WORDS TO THE WHYS

Much of the social history of the Western world over the past three decades has involved replacing what worked with what sounded good. Thomas Sowell

Syro-Malabar Church: The Ad Orientem and Versus Populum Debate



The Syro-Malabar Church (SMC), an  Eastern Catholic Major Archiepiscopal Church based in Kerala, India, is visiting the issue of the orientation of the altar. That is, the orientation of the priest at the altar. The question they are visiting: should the priest face in the direction of the liturgical east (ad orientem), or versus populum (toward the people)?
The SMC is an autonomous (sui iuris) particular church in full communion with the Pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. [Wikipedia]

Times of India reports that
the issue pertains to the difference in conducting masses in dioceses under the Syro-Malabar Church (SMC). In Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese (and most other dioceses to the north of Ernakulam), the celebrant faces the laity during the mass.
However, Changanassery Archdiocese (and most dioceses to the south of Ernakulam) has the celebrant facing the altar during the service.
We tradition-minded westerners can hope that the SMC reclaims and retains the ancient practice (ad orientem). Note: the Malankara Syrian Churches (Jacobite and Orthodox) retain the ancient practice.

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