PRINTED IN THE LENTEN TRIODION. our salvation and the salvation of those around us.” May our Lord be with us all as we look forward to yet an- Tere is always much more going on than you think other Women’s Retreat next year, September 15–17. For fur- (IN CONTRAST, THESE STANZAS ARE OMITTED IN THE ANTIOCHIAN BOOK OF SERVICES FOR you can see. Because you think you can see, you ther information, please contact Ghada Ziadeh at ziadehe@ HOLY WEEK AND PASCHA.)2 are actually blind. Paul said “Now we see in a mir- telus.net or 403-240-2549.

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t is true that this kind of language appears less wilderness. Today they pierced with a lance the side ANTI-SEMITIC RANT OR CHRISTOLOGICAL PROCLAMATION? In all these hymns one encounters the same reading stri dent when considered within the context of of Him who for their sake smote Egypt with plagues. of biblical theophanies, and, by way of consequence, the A second necessary observation concerns the theo- Byzantine rhetoric, and that the pattern is set by Tey gave Him gall to drink, who rained down man- same type of “YHWH Christology,” or “Christology of logical content of these hymns. Te very fact that the the prophetic literature of the Hebrew Bible (for na on them for food. Divine Identity” as some scholars refer to it. Yet the an- I biblical “Lord’s reproaches to Israel” are placed on the example, Micah 6:1–5; Amos 2:9–12). Today, however, With Moses’ rod Tou hast led them on dry ground ti-Jewish polemic is largely absent! In my opinion, this lips of Christ points to the primarily Christological in- these invectives are deeply disturbing, especially since through the Red Sea, yet they nailed Tee to the Cross; absence demonstrates that the anti-Jewish overtones are ten tion of the hymns. In the line quoted above, the rhetoric of this kind has at times been part of the explo- Tou hast suckled them with honey from the rock, yet not essential to the theological message of the hymns. point seems to be that it is Christ who rained manna sive mix that led to violence against Jews. As a matter of they gave Tee gall. in the desert; it is Christ who divided the Red Sea; it is THE VERY HEART OF OUR TRADITION fact, “the Easter season was the traditional time for fghts Be not deceived, ye Jews: for this is He who saved Christ who smote Egypt with plagues; it is Christ who between Christians and Jews, which always had the po- you in the sea and fed you in the wilderness.5 Te Christological interpretation of Old Testament fed Israel in the desert – in short, it is Christ who is the tential to turn into pogroms,” so that “traditionally the theophanies, which lies at the heart of much Holy We have here no less than the earliest Christology of “Lord” of the Exodus account. One could say, indeed, 3 Week hymnography, constitutes worst time for pogroms was Easter.” the Church – Kyrios Iēsous, “Jesus is Lord” (1 Corinthi- What do we make of all this? If this is how we wor- one of the most potent, endur- ans 12:3; Romans 10:9; Philippians 2:11) – wrapped in ing, and versatile “ingredients” ship, do we also believe in this manner? Clearly, a discus- the beauty of poetry, and consumed liturgically. Schol- sion is necessary. in the gradual crystallization of ars have pointed out the extraordinary difusion of these a distinct exegesis, doctrine, lit- HYMNS OF HOLY WEEK AND THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION kinds of compositions in Syriac, Greek, and Latin litur- urgy, and spirituality from the Te roots of Christian hymnography lie in the very gical usage. Te venerable Christian tradition popular- earliest stages of apostolic Chris- distant past. Consider the following passages, taken ized by the hymns is rooted in the even older tradition of tianity and throughout the frst from Byzantine hymns of the Passion and from the pas- prophetic reproaches of Israel (for example, Amos 2:9– millennium of the common era. chal homily of Saint Melito of Sardis, dated to the third 12; Micah 6:1–5; compare also Nehemiah 9:26 for the Te New Testament often al- quarter of the Second Century:4 theme of Israel killing the prophets). ludes to the divine Name (Exo- Te theological, liturgical, and pastoral consider- dus 3:14, egō eimi ho ōn; Exodus ations that are brought to bear on the hymnographic 6:3, kyrios), and proclaims Jesus Holy Friday: Antiphon 15 Melito of Sardis, “On Pascha,” 96 material must consider the larger context of the Church’s Christ as “Lord” (kyrios) – ob- growth from a charismatic, egalitarian, theologically in- Today, He who hung the earth upon He who hung the earth is hanging viously a reference to the Old the waters is hung upon the Cross. He who fxed the heavens in place novative, and administratively schismatic group within