While Christianity replaced the gods of antiquity,
traditional Classical culture continued to flourish.
Greek and Latin were the languages of the
learned classes. Before Persian and Arab
invasions devastated much of their eastern
holdings, Byzantine territory extended as far as
south as Egypt. After a period of iconoclastic
uprising came to resolution in the 9th Century, a
second flowering of Byzantine culture arose and
lasted until Constantinople was temporarily
seized by Crusaders from the west in the 13th
Century. Christianity spread throughout the
Slavic lands to the north. In 1453, Constantinople
finally fell to the Ottoman Turks effectively
ending the Byzantine Empire after more than
1,100 years. Byzantine art and culture was the
epitome of luxury, encorporating the finest
elements from the artistic traditions of both the
East and the West.
The Byzantine Divine Liturgy was a symbolic re-
enactment of Christ's incarnation, teachings, and
sacrifice. This Great Mysterium - the redemption
of humanity - unfolded in an elaborate church
ceremony that included prayer readings, the
singing of hymns, and procession of clergy
decorated in lavish vestments, some of whom
carried processional crosses. Others swung
censers gently back and forth, filling the air with
sweet smelling smoke. The eucharistic bread was
stamped with various patterns. The ceremony
stimulated all the senses and engaged the mind,
allowing the worshipper to experience the divine.
- (SP.206)
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