Categoria: Ad Orientem, conversi ad Dominum

L’altare e l’orientamento della preghiera nella liturgia

La preghiera rivolta a oriente è una tradizione che risale alle origini ed è espressione fondamentale della sintesi cristiana di cosmo e storia, di attaccamento alla unicità della storia della salvezza e di cammino verso il Signore che viene.

Da: J. RATZINGER (BENEDETTO XVI), Introduzione allo Spirito della Liturgia, Ed. San Paolo, 2001, parte II, cap. III, “L’altare e l’orientamento della preghiera nella liturgia”.

Per una retta liturgia

Chi difende la riforma voluta dal Concilio accusa facilmente di «tradizionalismo» tutti coloro che si pongono il problema della posizione assunta dal sacerdote durante la Messa. Ma non si tratta di nostalgia e non è una fissazione. Si tratta invece di entrare nel significato profondo dell’azione liturgica. E, se si fa questo passo, la questione del conversi ad Dominum non può non apparire come decisiva. Come scrive bene don Finotti, «si deve riconoscere che celebrare la parte sacrificale della Messa (dall’offertorio alla comunione) rivolti nel medesimo senso verso il quale guarda l’intera assemblea, secondo la tradizione costante della Chiesa, suscita in modo immediato ed efficace quel comune (sacerdote e popolo) guardare ad Deum che è costitutivo della liturgia».

Articolo completo:

http://www.aldomariavalli.it/2018/04/26/per-una-retta-liturgia/

La celebración ad orientem

El rito romano actual contempla la posibilidad de celebrar viendo hacia el pueblo (versus populum) o, mirando hacia Dios (versum Deum), a lo que también se le conoce como celebrar al oriente (ad orientem). Es frecuente que se diga que se celebra “de espaldas al pueblo”, pero esta expresión solo significa la posición del celebrante respecto al pueblo, y no frente a Dios. Por eso, es mejor decirle “hacia Dios” o al oriente.

Celebrar sin ver al pueblo no es algo exclusivo de la forma extraordinaria. También en la ordinaria es permitido. Esto es una cosa común en muchos lugares. Todos los papas han celebrado así. En la Instrucción General del Misal Romano (IGMR) se contempla que los altares no deben de colocarse pegados a la pared, para dar la oportunidad de celebrar de cualquier lado de éste.

Cada una de estas dos posibilidades tiene su simbolismo. Ver hacia el pueblo da la sensación de que se comparte la mesa. Ver hacia el oriente litúrgico, en cambio, simboliza que todo el pueblo, con el sacerdote que es Cristo, miran hacia el Padre y se dirigen juntos a él.

Como es menos común que se celebre “versus Deum”, explicaremos el modo en que tiene que hacerse en la forma ordinaria del rito romano.

1.- El misal siempre se coloca a la izquierda del celebrante, y el acólito le ayuda por la derecha. Por ello, antes de la misa debe de colocarse la credencia del lado derecho del altar. De igual forma, las velas y la cruz, en caso de que se coloquen sobre el altar, deben de cambiarse de lado.

2.- El sacerdote se dirige al altar al inicio de la Misa. Al llegar, lo venera con un beso por el lado que ha de celebrar.

3.- Si se emplea incienso y el altar está pegado a la pared, lo inciensa iniciando por el lado derecho, volviendo al centro, después incensando el lado izquierdo y, finalmente, volviendo al centro. Si asiste un diácono, no lo acompaña al incensar. En caso de que el altar esté despegado de la pared, inciensa rodeándolo, como de costumbre, y acompañado del diácono.  (IGMR n. 277)

4.- El celebrante preside los Ritos Iniciales desde sede, viendo al pueblo. La Liturgia de la Palabra es en el ambón, viendo al pueblo. Igualmente, el celebrante hace la homilía viendo al pueblo.

5.- Al inicio de la liturgia eucarística el celebrante se dirige al altar. Presenta los dones versus Deum.

