The Byzantine Liturgy (ninth Century) Part Ii

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. Text: The Readings Commentary: There were originally readings from the Old Testament, the Epistles, and the Gospels. However, only the Epistle and Gospel remained by the ninth century. The Prokeimenon, a short verse from the Psalms sung before the Epistle, is a remnant of the Psalm sung between the Old Testament and Epistle readings. St. Germanus considered the Prokeimenon a symbol of the prophecies of the coming of Christ and the Gospel a symbol of the revelation of God through Christ. As the deacon carried the Gospel to the ambon, the faithful venerated…