Testament “Lord” (kyrios in the has been fxed in place frst-century Judaism into the increasingly Gentile real- He who is King of the angels He who laid the foundations of the LXX) seen by the prophets. Tis is arrayed in a crown of thorns. universe has been laid on a tree ity of the Second Century. Indeed, during the early de- sort of “YHWH Christology” He who wraps the heaven in clouds cades of the Christian movement, the context for the that the theological program of Holy Week is precisely is wrapped in the purple of mockery. has been traced back to the New Testament. It fgured vitriolic anti-Judaism found in the Hebrew Bible, in the bold identifcation of the Lord Jesus with the “Lord” signifcantly in catechetical manuals such as Saint Ire- He who in the Jordan set Adam free some apocalyptic writings of the Second Temple era, (κύριος/ YHWH), He-Who-Is, the God of our fathers, receives blows upon His face. naeus’ Proof of the Apostolic Preaching, and was not ab- and in the New Testament (for example, “brood of vi- the thrice-holy Lord of the seraphim (Isaiah 6), the Glo- sent from Clement of Alexandria’s elementary work, the Te Bridegroom of the Church is Te Master has been profaned, pers,” “synagogue of Satan,” “enemies of God,” “sons of ry enthroned upon the cherubim (Psalm 18:10 / LXX Instructor. It contributed significantly to Justin Mar- transfxed with nails. God has been murdered, the King of the devil”) shifted gradually from harsh intra-Jewish po- 17:11; Ezekiel 1; 10), the king of Israel (Isaiah 44:6). Te Son of the Virgin Israel has been destroyed … tyr’s articulation of the Christian faith in opposition is pierced with a spear … lemics to polemics between the overwhelmingly Gentile Te preceding observation holds true of Byzan- to the emerging rabbinic Judaism, and was part of the Church and “the Jews.” Te observations of a prominent tine festal hymnography generally, and can be verifed anti-Gnostic arsenal deployed by Saint Irenaeus and Ter- scholar of early Christianity, Oskar Skarsaune, are par- by recourse to other festal hymns (Baptism, Palm Sun- tullian as well in the anti-modalistic argument of Tertul- Te Christological proclamation clearly follows a ticularly to the point: day, Nativity, Presentation, and so forth), which are pat- lian, Hippolytus of Rome, and later writers. The no- similar pattern in Melito’s rhythmic prose and in the It may be worthwhile to refect a little on the terned creatively after the hymnography of Pascha. For tion that the “Lord” who spoke to the patriarchs and later Byzantine hymns: the lofty identity of the Lord, genesis of this strongly anti-Jewish trait in early instance, in the celebration of the Transfguration the prophet is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ was, unveiled to the worshippers by recourse to biblical state- (and later) Christian hermeneutics.… As long as hymns explain that what Moses once saw in darkness, by the end of the frst millennium, inextricably linked ments about the God of Israel, is united in a paradoxi- this tradition is used in an inner-Jewish setting, he later sees, on Tabor, in the blazing light of the Trans- to Christianity as performed and experienced in liturgy. cal way with the humility of the New Testament events. there can be no question of anti-Jewish (far less “an- fguration: the same glory, the same “most pure feet,” It irresistibly commanded the gaze of the iconographer, the same Lord.7 Te hymns of the Presentation are also Tus says the Lord to the Jews: O My people, what ti-semitic”) tendencies, but rather of extreme Jew- the ready pen of the hymnographer, and the amazing ish self-criticism.… Something fateful happened to replete with the same Christological reading of the di- tales of the hagiographer. It fnds its visual counterpart have I done to you, and how have you repaid Me? In- vine manifestation on Sinai,8 and the same occurs in stead of manna, you have given me gall, instead of this tradition when it was appropriated by Gentile in numerous Byzantine icons and manuscript illumi- Christians with no basic feeling of solidarity with the hymns of Epiphany: the Baptist is shaken with awe, nations; and in fourteenth-century Byzantium, it was water, vinegar ... 9 the Jewish people. Very soon it deteriorated into a knowing that he is to baptize the Maker of Adam, the yet again the christological exegesis of biblical theoph- Today the Jews nailed to the Cross the Lord who Lawgiver of Sinai.10 divided the sea with a rod and led them through the slogan about Jews being unbelievers by nature and anies that provided the exegetical infrastructure for the Christ-killers by habit.6

