Why all these Prostrations and Bowing

Why all these Prostrations and Bowing
during the Great Fast-Lent?

Following the Divine Liturgy last Sunday for the Veneration of the Cross I was asked: Father, Why are we to make a “full prostration”. What’s the significance of doing all this bowing in Church?

As part of our “liturgical piety”, prostrations or bows have always played a significant role in our Divine Worship. Reading the writings of monastic fathers prostrations or bows are clear outward acts of humble reverence before God and/or outward signs of repentance. Standing back up again is a sign of being raised up with Christ. We read the following in the writings of the great hesychast bishop Theoliptos: “Do not neglect prostration,” he admonishes his spiritual children. “It provides an image of man’s fall into sin and expresses the confession of our sinfulness. Getting up, on the other hand, signifies repentance and the promise to lead a life of virtue. Let each prostration be accompanied by a noetic invocation of Christ, so that by falling before the Lord in soul and body you may gain the grace of the God of souls and bodies.”

In bending our knees we assume an attitude of humility before our God to whom we offer our prayer. Kneeling, then touching our forehead to the ground, we acknowledge our sinfulness; we create a living image of our fall into sin. Our very posture represents a confession of that state, a calling to mind of our spiritual poverty, of our susceptibility to passions of greed, lust, anger and malice. Prostrations offered from the heart are a powerful action in attempting to attain the forgiveness of those whom you have transgressed against. If sincere, they can wipe out all effects of insult or transgression, and refill the heart with a love greater than it felt before.

Being part of “liturgical piety”, prostrations or bows have always been an essential part of our Divine Worship during the Great Fast-Lent. This “liturgical piety” is meant for everyone who is healthy, able and well. It is not meant to make us “suffer” by further harming a bad back, knee, etc. Then, of course, we adjust accordingly. But it is not meant to be a “pious performance” by the priest alone together with a few other “pious parishioners.” As a basic liturgical principle, the priest is not an exception, but an example for the gathered faithful. Especially now during this Lenten season let us continue this pious practice of prostrations and bows that symbolize our extreme humility before Almighty God.