6.- Si se emplea incienso, el celebrante inciensa los dones y la cruz (si está al centro del altar). Después, si el altar está pegado a la pared, como al inicio inciensa el lado derecho; vuelve al centro; después inciensa el lado izquierdo y vuelve al centro, en donde es incensado. En caso de que el altar no esté pegado a la pared, lo inciensa rodeándolo, como de costumbre. (IGMR n. 277)

7.- Para decir “Oren hermanos…” se voltea hacia el pueblo, y acabado la respuesta, vuelve a la posición ad orientem, en donde sigue la Misa, sin voltearse para decir “el Señor esté con ustedes” al inicio del prefacio. (IGMR n. 147)

8.- En la Consagración el celebrante no se voltea. Pero debe elevar el Cuerpo de Cristo y el cáliz con la y la Sangre de Cristo por encima de su cabeza, para que lo pueda ver el pueblo.

9.- Continúa celebrando versus Deum hasta el rito de la paz, en donde se vuelve para decir “La paz del Señor esté con ustedes”. (IGMR n. 154)

10.- Tras ello, vuelve a la posición versus Deum y, después del Cordero de Dios, se vuelve al pueblo para mostrar el Cuerpo de Cristo partido mientras dice “Este es el Cordero de Dios…” (IGMR n. 157)

11.- El celebrante comulga sobre el altar, y después da la comunión como de costumbre.

12.- La oración después de la comunión y los ritos conclusivos los hace en la sede, viendo hacia el pueblo.

En el siguiente video se explica todo esto:

Fuente.

Card. Sarah to Sacra Liturgia UK 2016

It is very important that we return as soon as possible to a common orientation, of priests and the faithful turned together in the same direction—Eastwards or at least towards the apse—to the Lord who comes, in those parts of the liturgical rites when we are addressing God. This practice is permitted by current liturgical legislation. It is perfectly legitimate in the modern rite. Indeed, I think it is a very important step in ensuring that in our celebrations the Lord is truly at the centre.

Read the whole address in English here (in French here).

Ad Orientem (Facing East) vs. Versus Populum (Facing the People)

From this source:

Celebrating Mass Ad Orientem (towards the East) or as most people wrongly say “with the priest’s back to the people” is an ancient practice that causes much bewilderment in modern Catholics.

The point of facing east is to emphasize the essential character of the liturgy: that of a procession out of time and into eternity in Heaven. We see and taste this procession in the course of the liturgy. The celebrant, standing in the person of Christ, leads the way, but we are all moving together, as a community and as the people of God, as part of the same procession that begins at the Introit, continues through the Offertory, and culminates with our reception of Holy Communion.

The practice offers a psychological and spiritual benefit. It permits the worshipper to contemplate the purely sacramental character of the Mass and focus less on the personality of the celebrant. From the celebrant’s point of view, it permits a more intense focus on the mystery of the sacrifice taking place rather than on the personalities of the worshippers.

Here are a few observations to keep in mind:

  1. Vatican Council II said nothing about the direction of the celebrant during Mass. It presupposed Mass ad Orientem. Mass facing east was the norm from ancient times and even during and after Vatican Council II. There has never been authoritative liturgical legislation requiring any change. The Roman Missal (official liturgical book from which Mass is celebrated) not only permits it, the rubrics actually presuppose it, (e.g., the priest is told to “turn toward the people” at the Orate Fratres (“Pray, brethren …)
  2. It has been the practice in the entire Church, East and West from time immemorial. Contrary to a prevailing misconception there is no evidence for celebration of Mass versus populum in the first nineteen centuries of the Church’s history, with rare exceptions. (Cf. The Spirit of the Liturgy, by Cardinal Ratzinger, pp. 74-84.) The practice of reducing an altar to a table for a service facing the people began only in the 16th century — with Martin Luther.
  3. Moving the altar closer to the nave, separating it from the reredos, and proclaiming the readings from the ambo are a welcome return to more ancient tradition and in harmony with the intent of Sacrosanctum Concilium. However, the almost universal celebration of the Mass versus populum, while permitted deprives the Mass of its traditional cosmic and eschatological symbolism.
  4. Churches have traditionally been constructed facing the rising sun. Facing East we are turned in expectation toward the Lord who is to come (eschatology) and we show that we are part of an act that goes beyond the church and community where we are celebrating, to the whole world (cosmos). In churches not facing geographical east, the Cross and Tabernacle become “liturgical East”.

