Prostrations

[AlaskaFan]

When is the right time to do prostrations? I know they are forbidden on Sundays. What about Vespers on a weeknight? Once I saw someone prostrate during the Our Father. Are there particular parts of weekday Divine Liturgy, Vespers and Matins when full prostrations are done?

 

[repentant]

You mean metania?

 

[Kolya]

When is the right time to do prostrations? I know they are forbidden on Sundays. What about Vespers on a weeknight? Once I saw someone prostrate during the Our Father. Are there particular parts of weekday Divine Liturgy, Vespers and Matins when full prostrations are done?

Prostrations are a very personal form of devotion and veneration. They are used whenever there are special prayers at vespers, and also during the week when the "Gifts" are being consecreted for example.
You are right, we don't prostrate on Sundays as a rule, but I have witnessed a pious babushka prostrating to Christ and the Theotokos on the iconostasis on Sundays, and Father did nothing to stop her. So I think it comes down to a personal level of worship.
There are times it is used in general liturgical worship during the week, and other times when individuals feel they would like to venerate a Saint or our Savior at any time. I prostrate at my icon corner at home alone too.

 

[Tsarina]

When is the right time to do prostrations? I know they are forbidden on Sundays. What about Vespers on a weeknight? Once I saw someone prostrate during the Our Father. Are there particular parts of weekday Divine Liturgy, Vespers and Matins when full prostrations are done?

I see people at my Church prostrating all the time, during DL or on Vespers. Most of them prostrate each time they bless themselves.

On the other hand, i have seen a lot of people at Church prostrate infront of the Priest.

 

[theoforos]

Prostrations are a very personal form of devotion and veneration. They are used whenever there are special prayers at vespers, and also during the week when the "Gifts" are being consecreted for example.
You are right, we don't prostrate on Sundays as a rule, but I have witnessed a pious babushka prostrating to Christ and the Theotokos on the iconostasis on Sundays, and Father did nothing to stop her. So I think it comes down to a personal level of worship.
There are times it is used in general liturgical worship during the week, and other times when individuals feel they would like to venerate a Saint or our Savior at any time. I prostrate at my icon corner at home alone too.

Prostrations after the epiclesis (consecration) and after the prayer we say just before partaking of the communion are very common on Sundays in my area, although we know that you really shouldn't prostrate on Sundays... They explain it by saying that most people don't have an opportunity to attend liturgies during the weekdays so the idea of separating weekdays from Sundays is lost anyways, which makes it kind of permissable to prostrate on Sundays. However, I think there might be differences between the parishes. In Helsinki you'd really stick out if you didn't prostrate after the epiclesis because pretty much everyone does it. But I've been to a church in another city in Finland where just about one third of the people prostrated after the epiclesis. But even if we in Finland usually prostrate after the epiclesis also on Sundays, we never prostrate between Pascha and Pentecost. So we are not that "heretical" after all... From Pascha to Pentecost we just touch the floor with our fingers but don't lie down.

It is also very common to prostrate in front of the crucifix. Some people prostrate also in front of the feastal icon and in front of the icons of Christ and Theotokos, but that's a bit more uncommon.

As for the Lord's prayer, I've heard that it used to be more common to kneel during it before, but it is rather uncommon nowadays. On Saturdays, I've seen some people prostrate before the Lord's prayer, but I can't remember seeing that done on Sundays. And some people touch the floor with their fingers before the Lord's prayer, no matter what day it is.

 

[Oblio]

I've heard that clergy prostrations on Sunday after the Epiclesis is somewhat common in parts of the 'Western' East (e.g. Belarus) as it has had a bit of influence from Rome.

During normal times (non-fast or festal periods) I will prostrate on Wed. when entering the temple, when venerating Christ and His Mother, and when entering the Altar before O Gladsome Light has been sung.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

The following article discusses when it is appropriate to prostrate and cross oneself:

Practical Tips for Orthodox Living

Hope this helps!

In XC,

Maureen