According to legend, in 987 Prince Vladimir of Kiev sent emissaries to different countries of the world to learn about the religion and worship of each.  The Muslims were found to be ‘disgraceful’ and the Western Christians without ‘glory’.  Of Constantinople, at the cathedral church of Hagia Sophia, they reported:

‘We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendor or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it. We know only that God dwells there among men, and their service is fairer than the ceremonies of other nations. For we cannot forget that beauty.’

This convinced Prince Vladimir, and he and his subjects embraced Greek Christianity.  They were converted, not by theological argument, but by liturgical beauty.

Paul Meyendorff describes:

‘A western visitor to an Orthodox church is immediately struck by the building. Icons of saints and biblical scenes cover the walls and ceiling, sometimes entirely. A screen covered with icons, called the iconostasis, separates the sanctuary (where the altar sits) from the nave (where the congregation gathers).

‘Over the nave soars a large central dome, from which an austere image of the Pantocrator (Christ seated on his throne of glory) gazes down on the gathered assembly. Images of Christ and the Theotokos (Mary, “Birthgiver of God,”) flank the central doors of the iconostasis.

‘The images are large, bold, formal, lacking any sentimentality. They intend to convey this: you stand in the presence of the living God, together with the saints and the righteous of every age. Before a single word has been uttered, then, the congregation forms itself into a mirror image of the heavenly assembly of all believers, who together sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy …” (Rev. 4:8).

‘As the service begins, the visitor is transported into a new and unfamiliar world. The smell of incense fills the church. The central doors of the iconostasis are opened and the priest, vested in resplendent robes, intones the opening benediction. The deacon chants the opening litany, and the choir and people respond, Kyrie eleison (“Lord, have mercy”). Nearly the entire service is chanted or sung.

‘At each petition, the people make the sign of the cross and bow, offering their prayers physically, as well as mentally. They stand throughout the long service, as Orthodox churches generally lack pews.

‘The clergy move in and out of the sanctuary in what appears to be a precise dance. Acolytes process with candles.

‘Singers juggle the numerous music and hymn books. The faithful move back and forth, placing candles on stands before icons.

‘All this appears to be complex and chaotic, but to the worshipers it is all natural. Everyone knows his or her role in the assembly.

‘The visitor is also struck by the hymns and prayers. Some are chanted aloud for all to hear, others recited almost inaudibly. Westerners, accustomed to brief, simple, direct prayers, are often taken aback by the elaborate, flowery, and highly poetic language of the Byzantine liturgy. These texts, most composed between the fourth to the eleventh centuries, represent the highest achievement of medieval Greek Christian culture.

‘Prayers and hymns are largely built on scriptural material. The eucharistic prayer composed by St. Basil the Great, for example, contains at least 44 direct biblical citations in the preface alone.’

In such worship, Christ descends through the Spirit to give his Word, and his body and blood.  But also, worshipers are lifted up to where he is, and given a foretaste of heaven.

Christian History Magazine, Issue 54, ‘Eastern Orthodoxy’