Ad Orientem

There has been a bit of conversation about ad orientem over the past few days, prompted by the publication of a book, and its presentation in Rome. Fr. Z of What Does the Prayer Really Say was there:

Today I attended the presentation of a book.  The Italian edition of Uwe Michael Lang’s book Turning Towards The Lord (in Italian Rivolti al Signore: l’orientamento nella preghiera liturgica.  Cantagalli, 2006.  Ignatius Press originally published it in English in 2004.)  The preface was by Joseph Card. Ratzinger, whom I think you know.  One of the presenters was Archbishop Malcolm Ranjith who is the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments (CDWDS). 

The book is a positive contribution to the discussion of the importance of rethinking the now prevailing practice of celebration of Holy Mass "toward the people" (versus populum) and making a move back to an orientation of the Eucharistic liturgy "toward God" (versus Deum  or versus orientem).  Uwe picks up on work already provided by scholars like Klaus Gamber, Joseph Jungmann, Max Thurian, Louis Bouyer, and Joseph Ratzinger.

Without descending onto the old Mass v new Mass battlefield, Lang underscores the spiritual dimension of celebrations ad orientem versus.  While there is a strong argument for having the liturgy of the Word versus populum there is similarly a strong, even overwhelming argument in favor of versus Deum celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy.  Without repeating the argument of the whole book, in the case of the former there is a proclamation, while in the case of the latter having priest and people all "oriented" opens the celebration up to an eschatological dimension.  Another strong point of the book is the documentation of how the Second Vatican Council in no way required the repression of Latin or a tearing out of altars or a versus populum celebration.  He provides as well the rubrical evidence for ad orientem celebrations.

Those of us who grew up in a totally post-Vatican II environment are accustomed to hearing the ad orientem posture as one in which "the priest has his back to the people." A true description, but not actually literally true. Ad orientem means, not "back to the people" but, literally, "to the east."

The introductory chapter of the book, in English (for as Fr. Z. notes, it was published by Ignatius 2 years ago)

Reinhard Meßner notes that what is at issue is not the celebratio versus populum, but the direction of liturgical prayer that has been known in the Christian tradition as "facing east".28

My claim is that the intrinsic sense of facing east in the Eucharist is the common direction of priest and people oriented towards the triune God. The following chapters on the historical and theological dimensions of this traditional liturgical practice are meant to show that its recovery is indispensable for the welfare of the Church today.

Many of you know that this isn't just a Roman Catholic issue - Anglicans have traditionally worshipped ad orientem as well. Peter Toon, an Anglican theologian, offers a succint explanation here.

Likewise in the Episcopal Church, USA there has been a change in the last 30 years from the celebrant facing the East to facing the people (in fact the rubrics in the 1979 American prayer book taken at their face value actually presuppose that the priest will face East for the Eucharistic Prayer after the Sursum Corda).

“Ad orientem” is from “oriens” meaning “the rising sun”  -- thus “the East” or “the dawn” – and with the preposition “ad” ( “to” or “towards”).

In the Early Church the bodily posture of priest and people at the “Eucharistia” was a symbol of  Christian hope. Jesus Christ  was identified with the dawn and rising sun. And as such  His dawn (rising from the dead and then coming in glory) marks the consummation of all things and the restoration of Paradise (Eden lies in “the east”).  Not only the celebrant but the whole assembly, united in the one body of Christ, looked to the risen Lord who shall come in glory to restore all things.  The eucharistic feast is in anticipation of the messianic banquet at the consummation.

So “ad orientem” is not the priest being bad mannered with his back to the people, but it is the whole people of God looking with awe and joy at the resurrected Lord Jesus and in expectation and hope looking for his coming in glory.

Celebration “ad orientem” does not mean that the celebrant and assisting ministers face East all the time. When they address the people in the ministry of the Word they face the people, for here they are the messengers of God to his people. But when the whole assembly prays they all, laity and priests, face the risen and coming Lord Jesus. 

Cardinal Ratzinger's foreward to the book.

Comments

[Augustinianus]

I came to back to Catholicism from Eastern Orthodoxy, where of course the Divine Liturgy is always celebrated with priest and people together facing *ad orientem.* I would challenge anyone to find Orthodox Christians who would say that they experienced this as the priest's "turning his back on them." It is at once thoroughly natural and extraordinarily powerful: we are all turned toward the Lord in adoration and supplication.

[Nancy]

What unfortunatly has been lost in the liturgy debate is that it never stopped being permissible to celebrate the new Mass ad orientam. For example, in Wawel Cathedral in Krakow, a freestanding altar was never installed so liturgies have always been celebrated ad orientam at the high altar.

Benedict XVI is well aware that the havoc created at the time of the introduction of the new Mass was due in some part to abrupt changes made with very little, if any, instruction and preparation. It might be safe to say that he is going to be very careful with the way any upcoming reforms are planned and implemented.

[Agatha Faustina]

I'm in the Catholic church since 2001. I have often been dismayed about how little cradle Catholics value their faith and liturgy. I've heard comments about the Church being "Protestantized". As a former Protestant this can't be a good thing.

