Which direction should we face when at prayer?

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God is omnipresent and it doesn’t where matter where we face.
 
Dear friend

Orthodox Churches face East, I can’t off hand remember why, it’s just one of those facts I remember.

It doesn’t matter where you are or which direction you face , prayer should be a constant disposition we adopt. If we are unceasingly praying, we need no preparation, our oil lamps are constantly filled, we are not the foolish virgins, we do not sleep as the Master arrives, we are watchful in prayer, we are in unceasing communion with God and all things are Holy and for the Glory of His name as in life lived as one long continous prayer we live in the Holy Spirit and all things are confirmed and convicted in Him, we are of the Spirit and of Faith. In this life of prayer we live in God’s friendship for and with God and for and with each other. We live in love when life is an unceasing prayer

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
I always try to face forward, as facing backward puts a terrible crick in my neck.
 
Stand, sit, kneel or lay exactly where you are and focus all your might, heart and soul to God. That’s the direction we should face when we are at prayer.
 
Stand and face East is the preferred way. East because the Lord promised to return from the East. Stand because that is the normal way the ancient Christians did it. But in a pinch pray at all times and in all places.

An old drunk stumbled and fell in an open well head first. He learned that even as the water rose toward his head that he could pray anywhere.

Dan L
 
God is everywhere and the Church is the new jerusalem. I think it’s a bit of an insult to God’s omnipotency to suggest that facing one way we have more effective prayers.
 
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serendipity:
God is everywhere and the Church is the new jerusalem. I think it’s a bit of an insult to God’s omnipotency to suggest that facing one way we have more effective prayers.
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Then you should read the Benedictine Father Gabriel Bunge, ‘EARTHEN VESSELS - THE PRACTICE OF PERSONAL PRAYER ACCORDING TO PATRISTIC TRADITION’. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2002. ISBN 0-89870-837-0.

Fr. Bunge points out that there is a whole theology behind the practice of facing EAST. See his section “Look toward the east, O Jerusalem!” (pp.57-69) where he points out that:

". . . Christians from time immemorial used to turn to the east to pray" (p.58).

Here are a few reasons:**
  1. “the sunrise is more honorable than the other directions in creation, therefore we all bow to the east when we pray” (Origen, p.58).
  2. “we all look to the east during prayer [because] we are in search of our original home, Paradise, which God planted in the Garden of Eden, to the east” (Gregory of Nyssa, p.60).
  3. “since God is spiritual light and Christ in sacred Scripture is called “Sun of Justice” and “Orient,” the east should be dedicated to His worship” (John Damascene, p.63).
  4. "when the Lord was crucified, He looked toward the west, and so we worship gazing towards Him (John Damascene, p.63).
  5. “when He was taken up, He ascended to the east” (John Damascene, 64).
  6. “as the Lord Himself said: “As lightning cometh out of the east and appeareth even into the west: so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” And so, while we are awaiting Him, we worship toward the east” (John Damascene, p.64).**
And there’s much more. All Christian churches, for example, used to be “oriented” or “east-ed” (p.57)
 
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serendipity:
God is everywhere and the Church is the new jerusalem. I think it’s a bit of an insult to God’s omnipotency to suggest that facing one way we have more effective prayers.
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I am with you. This thread is wrong, because Muslims only go by direction not Christians.
In Christ,
selvaraj
 
Romano,

Thank you for your words of wisdom. It is always helpful to read someone who quotes those in authority rather than just giving personal opinion. As you probably know many of the Muslim practices are taken from ancient Christian practice, e.g, full prostrations, facing toward a point for prayer, fasting, etc.

The Church has usually faced East to pray and the priests led us in that practice until very recently.

Dan L
 
I also think there is no specific way to face,as god is everywhere!
 
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GregoryPalamas:
Romano,

Thank you for your words of wisdom. It is always helpful to read someone who quotes those in authority rather than just giving personal opinion. As you probably know many of the Muslim practices are taken from ancient Christian practice, e.g, full prostrations, facing toward a point for prayer, fasting, etc.

The Church has usually faced East to pray and the priests led us in that practice until very recently.

Dan L
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Hi Dan:

Thank you. That’s very interesting. Fr. Bunge does discuss, in Chapter IV of his book, the various prayer ‘gestures’ employed in the early Church, one of which was the full prostration. They were also very enthusiastic fasters in those days too. It’s a wonderful book as it not only points how so much of very real value has been lost in the West, but also explains in great detail just why it was of value.
 
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godsent:
I also think there is no specific way to face,as god is everywhere!
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Please see my Post # 9 above. Do you really suppose the early Christians didn’t know that God is everywhere? Do you suppose I don’t know? There is more involved in this matter than the fact that God is everywhere. The direction in which one faces when at prayer has in part, I think, to do with showing Respect.
 
I am Byzantine Catholic, and we are taught to pray to the East, towards Jerusalem, and the rising Sun.
 
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cleopa:
I am Byzantine Catholic, and we are taught to pray to the East, towards Jerusalem, and the rising Sun.
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Yes, thank you. God may be everywhere (as so many on this thread keep insisting) but:
  1. the Sun rises in the East,
  2. Jerusalem is in the East,
  3. Christ was crucified facing West so we face Him when we face East,
  4. when He returns he will return “from the East” (it’s all in my post # 9 above),
  5. Christ too is God.
There are also such things as John 8:12:

"Again therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying: I am the light of the world. . . ."

Pax!
 
Romano,

You understand the ancient ways quite well and seem to appreciate the Eastern Church which more often than not upholds those ways. Are you Eastern Catholic? Are you in or did you fulfill a course of study in Patristics?

Dan L
 
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