Every Orthodox service I've been to we stood the entire time, though I never went on special holidays. My inner ex-Catholic wondered is it really church if I don't kneel and stand, kneel and stand, kneel and stand all through the service?

My Ukrainian ex had a worship space in a corner. It didn't have any rugs but had hauntingly beautiful hand painted icons. Maybe rugs are more of a thing in the old countries?

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PrismCrystal 7 months ago | parent | next [-]

Practices in Orthodox services can differ. For example, in some Romanian parishes everyone has knelt while the Gospel was being read, but I have never seen this elsewhere. And as the other poster mentions, full prostrations are done (and widely across the Orthodox world) in certain contexts.

Some churches in Greece and Albania have pews -- the concept was brought back from the North American diaspora where Orthodox parishes were set up in former Protestant or Catholic church buildings -- so you can do all the standing, sitting, and kneeling you might be accustomed too.

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jacobolus 7 months ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Churches probably have some kind of theological explanation, but alternately kneeling, sitting, and standing is much better physiologically. Having a large and diverse group of people all stay in the same position for an extended period is very rough on their bodies, and some more than others. Periodically switching prevents injuries caused by maintaining too much static load for too long in any one place. Probably also helps keep everyone awake. For the same reasons it's a good idea to occasionally switch positions while working.

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MrMcCall 7 months ago | parent | next [-]

Loving God is not for God's benefit, but for ours. Our emanating love towards our Creator helps us emanate compassion for all our fellow human beings. It is the Greatest Command(ment), and the sole purpose of religion.

As such -- as you say -- changing positions is good for our body which helps us to be more physically comfortable in this magnificent machine. Happiness is God's desire for us, but It has given us the absolutely free will to choose happiness or its opposites. A prayerful life is for personal and societal growth towards selfless compassion for all others, and away from selfish callous disregard for others.

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giraffe_lady 7 months ago | parent | prev | next [-]

There are theological explanations but it is also explicitly taught that physical movement and awareness of your body is an important part of prayer, similar to how bells and incense ask you to include those senses.

Also there isn't a rule against sitting, orthodox churches have seats for people who need or want them and it's absolutely normal to see people sit for some or all of services. It is discouraged to notice who or wonder why.

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ashoeafoot 7 months ago | parent | prev [-]

it is all things but diverse

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_groups_in_the_Middle_...

	▲	jacobolus 7 months ago \| parent [-]
		Any typical religious service includes a diverse group of people, physiologically: men and women, people of all ages, people of various body shapes and levels of fitness, etc., for some of whom it's especially bad to sit in one position for an extended time.

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br3akaway 7 months ago | parent | prev [-]

As a rule, Orthodox don't kneel on Sundays. Usually, weeknights during Lent you will see kneeling and prostrations. On a weekday liturgy (mass, always done in the morning) people will usually kneel at least for the Lord's Prayer (this is in the US)