Topic: Devotion to the Passion in the East?

[HeruvimTajno]

I'm a Catholic of the Roman Rite, with a great love for Eastern Christianity (Hence, why I post here ). I am aware that devotional emphasis is primarily on the Resurrection and I am much on the same wavelength as EC's since I ran into it.
As we all know Romans are known for their intense devotion to the Passion.

I'm curious to find out of there are any examples of such strong devotion to the Passion in the east. Obviously, you don't have things like Stations, etc. but if anyone can name any saints who were very strongly devoted to the Passion, etc. I'd be very interested to know. I heard there was a Russian saint who was very Romanesque in his devotion to the Passion and had large icons of it written on the walls of his cell?

[NicholasMyra]

I'm curious to find out of there are any examples of such strong devotion to the Passion in the east. Obviously, you don't have things like Stations, etc.

On Good Friday, the priest processes around inside the church bearing the Cross, then literally crucifies a woodcut Jesus with little wooden nails.

During this time, people are singing things like "we worship thy passion, oh Christ..."

[mike]

In the 4 Fridays of the Great Fast there is a service called Passion when Gospel fragments about the Passion of Christ are read (one Friday for one Gospel, similarly to the Great Friday Matins).

There is also heavily influenced by the Latin Tradition service called "Cross song".

In Poland of course. I doubt they are served anywhere else (apart from Belarus etc.).

[Melodist]

All the services of Holy Week, especially thursday and friday.

[Deacon Lance]

Akathist to the Divine Passion of Christ

http://www.monachos.net/content/liturgics/liturgical-texts/236-akathist-to-the-divine-passion-of-christ

[scamandrius]

I Obviously, you don't have things like Stations, etc. but if anyone can name any saints who were very strongly devoted to the Passion, etc. I'd be very interested to know.

HeruvimTajno,

The EO don't divorce the Passion from the Resurrection which has happened in the West beginning with Bernard of Clarivaux who was a HUGE influence on Martin Luther which is why modern day confessional Lutheran/Protestant thought examines all theology through the lens of "theologia crucis." The Passion, the Harrowing of Hades and Resurrection are one continuous event.  Certainly, in the context of Great Friday, Holy Saturday and Pascha, one episode of that event is given more attention than the others, but never without reference or consideration of what came before or comes after.  Even on all the Sunday where the Resurrection and the Eothina at Orthros are all dedicated to narratives of the Resurrection, we still confess the crucifixion.

During the veneration of the Gospel, this hymn is chanted:

In that we have beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us adore the Holy Lord Jesus.  Thy Cross do we adore, O Christ and Thy Holy Resurrection we praise and glorify. Oh come all ye faithful, let us adore Christ's Holy Resurrection for lo, through the Cross, joy hath come into the world.  Ever blessing the Lord we praise His Resurrection for having endured the Cross, he destroyed death by His death.

Thus, aside from what has already been mentioned here, I don't think there are many EO saints who are driven by single thought to the Passion only.

[synLeszka]

In the 4 Fridays of the Great Fast there is a service called Passion when Gospel fragments about the Passion of Christ are read (one Friday for one Gospel, similarly to the Great Friday Matins).

There is also heavily influenced by the Latin Tradition service called "Cross song".

In Poland of course. I doubt they are served anywhere else (apart from Belarus etc.).

What is Cross Song in Polish and Slavonic? Pieśń o Krzyżu? Pieśni Krzyżowe..

[mike]

Krestnaja pieśń

[podkarpatska]

Krestnaja pieśń

Preterpyvy za nas Strasti? Krestu Tvojemu? ( This one does point out a nuanced difference between east and west....'Your Cross we adore, O Master, and Your Holy Resurrection we Glorify!) Jehda Nas Stras hotovilsja...O Isusu.... Pod Tvoj Krestu....

Most of these hymns are sung and retained as pious tradition and likely trace back to common routes with the Roman neighbors in the villages along the spine of the Carpathians from Maramaros through Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and western Ukraine, but never the less, they became a part of the spiritual heritage of the people.

[Schultz]

Krestnaja pieśń

Preterpyvy za nas Strasti? Krestu Tvojemu? ( This one does point out a nuanced difference between east and west....'Your Cross we adore, O Master, and Your Holy Resurrection we Glorify!) Jehda Nas Stras hotovilsja...O Isusu.... Pod Tvoj Krestu....

Most of these hymns are sung and retained as pious tradition and likely trace back to common routes with the Roman neighbors in the villages along the spine of the Carpathians from Maramaros through Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and western Ukraine, but never the less, they became a part of the spiritual heritage of the people.

I miss these hymns SO much during Lenten services at my OCA parish, esp. Preterpyvy.

[mike]

Preterpyvy za nas Strasti? Krestu Tvojemu? ( This one does point out a nuanced difference between east and west....'Your Cross we adore, O Master, and Your Holy Resurrection we Glorify!) Jehda Nas Stras hotovilsja...O Isusu.... Pod Tvoj Krestu....

I have no idea. I've never been to it. It's being removed from the service schedules now.

You can download the full text from here (and audio recordings too - I suppose).

[podkarpatska]

Preterpyvy za nas Strasti? Krestu Tvojemu? ( This one does point out a nuanced difference between east and west....'Your Cross we adore, O Master, and Your Holy Resurrection we Glorify!) Jehda Nas Stras hotovilsja...O Isusu.... Pod Tvoj Krestu....

I have no idea. I've never been to it. It's being removed from the service schedules now.

You can download the full text from here (and audio recordings too - I suppose).

You are right, I have never been to this service, although it was in the old Greek Catholic prayerbooks, it was not carried over when ACROD was formed as it is clearly an 'easternized' Stations of the Cross. I recall my father reminiscing about singing it in his youth before the schism of the 1930's.

I don't think that it is used in the Ruthenian Greek Catholic church in the US either as they have restored the Presanctified Gifts and Akathist services as well. Perhaps some Basilian served parishes still do, but I wouldn't know.

[Monk Vasyl]

What about in the Polish Catholic Church the Gorzkie Zale?