The Byzantine Liturgy (ninth Century) Part I

The Byzantine Liturgy is the product of a complex evolution that began before the time of Christ. Like its Western counterpart, the eucharistic service of the Eastern Orthodox churches consists of two parts. The first, the Liturgy of the Word, developed from the services of the Jewish synagogue. The second, the Liturgy of the Faithful, evolved from the prayer of blessing or brakah of the Passover and other Jewish religious meals. Introduction Originally the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Faithful were two separate services. By the fourth century, the two services had been combined. This is possibly due to the influence of the church in Jerusalem where, according to the pilgrim Egeria, the people gathered at Golgotha for the Liturgy of the Word and processed to the tomb of Christ for the Liturgy of the Faithful. Since other communities had only one church building, they imitated the church of Jerusalem by celebrating both services in the same place. The Byzantine liturg…