Orthodox worship is characterized by
a complete utilization of the senses — sight, smell, hearing, speech and touch.
We see the candles, Icons, frescoes, etc., we hear the sounds of singing and
reading, at times lifting up our own voices, and we smell the characteristic
odor of the incense. The whole of the human person is involved in worship, and
important among the senses is the actual deportment of the human body. The
attitude of the Orthodox Believer to worship is reverential, and certain types
of bodily movements are utilized to reinforce this sense of reverential piety —
we stand during the services, we make bows and prostrations, and with great frequency,
we make the Sign of the Cross. Accordingly, there are several types of Bows,
depending on the solemnity of the moment.
Prostration (Great Metanoia — Great Poklon).
Here the worshipper prostrates the
whole body, throwing the weight forwards onto the hands and touching the ground
with the forehead.
Bow (Small Metanoia — Poklon).
The worshipper bows from the waist,
touching the ground with the fingers of the right hand. Both Prostrations and
Bows are preceded by the Sign of the Cross.
Reverence.
At certain times the worshipper
merely bows the head; sometimes this is accompanied by the Sign of the Cross.
Sign
of the Cross.
The Sign of the Cross is made with
the thumb and the first two fingers of the right hand joined at the tips (the
third and fourth fingers being closed on the palm). By joining the thumb and
the first two fingers, we express our belief in the Most-Holy Trinity. The two
fingers closed on the palm represent the two natures of Christ — divine and
human. With the thumb and first two fingers joined, we touch first the brow,
then the breast, the right shoulder and then the left, making on ourselves the
Sign of the Cross and signifying by the four points that the Holy Trinity has
sanctified our thoughts (mind), feelings (heart), desires (soul) and acts
(strength) to service of God. By making the Sign of the Cross on ourselves we
also signify that Christ has saved us by His sufferings on the Cross.
Bishops and Priests, in bestowing a
blessing, make the Sign of the Cross from left to right (appearing to us from
right to left), while holding the fingers in such a manner as to represent the
Greek letters IC and XC — the first and last letter of the name Jesus Christ.