Zemnoy poklon

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Different kinds of bows used in an Eastern Orthodox service:

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The different kinds of bows one could meet at an Eastern Orthodox service are shown on a picture on the right. Only types 2,5 and 6 have their own independent meaning and rules of usage; other types are either 'lightened' or 'weighted' vesions of these 3 'basic' versions. Principally, the strict rules exist, which type of a bow should be used at any particular case. These rules are very complicated however, and are not always carried out in the major part of perishs. Old Believers are generally much more punctual about bows in comparison with the official Orthodoxy.

The first type is a 'head-only bow'. This type of bow has no its own usage, and can be used only instead of a 'belt-low bow' (2) in some situations (when one has no possibility to make a lower bow since there are too much people in a church or due to back problems etc.) People also should keep standing in this position during reading of Gospels and some other most important periods of service.
'Belt-low bow' (поясной поклон) can also be called an 'ordinary bow', since it's the most widespread type of bow. The major part of all bows during the Eastern Orthodox service are of this kind. However sometimes (for example during the Lent) the bows became lower and 'earth-low bows' (5) should be used instead.
'Belt-low bow with touching earth by a hand'. This type of a bow could be treated in two ways: sometimes it's only the 'very thoroughly done type 2 bow'. Sometimes, on the contrary, it's a 'lightened' version of an 'earth-low bow' (5). For example, when Popovtsy Old Believers ask their priests for a blessing, they should, theoretically, perform a 'earth-low bow'. But since one could ask priest for a blessing during an occasional meeting on a street, there's rather uncomfortable to make a full 'earth-low bow', so usually one only touches earth with his or her right hand (usually the back side of a hand).
Metanie (метание) is also a 'lightened' verstion of a 'earth-low bow' that is used in Old Believers service sometimes.
Zemnoy poklon (земной поклон, full earth-low bow) is a special type of bow, used in Eastern Orthodox church service, which is especially important for Old Believers.
A prostration is used only during the service of imposing in priesthood.

It's also important to notice that initially Eastern Orthodox service has no kneeling, but nowadays most churchs of mainstrem Eastern Orthodoxy use kneeling in some parts of service, that is a custom, borrowed from Roman Catholics. Old Believers reject kneeling and keep theirselves in the zemnoy poklon (5) position during the corresponding parts of the service.

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