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Hesychastic controversy.11 millions of people simply for belonging to the “Hebrew and Word of the Father, Israel has in a sense itself tological core is recognized as such, it is much easier to It is clear, then, that the exegesis of biblical the- race” by dictatorial states whose inhabitants claimed al- been crucifed, raised, and changed, such as to be- discern the essential ethical implications of the hymns. ophanies, displayed so prominently in Byzantine festal legiance to the Christian faith. (After all, many of us come the “frst-fruits” of the new creation (1 Cor By “ethical implications” I have in mind the approach hymns, is not simply one strand of tradition among know only too well, from our own tragic histories, what 15:20), the “new” or “heavenly Adam” (cf. 1 Cor suggested by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware: others, but the very heart of Christian tradition. It goes it means to be labeled as an enemy of the State and tar- 15:45 f.; Rom 5:12 f.), the beginning of the world If we deplore the actions of Judas, we do so not without saying that today’s Orthodox Christians are to geted for “re-education” or extermination.) to come (Col 1:18). Yet, at least in Orthodox tra- with vindictive self-righteousness but conscious al- handle the spiritual treasure handed over to them with By the same token, we must have the necessary sen- dition, it would be most wrong to emphasize this ways of our own guilt .… In general, all the passages care and devotion; but, like the Sabbath, worship was si tivity for Orthodox Christians whose relationship with change, these altered circumstances, as denoting in the Triodion that seem to be directed against the made for man, not the other way around. Judaism is shaped by the experience of being marginal- rupture pure and simple with the Israel of the patri- Jews should be understood in the same way. When SOME PASTORAL AND LITURGICAL CONSIDERATIONS ized and oppressed within the State of Israel. Michael archs, kings, and prophets. True, far and away the the Triodion denounces those who rejected Christ Azar – a New Testament scholar and Orthodox deacon majority of Israel did not accept the change, and Te heavy anti-Jewish rhetoric in some Byzantine and delivered Him to death, we recognize that these – articulates this point very well: they carry on to the present apart from the Church, words apply not only to others, but to ourselves: for hymns raises serious ethical and pastoral problems to- but I would maintain that that separation was and day. Most non-Orthodox churches have sought to ad- One ought not decontextualize the conversa- have we not betrayed the Saviour many times in our tion related to possible emendation of these texts. is not so much between Church and Israel, as be- hearts and crucifed Him afresh?15 dress these concerns by way of liturgical reform. Since tween two separate and discrete entities, as it is a the 1980s, the Reproaches are optional in U.S. Catholic To abstract any conversation related to Orthodox I have shown above that the core Christological in- Christian-Jewish relations denies, for example, the schism within Israel, a schism which, if we are to parishes, and are usually replaced by other texts, such believe the Apostle, God — and only God! — will terpretation of Old Testament theophanies is present as Psalm 22. Some Byzantine-rite Catholic communities considerably diferent contexts in which Ortho- in hymns in which anti-Jewish rhetoric is absent, and dox Christians of Russia or the West and Orthodox heal at the end of days (see Romans 9–11). Chris- have tacitly replaced “Jews” and “Hebrews” with “evil tian and Jewish polemics, both in the early centu- that the anti-Jewish overtones are therefore not essential men,” “sinners,” and so forth. A revised version used by Christians of Palestinian communities fnd them- to the theological message of the hymns. Liturgical re- selves. Te Orthodox Patriarchate of Jeru salem, as ries of the Church and in more recent times, may Missouri Synod Lutherans replaces all reference to Exo- have often obscured this fundamental linkage and form might proceed in accordance with the criterion of dus with verses such as “I have raised you up out of the one important example, has diverse, complicated, maintaining this theological message (that Christ is the and often tense relationships with the State of Israel, kinship, but they could not erase it. It is built into prison house of sin and death,” “I have redeemed you the earliest documents of Christianity and refected Lord of the patriarchs and prophets, the Lawgiver on Si- from the house of bondage,” “I have conquered all your other Orthodox Churches (which are independent nai, the enthroned Glory) while excising the anti-Jewish of each other) and, most importantly, the Christian continuously thereafter in Orthodox