XPost: alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox, alt.religion.christianity, alt.religion.christian
XPost: alt.religion.christian.greek-orthodox

Layperson Question: Just heard Jonathan Pageau use the word “circumambulation” in a video. My question is - what exactly is this? What’s its meaning, and purpose? Is this the same as when Orthodox go
in procession around a Church?

This priest's answer: The priest often does this when censing a sacred
object in the nave; and when feast day icons, or the cross, are
brought out of the altar they are generally carried in a circular, counter-clockwise fashion around a stand or base in the center of the
church. Graves, coffins, and baptismal fonts are circled thrice and
censed, and in weddings there is the Dance of Isaiah. There are so
many liturgical examples, and there are many more in the altar itself.

This is circumambulation, and is also called, as in Scripture,
"encompassing" - fixing a center along the axes of a compass - East,
North, West, South. Its purpose is to define and set apart a circular,
warded, sacred, womblike space in which truth, beauty, and purity may
grow - and attention is focused on this place where that which is holy
can be born amongst us. It is a kind of sacred mapping, an underlying
element of any liturgical action.

In processions, it is the church or temple that is being made the
focus of such liturgical activity, but the idea and purpose are much
the same. By our action we express our willingness to invite God onto
our midst and request that He establish a holy place amongst us.

(from Fr Cassian Sibley on Facebook).

some further thoughts: the area within the encompassed space is the
ecumene, the inhabited world. That beyond is the realm of what in
Greek are called "exotika" which include such things as neraides,
gorgones, and other such creatures.

See also:

The Paranormal in literature and popular culture: <https://khanya.wordpress.com/2019/03/18/the-paranormal-in-literature-and-popular-culture/>

or https://t.co/Om1XGpm4iW


--
Stephen Hayes, Author of The Year of the Dragon
Sample or purchase The Year of the Dragon: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/907935
Web site: http://www.khanya.org.za/stevesig.htm
Blog: http://khanya.wordpress.com
E-mail: shayes@dunelm.org.uk

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