Worship and Spirituality

The diverse forms of Christian spirituality present in North Africa and West Asia are marked by both ancient liturgical traditions and renewal brought about through ecumenical contact. Many churches worship in the traditional liturgical languages of Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, or Byzantine Greek. The worship of the historical indigenous churches emphasizes the eternal continuity of liturgical time through daily, weekly, and annual rhythms. Materiality is embraced through the beauty and richness of church architecture, liturgical objects, and sacramental rituals, as well as through bodily involvement in worship. This Christian focus on incarnational worship has arisen partly in contrast to Islamic spirituality. The many historical sites of the Holy Land have also given rise to strong traditions of pilgrimage and veneration of the saints. In the twenty-first century, the worship practices of historic Eastern churches are still adjusting to accommodate the new reality of global diaspora communities.