I've though for some time now that it would be better if the Priest faced East. It would maybe change the "It's all about us" attitude about so much worship. And maybe that would serve as witness to the Protestants, whose congregations lots of times have the same attitude.

Maybe if only for the Eucharistic prayers.

[Tom]

I think Nancy is right. At Our Saviour in NYC during High Mass (Novus Ordo) after the procession and incensing of the alar, Fr. Rutler makes the opening Sign of the Cross in front of the altar, ad orientem, then he turns to face the people for the greeting. If the Asperges is used instead of the "I confess," he sings the first line of that prayer (which is continued by the schola) facing ad orientem (before proceeding to bless the people). Elsewhere in the High Mass he turns ad orientem again for the Kyrie and Gloria and Credo. When I first encountered it I thought it was perfectly right given the liturgical instructions.

[Bender]

we are all turned toward the Lord in adoration and supplication.

The inference from such a comment, of course, is that when the priest is "ad populum," we are not all turned toward the Lord. And such an inference is not only error, but grievous error. Before the priest "faces the people" while ad populum, he first faces the Eucharist -- he faces Christ. It is the Lord that is at the center, not the priest.

It would maybe change the "It's all about us" attitude about so much worship.

With the Eucharist on the altar, it is not "all about us"; it is about Christ. To be sure, it seems to me that it is all too many of the ad orientum advocates who have embraced an "all about us" attitude. Instead of spending so much time worrying about which direction the priest is facing, spending so much time fretting about whether he says this right or that right, or in the proper language -- essentially putting their own preferences and judgments ahead of participating in the Mass -- perhaps they should focus on and rejoice at Christ really being present amongst them.

It is just and proper that Christ should be, literally, at the center of the Mass, and not "over there in the east." Moreover, the priest is not just another participant in worship -- he is in persona Christi, and for that reason, it is further just and proper that he should face us. Besides, it is patently erroneous to state that everyone faces the same direction when ad orientum. People sitting in the transept see the side of the priest whichever way he is facing.

[mulopwepaul]

To say the priest acts in persona Christi does not mean that the priest facing us is Christ; it furthermore does not mean that the priest in persona Christi is offering his prayers and sacrifice to us.

PVO

[Fr. Totton]

Acutally Bender - and Lange makes the argument in the book - the Eucharistic prayer is directed at the Father - as the Eucharistic Elements (the Sacrificial Lamb of God) are offered on the altar are offered as Sacrifice to the Father - so nobody is saying "lets pray to Christ who is over there in the east somewhere" but rather "FATHER, accept THIS offering as once you accepted..." As far as the priest being "In Persona Christi" - in the context of the Eucharistic Payer, it is not for the purpose of the Lord speaking to the people, but rather for Him, who is both priest and victim (and head of the body) to offer himself to the Father!

Just to be clear - many make the argument that there is a connection between the on-axis tabernacle and Ad Orientem - such is only co-incidental. Ad Orientem would be just as valid and meaningful a gesture if the tabernacle were located in a side chapel, but most priests who would advocate and implement ad orientem celebration of the Eucharist would also be loathe to relegate our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament to a broom closet.

If you want a reasoned (and reasonable) understanding of what is being said here, go read Lange's book - DO NOT respond with knee-jerk emotions and talking points from the now-defunct post-vatican II liturgical establishment.

[Maureen O'Brien]

I really don't understand why what was good enough for the apostles, good enough for the martyrs, and good enough for nearly 2000 years of Masses, is not good enough for us.

Look, I grew up with the new way of doing things, and I don't hate it. But the more I read the Fathers, the more I see how important this facing East thing has been to the Church.

Just to give two examples:

The Christ in the east psalm bit was one of the prime Scripture verses quoted by St. Justin in his First Apologia which explained the basics of the Faith. Surprised the heck out of me. And the more I read this stuff (and I haven't even read that far in the Fathers), the more that verse keeps coming up.

St. Cyril of Jerusalem even brought it up in his first Mystagogical Lecture. There he was, explaining the baptismal promises and renunciation of the Devil. Turned out that back then, they had folks turn to the West and tell the Devil personally that they renounced him. West, because that was the opposite direction to Christ.

Like I say, I don't know much about this all. But if a tradition has been going on that long, and has meant that much to that many people, then I am certainly not comfortable about it being dropped. I want to know by experience what those folks got from facing East, towards the direction of the coming of the Lord.

"People, look East" and all that....

[Richard]

It's a great book. Readable as theological texts go.

I encourage everyone to run and buy a copy.

[Agatha Faustina]

Thank you Fr Totten for that point -during the Mass it is Christ mediating between us and the Father and it is a sacrifice. I learned something.

[Jon W]

That arguments like "he has his back to us!" sounded plausible to people at all demonstrates the problem with the pre-Vatican II church. Catechesis and faith must be cultivated together till arguments like that are greeted with a quizzical stare and comments like, "Well, if we're all one body with Christ, how could he have his back to his own body?"

[Meggan]

Facing East. Ok, that's fine. But what if your church was constructed in such a way that if the priest and the people faced East, they'd be sitting sideways in the pews and the priest would have his side to the people?

Stupid question, I know, but I was just wondering?

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