Facing East
Posted by: tony on 02/07/2008 03:45 AM
Updated by: tony on 02/07/2008 03:45 AM
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Expires: 03/09/2008 12:00 AM
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People will probably think that this is going to be a diatribe in support of the priest facing ad orientem (toward east) which refers to liturgical east. Liturgical east is toward Christ who is the rising sun (Son?).
Even before Vatican II, the people always faced ad orientem, only before the promulgation of the Novus Ordo, the priest also faced toward Christ.
When our church was wrecktovated, the choir was moved from the choir loft in the back of the church to a spot directly to the right of, and slightly lower than the people. Thank heaven it is slightly lower than the sanctuary, but the hierarchical symbolism is unmistakable.
The other big problem is that the choir area faces the people, so like the priest we are "versus populum" (turned toward the people).
I have been singing from that location for almost 10 years, feeling uncomfortable and not knowing why. I finally realized that by facint the people, and not facing the same direction as them, I was placed in a "performance posture", able to gauge the success of my "performance" by being able to view the expressions on the faces of the people.
As I have been cantoring from the choir area, I have naturally turned toward the altar to actively participate in the mystery being celebrated there, but when I sat down, I was sitting down facing the people, or I turned sideways in the seat to listen to the word of God.
A few weeks ago, I finally decided to turn one of the chairs sideways so that I could sit in a more natural posture facing the celebrant, altar and tabernacle. I sincerely wish that we could dismantle this particular choir area and go back to singing behind the rest of the people, facing our Lord.
Who thinks these things up, and why do they believe they are good?
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