One of many beautiful aspects of the Catholic Faith is that, when properly practiced, nearly every ritual and ceremonial act, has a deep significance. Praying towards the east is one great example. This symbolism was articulately explained by Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, in his book, The Spirit of the Liturgy:
Christians look toward the east, the rising sun. This is not a case of Christians worshiping the sun, but of the cosmos speaking of Christ. The song of the sun in Psalm 19 (18) is interpreted as a song about Christ when it says: “[The sun] comes forth like a bridegroom leaving his chamber…Its rising from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them”…Christians interpret it in terms of Christ who is the living Word, the eternal Logos, and thus the true light of history who came forth in Bethlehem from the bridal chamber of the Virgin Mother and now pours out his light on all the world. The east supercedes the Jerusalem temple as a symbol. Christ, represented by the sun is the place of the Shekinah, the true throne of the living God…
Praying towards the east means going to meet the coming Christ. The liturgy, turned toward the east, effects entry, so to speak, into the procession of history towards the future, the New Heaven and the New Earth, which we encounter in Christ. It is a prayer of hope, the prayer of the pilgrim as he walks in the direction shown us by the life, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ…
But, finally, this turning towards the east also signifies that cosmos and saving history belong together. The cosmos is praying with us. It too is waiting for redemption. It is precisely this cosmic dimension that is essential to Christian liturgy. It is never performed solely in the self-made world of man. It is always a cosmic liturgy. The theme of creation is embedded in Christian prayer. It loses its grandeur when it forgets this connection. That is why, whenever possible, we should definitely take up again the apostolic tradition of facing the east, both in the building of the churches and in the celebration of the liturgy.
It seems the the Church, especially in the USA, has lost any sense of the eschatalogical. Praying east, fortified by sound catechesis, could perhaps recover one of the key themes of the earliest Church which seems to have little practical impact among today’s Catholics (and incidentally is often wrongly and dangerously interpreted and applied among many Protestant churches where it is emphasized).
David Bennett
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nicenehobbit
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papaz
August 31, 2008 at 11:20 pm
While we mustn’t be legalistic about such things (since God is everywhere), I too think prayer “ad orientem” should be restored. Personally, I have always prayed facint Eastward, toward the Holy City and in particular the Tomb of Our Lord.
It’s funny - after Vatican 2 altars began to be turned around with priest facing AWAY from the East, the reason being given that facing the congregation was the most ancient way. But, IN FACT, almost universally, East and West, church buildings were constructed so that both people and priest faced Eastward.
I HOPE that we begin to return to the more ancient custom but I really do doubt that will ever happen, especially in America. HOWEVER, as individuals in private prayer we may do as we like…so, by all means, face East.
September 5, 2008 at 8:27 am
I agree, when one learns the Church it’s immediately clear that it is the truth. Everything that we as a Church has a deeper meaning, and it’s important to me to try and learn them.