Mark Meyers - Church Visit #1

Church Name: St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

Church Address: 893 Church Road, Elmhurst IL 60126 

Date Attended: 10/31/16

Church category: Greek Orthodox

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context? 

The Church of St. Demetrios was immediately identifiable as we drove up to it, with its large domed roof topped with a cross. As we entered the building to attend the Great Vespers service, a large bell was ringing and smaller bells were clanging. Many other congregants were shuffling in at the last minute as the service began. It was being held in a smaller, side chapel within the church. The chapel itself was completely full as we arrived, so we were forced to sit in the overflow  just outside of the doors of the chapel. Fortunately, this position actually afforded us a better view of the inner workings of the service, as we could see somewhat better behind the iconostasis. As we watched, the priests took up a long, repetitive string of singing, chanting, and praying. This was the pattern of the service for almost an hour. The chapel itself was quite striking, with innumerable brightly colored icons, including a portrait of Christ on the ceiling and picture of Mary and Christ behind the Altar. Their were candles and lamps lit throughout the chapel, and the thick, heavy smell of incense was always present. Twice during the service, one of the priests – and some of the acolytes – would walk slowly around the congregation, ringing bells and burning incense. The congregants would keep their eyes fixed on the priest and cross themselves repeatedly. All of the singing and chanting was in Greek, so we could not understand much, however, a constant refrain was the phrase Kyrie Eleison, "Lord, have mercy." After about an hour, the priests led the entire congregation in a procession out of the chapel and around the interior of the church, chanting and ringing bells all the while. We then gathered around a table with bread, candles, and an icon. There the congregation sang a song, in which the phrase Kyrie Eleison cropped up again and again. After the song, they took the bread and led the procession back into the chapel. As they entered, they bent to kiss and venerate  some relics that the the priests were holding. After some more chanting and some brief speaking, the congregation was dismissed and they exited the chapel with the bread to partake in a meal together following the service. On the whole, this experience, from the bells, to the incense, to the chanting,to the processional, was very different from my experiences at my own local church.

How did the service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

This service highlighted for me the unique beauty and mystery of the Orthodox tradition. Particularly interesting, were the emphases on mystery, embodiment, and community. The service demonstrated the heightened sense of awe and mystery with which the Orthodox engage with God. Everything was performed with the utmost reverence. Furthermore, the service engaged all of our senses, capturing our eyes with shimmering golden icons, our ears the clanging of bells and hum of chanting, the nose with the odor of incense, and the mouth with the  taste of bread. All of these pointed to an emphasis on the experiential, in contrast to much of Western Christianity, which tends to emphasize the cognitive. Lastly, their was a deep awareness of community among the congregants. They all greeted each other warmly, kissing and embracing one another. They spoke kindly and familiarly with each other, and shared a meal together after their worship. All of these demonstrated a sense of connectedness between the members that was striking. 

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

This service particularly helped in kindling in me an attraction to the awe and reverence for the mystery and beauty of God so vibrantly captured in Orthodox liturgy. Though at times, their veneration seemed to descend into superstition, at its best it illuminated a devotion to God that transcended mere cognitive affirmations and propositional truths. This devotion highlighted an experiential knowledge of the mystery of God, the God beyond all comprehension yet knowable in Jesus Christ. Moreover, this service made remember the value of remaining aware of my own embodiment when I worship. It illuminated again for me that I am not merely a receptacle of information, but a whole person, embodied within an experience. This means that my worship must engage all of me – as a whole person – in an act of devotion that sheds light on who God is in all aspects of my life.