|
Findings and proposals of the First Liturgical Symposium The theme: Of water and the Spirit. The Mystery of Holy Baptism, yesterday and today. Two (2) cadres from each Sacred Metropolitanate and from among the Clergy specially interested in Divine Worship were officially invited to attend the Symposium. In all seventy (70) representatives from fifty (50) Metropolitanates participated. In addition many professors, students of Theology, seminarians and other interested parties attended. Thus the total number of participants came to approximately one hundred and fifty (150). The chief purpose of the Symposium was to study, on the basis of the History and Theology of Worship, those problems that arise today during the celebration of the Mystery of Holy Baptism and to specify the pastoral and ceremonial measures needed to be taken in order to put forth the significance of this Sacrament (Mystery) as the first-fruits of man's renewal and re-birth in Christ and his incorporation into the communion of the Church. After the initial addresses given by the Chairman of the Organisation Committee, the Most Rev. Metropolitan Panteleimon of Veroia and Naousa, and Dr. Evangelos Theodorou, Professor Emeritus of the Theological School of the University of Athens, the programme consisted of eleven (11) individual papers delivered by the following distinguished speakers: The Most Rev. Metropolitan Ioannis of Pergamon delivered a paper on: "Holy Baptism and the Divine Liturgy." The Most Rev. Metropolitan Ierotheos of Navpaktos and St. Vlasios delivered a paper on "The dynamic of the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on the contemporary world." Archimandrite Georgios Chrysostomou delivered a paper on: The Pre-Baptismal Services - A teletourgical (ceremonial) review". Protopresbyter Georgios Metallenos, Professor of the Theological School of the University of Athens, delivered a paper on: "Of Water and the Spirit - The Theology of Holy Baptism." Protopresbyter Michael Kardamakis, Dr. of the University of Athens, delivered a paper entitled: "Baptismal formation of the faithful and Orthodox Spirituality." Protopresbyter Demetrios Tzerpos, Dr. of the University of Athens, delivered a paper on: Holy Baptism as practised in today's Parish--Findings and Proposals". Protopresbyter Constantinos Strategopoulos delivered a paper on: "Holy Baptism and External Missions" Dr. Ioannis Phountoulis, Professor Emeritus of the University of Thessaloniki delivered a paper entitled: "Adult Baptism, Infant Baptism, Emergency Baptism--a ceremonial review". Dr. Panagiotis Skaltsis, Assistant Professor of the University of Thessaloniki, delivered a paper on: "The Historical Development of the Service of Holy Baptism". Dr. Theodoros Yiangou, Assistant Professor of the University of Thessaloniki, delivered a paper on: "Baptism and the Reception of Heretics and Schismatics". Dr. Georgios Philias, Assistant Professor of the University of Athens, delivered a paper on: "The Mystery of Holy Chrismation". The work of the Symposium encountered no difficulties and was crowned with success. To this His Beatitude, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece greatly contributed by his presence. He not only presided over the sessions but also by his interventions inspired the Symposium's participant with a spirit of responsibility and optimism in their undertaking to create a renewal in the area of Divine Worship. After the Symposium, the Organisation Committee mentioned above, wrote down and elaborated upon its findings, which can be summarized as follows: a) First of all, both the speakers as well as all the participants stressed the importance of the initiative undertaken by the Holy Synod and the Special Synodal Committee on Divine Worship and Pastoral Work to convoke the First Pan-Hellenic Liturgical Symposium for the cadres of the Sacred Metropolitanates. A strong desire was expressed that the convocation of such a symposium become an annual institution with an aim towards progressively examining in depth all the liturgical problems facing our Church today. Keeping in mind that the Holy Synod decided to establish a Special Synodal Committee on Liturgical Renewal, a proposal was made that the organisation of such a symposium become the competency and responsibility of this newly established Synodal Committee. b) The Participants in the Symposium considered the choice of the Mystery of Holy Baptism as the theme of the present First Symposium to be quite successful, since, on the one hand, this Sacrament constitutes the first-fruits of man's rebirth in Christ, and the gateway through which he enters into the communion of the Church, while on the other hand, the nature of the problems that arise during its celebration demand the taking of immediate measures for the restoration of the harm done to its liturgical and pastoral practice. Most indicative of this was the expressed desire of the representatives of the Dioceses that the entire mechanism of the Church be put into action to correct these problems. c) The Symposium demonstrated that the first priority amongst the existing problems is to put forth the soteriological significance of the Sacrament of Holy Baptism as man's participation "through water and the Spirit" in the Mystery of the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ. Because in today's practice in the parishes this truth is overturned by the tendency to reduce the Sacrament to a family - social affair within the prevailing secular spirit, the development and popularization of Baptismal Theology is the first goal towards which from now on the Church should direct its pastoral efforts. As its second goal the Symposium set the examination and improvement of the pastoral prerequisites under which the Sacrament of Holy Baptism is celebrated today. It is of the opinion that because of the prevalence of Infant Baptism the Church's attention should turn towards