T
The_Way
Guest
In the Maronite rite one of the liturgical hymns sung at Mass say “we adore the cross”
I thought adoration belongs to God only?
God bless,
I thought adoration belongs to God only?
God bless,
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C
cecilia97
Guest
In the Latin Rite, we call it “veneration” of the cross. It’s especially exciting when you get to venerate a relic of the True Cross!
I don’t know about the hymn you mention, but I have to wonder if some poetic license is not being used…or it could be a translation problem if the original language was not English. If you are Maronite, and you understand that the hymn should not mean literal adoration, I bet others understand this, too.
We will say, in English, that we adore our spouse or adore chocolate cheesecake. See what I mean?
M
mardukm
Guest
Oh, no, no, no! The cross-worshipping of the Syrian Tradition does not hold a candle to that of the Armenians! 
Just do a google search on “Armenian cross worship.”
Blessings
Just do a google search on “Armenian cross worship.”Blessings
T
The_Way
Guest
In the Maronite rite they do mean the literal meaning of the word adoration as they use the same word in other hymns in reference to Christ just as we use it in the stations of the cross “We adore thee oh Christ and we bless thee” which leaves me puzzled….
God bless,
God bless,
C
cecilia97
Guest
Well, the next question I would ask, then, is about the history of this particular hymn. Not long ago, in English, “I pray thee” just meant “I’m asking you to please…” but now the word “pray” has taken on a more religious meaning.
V
Vico
Guest
A
Alveus_Lacuna
Guest
The proper meaning for adoration is indeed to worship something as God or as a god.
“Worship” itself technically has a softer meaning in the language, but not according to current common usage, so this all becomes word soup.
But the designation is always clear. If you asked any Marionite: “Excuse me, but do you mean that you offer the same level and place of worship/adoration/honor to this cross that You do to God Himself? Is this piece of wood God Himself, and do you worship it accordingly?” The answer will always be no.
Protestants often accuse veneration of relics and saints as being “borderline” or “too close to idolatry” and that it simply makes more sense to avoid it altogether to err on the side of caution. They feel that many pious simple Christians cannot designate between forms of veneration and the worship that is due to God alone in the technical terms that higher theology often applies. To this I simply respond that Trinitarian theology is just as “technical” and “complicated”, and that we should avoid teaching it because it borders on polytheism. The simple people might get confused, after all.
If you ask any Orthodox Christian, Roman Catholic, Nestorian or whoever if they worship the Virgin Mary as God or as a goddess, the claim will be absolutely scandalous to any Christian in these groups with any bit of sense. This business with the Cross is the same way. The Cross is not God. Nobody thinks that it is. When we prostrate before it, cense it, kiss it, et cetera we honor what the symbol is and the power it possesses. We honor a material manifestation of God’s grace, and He responds accordingly. We still recognize the ultimate source of the power which the cross possesses, and that is the Consubstantial and Life-Creating Trinity, as with any relic of a saint or any other holy object.
“Worship” itself technically has a softer meaning in the language, but not according to current common usage, so this all becomes word soup.
But the designation is always clear. If you asked any Marionite: “Excuse me, but do you mean that you offer the same level and place of worship/adoration/honor to this cross that You do to God Himself? Is this piece of wood God Himself, and do you worship it accordingly?” The answer will always be no.
Protestants often accuse veneration of relics and saints as being “borderline” or “too close to idolatry” and that it simply makes more sense to avoid it altogether to err on the side of caution. They feel that many pious simple Christians cannot designate between forms of veneration and the worship that is due to God alone in the technical terms that higher theology often applies. To this I simply respond that Trinitarian theology is just as “technical” and “complicated”, and that we should avoid teaching it because it borders on polytheism. The simple people might get confused, after all.
If you ask any Orthodox Christian, Roman Catholic, Nestorian or whoever if they worship the Virgin Mary as God or as a goddess, the claim will be absolutely scandalous to any Christian in these groups with any bit of sense. This business with the Cross is the same way. The Cross is not God. Nobody thinks that it is. When we prostrate before it, cense it, kiss it, et cetera we honor what the symbol is and the power it possesses. We honor a material manifestation of God’s grace, and He responds accordingly. We still recognize the ultimate source of the power which the cross possesses, and that is the Consubstantial and Life-Creating Trinity, as with any relic of a saint or any other holy object.
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