literature and foes,” “I have fed you with my Word and refreshed you liturgy. Tus for St. Paul, as I read him, the discus- “fourishes.” In some cases, it might be helpful to switch with living water.” A Methodist hymnal recommends faithful in its care that each ofers a unique dimen- to the passive voice; in others, to deliberately change the sion to the need for the betterment of Christian- sion at issue in epistles such as Galatians and, espe- adding several new verses (for example, “I grafted you cially, Romans centers not on the rejection of Israel, addressee from “Jews” to “believers” or “brothers,” with- into the tree of my chosen Israel, and you turned on Jewish relations. Te call to amend these liturgical out, however, changing the Old Testament reference. For texts in countries where Christians experience little but rather, through the Messiah, on the expansion them with persecution and mass murder. I made you of Israel’s boundaries to include the nations.14 instance, “Today the Jews nailed to the Cross the Lord joint heirs with them of my covenants, but you made or no tension or hardship in the name of Judaism or who divided the sea … they pierced with a lance the side LITURGICAL REFORM WITH FAITH AND LOVE them scapegoats for your own guilt”) and suggests the a Jewish State is a call that must be articulated care- of Him who for their sake smote Egypt with plagues …” creation of a contemporary version, using other exam- fully and sensitively when transferred to those areas If and when liturgical corrections are to be applied, can become “Today is nailed to the Cross … the Lord 13 ples of human abuse of God’s gifts. where Christians indeed experience such things. we would do well to avoid some of the well-meaning who divided the sea … Today is nailed to the Cross the Rewriting or eliminating the problematic phraseol- Te pastoral setting of some parishes in the Antio- but, in my view, theologically inept solutions adopted by Lord who divided the sea … Today is pierced with a ogy of some hymns can itself be deeply problematic if chian Archdiocese is particularly delicate: new immi- our separated brethren. More specifcally, it is of the ut- lance the side of Him who for their sake smote Egypt not done in consultation with the ecclesial body in such grants from Syria and Palestine – people who equate the most importance to avoid replacing concrete references with plagues …” Or, similarly, “Do not be deceived, a way that it not only deals with the ofending verses modern state of Israel with military occupation, police to God’s presence in the Old Testament (Passover, the Jews: for this is He who saved you in the sea and fed you but also confronts the underlying problem of anti-Jew- harassment, injustice, and humiliation – often worship Law at Sinai, the manna, the water from the rock) be- in the wilderness” could be changed to “Let us open well ish animus. I would think it preferable to engage in a side by side with Evangelical converts to Orthodoxy, cause this would dilute the Christological proclamation our hearts, O brethren: for this is He who saved Israel in theologically sound and pastorally responsible Church- many of whom retain the strong pro-Israeli convictions of the hymns: namely, that Christ himself is the LORD the sea and fed them in the wilderness.” And what would wide discussion of the Orthodox Christian engagement of their earlier (pre-Orthodox) Christian formation. (Kyrios) in the Exodus narrative. be lost if, rather than chanting “when You were lifted up with the Judaism of the Synagogue, and, more generally, For all of us there is much to rediscover from the Rather than excise this most ancient and efective today, the Hebrew nation was destroyed,” the Church with those blood-relatives of the Lord who are our con- mind of the Church, starting perhaps with Saint Paul’s Christology by way of liturgical reform, it is imperative would instead focus on the fact that with the Lord lifted temporaries. It is unconscionable today and unnecessary admonition to the Gentile Christians – those grafted to emphasize that, far from warranting any sort of anti- up on the Cross, death is destroyed and all mankind is to continue singing that by Christ’s lifting up on the onto the olive tree of Israel: “Do not boast … it is not Judaism, the prophetic reproaches against ancient Israel summoned to inherit immortality? Cross “the Hebrew race (genos Ebraiōn) was destroyed.”12 you that support the root, but the root that supports are actualized liturgically so as to address Christians, by In itself, the amendment of Orthodox liturgical texts Whatever we can and must say about the theological you” (Romans 11:18). On this point I fnd the follow- calling them to recognize just Who it is that is facing and observances is neither wrong nor unprecedented. rather than socio-political signifcance of this line, our ing statement by a learned Orthodox bishop helpful in them, so that they can commit themselves, “again and A very relevant example is “the contemporary practice proclamation today must be guided by pastoral sensi- charting our course forward: again,” to Christ as “the Lord,” the God of Abraham, of no longer proclaiming the Synodikon of Orthodoxy tivity to the suferings inficted, not so long ago, upon In Jesus of Nazareth, Mary’s son and eternal Son Isaac, and Jacob, the king of Israel. Once their Chris- with the more original censures against ‘the Greeks,’”

