Praying in Choir
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 279
    One Sister from another Religious Community asked us why we face each other rather than the tabernacle when chanting the Divine Office. Typically, the answer we give is because of the theology behind it, the fact that we act as the Voice of the Church, the Bride of Christ, and the Conversation aspect of it.

    The question that was posed, is whether there are actual documents that explain what it means to "pray in choir" and which positions should be used. It seems to me that it depends on each Religious Community but lets say a Religious Community didn't have any indications... are there any official documents that say what to do in those cases? Standing, sitting, bowing, turning to the altar, turning toward each other, etc?
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 1,955
    Books such as Stercky's Manuel de liturgie et cérémonial (unfortunately not yet translated into English, not in full) go into great detail; his concerns secular canons and clergy of the Roman rite in the majority of major churches and parishes, but in lieu of a proper tradition, such as the Benedictines or Dominicans etc. it could and should be adapted to the needs of religious without a mother tradition (there is very little which needs adapting to the Liturgia Horarum: nothing says, for example, that you can't silently pray the private prayers kneeling and a silent Pater and Ave standing before the hour; the only trick is the position of the hymn is uniform in the LH).
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,371
    Monastics had been chanting the Office for well over a thousand years before Tabernacles became a feature of churches, probably over 1500 years. Previously the place of reservation of the Blessed Sacrament was not a focus for worship, even if it was a pyx suspended near an altar.
    Thanked by 4M. Jackson Osborn CHGiffen tomjaw Liam
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 279
    yes, I am aware of that... and my personal opinion is that facing each other has many many benefits theologically and technically (it helps the chant go smoother)... but this sisters wants to see actual documents rather than opinions.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,371
    In this case the evidence of church buildings throughout the ages should suffice to show that choirs are normally built in facing rows. It is change that requires evidence .If immemorial tradition were documented it would not be immemorial, and unlike fragile documents we have here evidence set in stone.
    Thanked by 2Chris Garton-Zavesky MatthewRoth
  • monasteryliturgistmonasteryliturgist
    Posts: 279
    the only question I have about that -which could be just particular to that situation... When I lived in Italy, every single poor clare monastery we went to (including San Damiano in Assisi) had a choir which did not face each other ... but maybe that is just something particular to the Franciscans? Im wondering if there are other cases of older orders who chose that method... and why?
  • Liam
    Posts: 4,944
    I would not be surprised if the versus orientation were adopted in the early centuries of public liturgy (post-Toleration, that is) because the original nature of antiphons is that they sound against, as it were. A concurrent focus on the tabernacle is a development of centuries later. I can imagine that monastic chapels of religious sisters might have developed more of a focus on the tabernacle than those of religious brothers because there would not necessarily be a priest on premises to offer daily Mass in the former as contrasted to the latter.
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