Which direction should we face when at prayer?

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romano:
Which direction should we face when at prayer?
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…in the right direction of course…👍
…always in the direction of helping someone else:thumbsup:

http://www.artistsgarden.com/collection/images/Helping-Hands.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/twobits_2/ghostlong.jpg
 
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GregoryPalamas:
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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Hi Dan:

I’m RC, but my local church is Franciscan and they use the San Damiano Cross which was apparently “written” by a Syrian artist. I became intrigued by it, got interested in icons, and this led me to a study of Orthodoxy.

Right now I’m reading St. Isaac of Nineveh and the Desert Fathers. I find the ancient ways fascinating and am quite prepared to believe that Orthodoxy is, certainly in some respects, truer to the tradition. Personally I find a lot of meaning in it.

And there’s nothing that comes anywhere near those icons! :bowdown:
 
Romano,

I’m glad that your Church has retained some of its patrimony. I worry about my RC brethren and sistren who worship in Churches that have stripped themselves almost bare of her meaning and power. I pray that there will be a reversal of this trend. St. John Cantius with its emphasis upon a return to the sacred is certainly making an attempt. But so much has been intentionally thrown away. It is frightening.

Do you visit Eastern Catholic Churches occassionally?

I don’t understand why most posters are ignoring your posts on this thread. Perhaps they don’t know what they’ve lost. I suppose they ignore mine because they don’t know what an Eastern Catholic is.

Dan L
 
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GregoryPalamas:
Romano,

I’m glad that your Church has retained some of its patrimony. I worry about my RC brethren and sistren who worship in Churches that have stripped themselves almost bare of her meaning and power. I pray that there will be a reversal of this trend. St. John Cantius with its emphasis upon a return to the sacred is certainly making an attempt. But so much has been intentionally thrown away. It is frightening.

Do you visit Eastern Catholic Churches occassionally?

I don’t understand why most posters are ignoring your posts on this thread. Perhaps they don’t know what they’ve lost. I suppose they ignore mine because they don’t know what an Eastern Catholic is.

Dan L
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Hi Dan:

I’m a parishioner of a Franciscan Chapel. They use the San Damiano Cross because it is linked with St. Francis.

You are absolutely right about the “stripped bare.” The Church, since Vatican II, has been Protestantized physically, in its liturgy, and in every other way. It’s tragic, but the forces behind it are the same forces that are at work everywhere undermining civilization. Their aim seems to be, not just to Protestantize us, but to return us to a full-blown paganism. And they are succeeding.

I intend shortly to start visiting some of the local Orthodox Churches.

As for the posters on this thread, people in general have no idea what they have lost and how impoverished the modern world is. Simone Weil has some wonderful lines about this. If my memory serves me correctly, what she says is that:

"We could not have been born at a better time for we have lost everything."

Maybe you’ll understand what she means.

:gopray:
 
Not only are Orthodox churches built facing East, but Orthodox are also buried facing East so they will rise facing Christ at the second coming 🙂

I believe that Catholics pray facing the Host when at adoration. Why do you do that if Christ is omnipresent. If you can answer that, you can understand why we face East (if possible) when praying.

Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!
John.
 
Excellent observations! Roman Catholics used to face East as well as did their priests.

Dan L
 
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prodromos:
Not only are Orthodox churches built facing East, but Orthodox are also buried facing East so they will rise facing Christ at the second coming 🙂

I believe that Catholics pray facing the Host when at adoration. Why do you do that if Christ is omnipresent. If you can answer that, you can understand why we face East (if possible) when praying.

Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!
John.
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Conrad Richter, in the Trees, first volume of his trilogy about settlement of Ohio, writes of the mother of the family dying, and asking to be buried facing east so she will be ready on resurrection morning. This was a family of uneducated pioneers, raised in a bible-based non-conformist (non-Anglican) protestant tradition. Somebody mentioned here an old hymn called “People, look East” the last time we discussed this topic.
 
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prodromos:
Not only are Orthodox churches built facing East, but Orthodox are also buried facing East so they will rise facing Christ at the second coming 🙂

I believe that Catholics pray facing the Host when at adoration. Why do you do that if Christ is omnipresent. If you can answer that, you can understand why we face East (if possible) when praying.
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puzzleannie:
Conrad Richter, in the Trees, first volume of his trilogy about settlement of Ohio, writes of the mother of the family dying, and asking to be buried facing east so she will be ready on resurrection morning.
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Hi John, Puzzleannie:

Very interesting points! Thank you.
 
I think that the question of what direction one prays is a valid one.

Personally, in my life I haven’t really paid attention to which direction I am facing when I pray, but, I find it beautiful when I read about Eastern Catholics or of the Orthodox and how they pray facing East. It just seems there is an added dimension and richness to it.

I think it is also wonderful how Eastern Catholics/Orthodox families have “Icon Corners” placed in an Eastern corner of their home or apartment.

The “Light of the East” program on EWTN about Eastern Catholics is very enjoyable and I try to record it when I can remember…

How I wish more RC’ers would take the time to know more about our Eastern Catholic brethern.

God bless all
 
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Maryam:
I find it beautiful when I read about Eastern Catholics or of the Orthodox and how they pray facing East. It just seems there is an added dimension and richness to it.
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Yes, that’s the point. If we give no thought to direction we’re missing something very important.

Christ was crucified facing West.

I wonder why it is impossible for so many of the folks on this thread to grasp the enormous significance of that fact for all of us?
 
Ave Maria Radio now carries Father Loya’s radio broadcasts about “Light of the East”. They are most informative as well. They are carried on Relavent Radio as well. If you can’t get either go to our website www.byzantinecatholic.com Click on radio, and click any of the dates. My testimony is on October 17 if anyone is interested.

Dan Lauffer
 
I tend to face inward, toward my soul. It’s where I feel closest to God.
 
I realy have no Idea which compass direction to pray so I chose it does not matter.
 
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ImperialPhoenix:
I realy have no Idea which compass direction to pray so I chose it does not matter.
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If you had read post # 9 above you would have found out that it does matter.
 
Romano,

I do wish people would read a thread before responding to it. It is most frustrating.

Dan L
 
These are all suggestions for personal piety, referring in no way about the effectiveness of prayer said in one direction or another. Our Lord taught us how to pray and it didn’t include anything about which direction to face.

:blessyou:
 
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romano:
If you had read post # 9 above you would have found out that it does matter.
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Well, you do have to understand that I am a fallen Catholic whom when agnostic at a very young age and thus was not properly tought in Catholic life and rituals ;).
 
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Augustine:
These are all suggestions for personal piety, referring in no way about the effectiveness of prayer said in one direction or another. Our Lord taught us how to pray and it didn’t include anything about which direction to face.

:blessyou:
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You know, Augustine, that presuppostion is yours not the Church’s or ours. Please, read post #9. Until you do and until you comment on that your post is a bit insulting.

Dan L
 
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