www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Byzantine Devotion to Sacred Heart

Dear Friends,

My in-laws attend the Moleben to the Sacred Heart in their parish and we attended last evening.

They are very devoted to it and refused to even think about dinner until afterwards!

I don't think most parishes in Toronto would have this service, however.

And the Moleben itself doesn't seem to me to be a "Moleben" proper, but almost like a kind of western Litany "O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!" etc.

I understand that the Russian Catholics refused to adopt this devotion and instead had the traditional Moleben to "Our Sweetest Jesus."

I certainly grew up with this devotion.

St Nicholas Cabasilas wrote about Orthodox devotion to the "Heart of Christ" and this is contrasted with the "pietistic" western devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus." (?)

It seems to me that the East has an orientation to "heart theology" in the "Prayer of the Heart."

I once had the experience, when saying the Jesus Prayer, of gazing on a picture of the Sacred Heart.

What I felt was very similar to what the Pilgrim relates at the beginning of the second chapter of the Way of the Pilgrim.

When I mentioned this to an Orthodox priest at one point, he was very intrigued and suggested I "write it up." Perhaps, he suggested, the devotion to the Sacred Heart could be "reconstructed."

Isidore Dolnitsky's Akathist to the Sacred Heart is rather nice. What are some other authentic Eastern ways of devotion here?

Again, what are your views on this devotion, has it any relation to authentic Eastern spirituality (even under the "Lover of Mankind" and the Wounded Side of Christ), is it a Latinization that should eventually be discarded?

Alex

[ 06-13-2002: Message edited by: Orthodox Catholic ]

The Eastern Church, in my limited understanding has never been accustom to this kind of devotion. Were as the Western or Latin Church has on occasion had devotions to even the �Foot of Our Lady�. (for it was her foot that crushed the serpents head) Is it not unusual to have a devotion to a part of the body of Our Lord Christ?

Instead of the Sacred Heart, I understand that the Ukranian Catholics have devotion to Jesus, Lover of Mankind, Feastday, July 17th. There is a Sacred Heart of Jesus Ukranian Catholic Church in Philadelphia.

Actually, the Icon of Christ on the iconistas in my parish (Holy Ghost, Phil, PA), is of the Sacred Heart.

Dear Odo,

Well, the Orthodox Church indeed venerates the miraculous Foot-print of the MOther of God at Pochaiv!

Do not Orthodox Christians kiss the edge of the Chalice during Communion to honour the Wounded Side of Christ?

Alex

Dear Mike,

Some Ukrainian Catholic parishes do . . .

There still are many, in Ukraine especially, that daily have the Moleben to the Sacred Heart, as they do to the Mother of God in May.

Ruthenian bishops have often, and wisely, contrasted the devotion to the Heart of Jesus with the Icon of the Lover of Mankind you mention.

But do we not venerate the Wounded Side of Christ and is this devotion not (copiously) referred to in our Byzantine liturgical tradition?

Alex

The change of that day to a comemoration of Jesus, Lover of Mankind was a way for the Ukrainian Catholic hierarchy to "byzantinize" the latinized commemoration of the Sacred Heart...and not really a bad idea if a traditional Moleben can be celebrated on that day with the Kanon to Sweetest Jesus, the Lover of Mankind...I'd go for it, that Kanon is very beautiful and way cool and/or the Akafist to Sweetest Jesus.

I think overall the old Sacred Heart devotions are far less common in the U.S. now in the Ukrainian Catholic Church. If you look at any older Greek Catholic prayer books, especially of the 40s, 50s, and early 60s, you will probably find those devotions. The newer Ruthenian "Byzantine Book of Prayer" retains the Sacred Heart-type devotional structure of litanies and petitions, but uses the response "O Jesus, Lover of Mankind, have mercy on us" instead of "Most Sacred Heart of Jesus" etc.

[ 06-13-2002: Message edited by: Diak ]

Dear Diak,

Yes, I remember how the RC liturgists also switched this devotional emphasis to address prayer to our Lord Jesus with a reference to His Heart.

The Russian Catholics did indeed use the Moleben and Akathist to the Sweetest Lord Jesus instead.

What I find interesting is how in Ukraine former Latin devotions have made such a strong comeback and then some.

One priest I met even has a devotion whereby people do continuous Adoration of our Lord in the Eucharist, day and night. Even students come forward to be assigned their hour!

As I kissed his hand, I noticed a Rosary ring on his finger.

As dedicated to Easternization as I am, I'm not going to argue with people who are so dedicated to prayer.

God forbid!

Alex

I found an excellent site on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is NOT some pious site but rather quite theological and explains the devotion rather well, or so I feel. Maybe it would be worth a look see. http://www.familylifecenter.net/html/resources/sj059503.html
Silouan

Dear Friends:

I came from a Roman Catholic family who were strong advocates of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

As children we were very familiar with all the devotion's aspects.

But I must say that nowhere, at any time, did we think we were worshipping a part of God's body.

Heart and body were one, God was one. We believed the devotion commemorated the Love of God for man.

I am aware that the Orthodox seem to be fixated on the idea that this is a worship of the "divine parts", so to speak.

As to a Byzantine Sacred Heart devotion, what else can this really be considered if not a Latinization?


defreitas