Page:The Greek and Eastern churches.djvu/302

270 a great extent from intercourse with Constantinople. This enforced isolation of the three Eastern patriarchs became an important factor in the final severance of the Churches.

The conduct of worship in the Byzantine Church was also continued without serious alteration during this period, the ritual becoming more and more stereotyped. This was centred in the communion office, which, known as the "mass" in the West, is named in the East the "liturgy." At first every bishop was free to adopt his own forms of prayer, though the liturgy of St. James was largely accepted as the common basis. In its present form this cannot be older than the end of the fourth century, but no doubt it is a development from more ancient times. It was primarily intended for use in the Church at Jerusalem. Next came the liturgy of St. Basil, which is founded on the liturgy of St. James, but is much longer and more elaborate; and after that the liturgy of St. Chrysostom, which is not so long. These two together constitute the Byzantine liturgies, the lengthy liturgy of St. Basil being used only on certain occasions. Originating in Asia Minor this became the basis of the Armenian liturgy. The liturgy of St. Chrysostom was primarily the form of worship adopted in Constantinople, and it became the normal service for the Byzantine Church on all Sundays except the few to which the liturgy of St. Basil was assigned.

The service books of the Greek Church are in fourteen quarto volumes. They consist of three parts—hymns, poetry, portions of Scripture. No separate Bibles are published for the use of the people, although the action of the British and Foreign Bible Society in circulating the Scriptures is not hindered by the Greek Church officials as it is by the Roman Catholic hierarchy, and in some cases it is welcomed gratefully and encouraged. This Church provides manuals, vade mecums for services, especially for the burial service. It looks askance at the Russian Church