From the sublime to the blasphemous illuminating

I am sorry that I have been away so long, but between taking care of my wife, Beth, and studying for the California Bar Exam (coming up in late February; please pray for me!), I have not taken what little time I have had left to cultivate this particular garden.

Nonetheless, two thing impel me to write: I have just found a lovely website of an Athonite Greek Orthodox monastery in Arizona: St Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery. For those who do not know what Athonite means, I will explain: The center of Orthodox monasticism is the communities of monks at Mount Athos (in existence since about the 8th century A.D.). Apparently, a group of Athonite monks were sent by their hegumen (or abbot) to start a monastery and convert our nation to Orthodoxy. Considering what we have available in mainline protestantism, and considering what I am to write about soon, I hope they succeed.

As this webpage deals (or at least should deal) with Eastern and Western liturgical music, I am happy to say that part of the Monastery's work is in the setting of Byzantine Athonite chant into English (both Elizabethan and Modern). A list of its works, available in pdf and in Finale files, can be found here. They also have an impressive list of links, including but not limited to a number of sets of internet courses for learning Byzantine chant, all of which may be found here.

And now, for the other, less pleasant part of my task. I have previously written a letter to a friend regarding what happened to me yesterday, Friday, January 21st.

Dear J.

I'm at the Los Angeles County Law Library, attempting, not too successfully, to study for the bar and to do research. I'm still reeling from the past two hours' events.

Basically, I went with Beth to downtown L.A. so she could work in the gardens at Mary's house. I walked to the Metrolane terminal at Western and Wilshire, and
took the Metrolane to downtown LA. I got turned around at the right terminal, and went to the exit that was almost directly in front of the Cathedral, instead of the one next to the Law Library. "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I/ I took the road less traveled by/ and that has made the difference." Or something like that.

I was there in time for midday mass, and it was not too obnoxious, save that the music favored the usual Haagen/Haas type of drivel. The priest actually gave a sermon that had something to do with the saint of the day, the Roman martyr Agnes, and (gasp!) actually spoke out against abortion. Amazing. Most of the time that I sojourned among the RCs, the homilist usually was talking about his golf
game.

It was what happened afterwards that messed me up. Apparently, after the Mass, there was a large procession walking out of one of the conference rooms in the gift shop/cafeteria area, with two liturgical dancers holding large white banners (or sails; I wasn't quite sure which), and many people in various liturgical garments (or costumes; again, it was difficult to tell) going towards the cathedral. They apparently lit a fire in a large BBQ pit near the entrance of the cathedral, and a gringo with a mike and amplifier started singing "This is the night of resurrection/este es la noche de la resurrecion." After a few minutes of this, they left. One of the security people sprayed the fire with an extinguisher, but for some reason the fire started up again about a minute after the security guy left.

Someone came up to me and asked what had gone on. I said, "I'm not sure, but I suspect it's a group of litugists who have concocted some new ritual which they will be springing on the people in the near future. Expect to see it in your parish soon." Unfortunately, as I later learned, I was not indulging in cynicism, but in prophesy.

After getting something for lunch at the overpriced Cafeteria, I went up to the room and floor where the conference was happening, and I found that it was in fact a group of liturgists (or liturgical advisors, or whatever nom de guerre liturgique that they happen to be going by these days) who were preparing new ideas for the celebration of the Triduum (i.e., Holy Thursday, Friday, and Saturday). The fire apparently was a part of the celebration in Holy Saturday when the paschal candles were lit. Sounds
good, but I made the mistake of asking one of the people in the book booths nearby whether this was taken from the practice of the lighting of the Holy Fire in the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and I got a blank look. Instead, he told me about an elaborate rigamarole, including the lighting and then the extinquishing and immersing of the Paschal Candle in a chalice.

Jay, I know of no practice, either Eastern or Western Christian, that is anywhere similar to what I was told. The only analogue that I know of is in the neopagan ritual reconstructions of Starhawk and others of her ilk, and those rituals have a phallic/vulval copulative symbolism which is not in keeping with Christianity, and certainly not with the Resurrection. Further, in Christian liturgical ritual, (both Eastern and Western) the lit Paschal candle signifies the Light of Christ and of the
Resurrection. That that Light is extinguished in a neopagan sexual ritual
is nothing less than blasphemy.