the parents and God-parents, with whose permission and responsibility the infants are baptised. Finally, the third goal set by the Symposium and arising from the overall discussion of its theme is the establishment of ceremonial order in general and the facilitation of those officiating at the Sacrament in overcoming problems arising from current ceremonial practice. In order to achieve all three goals it is imperative that specific measures be taken immediately, the success of which will largely depend upon the coordinated and consistent efforts of the parties involved in the issue, i.e. the Holy Synod, the Sacred Metropolitanates and the individual parishes. The measures proposed are the following: The immediate publication of the Minutes of the Symposium and their widest possible distribution, free of charge. The immediate publication by the periodical "Ecclesia", in a special issue, of the text written by Professor Ioannis Phountoulis and entitled: "Holy Baptism, an Historical and Ceremonial Review" and its free distribution to all the Clerics of the Church of Greece on the occasion of the Feast of Christmas 1999. The evaluation and codification by the Special Synodal Committee on Liturgical Renewal of the observations and proposals concerning the manner in which the Sacrament of Holy Baptism is carried out today, made by distinguished Liturgicists (Pre-Baptismal Services, Infant Baptism, Adult Baptism, Emergency Baptism, The celebration of Baptism within the Divine Liturgy, The Service of the re-induction of schismatics and heretics into the Church). On the basis of this, the publication of the Service of Holy Baptism accompanied by a brief liturgical and pastoral commentary and instructions for the Priest. The official establishment of pre-baptismal spiritual interviews of the parish priest with the parents and sponsor of the child to be baptised which serve as a substitute for the pre-baptismal preparation no longer prevalent today. The systematic organisation in every diocese of the religious instruction (catechism) for the adult candidates for Baptism and the assigning to a competent collaborator the composition of an easily understood Orthodox Catechism, which is to be translated into many languages, for this purpose. The proclamation of a Pan-Hellenic theological-literary contest for the writing of new aids suitable for the baptismal and the liturgical formation, in general, of the faithful of all ages. The creation for every programmed Baptism of a Dossier entitled "Licence of Baptism" containing, at least, a) a declaration by the parents that they undertake the responsibility to raise their child which is to be baptised in a Christian manner. b) An Affidavit from the competent Church officials that the sponsor is an Orthodox Christian. c) printed catechetical materials officially approved by the Church, to be given obligatorily to all who wish to be informed. The establishment in every diocese of a Special Office for Baptisms for the purpose not only for the administrative examination and filing of the information derived from the Dossiers "Licence for Baptism" but also for its better pastoral use on both the parish and the diocesan level. Here we especially note the examination and the possible improvement and replacement of the means used to record such information (books, documents, commemorations etc.) The organizing, in each diocese, of special Priestly gatherings (Synaxeis) with a purpose towards the formation and sensitization of the clergy in dealing with all the problems that arise today during the celebration of Holy Baptism. The establishment of certain official Baptismal days in the Church calendar (e.g. Holy and Great Saturday, the Feast of Epiphany, Pentecost) and the exemplary celebration by the bishops or by other specially mandated clergy, of mass baptisms, especially of adults and the controlled encouragement of the celebration of this Holy Sacrament within the Divine Liturgy. The codification of the canonical and legal regulations relating to the celebration of Holy Baptism and their synoptic presentation for pastoral use. Concern for the improvement of the baptismal training and formation offered by the catechetical aids used in the Church Sunday Schools and the text books on Religion used in the primary and secondary public schools. Collaboration with the Church Seminaries and the Theological Schools for the better education of future priests in the pastoral and ceremonial aspects of Holy Baptism and the other Sacraments. When the opportunities present themselves, the baptismal education of the people through sermons, radio and television programmes, publications, parental instruction, etc., and the administrative regulation of problems arising from various professionals such as photographers, florists, etc, during the celebration of the Sacred Mysteries in general. The setting up on the internet of a united "parochial" website for the Church of Greece providing all necessary information for the performance of Holy Baptism and the other Holy Sacraments. Care for the production, according to ecclesiastical specifications, of the various objects used during the Sacrament of Holy Baptism such as oil, candles, clothing, jewelry etc, by various merchants and the study of the possibility of having these items produced and distributed by the monasteries. The drawing up by the Office for the building of Churches, together with other competent authorities, a model for a contemporary baptistery and mandatory provisions for such a place in the plans (blueprints) all new large churches as well as the study of the possibility of creating such a space in existing churches, at least in the seats of the dioceses. The programming of the publication of a series of Synodal decisions and encyclicals for the initial approval and realisation of all of the above-mentioned measures and all that may be deemed necessary in the future. |
 |
|