Feast of Orthodoxy
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The Feast of Orthodoxy (or Sunday of Orthodoxy) is on the first Sunday of Great Lent in the Byzantine Calendar (sixth Sunday before Easter)
[edit] History
It is kept in memory of the final defeat of Iconoclasm and the restoration of the holy icons to the churches on 19 February (which was the first Sunday of Lent), 842. A perpetual feast on the anniversary of that day was ordained by the Synod of Constantinople, and is one of the great feasts of the year among Orthodox and Greek-Catholics (Eastern Catholics of Byzantine rite).
The name "Orthodoxy" has gradually affected the character of the feast. Originally commemorating only the defeat of Iconoclasm, the word was gradually understood in a more general sense as opposition to all heterodoxy. In this way, though its first occasion is not forgotten, the feast has become one in honour of the true Faith in general. This is shown by its special service. After the Orthros and before the Holy Liturgy, a procession is made with crosses and pictures to some destined spot (often merely round the church). Meanwhile a Canon, attributed to St. Theodore of Studium, is sung.
Arrived at the place, the Synodicon is read. This Synodicon begins with the memory of certain saints, confessors and heroes of the faith, to each of whose names the people cry out: "Eternal Memory!" three times. Then follows a long list of heretics of all kinds, to each of which the answer is: "Anathema" once or thrice. The heretics comprise all the old offenders of any reputation, Arians, Nestorians, Monophysites, Monothelites, Iconoclasts and so on. Then comes again "Eternal Memory" to certain pious emperors, from Constantine the Great on.
There are inevitably differences between the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic lists, as well as minor differences between the Synodika of individual national churches. The Orthodox acclaim Photius, Cerularius, other anti-Roman patriarchs and many emperors. They curse Honorius among the Monothelites, the opponents of Hesychasm. The Greek-Catholic Synodica tend to omit a large number of these names. In tsarist Russia, politics had their place in the Synodikon; the emperor and his family were acclaimed; all are cursed who deny the divine right of the Russian monarchy and all who "dare to stir up insurrection and rebellion against it". The text of the Canon, Synodicon etc., and the rubrics will be found in either Triodion, Orthodox or Greek-Catholic.
[edit] Source
- This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913. [1]
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