The Liturgy of St James

[Anthony]

I recently came across the following reference to a western Liturgy of St James, which I had never heard of before (I know of our Liturgy of St James, and early western liturgies such as the Gallican, Ambrosian and Mozarabic). The context is the mission of Ss Cyril and Methodius to the Slavs, and the existence of western liturgical texts in Old Church Slavonic. Actually there are a few things in this description which are unfamiliar to me, and I would be grateful for any further information.


The Liturgy of St Peter was propagated by the Roman See in the 9th century and was presumably intended as a third position between the western Liturgy of St James [Jakobusliturgie] and the Constantinopolitan Liturgies of St Basil and St Chrysostom, in view of the threatened [or imminent] schism. Besides Slavonic, it is also extant in Georgian.

(Original in German)


There are already a few threads around about western liturgies, but most of them seem to have a polemical slant of some kind. I am just asking for information, without any agenda.

[Michael Astley]

I recently came across the following reference to a western Liturgy of St James, which I had never heard of before (I know of our Liturgy of St James, and early western liturgies such as the Gallican, Ambrosian and Mozarabic). The context is the mission of Ss Cyril and Methodius to the Slavs, and the existence of western liturgical texts in Old Church Slavonic. Actually there are a few things in this description which are unfamiliar to me, and I would be grateful for any further information.



There are already a few threads around about western liturgies, but most of them seem to have a polemical slant of some kind. I am just asking for information, without any agenda.

Dear Anthony,

I cannot give any definitive information here. However, I can say that some of the Western Liturgies do also bear Saints' names, either in honour of the Saint who had a hand in their development or out of honour for some other reason. The restored Gallican Liturgy, for instance, is that of St Germain of Paris, while the pre-schism (Lorrha) Liturgy of England is named for St John the Divine (Theologian). The Roman Liturgy is the Divine Liturgy of St Gregory (the Great - the same St Gregory as the Byzantine Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified gifts but an entirely different form of service).

So the "western Liturgy of St James" may indeed be a reference to some Liturgy of the western rite, (of which I am also unaware). Alternatively, depending on the context of the discussion from which your quotation is taken, and the terminology adopted therein, it may be a reference to the very same Liturgy of St James with which you and I are familiar.

I hope any confusion is alleviated soon. If so, please do share.

Pax,
Michael

[Anthony]

Dear Michael,

Thank you for your reply. After a bit of rummaging I think that the reference may be to the fact that the "Gallican" family of liturgies are thought by many to have their origins in Syria / Jerusalem.

However I have e-mailed the author, and will get back if and when I get a reply.

Anthony

[Nicolaj]

This is also about the history of the Liturgy of St. James, but I don't know if it is the kind of information you need:

http://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/music/1910_Typicon%20of%20St.%20James%20Liturgy.pdf

Let me know if more is needed.

In Christ, Nicolaj

[Anthony]

This is also about the history of the Liturgy of St. James, but I don't know if it is the kind of information you need:

http://www.stanthonysmonastery.org/music/1910_Typicon%20of%20St.%20James%20Liturgy.pdf

Let me know if more is needed.

In Christ, Nicolaj

Thank you, Nicolaj. You might also be interested in this material (http://www.orthodoxia.de/Jakobusliturgie.htm) (in German). But neither of them really answer my question. The passage I quoted may just be a mistake, of course, though it was from a writer who usually knows his stuff. We will see.

[Anthony]

I have now heard from the author, and the passage was in fact just a mistake. Sorry for taking up people's time with it.

Anthony

[Michael Astley]

I have a photocopy of a photocopy of the Liturgy of St James in the ROCOR edition. I understand that this English translation from the Slavonic was the work of Fr Dcn Photios Touloumes (may his memory be eternal) and was published in the 1970s under the auspices of St Mark's monastery, New Jersey. My photocopy begins at page 2 so I cannot give any more publication information.

Does anybody know where I may be able to acquire a new copy of this text?

I am aware of the existence online of the translation by Archimandrite Ephrem and I have a hard copy of this but, with the greatest of respect to Fr Ephrem, his version is quite different in parts with the Liturgy of the Catechumens bearing more resemblance to the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom than that of St James, it identifies itself as being based on an academic translation of the 1950s, and is largely devoid of rubrics, which is far from ideal as the Jerusalem (St James) Liturgy is very different from the Byzantine (St John & St Basil) Liturgies and, without guidance on how to do it, it becomes impossible to serve it - as a priest or a server -without making a complete mess of what should be the pinnacle of the Church's sacramental life and offering of worship to God.

My understanding is that the Holy Synod of Russia, in the mid-late 19th century, sent a delegation to both Zakynthos and Jerusalem to learn how to serve this liturgy directly from those clergy who served it in those places where it had been used uninterrupted for centuries. They learnt it and took note of the differences between the traditions of Zakynthos and Jerusalem, and began to use the St James Liturgy in the Russian church until the revolution. ROCOR restored its use in the 1930s and continues to use the rubrics and notes from the Holy Synod's commission. This seems more right to me, somehow. The actual passing on of this part of our tradition from priest to priest, congregation to congregation, seems to me to be more in keeping with the Orthodox way of doing things, of passing on that which we have received. This is what we follow at my parish but I would really like to get my hands on a fresh copy for my own use. The prayers are so beautiful and, while the liturgy is much simpler than our usual ones, the words are so much more robust, I think.

Does anybody have any information at all about where I may be able to get the translation into English blessed for use in ROCOR, complete with its rubrics and other notes?

Thank you so very much.

In Christ,
Michael

[Michael Astley]

Please don't apologise. The speculation was fun. :-)

[Father David Moser]

I have a photocopy of a photocopy of the Liturgy of St James in the ROCOR edition. I understand that this English translation from the Slavonic was the work of Fr Dcn Photios Touloumes (may his memory be eternal) and was published in the 1970s under the auspices of St Mark's monastery, New Jersey. My photocopy begins at page 2 so I cannot give any more publication information.

Does anybody know where I may be able to acquire a new copy of this text?



I would suggest you contact Fr James Baglien at St Martin Orthodox Church in Corvallis OR or Hieromonk James (Corazza) at the Old Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. These two fathers, along with a couple of other "James'es get together and serve the liturgy of St James on St James day every year and so I'm sure they can answer your questions.

Fr David Moser

[Kris]

You could also contact the St. Edward's Brotherhood in Brookwood. They serve the Liturgy of St. James twice a year and did so while they were still under ROCOR.

[Michael Astley]

Thank you, Father David. I shall certainly make enquiries with them and see what I find.


You could also contact the St. Edward's Brotherhood in Brookwood. They serve the Liturgy of St. James twice a year and did so while they were still under ROCOR.

Thank you, as well, Kris. It was actually Father Alexis who gave me the information about Fr Photios and St Mark's. It was he who taught my parish priest how to serve it so I thought he'd be a good source of information. You and I clearly think alike. :)

Pax,
Michael