America is a nation torn asunder by debates over its self-identity: our monuments, the proper etiquette during our national anthem, and, as the approach of Columbus Day reminds us, who in our collective past is worthy of celebration. These debates can be worthwhile, particularly as they orient our gaze beyond ourselves to what is most valuable to American self-conception. Essential, though, is that these conversations be contextualized within a broader paradigm of what constitutes a uniquely American “civic liturgy” that is worth preserving both for ourselves and for our children.
Although the word “liturgy” is usually associated with Christian worship, it's actually a far older concept that the early Christians borrowed from the pagan Greeks. The original word, leitourgia, literally means “work of the people.” The term signified expensive offerings that wealthy Greeks would make in service to the people and thus to the polis. The leitourgia were assigned by the polis and subsequently the Roman Empire, and became obligatory by the third century A.D. The holders of a leitourgia were entrusted with a particular ritual that would be performed publicly. In Demosthenes' day, there were about 100 liturgical appointments in Athens for festivals.
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