Church Visit #1: Saint George Cathedral

Jenny Yi-Chen Han - Church Visit #1

Church name: Saint George Cathedral

Church address:  917 N. Wood Street, Chicago, IL.

Date attended: Feb.8.2015

Church category: Russian Orthodox (significantly more liturgical)

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

My visit to Saint George Cathedral was the first service of the Orthodox tradition that I have ever attended. I did not grow up in a church so I am not deeply connected or rooted in a specific tradition, but the church I have been going to in college is a non-denominational church with a worship style that is pretty typical to mainline American Evangelicalism. My experience at Saint George cannot be more different than the one I am used to. The cathedral itself is relatively small but beautiful – the interior is adorned with beautiful drawings of icons, golden decorations, and candles. I arrived a bit before the Divine Liturgy, but a couple of people were already praying inside the cathedral. A priest was reading (or to be more accurate, singing) passages in preparation for the Liturgy. As worshippers trickled in, I noticed that people would typically purchase candles at the front desk and go around the cathedrals and lighting candles for different icons. Typically, people will gesture the cross and kiss the icon – even little children did the same. The Liturgy was conducted in half English and half Slavonic, and almost all of it was sung. The Father and the Deacon wore ornate robes and there was a choir that accompanied the whole Liturgy. The Deacon went around a few times with a censor of burning incense. The smoke of the incense was extremely fragrant and there were jingling bells attached to the censor. Towards the end of the Liturgy was the communion. It was conducted in a very different way that I was used to – worshippers lined up before the father and each received a blessing from the Father, while taking a sip of a wine and break mixture that is fed to them on a small spoon. Each worshipper also kissed the chalice. Even small children and babies took part of the communion. To conclude the Liturgy, the worshippers lined up again to receive the Father’s blessing and to kiss the cross. I took part of this ritual as invited by a worshipper.

What did you find most interesting or appealing about the worship service?

I am absolutely fascinated by the Orthodox tradition of worship. I am completely unfamiliar with the tradition so most of the time I felt pretty clueless, but not in a negative way. After the Liturgy, I was invited to join the Church’s luncheon where I ate Russian food with Father Vladimir, the Deacon, and the Deacon’s wife. It was a great opportunity to ask them the many questions I had. I was most intrigued by the Orthodox Church’s focus on representing the spiritual through physical symbolism. For example, I was told that the ritual of the censor is significant because the smoke of the incense symbolizes earthly prayers and worship ascending into heaven – an imagery that I found to be extremely beautiful. In a similar way, the various icons provide a physical representation of the Divine that can be dwelled upon. I think the symbolic rituals related to the Orthodox Church’s traditions are quite a powerful way of relating humans to the Divine. A lot of that holy reverence gets lost in modern day worshipping in my opinion.

What did you find most disorienting or challenging about the worship service?

I am still in the process of trying to understand the Church’s use of icons and their tradition of praying to Saints. It is hard for me to understand why praying to Saints is not idolatry. I understand that icons are used as a method to worship, which I see the value in, but I think there is such a thin line between reverence and idol worship. Through my talk with people of the church, I learned that the Orthodox Church is all about preserving tradition that dates back to thousands of years. How does the Orthodox Church engage with contemporary issues and cultures? How can the church engage and incorporate people of different ethnicities and backgrounds? Because the Church has an annual meeting after the luncheon, my time to ask complicated questions were a bit limited. However, the Deacon invited me to return so he can have more time to discuss and answer my questions – an offer I am going to take.

What aspects of Scripture or theology did the worship service illuminate for you that you had not perceived as clearly in your regular context?

One of the things that really stood out to me during the Liturgy is a true sense of reverence and an emphasis on God’s Lordship. I think in modern day, mainstream worship, we lose sight of that sometimes. It may be more convenient to refer to God and Jesus as our friend, who is not untrue, but the Orthodox tradition really puts reverence at the center of their worship. In my regular church context, sermon typically attempt to talk about God in a way that is relatable and relevant. However, during the Liturgy, I felt like so much of the worship is about revering the God that is majestic and mysterious beyond human comprehension. It really instills within you a fear and awe that can be missing in a more mainstream or youthful context. Also, the emphasis on tradition and repetition can be something that is commonly overlooked. To know that these are the same rituals and Liturgies that are conducted hundreds of years ago creates a unique sense of communion.