Bowing in the Byzantine liturgy

Eastern Orthodox Church
Part of a series on the
Mosaic of Christ Pantocrator, Hagia Sophia
Overview
Structure Theology (History of theology) Liturgy Church history Holy Mysteries View of Salvation View of Mary View of icons
Background Crucifixion / Resurrection / Ascension of Jesus Christianity Christian Church Apostolic succession Four Marks of the Church Orthodoxy
Organization Autonomy Autocephaly Patriarchate Ecumenical Patriarch Episcopal polity Canon law Clergy Bishops Priests Deacons Monasticism Degrees Bratstvo
Autocephalous jurisdictions Autocephalous churches who are officially part of the communion: Constantinople Alexandria Antioch Jerusalem Russia Serbia Romania Bulgaria Georgia Cyprus Greece Poland Albania Czech Lands and Slovakia Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous churches de jure: America North Macedonia Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous churches: Ukraine (OCU) Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Ukraine (UOC)
Autonomous jurisdictions Sinai (JP) Finland (EP) Estonia (EP) Japan (MP) China (MP) Americas (RP) Bessarabia (RP) Moldova (MP) Semi-Autonomous: Crete (EP) Estonia (MP) ROCOR (MP)
Episcopal assemblies Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania Austria Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg Canada France Germany Great Britain and Ireland Italy and Malta Latin America Scandinavia Spain and Portugal Switzerland and Liechtenstein United States of America
Noncanonical jurisdictions Old Believers Spiritual Christianity True Orthodoxy Catacomb Church Old Calendarists American Orthodox Catholic Church American World Patriarchs National churches: Abkhazia Belarus Latvia Montenegro Turkey UOC–KP Evangelical Orthodox Phyletism
Ecumenical councils First Seven Ecumenical Councils: Nicaea I Constantinople I Ephesus Chalcedon Constantinople II Constantinople III Nicaea II Other possible ecumenical councils: Constantinople IV Constantinople V Other important councils: Quinisext Council Jassy Moscow Jerusalem Constantinople (1872)
History Church Fathers Pentarchy Byzantine Empire Christianization of Georgia Christianization of Bulgaria Christianization of Kievan Rus' Great Schism Russia Ottoman Empire North America Moscow–Constantinople schism 15th–16th c. 1996 2018
Theology History of Eastern Orthodox theology (20th century (Neo-Palamism)) Apophaticism Chrismation Contemplative prayer Essence vs. Energies Hesychasm Holy Trinity Hypostatic union Icons Metousiosis Mystical theology Nicene Creed Nepsis Oikonomia vs Akribeia Ousia Palamism Philokalia Phronema Sin Theosis Theotokos Differences from the Catholic Church Opposition to the Filioque Opposition to papal supremacy
Liturgy and worship Divine Liturgy Divine Services Akathist Apolytikion Artos Ectenia Euchologion Holy Water Iconostasis Jesus Prayer Aprakos Kontakion Liturgical entrances Liturgical fans Lity Memorial service Memory Eternal Omophorion Eastern Orthodox bowing Eastern Orthodox marriage Praxis Paraklesis Paschal greeting Paschal Homily Paschal troparion Prayer rope Prosphora Russian bell ringing Semantron Sign of the cross Sticheron Troparion Vestments Use of incense
Liturgical calendar Paschal cycle 12 Great Feasts Other feasts: Feast of Orthodoxy Intercession of the Theotokos The four fasting periods: Nativity Fast Great Lent Apostles' Fast Dormition Fast
Major figures Saints (Russian (until 15th century), Russian (post-15th century), Serbian, American) Justin Martyr Athanasius of Alexandria Ephraim the Syrian Basil of Caesarea Cyril of Jerusalem Gregory of Nazianzus Gregory of Nyssa John Chrysostom Cyril of Alexandria John Climacus Maximus the Confessor John of Damascus Theodore the Studite Kassia Cyril and Methodius Photius I of Constantinople Vladimir the Great Sava I of Serbia Gregory Palamas Innocent of Alaska
Other topics Architecture Folk Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs Cross Saint titles Statistics by country
v t e

This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Bowing in the Byzantine liturgy" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

There are several different kinds of bows one could encounter in Byzantine Christian services. The First Council of Nicaea's decree "that prayer be made to God standing" from Pascha (Easter) through Pentecost, and on all Sundays throughout the year, in honour of the Resurrection is observed. The exception is prostrating before the Cross on the Third Sunday of Great Lent and on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, if it falls on a Sunday, as well as for a few sacramental services, e.g., ordinations.

