On Sunday, November 28, the parish of Saint Andrew’s Church in Dix Hills was privileged to host the well-known liturgical scholar, author, and podcaster Sister Vassa (Larin) as she helped facilitate a ‘teaching Liturgy,’ followed by a reception and lecture.
At various points in the Liturgy, Sister Vassa stood before the assembled faithful to insert brief explanations of what was happening – not just providing a liturgical explanation with historical context, but going further explain the spiritual journey Christians take during the Liturgy. “She emphasized that the liturgical prayers aid the laity, who are active participants, in shedding their worldly concerns and petty grievances in order to fully partake in things divine,” noted Reader John McLaughlin, the parish president.
The ‘teaching Liturgy’ was conducted with great sensitivity to the Liturgy itself, and the instructive insertions were thoughtful and discreet. The misgivings of some about interrupting the ‘flow’ of the Liturgy were put to rest by the edifying insights offered by Sister Vassa. “This was a real blessing,” reflected one parishioner. “After all these years, I come to the Liturgy automatically. It was very helpful to pause and think about what it all means,” noted another.
Sister Vassa also delivered the sermon at the Liturgy, focusing on the spiritual truths presented in the day’s Gospel reading of Christ’s healing on the Sabbath. During the Coffee Hour, she presented a talk on accepting the cross of Christ, as opposed to the modern temptation, exacerbated by the internet and ever-present news media, to live in fear.
For those who aren’t familiar with Sister Vassa, “She is a ryassofor nun of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) and a scholar of Orthodox liturgics. She taught for seven years at the University of Vienna in Austria, where she continues to live. She is an outspoken public intellectual on issues facing the Orthodox Church and sits on a number of commissions of the Russian Orthodox Church. Since 2013, she has produced the popular podcast and video series ‘Coffee with Sister Vassa,'” noted Ginger Jerosh, a founder of the parish.
“Sister Vassa is a world-renowned expert on the liturgical life of the Church.” noted our Rdr. John. “She studied under Father Robert Taft, S.J. at the Orientale University in Rome and attained a Ph.D. degree. She has been on the faculty of the University of Vienna and is the author of over eighty books and articles on various aspects of Orthodoxy. As the daughter of a Russian Orthodox priest, and with a command of multiple modern European languages and of Church Slavonic, Latin and Koine Greek, she has rare insights into the development of the Church’s rites and rituals. More importantly, she can explain these matters in everyday terms. As Father John served the Divine Liturgy, Sister Vassa explained the meaning and significance of the prayers, which are waystations on the journey to the heavenly banquet of the Eucharist. Her presentation was an insightful success.”
The ‘teaching Liturgy’ was recorded for online catechetical purposes. It can be found online at the YouTube account of “Coffee with Sister Vassa”, here, as well as directly below: