Eastern devotion to the Passion?

[MarcusAndreas]

I’ve noticed that the eastern focus seems to typically more on the resurrection rather than the passion. Obviously, the Passion isn’t ignored, but it seems less emphasized.

Can I have some details on eastern devotion to the passion and if I’m incorrect on the statement about lack of emphasis, I apologize, as I’m not completely literate on eastern Catholicism. (I do love the Divine Liturgy though, my friend took me there once and I’ve been wanting to go to another since. )

 

[Madaglan]

I’ve noticed that the eastern focus seems to typically more on the resurrection rather than the passion. Obviously, the Passion isn’t ignored, but it seems less emphasized.

Can I have some details on eastern devotion to the passion and if I’m incorrect on the statement about lack of emphasis, I apologize, as I’m not completely literate on eastern Catholicism. (I do love the Divine Liturgy though, my friend took me there once and I’ve been wanting to go to another since. )

In the East, there is a devotion to the Life-giving Cross. On the Third Sunday of Lent and on the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, the hymn “Before thy Cross” is chanted with prostrations. You can see it here: youtube.com/watch?v=ogBgEdq6-hU

Text of the prayers can be found here: orthodoxwiki.org/Elevation_of_the_Holy_Cross

At the end of each Divine Liturgy, an Eastern Christian kisses the cross that the priest presents. In many Eastern traditions, the penitent kisses the cross after confession.

I think the East focuses more on the victory achieved through Christ’s sufferings than on the merit of Christ’s sufferings themselves. This may explain why there is not a specific devotion to the Passion.

 

[Madaglan]

I forgot to mention that during Holy Week, on the evening of Holy Thursday, the Matins prayers for Holy Friday are offered. This includes the reading of the 12 gospels concerning the events leading up to and including the crucifixion. When the first gospel that mentions the crucifixion is read, the priest brings out a large icon of Christ crucified and places it in the center of the nave. Many Eastern churches have the practice of actually nailing the Christ icon to the wooden cross, which really brings the crucifixion to the here and now.

During the service, the hymn The Wise Thief is chanted (youtube.com/watch?v=pMZUzFfD2aE) in commemoration of the good thief who repented on the cross.

 

[Madaglan]

I forgot to mention that during Holy Week, on the evening of Holy Thursday, the Matins prayers for Holy Friday are offered. This includes the reading of the 12 gospels concerning the events leading up to and including the crucifixion. When the first gospel that mentions the crucifixion is read, the priest brings out a large icon of Christ crucified and places it in the center of the nave. Many Eastern churches have the practice of actually nailing the Christ icon to the wooden cross, which really brings the crucifixion to the here and now.

During the service, The Wise Thief is chanted (youtube.com/watch?v=pMZUzFfD2aE) in commemoration of the good thief who repented on the cross.

 

[dvdjs]

I forgot to mention that during Holy Week, on the evening of Holy Thursday, the Matins prayers for Holy Friday are offered. This includes the reading of the 12 gospels concerning the events leading up to and including the crucifixion.

This service is colloquially called “Strasti” or “Passion” and we chant before and after each gospel, “Glory to Thy Passion”… and “Glory to Thy long-suffereing…” instead of the usual "Glory to Thee … ".

At the veneration of the Plaschanitsa this hymn is sung (by those who can keep it together):

Come, let us bless Joseph of eternal memory,
Who came by night to Pilate
And begged for the Life of all:
“Give me this Stranger,
Who from His youth has been received as a stranger in this world.
Give me this Stranger,
Who has no place to lay His head:
Give me this Stranger
Whom an evil disciple betrayed to death.
Give me this Stranger,
The refuge of the poor and weary.
Give me this Stranger,
Whom His Mother saw hanging upon the cross,
And, with a Mother’s sorrow cried, weeping:
“Woe is me, O my Child,
Light of my eyes and Beloved of my bosom,
For what Simeon foretold in the temple now has come to pass:
A sword has pierced my heart;
But change my grief to gladness by Your resurrection.”
We worship Your Passion, O Christ!
We worship Your Passion, O Christ!
We worship Your Passion, O Christ!
And Your Holy Resurrection.

 

[Alexander_Roman]

Certainly, the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches have a proper focus on the Life-Giving Passion of our Lord and venerate His Passion twice each week in the services, on Wednesday and Friday, during the Great Fast/Lent, by special veneration of the Cross etc.

The Cross is displayed everywhere in Church, the Sign of the Cross is made frequently etc. There is even a specific “Staurology” in Orthodoxy.

There devotional akathists to the Passion and Cross of our Lord, to the Sorrowful Mother and the Services of Holy Week are breathtakingly beautiful.

In some Orthodox Churches, there is the “Passia” in Lent, or the reading of the two Chapters on the Passion in each Gospel, one reading during four Sundays of Lent, with a liturgical service afterwards such as an Akathist.

It is just that the Resurrection is integrally linked with the Cross, to gaze upon an iconic depiction of Christ on the Cross is to be immediately reminded of the Lord’s Resurrection.

Some have said that in the Christian East, the Passion and Resurrection of Christ are seamlessly woven together at all times, whereas in some devotions in the Latin West, the Resurrection theme is absent e.g. at the end of the 14 Stations of the Cross, the Stabat Mater etc.

There were Orthodox Saints who were entirely dedicated to the Passion of Christ, such as St Tikhon of Zadonsk who had a life-size series of iconic representations of the Stations of the Cross in his cell. Orthodox monastics wear a large Byzantine Crucifix around their necks to remind them of Christ’s Passion and His Extreme Humiliation.

Every Church has the right to establish her own theological/liturgical traditions, and so has the Byzantine East.

Alex

 

[ConstantineTG]

Here’s the YouTube channel for St. Elias Ukrainian Greek Catholic parish in Ontario

youtube.com/user/tsyhan

You will see some videos of how the Passion is celebrated in the Byzantine tradition.

 

[Dan-Man916]

Doesn’t the word, passion, come from the greek word, Pascha, which is what Easter is referred to?
So the resurrection is known by the passion, correct?

 

[MarcusAndreas]

Doesn’t the word, passion, come from the greek word, Pascha, which is what Easter is referred to?
So the resurrection is known by the passion, correct?

No, it comes from the Latin word “Patior” - “I suffer.”