Private evening/morning prayers in the Constantinopolitan rite

[Zabdi_Premjit]

I am familiar with the general form of morning and evening prayers done privately in the Byzantine tradition (e.g. HTM) and in the Russian tradition (e.g. Jordanville). These are very well-known to Anglophone Christians of the Constantinopolitan rite. I am curious though about other smaller traditions. I am assuming all East Slavs (i.e. Ukrainian, Belarusian, Rusyn) follow traditions similar to Russians, as I seem to recall reading that the basis of the Russian tradition spread eastward from Ukraine.* What about Romanians, Albanians, and South Slavs? Are their traditional private, daily prayers similar to the Byzantines’, Russians’, or distinct from both?

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

I am familiar with the general form of morning and evening prayers done privately in the Byzantine tradition (e.g. HTM) and in the Russian tradition (e.g. Jordanville). These are very well-known to Anglophone Christians of the Constantinopolitan rite. I am curious though about other smaller traditions. I am assuming all East Slavs (i.e. Ukrainian, Belarusian, Rusyn) follow traditions similar to Russians, as I seem to recall reading that the basis of the Russian tradition spread eastward from Ukraine.* What about Romanians, Albanians, and South Slavs? Are their traditional private, daily prayers similar to the Byzantines’, Russians’, or distinct from both?

From what I’ve found, it really varies. Various parts of Romania steer closer to the Byzantine/Constantinopolitan tradition, while other parts tend to be closer to the Russian. The same holds true for the “Ruthenian” tradition (originating in the Trans-Carpathian mountains). These areas are believed to have been some of the first areas evangelized by Sts. Cyril and Methodius, and so in many ways they tend to be closer to the Byzantine/Constantinopolitan tradition, although they have taken on their own “Slavic” flavor. The Italo-Albanians also are typically closer to the Byzantine/Constantinopolitan tradition than to the Russian.

 

[Zabdi_Premjit]

From what I’ve found, it really varies. Various parts of Romania steer closer to the Byzantine/Constantinopolitan tradition, while other parts tend to be closer to the Russian. The same holds true for the “Ruthenian” tradition (originating in the Trans-Carpathian mountains). These areas are believed to have been some of the first areas evangelized by Sts. Cyril and Methodius, and so in many ways they tend to be closer to the Byzantine/Constantinopolitan tradition, although they have taken on their own “Slavic” flavor. The Italo-Albanians also are typically closer to the Byzantine/Constantinopolitan tradition than to the Russian.

Thank you, Phillip.

This is what I suspected, but I wasn’t sure. Byzantine and Russian traditions are so big that they sadly tend to overshadow the smaller traditions in terms what information is widely-available. Do you happen to know anything about the source of the Russian tradition for private prayers? Was it based on a Byzantine practice that fell into disuse elsewhere or was it a unique creation of Russia?

Btw, to go on a little tangent, since you mentioned the Italo-Albanians, do you know if their presence in Southern Italy has influenced to devotional practices of Latin Catholics in the area at all?

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

Thank you, Phillip.

This is what I suspected, but I wasn’t sure. Byzantine and Russian traditions are so big that they sadly tend to overshadow the smaller traditions in terms what information is widely-available. Do you happen to know anything about the source of the Russian tradition for private prayers? Was it based on a Byzantine practice that fell into disuse elsewhere or was it a unique creation of Russia?

Btw, to go on a little tangent, since you mentioned the Italo-Albanians, do you know if their presence in Southern Italy has influenced to devotional practices of Latin Catholics in the area at all?

I could be wrong here, but at some point in the recent past the Russians actually reformed much of their liturgical practices to reflect more closely what were believed (wrongly) to be some of the older Greek/Byzantine texts. I’m guess that many of the differences between the Greek and Russian uses of the Byzantine rite can be traced back to those reforms. Also, one cannot discount the changes brought about simply by local practices that were adapted to the liturgical life of the Church. I remember hearing that Russian services were actually lengthened because oftentimes the parish church was the warmest building in the town, and folks simply needed somewhere warm to go. Whether or not that is true, I do not know.

To my knowledge the Byzantine tradition of the Italo-Albanians has not significantly influenced the Latin Church in southern Italy. Quite the contrary.

 

[akemner]

Philip,

Russian services were shorted by the Council of 100 Chapters (mid 16th Cen). They were further shorted by loss of Greater Znamennyj chant, and cutting scripture verses (eg, Blessed is the Man or the Polyeleos). Orthros in Greece tends to last nearly three hours, but the All Night Vigil (Vespers, Orthros, 1st Hour) in Russia has been between 1.5 and 2.5 hours for the last two hundred years (both parish uses…). I don’t think the story really reflects the history.

Local usage gave a lot of flavor and color to the Divine Services. Folks were not as concerned about what was correct as what was “our” way of doing things. Only now do we have this notion of what is correct because anybody can compare Russian and Greek practice. We note differences, and we probably could ask why they are different, or if they are done well, but to ask if they are correct won’t be as helpful, because there is more than one correct answer, and there has never been just one answer.

Adam