Communion Song In Worship

Singing during Communion is an ancient practice that has been restored in renewal worship. This article presents common guidelines for the restoration of Communion song. There is evidence that Christians sang hymns and song refrains during Communion from the earliest days of Christianity. St. Augustine mentions that the singing of psalms during Communion processions was introduced in North Africa in his time. In time, however, this ancient custom changed in the West, although Orthodox Christians have retained this custom to the present day. Many parts of the liturgy-gestures, actions, and prayers-were taken away from the people and placed with the clergy. Congregational singing, too, was given to the scholas, which were choirs made up of men in minor orders. The time has come to restore these elements to the churches in the West, so they may celebrate their faith in as many different ways as possible. Serious obstacles can stand in the way of restoring congregational singing du…