Lent

Here in the liturgical West, we think of Holy Week being primarily about the so-called “Paschal Driduum” of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. But the Eastern Church keeps it intensively the whole week, really starting on Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday. On those days before the action of Holy Week really … Continue reading Be Ready: Behold, the Bridegroom Comes at Midnight

A couple weeks ago, in the section of the Lenten series on common prayers that focused on the heights and depths of the Eucharistic prayers, I reflected on an ancient hymn, known as the Sanctus. Echoing the words of Isaiah 6.3, it puts us with the angels attending the throne of God, shouting: “Holy! Holy! … Continue reading Hosanna! A Relfection on the Benedictus and Palm Sunday

Today is the last day of Lent, so, while I’ll be continuing to explore prayers during Holy Week, today marks the last official post in this series. So I thought it would be more than appropriate to look at the doxology (’word of praise’) that concludes many contemporary Anglican Eucharistic rite as its final hoorah. … Continue reading Whose Power Working in Us: The Doxology

One thing I love about older liturgical traditions is how they’ve had time for through-lines to accumulate, connecting different services, feasts, and readings together across the year. One of my favourites is the praying, in the Byzantine rite, at communion of a part of the Paschal canon, the tradition’s great Easter hymn. Today, as we … Continue reading More Perfectly Partaking of Christ: O Christ, Great Most Holy Pascha

After a two-day hiatus in honour of the Annunciation, today we return to reflecting on pre-Communion prayers. On Monday, we looked at a traditional Anglican prayer prayed right before receiving Communion; today, we’ll turn our attention to prayers of the Christian East. Before going up to receive communion, the faithful pray three quick prayers in … Continue reading Of Your Mystical Supper…: Pre-Communion Prayers