Forasmuch as there are certain persons who kneel on the Lord’s Day and in the days of Pentecost, therefore, to the intent that all things may be uniformly observed everywhere (in every parish), it seems good to the holy Synod that prayer be made to God standing.
The actual position of prayer became an issue in relation the Lord's Day and Pentecost because the act was viewed in relation to the resurrection. The standing position while gathered on those days signified rest and joy according to Augustine. This practice was elongated during the church year as Hammond states.
The import of this canon is in carrying forth Paul's praise to Corinth in commending them for maintaining "the traditions even as I delivered them to you" (1 Cor 11:2). Since Paul had established a common practice among the churches, it seemed natural to maintain commonality of activity in everything done. Of course, the apostle would not have been so detailed in what he asked of each local body. There was no reason to regulate all the activities and actions pertaining to those, only to establish the basis by which the church conducted itself in Christ.
1 Wm. A. Hammond, note to Canon 20, The Seven Ecumenical Councils, (NPNF2 14:42).
The actual position of prayer became an issue in relation the Lord's Day and Pentecost because the act was viewed in relation to the resurrection. The standing position while gathered on those days signified rest and joy according to Augustine. This practice was elongated during the church year as Hammond states.
Although kneeling was the common posture for prayer in the primitive Church, yet the custom had prevailed, even from the earliest times, of standing at prayer on the Lord’s day, and during the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost.1Not all churches accepted this later practice. Even the apostle Paul plainly kneeled to pray between Easter and Pentecost (Acts 20:36; 21:5).
The import of this canon is in carrying forth Paul's praise to Corinth in commending them for maintaining "the traditions even as I delivered them to you" (1 Cor 11:2). Since Paul had established a common practice among the churches, it seemed natural to maintain commonality of activity in everything done. Of course, the apostle would not have been so detailed in what he asked of each local body. There was no reason to regulate all the activities and actions pertaining to those, only to establish the basis by which the church conducted itself in Christ.
1 Wm. A. Hammond, note to Canon 20, The Seven Ecumenical Councils, (NPNF2 14:42).
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