L’évêque célébrant et l’efficacité liturgique de sa parole

Abstract

The present article provides a discursive analysis of several statements made by the Christian bishop as the celebrating par excellence of the Eucharistic Liturgy, the central office of Orthodoxy, and their linguistic performativity. Besides the discursive analysis, there is also a semiotic one of a few gestures, as accompanists or illustrators of these statements, made by the same liturgical figure, highlighting the ritual efficiency of his speech. We will refer to the French versions of the text of the Eucharistic Liturgy attributed by the Orthodox tradition to Saint John Chrysostom, the most frequently celebrated in Orthodox churches, carried out by Archimandrite Fathers Placide Deseille and Denis Guillaume. Both discursive and semiotic analysis will be underpinned by a theological reflection of a liturgical nature, which will be provided to us by two of the greatest contemporary French Orthodox theologians, Archimandrite Placide Deseille and Professor Jean-Claude Larchet.

Keywords

• orthodoxy
• discourse
• eucharistic liturgy
• bishop
• ritual efficiency
• performativity