La dimensione ecumenica del rito della fondazione di una Chiesa nella tradizione bizantina greca e latina

Abstract

The dedication of a Church is not the only rite that is used for the initiation of a new place of Christian worship. At the beginning of the construction of a building, liturgical sources provide for the Rite of Foundation of a Church in which blessings are asked on both the workers and also on the future edifice. This paper gives a comparative analysis of prayers used in the rites of the Byzantine- Greek and Latin traditions. Although both traditions have different theological emphasis they also have similarities too. This study bears fruit in allowing us to create a common ecumenical definition of the church-building arising from these analysed texts – it is the future place of Christian worship which (ἐκκλησία, ecclesia) is a house (οἶκος) constructed (opus) for God, to celebrate His glory (cf. Es 40,34-35; Ez 9,3) in and through the divine mysteries (templum). This place is made by the community of the faithful and it from this same community it takes its name (ἐκκλησία, ecclesia).