And I thought I was upset by the neopagan prayer/ritual on the RC Archdiocese of San Francisco's website! (which now, apparently, has been taken off, probably because of the outcry over it!)

At any rate, I got some free literature from the groups that are hosting this travesty (e.g., GIA, Liturgical Press, World Library Publications) and as I was walking out the door, I could not help but start singing from memory the first Ode of the Paschal Matins (which Orthodox sing at Pascha Midnight):

This is the Day of Resurrection,
Let us be illumined, O people!
Pascha, the Pascha of our God.
For from death to life
and from Earth to Heaven,
has Christ our God led us,
As we sing the song of victory:
Christ is risen from the dead!

I fear that if you are going to be trying to catechise these people, you are in for a hard time. But we're used to that, aren't we?

Postscript: In reading this, I note that, to be fair, I have found no source other than the person at the booth attesting to the alleged blasphemous ritual. Assuming that there are any readers of this weblog, and assuming that any of them have attended the liturgical conference in question, I would appreciate it if such readers could give a better idea as to what actually happened at the conference.

Post-Postscript: I am greatly indebted to Han Ng, one of the readers of my weblog, who has both disabused me of my ignorance and shown me that quite probably, there was no blasphemous intent or practice among the liturgists I observed above. In the interest of truth, in the interest of confessing my mistake, and with Han Ng’s permission, I print his entire letter to me, as follows:

Although I too have little confidence in any liturgical committee of which the GIA is a prominent member, the general outline of the Easter ritual which you describe is not some novelty, but rather in conformity with the traditional Roman Easter liturgy.

Traditionally, (Great and) Holy Saturday liturgy in the Roman Rite consists of four parts: (1) the Blessing of Fire, (2) the Blessing of Water followed by the Baptism of Catechumens, (3) the Easter Vigil Mass and (4) part of Lauds. The first two will be described below.

The Blessing of the New Fire on Holy Saturday is not, to my knowledge, connected to the fire that comes down in the Church of the Anastasis in Jerusalem on Old Calendar Pascha, but rather a remnant of the blessing of fire each evening at Vespers. Although Roman Vespers no longer has any ritual of light, the ritual was maintained in the Easter liturgy, and is maintained in our own Byzantine Vespers in the Phos Hilaron entrance with the light. In the Roman Easter liturgy, a fire is first blessed outside of the church building by prayers and the sprinkling of holy water. At this time, the Paschal candle is also prepared by blessing incense (which will be pushed into the Paschal candle) and carving a cross with an Alpha above, an Omega below, and one digit of the year in each quadrant. The Paschal candle is not lit at this time, however, but brought into the church building in procession with a different (ordinary) candle. The procession stops three times, and each time, the priest or deacon proclaims, “Lumen Christi!” (the Light of Christ) to which the congregation (or acolytes) respond, “Deo Gratias.” (thanks be to God).

Thereafter, the deacon chants the Exultet, an English translation of which can be found below:

Let the angelic choirs of heaven now rejoice, let the divine mysteries be celebrated with joy, and let the trumpet of salvation resound for the victory of such a King. Let the earth also rejoice, illumined with such brightness; and enlightened with the splendor of the eternal King, knowing that the darkness of the whole world is dispersed. Let Mother Church be glad, adorned with the brightness of such light; and may this hall resound with the joyful voices of the people. Wherefore I entreat you, dearest brothers, who are here present in the wonderful brightness of this holy light, to invoke with me the mercy of almighty God. That He who has been pleased to number me, not through my own merits, among the Levites, may pour forth His brightness upon me, and enable me to celebrate the praise of this candle. Through our Jesus Christ His Son, our Lord who lives and reigns with Him and the Holy Spirit, God, unto the ages of ages.

R: Amen.

(At this point, the tone switches to the tone of the Preface, the same tone used to start the Anaphora at Mass)

V: The Lord be with you.
R: And with your spirit.
V: Lift up your hearts.
R: We lift the up unto the Lord.
V: Let us give thanks unto the Lord.
R: It is meet and right.

