Forgiveness Sunday
Gamma Gamaliel
Shipmate
in All Saints
Today has been Forgiveness Sunday in the Orthodox Church.
We ask one another's forgiveness in a ceremony after the Liturgy.
Rather than post this in Ecclesiantics, I thought I'd post it here. It's not a discussion about this practice or equivalents in other Christian traditions. Rather, I thought I would extend it to you all and ask your forgiveness for anything I have posted that has upset anyone, caused offence or simply caused you to roll your eyes ('not both/and again...').
For ill-considered, ill-mannered or irritating posts, I ask your forgiveness.
We ask one another's forgiveness in a ceremony after the Liturgy.
Rather than post this in Ecclesiantics, I thought I'd post it here. It's not a discussion about this practice or equivalents in other Christian traditions. Rather, I thought I would extend it to you all and ask your forgiveness for anything I have posted that has upset anyone, caused offence or simply caused you to roll your eyes ('not both/and again...').
For ill-considered, ill-mannered or irritating posts, I ask your forgiveness.
Comments
I too ask forgiveness from anyone on this forum whom I may have offended in any way.
Of course I forgive you even though I can't think of anything relevant.
I humbly ask the same in return for any of my own actions, wilful or thoughtless.
To quote @Cameron I humbly ask the same in return for any of my own actions, wilful or thoughtless.
Forgiveness Sunday sounds like it could be a powerful thing.
What is the background to it?
Yes, it is a powerful thing - and be quite moving. It was really sweet yesterday as the priest bent down to start the ceremony with the little ones. They clearly didn't understand what was going on but gave him a hug back.
I don't know the origin or background but it takes place on the Sunday before Lent begins - it's started today. Late this year. It's also known as Cheesefare Sunday as you're not meant to have dairy produce until after Easter. Although as I'm told Archbishop Gregorios used to say, 'Any British person who gives up milk in tea must be a fanatic ...'
😉
Like any ritual it can become formalised and clunky but I found it very 'liberating' yesterday and it meant I spoke or interacted with people I've seen but not engaged with before. Ok, it's odd asking forgiveness of people you've not consciously offended but in my case I felt I was asking forgiveness for sins of omission - for not interacting so much previously with people of different ethnicities to my own but tending largely to engage with British converts or those whose English is of a high standard.
Lord have mercy!
It appears to be historically a monastic practice. Seminaries and some parishes try to do the full round of services for at least the first day of Lent (possibly the whole of the first week).
The ceremony of mutual forgiveness appears to be failry ancient. It is described in the Life of Saint Mary of Egypt, a text written early in the Seventh Century by Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem.
Fixed coding - Nenya, All Saints Host