References

↑ Canon 20 of the 1st Ecumenical Council, Canon 90 of the 6th Ecumenical Council, Canon 91 of St Basil

v t e Eastern Christian Byzantine Rite
Services	Divine Liturgy Liturgy of Saint Basil Liturgy of Saint James Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom Liturgy of Saint Mark Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts Divine Office Vespers Compline Midnight Office Orthros (Matins) First Hour (Prime) Third Hour (Terce) Sixth Hour (Sext) Ninth Hour (None) Inter-Hours Typica All-night vigil Occasional Baptism Insufflation Minor exorcism Burial Absolution of the dead Memory Eternal Memorial service Chrismation Churching of women Consecration of a church Blessing of the cornerstone Exorcism Holy Week liturgies Foot washing Great Hours Epitaphios Threnos Epitafio Good Friday Prayer for the Jews Improperia Paschal Vigil Paschal Homily Paschal Hours Vows Mystery of Crowning Ordination Axios Unction Last rites
Structure	Common Alleluia Antiphon Apostol Dismissal Ecphonesis Ectenia Gospel Kathisma Kyrie Laying on of hands Lord's Prayer Megalynarion Axion Estin Polychronion Prayer of Saint Ephrem Procession Prokeimenon Secret Sign of the Cross Theotokion Trinitarian formula Troparion Irmos Katavasia Paschal troparion Ypakoe Ton Despotin Trisagion Usual beginning Divine Liturgy Ablution Anaphora Anamnesis Elevation Epiclesis Fraction Words of Consecration Cherubikon Entrance Entrance prayers Kairos Kiss of peace Koinonikon Let all mortal flesh keep silence Liturgy of Preparation Offertory Only-begotten Son Sursum corda Zapivka Zeon Divine Office Anabathmoi Apolytikion Aposticha Artoklasia Canon Doxology Exapostilarion Lity Odes Paraklesis Polyeleos Matins Gospel Sub tuum praesidium Sticheron Doxastikon Idiomelon Theos Kyrios
Participants	Acolyte altar server Bishop Cantor Canonarch Lampadarius Censer Choir Deacon Laity Hegumen Reader Priest Starets Subdeacon
Sanctuary	Aër Altar candle Altar lamp Analogion Anointing brush Antependium Antimins Ambon Bema Cathedra Diptych Eagle rug Holy Table Iconostasis Lavabo Relic Royal doors Soleas Tabernacle Table of Oblation Templon
Liturgical objects	Antidoron Artos Asterisk Azymite Baptismal font Betrothal ring Blessing cross Candelabra Chalice Chrism Crosier Crucifix Dikirion and trikirion (Paschal trikirion) Diskos Epitaphios (epitafio) Holy water Icon Incense use Koliva Khorugv Lamb Lavabo Liturgical fan Menorah Myrrh Oil of catechumens Pall Podruchnik Processional cross Prosphora (sacramental bread) Pyx Rose water Sacramental wine Sanctuary lamp Spear Spoon Thurible Veil Votive offering Wedding ring
Liturgical books	Apostol Euchologion Evangeliary Horologion Irmologion Lectionary Menaion Menologion Octoechos Patristic writings Pentecostarion Psalter Synaxarion Triodion Typicon
Vestments (Pontifical)	Baptismal clothing Cassock Choir dress Comb Crosier Engolpion Epigonation Epimanikia Epitrachelion Klobuk Mantle Mitre Nabedrennik Omophorion Orarion Panagia Pectoral cross Phelonion Sakkos Stole Zone
Liturgical calendar	Pre-Lenten Season Great Lent Holy Week Pascha Pentecostarion Apostles' Fast Dormition Fast Nativity Fast Afterfeast Moveable observances Paschal cycle Twelve Great Feasts
Eucharistic discipline and Holy Communion	Bowing Seven bow beginning Church etiquette Closed communion Communion and the developmentally disabled Communion under both kinds Fasting Headcover Host desecration Infant communion Intinction Prostration Reserved sacrament Thanksgiving after Communion
Theology	Acolouthia Azymes Body and Blood of Christ Epiousion Grace Koinonia Metousiosis Liturgical colours Mystical theology Origin of the Eucharist (Last Supper) Paschal mystery Passion of Jesus and its salvific nature Prayer for the dead Real presence Sacred mysteries Theoria Theosis
Related	Acclamatio Acoemetae Adelphopoiesis Agape feast Architecture Byzantine calendar Byzantine Rite Lutheranism Byzantine music Canonical hours Church Slavonic Christian liturgy Christogram Consecration in Eastern Christianity Coronation of the Russian monarch Diaconicon (Thalassidion) Diataxis Donkey walk Eastern Catholic Churches Liturgy Eastern Orthodox Church Theology Worship First seven ecumenical councils Holy Fire Koine Greek Lavra Lex orandi, lex credendi Mar Saba Octoechos Paschal greeting Pastophorion Polyphony (Russian Orthodox liturgy) Praxis Revised Julian calendar Russian Orthodox bell ringing Skeuophylax Western Rite Orthodoxy
Christianity portal

Bowing in the Byzantine liturgy

See also

References

Further reading