Prayers of the Byzantine Liturgy of the Word as an Introduction to Meditation on the Holy Scriptures

Abstract

The article analyzes the prayers of the Liturgy of the Word in the Byzantine tradition with regard to meditation on the Holy Scriptures. In particular, the author draws attention to the fact of the need to prepare for participation in the divine service through a deeper knowledge of the prayer and patristic tradition of reading the Bible. On the example of individual prayers, the context of reading and commenting on the Gospel in the Eucharistic assembly is indicated. Among other things, the author encourages rethinking the modern rite of the Liturgy of the Word in the Byzantine tradition, which underwent significant changes during its formation and partially lost its authentic structural simplicity.