It's certainly possible, but most "Latin missionary activity" began well after many of these similarities crop up in history. The use of unleavened bread certainly predates any such missionary work, for example.

Peace and God bless!

In the West Syriac Churches (Syro-Malankara, Maronite, Malankara Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Syriac Catholic) the sign of the cross is made with the index finger, second finger and thumb joined, symbolizing the Trinity; and the pinky and third finger in the palm, symbolizing the union of human and divine in Christ. Motion is from left-to-right, as in Latin usage.

Interestingly, the Trisagion prayers of the West Syriac Churches are all pointed toward Christ alone; unlike the Trisagion in the Byzantine Churches.

The Eastern Syriac Churches (Chaldean, Assyrian Church of the East, and Syro-Malabar) traditionally sign from right to left; but the Chaldeans and Syro-Malabarese have adopted the West Syriac custom. I think the Chaldeans are attempting to return to a common custom with their Church of the East counters. The Syro-Malabarese are content to retain the West Syriac custom, in common with their Malankar and Latin counterparts.

I wanted to amend the above post, but ran out of time, so here's my edited version:


Traditionally, in West Syriac Churches clothing/material created from skin are not to be entered into the sanctuary. Priests wear special shoes for the Holy Qurbono, and every item on the altar is cloth and/or fabric or precious metal.

Unlike Byzantium, iconography is limited to Christ, the Virgin Mary, a local Saintly bishop, and St. George slaying the dragon - the Orthodox usually also have an image of St Gregorios of Parumala in their parishes. I think there is some debate in Catholic circles whether this saint should be venerated, but as of yet it is not publicly done.

I fail to see theologically why only St George, St Gregory, and "a local Saintly bishop" can be depicted on an icon and yet other Saints cannot. But perhaps these Christians do not recognise any other Saints than these few? In any case, should not the Catholic West Syrian Churches, who presumably accept the Seventh Ecumenical Council (as does the whole Catholic Church), use icons of all manner of Saints?

Just curious....

Fr David Straut

Fr. David, bless! The statement was not one of theology but of practice. I don't think anything theologically prevents the Churches from having any of the other Saints depicted, and sometimes they do - but the common practice is to limit the icons to Christ, the Holy Mother, St. George, and perhaps one other saint (sometimes the Saint for whom the parish is named after).

As to why - I'd say the main reason is that Syriac Church do not have an iconostasis or screen, therefore it is not practical to cover the sanctuary veil with such images. Also, Syriac iconography is different from Byzantine in style.. normally a parish will not be covered in iconography, but will have one or two over the main altar or side altars. But there are exceptions, I saw a beautiful Syriac Orthodox Church that was bought from a Greek Orthodox congregation, they didn't remove any of the Byzantine iconography, just removed the iconostasis and replaced it with the sanctuary veil.

Icons in the Syriac Church?
by Fr. Dale A. Johnson

Shlomo Michael Thoma,

Here is a link to modern Maronite Icons. The first set are for the Maronite Liturgical Year. The second is of Maronite Saints. They are so very moving, and I hope all here will enjoy reflecting on them.

Poosh BaShlomo,
Yuhannon

When in the liturgy the veil (or curtain) is open/closed in the Oriental Orthodox rites?

What wonderful Icons - thank you for that link

Dear Fr. David,

Bless!

As Michael clarified, there is no theological issue with depicting in icons more saints than he listed. Communities which buy church buildings from other Orthodox communities with a strong tradition of iconography, the wall icons are preserved with reverence. Individual congregations, particularly in the West, may decide to use more icons (my parish has several more than the ones Michael listed). It is more a matter of practicality and taste.

Historically, the Indian Church was under East Syriac influence, and this Church did not have a tradition of iconography. With the West Syriac influence came a tradition of iconography that was much more than the East Syriac tradition (although there was no proper iconographic tradition, a type of "iconography" can be seen in some ancient churches in India, with varying degrees of foreign influence). But typically, the average parish church didn't have more than a few icons hung on the otherwise bare walls. You will even find some Orthodox churches with no icons at all. The altar with its Cross, and the Gospel, form the central focal point of the church building. But this is not to say that there are no churches in India which have more than a handful of icons. There are a few which have many icons, and even wall paintings and frescoes. But the average situation is as Michael described.

This is still far less than the Byzantine practice, which (as we know it today) developed in large part out of the iconoclast controversy. As this wasn't an issue that affected us, our practice has remained basically as it was.

Dn. Philip

That will depend on the rite. In the West Syriac tradition, the veil remains closed during Ninth Hour and is opened during Vespers and Compline, closed during all but the last part of the Midnight Office, open during Matins, and during the Third and Sixth Hours (when these services are aggregated). For the Divine Liturgy, the curtain is closed during the Preparation (Thuyobo, or Proskomide), no matter what Office is being sung at the time, and opened at the beginning of the Liturgy. It remains open until after the Diptychs, when it is closed for the Fraction. After this, it is opened for the Lord's Prayer and stays open until clergy communion. It is then open for the communion of the laity, and remains open until the end.

What there ever a strong iconographic tradition in the Latin Church? By iconography I mean how we typically think of icons, not of statues or frescoes, which have always been a strong part of Latin Catholic Christianity.

It's interesting that the West was never under siege by the iconoclasts nearly as much as the East, and it was the Pope who defended iconography against the Byzantine Emperor, and yet now we find icons far more numerously in Byzantine churches than in Roman ones.

Alexis

A unique fast for the Syriac Church begins today - the Nineveh fast, remembering the three days that the Prophet Jonah spent in the whale and that God spared the people of Nineveh through their three days of tearful repentance and fast. This is one of the strictest fasts, no meat, fish, or dairy for three days, in preparation for the 50-day Great Lent.

Deacon Mor Ephrem should probably add to this or correct my errors.

The Orthodox Copts here also keep the three-day fast of Jonah.

In the Armenian Church the veil of the Altar is drawn:

1. For the prothesis

2. At the communion of the Celebrant

3 For the entire 40 days of the Lenten Fast, opened only for the Feast of Saint Gregory, and the Feast of the Annunciation.