In the modern Christian tradition there are many terms that are completely unfamiliar to many. One of these concepts is enthronement - an important ceremony for both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, which we will discuss in this article.
Origin of the word
This is a Greek word consisting of two parts, which in translation mean the preposition "on" and "throne, throne." Thus, the word "enthronement" has a Russian analogue, which is an exact copy of the original version - "tasting".
What is this?
Enthronement is a public worship service during which a newly minted bishop is elevated to his pulpit (or throne). The serving is traditionally performed during the liturgy, the bishop is dressed in clothes corresponding to the rank.
Another meaning of the word is the solemn ceremony of the ascension of a certain monarch to the throne, which is still used in the English royal house.
Orthodox dining
In the Orthodox tradition, enthronement is a divine service that can elevate to the appropriate rank not only a patriarch, but also upcoming local or autonomouschurches. Most often, primates are in the rank of archbishop or metropolitan (with rare exceptions).
This ceremony has been held since the time of the very first Russian metropolitans, and is inherited from Byzantium. Metropolitan Hilarion in his book "Confession" writes about himself as a "table".
Modern celebration in the Russian Orthodox Church takes place after the patriarch is dressed in a robe due to his status, the paraman is placed on him (which indicates that the patriarch belongs to the small schema). Then the patriarch is seated three times in a row on the throne - the so-called "higher place". At the same time, the corresponding prayers are read, in response to which those in the temple repeat the last word of prayer - “axios”. At the end of the service, the patriarch is brought new attributes of his ecclesiastical authority (omophorion, panagia, etc.), and then a rod and a white cockle - the main sign of the patriarchal rank.
Talling is always an important and very beautiful event. The enthronement of Patriarch Kirill, for example, took place on February 9, 2009 in the central church of the country - the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
In the Byzantine tradition, which was inherited by the Orthodox Church, the serving was the seventh, but not the last stage in the process of becoming a patriarch to the throne. The rite was not lost even after the fall of Byzantium in the middle of the 15th century.
Papal enthronement
In the Catholic Church, banqueting is reserved exclusively for popes. In another way, this process is called the "papal enthronement mass." It also takes place during the liturgy,which is performed according to the Latin model, but with some elements of the Byzantine rite. Once upon a time, it was forbidden for popes to assume "office" without a solemn enthronement, which, however, is now not considered obligatory for such a high representative of church authority. After the split of the Western and Eastern Christian churches, one of the popes recognized this ceremony as optional, and now the celebration in Catholicism has no legal force.
Even in the second half of the twentieth century. one of the popes, Paul VI, refused to use the tiara in the ceremony, and the next pope decided to simplify the enthronement ceremony as much as possible. This has interesting consequences. Since 1996, each pope has the right to decide for himself which of the forms of the rite he will use.
Unlike the Orthodox version, Catholic enthronement is a Mass that takes place outside the walls of the cathedral, most often in the square in front of it. During the ceremony, the pope receives several other attributes of power than the patriarch: in addition to the tiara, this is a pallium and a fisherman's ring.