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June 5, 2020Ad Orientem, Facing the Rising Sun
by Fr. Joseph Evinger
On June 14 th the dioceses of the United States celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This feast is directly connected with Holy Thursday and the institution of the Holy Eucharist.
When the Jews prayed and worshiped they would most often turn to the east to pray and worship God. The early Christians did the same as they celebrated Mass. When we look at the most ancient churches built, such as the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Hagia Sophia in Constantinople now Istanbul (this church later became a mosque and is now a museum), Germany’s largest Cathedral the Church of St. Peter and Mary, and many other churches in both the Western Church or the Eastern Churches, all face the rising sun, towards the east, ad orientem as they say in Latin.
On a very natural level light first comes from the east, not only the light from the sun but also the moon. God is light and the darkness cannot over come him. The sun is of course an image of God as scripture tells us. Later as time progressed Christians realized that if Jesus is the light that created all lights then one no longer has to build a church facing east. One may build a church in other directions if facing east is difficult. St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome faces west. Though Killdeer’s church faces east, Halliday’s faces west, and Twin Buttes’ church faces north. So the direction doesn’t matter as much as it did for the Jews because it’s the Blessed Sacrament whom we are called to face. We are called to face God. We face toward the Blessed Sacrament at Mass, There are even images of the crucifix and the saints to help us go toward God. It is as if we are in heaven gathered before the throne of God with the angels and saints worshiping him. And we are. We are praying and worshiping God.
On the feast of Corpus Christi, I’ll be celebrating Mass facing with you God’s holy people, the most Blessed Sacrament. Don’t think about this as my turning my back on you but as me with you turning towards God begging his mercy and help just as all of you are doing. As Catholics we come to Mass to encounter God first and foremost. Yes, we are called to also encounter our neighbor but God first. We stand and kneel with each other facing the God who created us.
(Picture of Pope Francis offering Mass ad orientem in the Sistine Chapel)
