ST. James liturgy: Syriac/Byzantine?

[Timos]

In the Eastern Orthodox church, the most common liturgy is that of St. John's. However the St. Basil liturgy is prayed twice a year and St. James is done once a year (depending on certain factors).

Now I've noticed that in the St. James' liturgy, communion is received in the hand (so I've been told), and the celebrant faces the people -something I find strange or just modern catholic. As for the St. Basil liturgy, it is exactly the same except for the prayers and one or 2 chants.

I've seen a Syrian Orthodox liturgy which I believe is the original St. James liturgy and the celebrant is not facing the people as the Byzantine St. James' liturgy does. My qestion is: which liturgy is more authentic in practise- NOT language or style of singing etc: the Syriac or Byzantine St. James? I was thinking perhaps the Byzantine version is more authentic because back in the 4th century, they would've been praying this liturgy first. THEN John Chrysostom penned his own. So the Byzantine St. James would've been the 4th century version of the liturgy (except in byzantine chant rather than syriac chant), and the Syriac liturgy of today is he gradual evolution of that original St. James liturgy.

Now, I'm not saying that the Byzantines are to be credited for the St. James liturgy AT ALL. What I'm saying is that the Byzantine would have received this liturgy from Jerusalem (ie. Syriac?) and have kept this liturgy unchanged as it is only to be prayed once a year- once St. John Chrysostom's liturgy was fully adopted by Constantinople. The liturgy of St. John is the liturgy which the byzantines allowed to evolve liturgically over the centuries.

These are just my speculations and I could be way off. Is this correct at all?

[zebu]

When I went to a Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church a few months back, I was asking the priest about the liturgy.  He said that the Syriac form of the Liturgy of Saint James has changed significantly over the centuries, and that many changes/additions/subtractions have been made.  He didn't really say anything about the Byzantine version though, but I can only assume that means the Byzantine one is the earlier version of the two. 

In the Eastern Orthodox church, the most common liturgy is that of St. John's. However the St. Basil liturgy is prayed twice a year and St. James is done once a year (depending on certain factors).

Wait.........At my church(OCA), we do Saint Basil's liturgy every Sunday of Lent, Nativity, Theophany, and the Feast Day of Saint Basil.  Is it different in the Greek Orthodox practice??

[Timos]

Zebu, my bad...I meant 10 times a year. As for Sndays of Lent I dnno because my priest would say the prayers whispering so it wouldn't really make a difference...though on other sundays where we'd pray St. Basil's he'd pray the prayers out loud so we know for sure its different.

[Tags:]

OrthodoxChristianity.net > Moderated Forums > Liturgy (Moderator: arimethea) > Topic: ST. James liturgy: Syriac/Byzantine?