Saturday, December 25, 2004
ORTHODOX/BYZANTINE CATHOLIC LITURGICAL TEXTS FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
The Byzantine prayers have not undergone symplistic reduction for "clarity" and speed. They still contain all of the poetry and beauty that was once part of the Roman Catholic liturgy. The mysticism is still intact.
Here below is the beginning of the service from the Liturgical Texts website. They have asked that the prayers not be copied to the web, so I will not use more of them. Go to the website to get the full flavor of these prayers.
Come, let us greatly rejoice in the Lord
as we tell of this present mystery!
The dividing wall has been destroyed;
the flaming sword turns back,
the cherubim withdraw from the tree of life,
and I partake of the delight of Paradise
from which I was cast out through disobedience.
For the express image of the Father, the imprint of His eternity,
takes the form of a servant,
and without undergoing change He comes forth from an unwedded Mother.
For what He was, He has remained: true God,
and what He was not, He has taken upon Himself,
becoming Man through love for mankind.
Unto Him, let us cry aloud:
O God born of a Virgin, have mercy on us!
Thanks to Lee Penn for sending in the link.