It is truly meet and right to proclaim with all affection of heart and mind and with the service of our voice, the invisible God, the Father almighty, and His only-begotten Son, out Lord Jesus Christ, who paid for us the debt of Adam to His eternal Father, and by His merciful blood washed away the obligation of ancient sin. For this is the Paschal solemnity, in which the true Lamb is slain, with whose blood the doorposts of the faithful are hallowed. This is the night on which You first caused our forefathers, the children of Israel, led out of Egypt, to cross the Red Sea with dry feet. Therefore this is the night which cleansed the darkness of sinners by the light of the pillar. This is the night which today restores grace throughout the world and unites in holiness those who believe in Christ, separated from the vices of the world and the darkness of sinners. This is the night in which, destroying the bonds of death, Christ rises victorious from hell. For it would have profited us nothing to have been born, unless redemption had also been bestowed upon us. O wonderful condescension of Your mercy towards us! O inestimable affection of charity: You delivered up Your Son to redeem a slave! O truly needful sin of Adam which is destroyed by the death of Christ! O happy fault that merited so great a Redeemer! O truly blessed night which alone deserved to know the time and hour in which Christ rose again from the grave! This is the night of which it is written: And the night shall be enlightened as the day; and the night shall be my light in my delight. Therefore the holiness of this night puts to flight all wickedness, cleanses faults, and restores innocence to the fallen and gladness to the sorrowful. It puts to flight hatred, brings peace and humbles pride.

(At this point the deacon push the grains of incense into the candle into the carved cross—one on each end and one at the crossing)

Therefore, in the grace of this sacred night, receive, holy Father, the evening sacrifice of this incense, which holy Church presents to You by the hands of Your ministers in the solemn offering of this candle of wax, the work of bees. Now we know the excellence of this pillar, which the glowing fire enkindles in honor of God.

(At this point the deacon lights the Paschal candle)

Which, although divided into parts, suffers no loss from its light being borrowed. For it is nourished by melting wax, which the mother bee produced for the substance of this precious lamp.

(At this point the lamps are lit from the Paschal candle)

O truly blessed night, which despoiled the Egyptians and enriched the Hebrews! A night in which heavenly things are united to the earthly and the divine to the human. Therefore we implore You, Lord, that this candle, consecrated in honor of Your name, may continue to burn to destroy the darkness of this night. And accepted into the odor of sweetness, may it be mingled with the lights of heaven. May the morning star find its flame alive, that star which knows no setting; that star which, returning from hell, shone serenely upon mankind. We beseech You, therefore, Lord, that You would grant a peaceful season during these Paschal solemnities, and vouchsafe to rule, govern, and preserve with Your constant protection Your servants, all the clergy and Your most devoted people, together with out most blessed Pope N. and our Bishop N. Look also upon those who govern us with authority, and through the ineffable gift of Your goodness and mercy, guide their thoughts towards justice and peace; that, when their toils are over on earth, they, and all Your people, may come at last to their heavenly home. Through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God, unto the ages of ages.

R: Amen.

After the lighting of the Paschal candle, the Blessing of Water begins. The Latins do the Great Blessing of Water not at Theophany, as we do, but rather at Easter. The Blessing begins with 12 Old Testament prophecies with a collect between each one. There is then a procession to the baptistery (or font) and the blessing begins with a prayer in the tone of the Preface, then divides the water in the form of a cross with his hand. There follows another prayer, and then the priest “lays hands” (touches) the water. He then makes the sign of the cross over the water thrice with another prayer, divides the water in the form of a cross again and sprinkles some in each direction. After this the priest breathes on the water in the form of a cross three times, then dips the Paschal candle into the water three times, each time a bit lower, and each time saying “May the power of the Holy Spirit descend into all the water of this font.” After this, the priest pours in some of the Oil of the Catechumens, and some of the Holy Chrism, and mixes it all together, spreading it also onto the vessel. Again, appropriate prayers accompany all of the movements. At this point, catechumens are baptized and the faithful renew their baptismal vows. The Blessing of Water concludes with the Litany of Saints, which is a long list of saints’ names chanted—to each the people respond “pray for us” and a litany of intercession, similar to our Great Litany, to each prompt, the people respond “we pray You hear us.” Mass then begins at the reading of the Epistle.

Note that this describes the Easter Vigil liturgy as it existed before the liturgical changes of the late ‘60s/early ‘70s. Things might have changed since then, but it nevertheless seems that the general order is still the same. Additionally, I would note that while there may be some sexual imagery to the dipping of the candle into the water, it is not very much different from our own Blessing of Water on Theophany.