My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
THE DIVINE LITURGY IS A "CELEBRATION" [PANEGYRIS]
Every Divine Liturgy is A FESTAL EVENTS, A "CELEBRATION" (PANEGYRIS) [Hebrews 12:23], by "all [the people of God] gathered at the same place" [Acts 2:1]. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated AS A JOYOUS EVENT since the beginning by "the Ecclesia of the firstborn" (Hebrews 12:23) in the presence of "the Firstborn" [Romans 8:29]. The Christians assemble to CELEBRATE TOGETHER "THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD" [Acts 2:42] with "glad and generous hearts" (Acts 2:46). "Thus it was A JOYOUS SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING," notes Archbishop Paul of Finland, and, we add, IT MUST CONTINUE BEING ONE.
As the people of God, clergy and laity, come together to celebrate the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments), they are all active participants, singing and praising the Lord together. Joyful singing is a fundamental feature of all the services of the Orthodox Church–especially of the Divine Liturgy. For this reason the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated during the weekdays of Holy and Great Lent, as it would be unbecoming with its festive character. It is no wonder there is so much singing in the Divine Liturgy. The Divine Liturgy mirrors WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HEAVEN WHERE SINGING IS UNENDING, as we see in the Book of Revelation. The Heavenly Jerusalem is filled with the new song of hte redeemed! [Revelation 14:3].
Singing in church goes back to the Jewish worship and the psalms (songs) of David. Our Lord showed us the example. After instituting the Mystical (Last) Supper the Gospels record: "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives" [Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26]. Therefore, Saint John Chrysostom comments: "We like the hymns and verses by nature and the Lord instituted THE SINGING OF PSALMS FOR OUR PLEASURE AND BENEFIT. Saint Paul in his letter to the Ephesians writes: "Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, SINGING AND MAKING MELODY TO THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, ALWAYS AND FOR EVERYTHING GIVING THANKS IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO GOD THE FATHER" [Ephesians 5:18-20]. Similarly he urges the Colossians: "Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Ch. 3, v. 16). Saint Paul wrote these two letters while he was in prison, where in the midst of all his physical suffering and afflictions he did not cease to pray and to sing, as we read in Acts: "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them" (Acts 16:25).
From other early testimonies we learn that the Church WAS A SINGING CHURCH FROM THE BEGINNING. For example, the Jewish historian Philo of Alexandria (A.D. 40) tells us that the Christians often composed and sang songs and hymns and spent the whole night singing. The Roan Governor of Bithynia Pliny wrote (A.D. 110-112) about the activities of the Christians, in what is one of the earliest descriptions of a Church service we possess. He comments: "on an appointed day they ave been accustomed to meet before daybreak, and to recite a hymn antiphonally to Christ, as to a god." It is remarkable that these brave Christians did not refrain from singing in their gatherings despite the danger involved (on account of which they met before dawn).
It has been observed that, "Our Liturgy is the richest of the liturgical types of other religions and confessions when it comes to the singing element. All of our services are A CONTINUOUS SONG–OR SHOULD BE. The sacred melodies transport us from earth to heaven. The Divine Liturgy is A CONTINUOUS CELEBRATION. The Orthodox Church never knew of "low" masses and a multiplication of individual masses of intention that the West experienced. We chant from beginning to end. However, the Liturgy was NEVER MEANT TO BE A PERFORMANCE OR A SPECTACLE. It is chiefly A PARTICIPATORY SERVICE. THEREFORE THE FAITHFUL SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE SINGING AS WELL. Saint Augustine (A.D. 430) wrote: "Truly I see nothing better, more useful or more holy that THE PEOPLE COULD DO THAN SINGING." The Liturgy IS A SHARED ACTIVITY OF A PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER. NO OTHER SIGN BRINGS OUT THIS COMMUNAL DIMENSION SO WELL AS SINGING."
A CONCELEBRATION
CONCELEBRATION is a term applied when there is more than one celebrant priest or bishop celebrating the Divine Liturgy. In a non-technical application of the term, however, every Divine Liturgy IS A CONCELEBRATION, because the Divine Liturgy CANNOT BE CELEBRATED BY THE PRIEST ALONE. Therefore, we are to understand celebration as being always A CONCELEBRATION, S JOINT CELEBRATION OF THE PEOPLE WITH THEIR PRIEST OR BISHOP.
"The people standing in the church ARE NOT PASSIVE ATTENDEES BUT ARE CO-CELEBRANTS WITH THE OFFICIATING PRIEST OR BISHOP, and they must be able to follow the course of the Liturgy and PARTICIPATE IN THE PRAYERS. ONLY IN THIS WAY CAN THE LITURGY BE REAL LITURGY–COMMON WORSHIP–AND THE CHURCH AN ECCLESIA–THE PEOPLE OF GOD ASSEMBLED FOR THE EUCHARIST."
We should NOT lose sight of the horizontal dimension of concelebration, which UNITES THE FAITHFUL AS ONE BODY, HAVING ONE VOICE, EXCHANGING THE KISS OF PEACE AMONG THEM, AND FINDING THEIR UNITY PARTICULARLY IN THE ONE Bread and the one Cup of the One Lord they partake. This is pointed out by Saint John Chrysostom. [Resources: The Heavenly Banquet]
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"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
– Saint John Chrysostomos
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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious and Inspiring Descent,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George
The Eastern Orthodox Christian Ethos 