What did he say?

[Greg1021]

Question, This Sunday I went to my 2nd Byzantine Liturgy and I saw people doing something. They walked into the church and up to an Icon on a table in the front middle of the church. They bowed and said something as they signed the cross 2 times and then bent down to what appeared to be to touch their forehead to the Icon and said something and signed the cross. They then went to an icon on the right and repeated and then on the left and repeated. What were they doing and saying? When we went up to receive communion, they also bowed down to touch what looked like their foreheads to the icon.

Thanks, Greg

 

[SyroMalankara]

Venerating the Iconography is common practice. They might have said any number of prayers or penances, depending on Tradition of the Church. What Tradition is the Church you attended?

 

[Greg1021]

It is a Ruthenian Byzantine catholic church.

 

[angelic06]

I attend a Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic chapel (for the past four years).

I will let those who are expert in Byzantine traditions answer for themselves, but in my opinion, the particular remarks which are said during one’s own veneration of the icons is not important. What is important is to pray with humility. But if you wish, you can quietly say something like, “Pray for me, [fill in with the name of the saint whose icon is venerated].” Sometimes, if I arrive to chapel way early enough, I have enough time to say quietly some of my concerns for the past week.

 

[akemner]

This is what I say:

+O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
+O God, cleanse me of my sins and have mercy on me.
(kiss the Icon-if a saint, the shoulder, if the Mother of God, her hand, if Jesus, the hair, hands, or feet)
+O Lord, forgive me for I have sinned without number.