Conference paper

Mistagogy of eucharistic celebration

Ante Crnčević ; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Following the repeated interest of theology and pastoral practice for the ancient mystagogical approach to liturgy, the author tries to show that celebration of liturgy as liturgical action (ergon) has mystagogical power, and it can bring community to the mystery of salvation. The mystagogy of liturgy is based on liturgical rituality. Therefore, understanding, the real evaluation of non-verbal language of liturgy is the prerequisite for the fulfilment of the experience of the mystery, which becomes real and contemporary in liturgical action. Including all the elements of the ritual and everything experienced by senses; such as liturgical actions, gestures, body positions, liturgical space and music, ministers and community gathered in liturgy into the category of sign and symbol, the author follows the order of mass and presents the mystery, which reveals itself through understanding and through experience of different liturgical actions. In the end, the author points to the need for the re-evaluation and recovery of the dimension of sign and symbol in liturgy, for modern society is less and less capable of feeling and understanding the symbolic. As liturgy of the Church is also God’s act of salvation, it has to be performed as an action or an event in every sense of the word, and this is only possible by using signs.

Keywords

Mistagogy; sign; symbol; ritual; order of mass; Eucharistic celebration

Hrčak ID:

40192

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/40192

Publication date:

30.6.2003.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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