www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Devotion to the Holy Trinity

I did not know where to post this so please move this mods if I am in the wrong area. I am just wondering what some traditional devotions are for the laity to worship the Holy Trinity in the Byzantine tradition. Thanks!!

Well, one could start by pointing to the prayers to the Holy Trinity in the morning prayers [antiochian.org].

Shouldn't all worship, eastern and western, be devoted to the Holy Trinity?

I must say that Roman Catholic "devotion(s)" to the Holy Trinity always seemed a bit absurd to me. The same would be true of the individual Persons of the Godhead. Surely we adore (in the technical sense, not the watered down sense of "love") the Triune Godhead and every prayer is Trinitarian in some sense. The doxology at the end of almost all historic liturgical prayers in the East and in the West is Trinitarian, even if the prayer itself is addressed to one Person of the Trinity. Even prayers to the Saints at the end of Akathists usually work in some sort of Trinitarian Doxology at the end.

In Western piety , one often hears of "devotion(s)" to the constiuent parts of our Saviour: His sacred Heart, His five wounds, His precious Blood, etc. I find this discordant with Eastern piety, but somehow the word "devotion(s)" fit these things in some sense.

Archpriest David Straut

Western worship is more Christocentric, Eastern worship more Trinitarian in outlook. It's not a matter of absolutes, but of emphasis. The East does not require "special" devotions to the Trinity, since the Trinity is constantly invoked during its normal liturgical worship. Almost all of our prayers end with the invocation of the Trinity, whereas it seems most Western prayers end with the invocation of Christ alone, invocation of the entire Trinity being the exception rather than the rule.

The West does have a very beautiful prayer that specifically invokes the Trinity. Unfortunately, it is seldom heard, except perhaps in the music of William Byrd who set the text to music in the 16th century. It's called Tribue Domine:

Tribue Domine, ut donec in hoc fragili corpore positus sum, laudet te cor meum, laudet te lingua mea, et omnia ossa mea dicant: Domine, quis similis tui? Tu es Deus omnipotens, quem trinum in personis, et unum in substantia deitatis colimus et adoramus, Patrem ingenitum, Filium de Patre unigenitum, Spiritum sanctum de utroque procedentem, et in utroque permanentem, Sanctam et individuam trinitatem, unum Deum omnipotentem.
Te deprecor, supplico et rogo, auge fidem, auge spem, auge charitatem. Fac nos per ipsam gratiam tuam semper in fide stabiles, et in opere efficaces, ut per fidem rectam et condigna fidei opera ad vitam te miserante, perveniamus æternam.
Gloria Patri qui creavit nos. Gloria Filio qui redemit nos. Gloria Spiritui sancto qui sanctificavit nos. Gloria summæ et individuæ trinitati cujus opera inseparabilia sunt, cujus imperium sine fine manet. Te decet laus, te decet hymnus, tibi debetur omnis honor, tibi benedictio et claritas, tibi gratiarum actio, tibi honor, virtus et fortitudo, Deo nostro, in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.

Grant, O Lord, that while I am placed in this feeble body my heart shall praise Thee, my tongue shall praise thee, and all my bones shall say: Lord, who is like unto Thee? Thou art God Almighty, Who as three persons in one divine substance we worship and adore: Father unbegotten, only-begotten Son of the Father, Holy Spirit proceeding from both and remaining in both, Holy and undivided Trinity, one God Almighty.
I entreat, pray and request Thee, increase my faith, increase my hope, increase my charity: make us through Thy grace forever steadfast in faith and effective in works, that through true faith and works worthy of our faith we may come through, by Thy mercy, to eternal life.
Glory be to the Father, who created us: glory be to the Son, who saved us, glory be to the Holy Spirit, who sanctified us: glory be to the highest and undivided Trinity, whose works are inseparable, whose reign remains without end. Praise and hymn become Thee, to Thee are due all honour, blessing and glory, to Thee be thanksgiving, honour, power and might, our God, world without end. Amen.