Proper Behavior During Divine Liturgy Worship

[har_habayit]

I have a question about proper behavior during Divine Liturgy. I came from a Pentecostal background where worship was very animated. At home, I pray using a variety of postures. Usually I pray on my knees and I lift my hands towards heaven, either fully extended with the palms facing forward or at my sides with my palms facing up. It would seem weird to me to simply be on my knees and have my arms laying at my side, specifically because the book of Psalms commends the use of worship using the hands and doing other things that would be considered bizarre if done during Sunday liturgy.

Without going into details, there are seven Hebrew words used for praising God, and one is called "yadah" which comes from the word for hand, which is "yad" (even in modern Hebrew). It means to praise God with extended hands, either in praise or surrender. In fact all seven words for praising God involve pretty animated behavior, from banging cymbals, dancing, prostrating and more. The link below contains a very concise overview of the seven different words for praise.

Seven ways (in Hebrew) to praise God

Now, how this relates to Sunday liturgy is something that I find particularly fascinating. The DL is a fascinating, otherworldly, and highly enriching worship service, and one I want to follow. However, it's not the sort of worship service that you would see the psalmist participating in.

As someone who was raised to praise God in church with extended hands, I often wonder what I should be doing with my hands during DL. Obviously, to lift my hands in an extended way would be rather odd, though I suspect it would not get me escorted out of the church. If I started verbally praising God while doing it, I probably would be asked to leave.

Sometimes, during the reading of the psalms, even during Orthros, I just feel like lifting my hands while I am standing, at my sides so as not to be disturbing, with palms raised upwards. It seems weird to me to listen to prayers as powerful as the ones in the Psalms and in the Liturgy and to not do anything with my hands. I kind of rock back and forth because I feel compelled to worship God in this way. There's no way I could just stand still. I also have ADHD so that's another reason why I find acting "normal" to be weird because I am happy to be at DL and I feel I would like to express that somehow without being a disturbance, because I know that God is the focus of the Liturgy and I would never want to rob him of glory.

So, even though I am very reserved during liturgy and stand basically "at attention" with my arms hanging down, I do have to say that it feels very odd. I think a natural expression of our humanity is to do something with our bodies when we are moved by something.

So, what is the proper behavior during DL as regards the use of the body to demonstrate praise? After feeling awkward inside for my predicament, I decided to just look around in order to see what the other men at liturgy do, and mostly they seemed to be cupping their hands in front of themselves. It seems like a gesture of reverence and respect. Of course, I saw younger guys putting their hands in their front or back pockets. I read before going to liturgy that your body language should communicate attentiveness ("let us be attentive") and expectancy.

I would like some guidance on this issue, especially from a priest if possible!

 

[ArmyMatt]

short answer, do what everyone around you is doing.

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

I've been in a fairly mixed churches with Greeks, Slavs, and African worshipers. It's not unusual to see someone raising their hands in the orans position (hands raised to shoulder level). As long as you aren't knocking someone over, very few people will care. You might get a few odd looks or some yia-yia saying we don't do that here (commence eye roll from me from the chant stand).

 

[YorkieGal]

I wouldn't allow my worship to be dictated by church ritual but rather by what I felt was right in my heart.

Like you, I was raised Pentecostal but have attended Baptist churches and Catholic etc. All churches and individuals within these have their own preferences.

My personality is such that I feel most comfortable with my hands crossed in front of me at waist level but I never pay attention or judge others stance. I hope all are receiving the Word via their hearts regardless of how this is demonstrated physically.

 

[FenderTL5]

I've been in a fairly mixed churches with Greeks, Slavs, and African worshipers. It's not unusual to see someone raising their hands in the orans position (hands raised to shoulder level). As long as you aren't knocking someone over, very few people will care. You might get a few odd looks or some yia-yia saying we don't do that here (commence eye roll from me from the chant stand).

Personal anecdote/an on topic aside.
In the Liturgy just after the Creed there is the following sequence:

The Holy Anaphora​

Deacon: Let us stand aright! Let us stand in awe! Let us be attentive, that we may present the Holy Offering in peace.
People: A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.
Priest: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Let us lift up our hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord.
People: It is proper and right.

When the priest says, "let us lift up our hearts" he raises his hands.
A lady I went through catachism with started raising her hands in the response and so did I.
Now about half of our congregation does the same.

 

[ArseniusTheSilent]

As Father Matt said, do what others around you are doing.

In general, we stand when praying in church (with a host of exceptions and caveats depending on parish practice, diocese and time of the year).

Watch the laity and the priest. Sometimes the priest will motion for the laity to sit during the great litanies. In some parishes, you will find people prostrate during a large chunk of the anaphora (outside of the Paschal season) during a weekday liturgy. Some will only prostrate 3 times quickly even on Sundays. Some won't prostrate at all on Sundays. If there are pews then the laity might for the most part kneel if there are knee rests. You might find people kneeling during the anaphora on the ground even if there are pews.

Depending on tradition, laity might sit or stand during the six psalms during Orthros. Some people stand for the sermon. Most will sit during it.

There are times when you should stand. Those are probably what you want to really be aware of and observe. The Little Entrance, the Great Entrance, the reading of the Gospel and the presentation of the gifts for communion in particular would be appropriate times to stand. I would also add anytime they are censing within the nave as a time to stand as well.

Greeks and Antiochians don't kiss the chalice when receiving. Slavs do.

The list goes on and on. Listen to your heart while observing parish practice to a reasonable degree. The yia-yias are not the gatekeepers of correctness by any means. Take any of their disapproval with a rather large grain of salt. The priest is the authority on the matter if you're truly unclear as to how to act.

Even in a parish that seems like it does things one way, you'll probably see others doing things slightly different if you're observant.

Ask 10 Orthodox what is the right way to worship and why and you'll get 15 answers and half the time they'll seem contradictory.

 

[ArmyMatt]

among the laity, I have seen the Antiochians lift their hands the most during the liturgy