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suggesting that “to choose to remove negative references able light of the Godhead” (Second Canon of Transf guration, against Jews is not far from this.…”16 Ode 1 Sticheron [Menaion, 483]); “He who once spoke through symbols to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, “I am He who is” T e time has come for the Orthodox Church to ex- [Exodus 3:14] was transf gured today upon Mount Tabor before orcize the anti-Jewish animus lurking at the door, intent the disciples …” (Great Vespers of Transf guration, Apostichon on def ling our worship and devouring our souls (Gen- [Menaion, 476]). 8. Receive, O Simeon, Him whom Moses once beheld in darkness, esis 4:7). I close with the very pertinent words of Father granting the Law on Sinai, and who has now become a babe Eugen Pentiuc, a scholar directly involved in teaching subject to the Law, yet this is the One who spoke through the and advising Orthodox seminarians in the U.S. and the law! …” (Great Vespers of the Presentation: Sticheron at Lord I have cried [Menaion, 408]); “Today Simeon takes in his arms the author of an impressive work entitled T e Old Testament: Lord of Glory whom Moses saw of old in the darkness, when on Eastern Orthodox Tradition. Mount Sinai he received the tables of the Law …” (Presentation of the Lord: Sticheron at the Lity [Menaion, 413]). T e Orthodox Church as a whole, and espe- 9. “T e Maker saw the man whom He had formed with His own cially and more ef ectively the hierarchs, should hand, held in the obscurity of sin, in bonds that knew no escape. revise and discard anti-Judaic statements and allu- Raising him up, He laid him on His shoulders [Luke 15:5], and sions from hymnography and from liturgy itself, as now in abundant f oods He washes him clean from the ancient shame of Adam’s sinfulness” (Second Canon of T eophany: Ode a matter of fact. T e poetry of Eastern Orthodox 5 Sticheron [Menaion, 372–373]). T e Rich Resources hymns is too sublime to be marred by such low sen- 10. [John the Baptist speaking to Jesus]: “Moses, when he came timents echoing from a past dominated by religious upon T ee, displayed the holy reverence that he felt: perceiving that it was T y voice that spoke from the bush, he forthwith quarrels and controversies.… Having said this, I turned away his gaze [Exodus 3:6]. How then shall I behold T ee of the Western Rite am not calling here on a quick and in toto revision openly? How shall I lay my hand upon T ee?” (First Canon of of the Eastern Orthodox liturgy, but rather for an T eophany: Ode 4 Sticheron [Menaion, 370]). 11. See John S. Romanides, “Notes on the Palamite Controversy and ongoing serious ref ection and congenial discussion Related Topics,” Greek Orthodox T eological Review 6 (1960– on those anti-Judaic statements in hymnography, 1961), pp. 186–205; 9 (1963-1964), pp. 225–270; Bogdan G. which are not and should not be part of such a so- Bucur, “Dionysius East and West: Unities, Dif erentiations, and phisticated and Christ-centered tradition as is the the Exegesis of Biblical T eophanies,” Dionysius 26 (2008), pp. hen we enter the church building and print-on-demand company Lulu.com. Recently, in ad- 115–138; “Sinai, Zion, and Tabor: An Entry into the Christian 17 experience the liturgy, we experience dition to their use in many parishes of the Antiochian Orthodox. Bible,” Journal of T eological Interpretation 4 (2010), pp. 33–52. 12. Great Friday Matins, Sticheron at the Praises (Triodion, p. 597). a foretaste of life in the Kingdom. T e Western Rite Vicariate, several of these works have been F r . B o g d a n G . B u c u r Associate Professor of Theology, Duquesne University; Pastor, Saint T e translation used in the Antiochian Archdiocese has “the He- sacred dialogue between clergy, aco- approved for use by Western Rite communities of the Anthony the Great Orthodox Church, Butler, Pennsylvania brew race hath perished.” W lytes, singers and congregation, along with the move- Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. 