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Volos, 22-25 October 2000 1. The theme of the Symposium was that of "Liturgical Renewal" in our Church and it was studied in six sub-divisions. Two papers evoked discussion and study of the first sub-division. In the second and third sub-divisions the chief themes of Liturgical Renewal such as: -- the basic stages in the formation of the Liturgical taxis or order. -- the review and reexamination of our Liturgical books and readings -- Liturgical language as a means of participation of the people in Divine Worship. -- the Musical expression of the liturgical hymns and the possibility of their translation. In the fourth subdivision our study expanded so as to include related aspects of liturgical art and was enriched in the fifth sub-division by the experience attained from attempts at liturgical renewal in the other Orthodox Churches and in the West. With the sixth subdivision our efforts were completed by referring to the related pastoral problems. More specifically papers were delivered by the following: Professor Evangelos Theodorou, Professor Emeritus of the Theological School of Athens, delivered a paper on "Tradition and Renewal in the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church. Very Rev. Protopresbyter Sarantis Sarantos, Professdor of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School, delivered a paper on "Secularisation and Divine Worship". Very Rev. Protopresbyter Theodoros Koumarianos, Lecturer at the Theological School of the University of Athens, delivered a paper on "Basic milestones in the formation of the Liturgical Order (Typikon) of the Orthodox Church. Professor Ioannis Phountoulis, Emeritus Professor of the the Theological School of the University of Thessaloniki, delivered a paper on "The Problem of the revision of the Liturgical Books of the Orthodox Church". Professor Petros Vasileiadis of the Theological School of the University of Thessaloniki delivered a paper on "the Problem of the Revision of the Biblical Readings used in Divine Worship". Professor Georgios Philias of the Theological School of the University of Athens delivered a paper on "A General View of the Problem of the Liturgical Language as a means for the laity's Participation in the Worship of the Church". Professor Gregorios Stathis of the School of Philosophy of the University of Athens delivered a paper on "The Musical expression of the Liturgical Hymns and the Possibility of their being translated into the modern Greek Language". Mr. Aristeidis Panotis, Theological Professor, former Head of a Lyceum, delivered a paper on "The Liturgical Arts Today: Findings and Proposals". The Very Rev. Archimandrite Elias Mastroyiannopoulos delivered a paper on "The Contribution of the Christian Movements to the rekindling of the Liturgical Life during the latter Times". Professor Panagiotis Skaltsis of the Theological School of the University of Thessaloniki delivered a paper on "The Liturgical Movement of the Christian West and the Orthodox East". The Very Rev. Protopresbyter Nicolaos Ioannidis, Professor of the Theological School of the University of Athens, delivered a paper on "Attempts at Liturgical Renewal in the Orthodox Church of Russia and the other Slavic-speaking Churches". The Very Rev. Protopresbyter Constantinos Karaisaridis, Professor of the Theological School of Craiova, Romania, delivered a paper on "Attempts at Liturgical Renewal in the Orthodox Church of Romania". The Very Rev. Protopresbyster Demetrios Tzerpos Th.D. delivered a paper on "The Request for Active Participation of the Laity in Divine Worship Today". The Very Rev. Protopresbyter Eleutherios Chavatzas, Theological Professor and former head of a Lyceum, delivered a paper on "Pastoral Presuppositions for the cultivation of the Liturgical Life in today's Orthodox Parish in Greece". The Programme of the Symposium naturally included the daily liturgical services culminating in the celebration, by His Beatitude, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece, of the ancient Divine Liturgy by St. James, Brother of the Lord. The Symposium's target was to define the meaning of the term "Liturgical renewal" on the one hand, while on the other, to examine whether or not such a renewal is possible or desirable, and to specify the possible changes, improvements and adaptations of certain elements of Divine Worship. Special effort was made to make clear that by the use of the term "Liturgical Renewal" is meant: a) the conscientious participation in Divine Worship and the development of Liturgical formation in the Church's faithful (pleroma) so that they will not be passive participants and isolated from the liturgical action, but rather be initiated, through theology and Divine Worship into what transpires in the Church. b) the understantding of the words, types and symbols employed in Divine Worship, since Divine Worship is characterized as "reasonable" or "logical" Worship. c) the unity of the liturgical act through the various traditional liturgical types and forms, i.e. the use of a single teliturgical form, a single rite or typikon. It was found that the subjects were developed by the speakers on the basis of the scientific data from each section of Theology but at the same time taking into consideration present-day circumstances and the pastoral needs and demands of the body of the Church. The dialogue, noteworthy for its depth, carried on between the participants broadened the parameters of the issues. The Symposium's participants made noteworthy proposals and stated important view points, all noted by the Symposium's secretariat. Moreover, the Symposium issued daily press releases concerning its work, at the conclusion of which an Announcement was issued containing the following: "The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, convoked, under the auspices of the Special Synodal Committee on Liturgical Renewal, from October 22 -25, 2000 in Volos the Second Pan-Hollenic Liturgical Symposium having as its main theme: "Let us pleasingly Worship God - the demand for Liturgical Renewal in the Orthodox Church Today", with a purpose to study in depth the liturgical issues of Orthodox Worship today. The Liturgical Symposium was blest and honoured by the presence of His Beatitude, Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece. Also present were the Most Rev. Metropolitans Dionysios of Neapolis, Ignatius of Larisa, Vasileios of Elasson, Ignatius of Demetrias, Theocletus of Thessaliotis, and Daniel of Kaisariani. One hundred and twenty representatives from the Holy Metropolitanates, specialists, clergy and laity, participated in the work of the Symposium. During the Symposium fourteen papers dealing with aspects of the Symposium's theme were delivered by academic specialists. The Symposium was hosted by the local Metropolitanate of Demetrias. Worthy of note is the fact that the work of the Symposium, at least during its first sessions was followed by the local authorities, the Prefect, Mayors of the district, who addressed the Assembly by Members of the National Parliament. The two basic poles around which the discussions revolved were: a) the better understanding of the liturgical wealth of our Church and b) the greatest possible participation of the people in her sanctifying liturgical life. Up to the present the two thousand year old liturgical tradition of our Church constitutes a source of inspiration and a sure and guiding factor for the dealing with contemporary problems of Orthodox worship. At the same time, the serious needs of today's Christians and especially the new prevailing circumstances of urban life for the Church's faithful must be kept in mind. |
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