The drama of salvation history is powerfully symbolized in the renewed liturgy when it is celebrated ad Orientem. The priest faces the people as he calls them to prayer. Then he turns to lead them in the common plea for mercy (Kyrie eleison). He prays on behalf of the people as he continues to face the Lord. He turns toward the people to proclaim the Word and instruct them. After receiving their gifts, he turns again to the Lord to offer the gifts to God. He then turns to the people to distribute the Risen Christ at the eucharistic banquet.

While there is some positive symbolism in Mass versus populum, there is also a very negative symbolism. “The turning of the priest toward the people has turned the community into a selfenclosed circle. In its outward form, it no longer opens out on what lies ahead and above, but is closed in on itself” (Ratzinger, p. 80).

“Despite all the variations in practice that have taken place far into the second millennium, one thing has remained clear for the whole of Christendom: praying toward the east is a tradition that goes back to the beginning. Moreover, it is a fundamental expression of the Christian synthesis of cosmos and history, of being rooted in the once-for-all events of salvation history while going out to meet the Lord who is to come again” (Ratzinger, The Spirit of the Liturgy, p. 75).

Mass Ad Orientem: A Ten Year Old’s Impression

On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, my ten-year-old daughter went to church with me. The priest at the church regularly celebrates Mass ad orientem, whether he is offering the Novus Ordo Mass in Latin or English. Afterwards, I asked my daughter what she thought of the Mass. Her short but certain answer was “beautiful.”
(…)
The reasons for ad orientem Mass are all very sound and it’s hard to understand why many clergy and lay people still show so much resistance to it. Perhaps we need to look at the issue in a more simple light. If a ten-year-old girl can see the beauty of celebrating Mass in this more traditional orientation, then maybe that’s all the reason we need.

Full article by Terry McDermott here.

Riportare Dio al centro della liturgia

Il Messale romano, al n. 262 dell’Ordinamento Generale, prevede che la celebrazione “verso il popolo” sia possibile, ma non esclude affatto che si possa celebrare versus Deum o ad Orientem. Oriente è innanzitutto Gesù Cristo, secondo l’inno del Benedictus (Verrà a visitarci dall’alto un Sole che sorge=Oriente), poi è anche il punto cardinale verso il quale erano orientate le chiese, almeno fino al XVI secolo, in Occidente e ancor oggi in Oriente: sin dalle origini, tale orientazione era indicata dalla Croce posta nell’abside alla quale si rivolgeva il sacerdote. Mentre la liturgia “verso il popolo” favorisce la centralità della figura del ministro, finendo per fare della comunità un cerchio chiuso, lo sguardo ad Deum apre l’assemblea a quella che il Vaticano II ha definito dimensione escatologica della liturgia: cioè la presenza del Signore che viene in mezzo al suo popolo. La liturgia, nel suo ricco simbolismo, non è mai casuale: l’orientamento versus Deum per Iesum Christum(verso Dio attraverso Gesù Cristo), vuole ricordare che “siamo rivolti al Signore”. Per approfondire, consiglio lo studio di U.M.Lang, Rivolti al Signore, tradotto in più lingue.

Intervista completa:

http://www.lanuovabq.it/it/bux-riportare-dio-al-centrodella-liturgia

The Priestly Character of Ad Orientem Worship – Zachary Thomas

The altars were turned around in the first place so that the people could participate more fully in the action of the Mass, so that liturgy would not be only a clerical affair. Paradoxically, however, the understanding of the Mass’s action as it is conveyed in the new ritual prevents such participation in that action by eliminating consciousness of it. That is because the static versus populum posture implicitly denies the priest’s mediating role, and so obscures the Mass’s nature as an efficacious action. If the Mass is physically acted out as if it were only the “proclamation of the Word,” or “a communal meal” in which a past action is celebrated, and not the active, efficacious, dramatic re-performance of the act, its priestly character breaks down. The Mass is then reduced to a clerically imposed tyranny.

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