St Benedict, His Rule and Orthodox Laity

The word for "laity" comes from "laos" or the "people of God."

Like other words whose original meaning has been "improved worse," a layperson in today's parlance is often understand to be someone who does not have the requisite specialist knowledge concerning this or that. 

"In layman's terms" usually refers to something that is really simple and understood by those who really don't know much about what someone else is speaking.

There is always a tendency to see in the laity of the Church a "second class" tier of Christians devoted to the popular threefold "pay, pray and obey."

Traditional Orthodoxy, however, once we strip away later western accretions in this regard, has a quite different view of the role of the laity in the Church.

The laity truly is the people of God, the "Royal Priesthood" as St Peter in his Epistles calls us.

The Mysteries of Baptism and Chrismation make us members of the Royal Priesthood of Christ.  Priests and Bishops are there in their special capacity in the Body of Christ to help us fulfill our priestly role.  To be a Christian is to participate in a priestly vocation.  To sin is to refuse to perform our priestly role.

In the Divine Liturgy, the Priest calls us to offer the Holy Sacrifice in peace.  When he reminds us that "Holy Things are for the Holy," it is as if in answer to the unstated question, "Who is Holy?" that we reply, "One is Holy, One is Lord, Jesus Christ to the Glory of God the Father!"

As members of the Royal Priesthood of Jesus Christ, the Laity or People of God participate in the Divine Liturgy and pray for the salvation of the world.  We offer sacrifices to God through Christ, and become like oil-filled mirrors that reflect the Light of Christ.

God uses the Laity/Royal Priesthood in His own ways.  Some will be prophets, others miracle-workers, those are teachers, and those will reach out to the poor.

This view of the Laity/Royal Priesthood has its influence on the theology of the Priest in Orthodoxy.  Priests are taken from among the Laity.  This is why they are married with families.

Bishops are the Successors to the Apostles and their Priests are those who speak and act in their name.  

Believe it or not, the Monastic estate originated with the Laity and, in Orthodoxy, many Monks still remain as such, without being ordained as Deacons or Priests.

Bishops are usually chosen from among the Black Clergy or monastic clergy.  Both Bishops and Monks are charged with a responsibility of continual prayer for the entire Body of Christ.  They participate in the mystic life of prayer and meditation in a special way.  

It is no surprise that they are the recipients of particular grace and revelation concerning the truths of the Faith.  The traditional beliefs concerning the state of the soul immediately after death and for the duration of 40 days come from the visions of St Macarius of Egypt.  

The vision of the Protective Mantle of the Mother of God was something actually only seen by a monastic fool-for-Christ's Sake, the Scythian St Andrew and his associate, St Epiphanius.

The Monastic state came into being when Christians started to flee society for the desert, there to face and overthrow the devil, the world and their passions with faith, the Sword of the Spirit, which is continual prayer to God and ascetical discipline.

But in Orthodoxy, monasticism never detached itself from its roots in the people of God/the Royal Priesthood.  

For this reason, monks and laity pray the same prayers.  There is no "class distinction" here.  

Both groups of the Royal Priesthood have basically the same responsibility to pray, meditate, do spiritual reading, fast and otherwise exercise themselves in the Christian virtues.

St Benedict of Nursia, living in the seventh century in the West, founded a monastic establishment that was to grow mightily and have a tremendous and lasting impact on monastic life in Europe as a whole.

He wrote down his Rule "for beginners" and, at the end of it, recommended that his disciples read St Basil's Asceticon and the Conferences of the Scythian St. John Cassian. 

His Rule is so simple to follow that both monastics and laity may observe it and spiritually grow from it.

He lays down rules and regulations for life in common and for prayer and work.  He enjoins his disciples to make sure they pray through the Psalter once in the week.  He commands that they be hospitable and otherwise radiate the Spirit of Christ to the world.

His simple rule concerning prayer, reading and work caught on like "wild-fire."  There was even a group of Western Orthodox Benedictine Monks on Mt. Athos, the "Amalfion" whose ruins can still be seen to this day.  There are today Benedictine Monks within Orthodoxy as well.  St Benedict's cult is well-known in the East, where he is honoured with a beautiful Akathist and Canon.

In the Eastern Church, the laity have a similar rule of life that is enjoined upon them by the Church.

It is recommended that the People of God participate daily and as much as possible in the Horologion and the morning and evening prayers.  They are to say the Canons of the day to Jesus, the Mother of God, the Guardian Angel and the daily Saints.  They are to say three or four Kathismata of the Psalter daily, including the prayers that come after them in Liturgical Psalters.  The rule of the Jesus Prayer is also to be fulfilled, with prostrations and tears.  Daily scripture readings and other patristic literature is also enjoined.  The Rule of the Mother of God with 150 Hail Mary's is encouraged as well!

This is all dependent upon one's circumstances and time, of course.  But the Orthodox Church won't suggest, for one moment, that the People of God are called to a Holiness that is different from the so-called "professional Christians."  Professionalism in religious practice is demanded of us all!

This is why the Rule of St Benedict can be such a help to us in slowly developing a deeper life of prayer and meditation within our hearts.

In the Ukrainian tradition, each home formerly boasted an Icon corner with liturgical books, especially the Psalter.

Ukrainians often knew the Psalter off by heart.  The Kozaks certainly found time out of THEIR busy schedules to do this!  Taras Shevchenko was employed in reading the Psalter over the bodies of the reposed and so he learned them very well and quoted them frequently in his poetry.

Akathists and Canons were frequently on the lips of Ukrainian Christians, especially to Ukrainian Orthodox Saints like St Theodosius of Chernihiv, Demetrius of Rostov, Job of Pochayiv, and many others.

Ukrainian peasants prayed the Jesus Prayer and the Panahia prayer to the Mother of God (Most Holy Mother of God, save us!) constantly as they worked in the fields.

The Sign of the Cross was every Ukrainian's constant companion, as was the familiar practice of the prostration before the Holy Icons.

The Lives of the Saints were also widely read, translated by St Demetrius of Rostov, as was the Bible.

As members of the Royal Priesthood, we are called to holiness, to the acquisition of the Holy Spirit as St Seraphim said.

Our tradition is a sure guide in this and we can pick and choose what time and circumstances allow us to do.  The Rule of St Benedict can certainly assist us there and those of us who follow it may read a chapter from it daily to seek the Holy Father Benedict's guidance.

Orthodoxy is really about a life of prayer, about the constant glorification of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  It isn't about theory and "viewpoints."

May our holy Ukrainian ancestors and saints inspire us along the way.  We may only do what we can, but no less!

Dr. Alexander Roman  alex@unicorne.org