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When does each Church have the Kneeling Prayers? Why do they do them at this time?
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Glory to Jesus Christ!
The "kneeling prayers" are an integral and unique part of the Vespers for the "Day of the Holy Spirit," Pentecost Monday.
Thus, the return to the possibility of prayer while kneeling (which is inherently penitential in the Byzantine tradition) is done only after the Great Fifty Days is OVER.
However, many parishes (both Eastern Catholic AND Eastern Orthodox), feeling that their faithful would not return for Vespers on the afternoon of Pentecost, take all or part of the kneeling prayers after the Ambon Prayer at the Divine Liturgy on Pentecost itself.
Here is what Fr. Petras' "Typikon" says about Vespers on Pentecost afternoon:
"Vespers on Sunday evening: PENT 364-375; ORL 282-295; RAYA 897-905; NAS 1009-1021; the Prayers of Kneeling may also be found in the Hamtramck Euchologion, pp. 308-314.
No kathismata. At the Litany of Peace, special petitions for kneeling are said. At Ps 140, 3 stichera from the Praises of Pentecost Matins, repeated to make 6; Glory, Now and ever, "Heavenly King..." Entrance with the Censer. Great Prokeimenon, Tone 7, Ps 76[77]:14b-15a; versicles, vv. 15b.11.12. The three kneeling prayers are said by the priest at the Ambon before the opened Royal Doors. The first prayer is said immediately after the Prokeimenon; the second after the Litany of Supplication of Great Vespers; and the third after, "O Lord, keep us this evening without sin..." Each prayer is introduced by, "On bent knees, let us pray to the Lord," "Lord, have mercy." Aposticha, for Pentecost Monday as prescribed in the Pentecostarion. Troparion, of Pentecost, once, and the Great Dismissal prescribed for this Vespers. (cf. PENT 455)."
Prof. J. Michael Thompson
Byzantine Catholic Seminary
Pittsburgh, PA
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You can find texts for the kneeling prayers at http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/pente.htm or http://www.anastasis.org.uk/PentAll.htm From Fr. Sergius Bulgakov: The Holy Church uplifts also the general doxology to the Most Holy Trinity and inspires us, that we, "bending the knee of souls and body", praise you "the Father without beginning, and the Son, likewise without beginning, and Co-eternal and All Holy Spirit", "the Trinity One in Essence", "Identical in power and Coeternal ".
"Come, you people," the Church appeals to its children, "let us worship the Godhead in three persons, the Son in the Father, with the Holy Spirit; for the Father timelessly begot the Son, co-eternal and co-reigning, and the Holy Spirit was in the Father, glorified with the Son; one power, one essence, one Godhead."
But that our glorifications do not remain fruitless, the Holy Church often appeals to the very Spirit Comforter with the prayer: "O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth who art everywhere and fillest all things. Treasury of Blessings, and Giver of life: Come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One. " FDD
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At the Melbourne Russian Centre the kneeling down prayers occour after the liturgy. They are long prayers too. I dont know if the UGCC do them, or why as thy kneel all the time all year. We are working on that though.  P
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The East Syrian tradition, too, has special prayers on Pentecost; they are called the "Order of Worship". To see the service, take a look at http://www.cired.org/liturgy/pentecost.html and scroll down. The Order of Worship does include kneeling, but I do not know to what extent the Order of Worship is related to the Byzantine-rite Kneeling Prayers. (If you happen to know more about this, please let us know!) Peace, Alex
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