Introduction to Byzantine Liturgy (E) 1,6

This is the sixth lecture in the course on Byzantine Liturgy offered by Thomas Pott, in which we explore together the richness of the Byzantine liturgical tradition. The course introduces its rituals, traces the history of their development, and uncovers the depth of its spiritual and liturgical heritage, paying attention both to their theological meaning and to their lived experience in prayer.

Particular attention is given to the liturgical life of Saint Michael’s Fellowship at La Rivelaine, so that this tradition is not only studied in theory but also encountered in its concrete and living expression.

The lectures are held once a month: normally on the first Sunday of the month in French, the second Sunday in Dutch, and the fourth Sunday in English.

In this sixth session, we will examine the structure of the Byzantine Eucharist (the Divine Liturgy) by tracing its origins in the biblical and pre-patristic tradition. Our aim is to explore how the Eucharist developed from the primitive kerygma into a richly structured liturgical rite, in which ritual development and theological reflection evolved hand in hand.

The liturgical tradition on which we shall focus is what we referred to in the previous lecture primarily as the Cathedral Liturgy. This lecture will lay the foundation for our subsequent exploration of the interaction between the cathedral and monastic liturgical traditions during the period we have called A Tale of Two Cities and Two Deserts.

Anyone interested in liturgy, spirituality, or the Christian tradition is warmly welcome.