13. Michael G. Azar, “Prophetic Matrix and T eological Paradox: ments and smells and tastes and sights, all combine to A new Altar Missal for the Western Rite Holy Week 1. Great Friday Matins, Sticheron 3 at the Beatitudes (T e Lenten Jews and Judaism in the Holy Week and Pascha Observances of Triodion, trans. Mother Mary and Kallistos Ware [London/ the Greek Orthodox Church,” Studies in Christian-Jewish Rela- lead us to join our voices with saints and angels and all liturgies has recently been published by St. Gregory’s. Boston: Faber&Faber, 1977], p. 589). T e translation used in tions 10 (2015), p. 26. the company of heaven. T is glorious action, however, T is work contains the Palm Sunday liturgy, the liturgies the Antiochian Archdiocese has “the assembly of the Jews, that 14. Bishop Alexander Golitzin, “Scriptural Images of the Church: doesn’t happen by accident, but by much careful work for Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday evenings, the service wicked, God-attacking nation….” An Eastern Orthodox Ref ection,” in One, Holy, Catholic and 2. From the service of Lamentations, Staseis 1 and 2 (Triodion, pp. Apostolic: Ecumenical Ref ections on the Church, ed. Tamara Grd- and preparation, so that we may of er our best to God in for the Blessing of Oils and Unction for Holy Wednes- 629, 630, 637). zelidze (Geneva: WCC Publications, 2005), pp. 255-256. our worship. T e very word liturgy comes to us from the day, the Maundy T ursday and Good Friday liturgies, 3. John D. Klier, “T e Pogrom Paradigm in Russian History,” and 15. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, “T e Meaning of the Great Fast,” Greek leitourgia, which means “the work of the people.” and the Paschal Vigil. T e music for all of the chants Peter Kenez, “Pogroms and White Ideology of the Russian Civil in T e Festal Triodion, p. 60. War,” both in Pogroms: Anti-Jewish Violence in Modern Russian 16. Azar, “Prophetic Matrix,” pp. 22–23. Clergy, acolytes and singers all have to practice and pre- for the clergy, including that for the Passion Gospels, History, ed. John D. Klier and Shlomo Lambroza (Cambridge: 17. Eugen Pentiuc, T e Old Testament: Eastern Orthodox Tradition pare to follow the services the church has passed down is provided in traditional forms. Both the Liturgy of St. Cambridge University Press, 1992), pp. 33, 306. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014), p. 40. to us, along with the work of bread-bakers, those who Gregory (the old Roman liturgy) and the Liturgy of St. 4. Great Friday Matins, Antiphon 15 (Triodion, p. 587); Melito of prepare the bulletins, those who clean the church, and Tikhon (based on English forms) are included. T e texts Sardis: On Pascha. With the Fragments of Melito and Other Ma- terial Related to the Quartodecimans (tr. Alistair Stewart-Sykes; many others. One of those other behind-the-scenes tasks are from T e Orthodox Missal, published by the Western Crestwood, NY: SVS, 2001), p. 96. is the preparation of the various liturgical books that are Rite Vicariate in 1995, and other approved sources. 5. Holy Friday: Antiphons 12 and 6; Troparion of the T ird Royal required for our services, and this is true for both the T e St. Ambrose Hymnal, published in 2001, is a col- Hour (Triodion, pp. 583, 577, 603, 584). 6. Oskar Skarsaune, “T e Development of Scriptural Interpreta- Eastern Rite and the Western Rite. lection of hymns and service music selected for use in tion in the Second and T ird Centuries,” in Hebrew Bible / Old Over the past twenty-one years St. Gregory Ortho- Western Rite parishes. Many of the texts in this hymnal Testament: T e History of Its Interpretation I/1: Antiquity, ed. dox Church in Silver Spring, Maryland (formerly of are ancient, coming to us from such Church Fathers as Magne Sæbø (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1996), pp. 404. See also Skarsaune’s more elaborate discussion in his more Washington, D.C.) has published a number of liturgical St. Ambrose and St. Gregory the Great, but many of recent book, In T e Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Inf uences on and musical resources for use in Western Rite Ortho- the texts are from later centuries as well. In his Western Early Christianity (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2002), p. dox parishes. Some of these are available in Adobe PDF Rite Edict of 1958, Metropolitan ANTHONY (Bashir) 262-264. form directly from our website: stgregoryoc.org. Others declared that we may make use of “all such Western li- 7. “T ou hast appeared to Moses both on the Mountain of the Law and on Tabor: of old in darkness, but now in the unapproach- are available for sale through our website, or through the turgical rites, devotional practices and customs as are Continued on page 32

18 April 2017 T e Word 19 Volume 61 No. 3 April 2017