Kneeling, standing or sitting in the presence of God
In most Byzantine and Orthodox churches, one might be surprised to find there are no pews. The reason behind this dates to the Protestant Reformation in Europe.
During worship services, Protestant churches did not put emphasis on the liturgical movements, but on the sermon given by the preacher. The interpretation of the Bible by Pastors took center-stage and soon the act of standing, or kneeling gave place to sitting.
When wooden pews appeared in Protestant Temples, the Roman Catholic Church decided to follow the trend. Catholics first bought their own pews, but soon Churchwarden’s started renting them out to Catholics. Prices would vary depending on location and pews soon became an evident marker of social divide. Rich families sat close to the altar whereas poor families would be found at the back.
To this day, most Eastern churches do not have pews and vigorously defend this choice.
Believed to be a passive act, one that creates distance and imbalance between priests and their congregation, sitting is rarely practiced. In the Orthodox Church, a good standing posture is considered essential when receiving liturgy, not as an individual but as a connected group standing close together in the face of God.
