ConstantineTG - This would be the equivalent in Byzantine Liturgical tradition of reciting the prayers of the Anaphora together with the priest. We would hold that those prayers are reserved for the priest. In current Ruthenian usage, they are recited aloud so the congregation may hear them. The prayers are not published in pew books, as they are reserved for the priest.
The Eucharistic Prayer indeed is reserved to the priest, as it includes the Words of Institution.
AS - that seems to be the consensus. There is equivalency in the Eastern traditions as well. Blessing of the Gifts, as well as Consecration of the Gifts, are reserved for the priest.
The offertory is equivalent to the Great Entrance of the Divine Liturgy, it is when the gifts are brought to the altar. The rubrics called for the priest to say silent prayers while the congregation sings a hymn. If the congregation is not singing, the priest may say the prayers aloud. Then the third option is a hymn using the words of the prayers of the priest, which is sung by the congregation and the priest. Since the words are already used, the priest need not recite the prayers silently.
Because if its any part of the Anaphora, I don’t know how the congregation can sing it because there are no hymns for it because it shouldn’t be sung by the congregation.
I cannot imagine where you’re getting that information.
Actually, its one step beyond that - the Gifts are blessed in the Offertory - they have already been received and taken to the Altar.
Thanskgiving for and blessing of the Gifts is rendered as part of the Rite of Preparation, before the DL. So in that regard, I agree.
It’s clear (to me) that the OP is talking about the “Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation…” prayers that the priest says, first over the bread, then over the wine and water, to which the congregation may respond “Blessed be God forever.”
I did do research on it as this has come up in the past and that is what the information I have found. I don’t know if anything has changed with the new translation, but that is based on something just before I moved to the Eastern Church, which is less than 2 years ago.
AS - I’ll normally use “Eastern Christian” to denote ideas and points that are commonly held by Easterners, Catholic and Orthodox alike. I’ll use specific references (Eastern Catholic or Eastern Orthodox) as needed if our perspectives are different for one reason or another (e.g. role of the papacy). That seems to be a general convention used in the CAF Eastern Catholic sub-forum, as well.
You don’t need to assume anything. OF or EF, there is no question about who does the Offertory Prayer.
