A few questions about attending the Divine Liturgy

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I have found an Eastern Catholic Church in town and would like to attend one sunday. I am not very informed about it and would welcome some info on what to do. I’ve found the text of the Divine Liturgy in another thread and plan to take it with me.

Here are some questions:

Is it called Eastern Rite Mass or Divine Liturgy? Or are both correct terms?

Is the Divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom the norm on sundays? Are there other variants used? (this particular church is Ukrainian Catholic, if that makes a difference)

What do you do when you first go in? (are there holy water stoops or something like that?)

How is Communion received? (is this the correct term?)

Is it allowed to sit during the liturgy? (I’m heavily pregnant and probably won’t be able to stand the whole time).

Do women cover their heads?

Does attendance fulfill my sunday obligation?

Any important dos and don’ts?

Many thanks!
 
Hi, I am a Byzantine Catholic and I also sometimes go to a Ukranian church too.
You can sit if you need to. Only make sure you’re standing during the consecration and in the Divine Presence. The Body and Blood are distributed together on a golden spoon. So when you come to the priest, tilt your head back and open your mouth wide. Do not extend your tongue and do not say Amen. Do not close your mouth around the spoon. It will be tipped into your mouth.
Some wear head coverings, most do not. It doesn’t matter. It is the St John liturgy. Sorry if I forgot anything else.
 
Contra_Mundum said:
Is it called Eastern Rite Mass or Divine Liturgy? Or are both correct terms?
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Divine Liturgy would be the more common term. I wouldn’t go so far as to say Mass is unacceptable, but I don’t think anyone but Roman (Latin) Catholics would call it that.
Contra_Mundum said:
Is the Divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom the norm on sundays? Are there other variants used? (this particular church is Ukrainian Catholic, if that makes a difference)
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Yes, the Liturgy of St. John is the most common one. Others include the Liturgy of St. Basil, used on his feast day and on Sundays during Great Lent, and the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts (credited to Pope St. Gregory I) used during the week in Great Lent. There is another one, the Liturgy of St. James, but I’m not sure when that’s used.
Contra_Mundum said:
What do you do when you first go in? (are there holy water stoops or something like that?)
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Holy water is not a traditional Byzantine custom. When you go in. make the sign of the cross and kiss the icons that are laid out on tables/tetrapods.


Contra_Mundum said:
How is Communion received? (is this the correct term?)
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Communion/Eucharist is received by approaching the priest, crossing your arms over your chest, and opening your mouth. He will feed you communion on a golden spoon. (Note that crossing your arms means you will receive, not that you won’t receive as it has come to mean in the contemporary Roman practice.)



You will also note that children receive communion. It is the ancient Eastern practice that children are baptized, christmated (confirmed) and communed all at once when they are born.
Contra_Mundum said:
Is it allowed to sit during the liturgy? (I’m heavily pregnant and probably won’t be able to stand the whole time).
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Yes, most churches will have at least some pews or chairs. It is common in Eastern churches (and was common in Western churches until the Reformation) to stand the entire time, but no one will mind or probably even notice if you sit down.
Contra_Mundum said:
Do women cover their heads?
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Depends on the parish.
Contra_Mundum said:
Does attendance fulfill my sunday obligation?
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Yes! 🙂
Contra_Mundum said:
Any important dos and don’ts?
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Unless it’s an extremely atypical parish,
  • Don’t hold hands during the Our Father
  • Don’t say “And the Son” in the Creed
  • Don’t stick out your tongue while receiving Communion 😛
 
Thank you both for the answers! This is really helpful. I’m really looking forward to it.
 
Glory to Jesus Christ!

A source for basics is 12 Things I Wish I’d Known…First Visit to an Orthodox Church. Although Khouria Frederica is writing about visiting an Orthodox parish, her descriptions will be apt for your participation at the Ukrainian Catholic Divine Liturgy.

Their parish website may have some helpful information. (Is the Divine Liturgy in English?) St Elias Ukrainian Catholic Church in Brampton, ON, Canada has an informative website, as do many parishes, for additional information about church etiquette etc. The priest will address you by name when giving you Eucharist so speak your name when you approach, your first name or the saint-name you took. After receiving Eucharist we usually kiss the base of the chalice and the hand of the priest holding it. At the conclusion of the DL we kiss the hand cross the priest is holding and his hand. He may say “Christ is among us!” The response varies but is “He is and shall be!” or something similar.
wynd said:
Holy water is not a traditional Byzantine custom. When you go in. make the sign of the cross and kiss the icons that are laid out on tables/tetrapods.
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There are usually bees’ wax candles for sale at the entry which are lit and put in stands next to the icon stand, such as in the photo wynd included. You will see what others do.

Plan to stay after Liturgy. There is very often more than just coffee and tea after Liturgy since we’ve been fasting since midnight, at least. Also this Sunday is All Saints, the day before we begin an extended period of fasting. If they follow the Apostles Fast in that parish they might have an extra hearty repast after Liturgy.

I’m sure they will be happy to have a visitor and will be happy to answer any questions you have. You could contact the deacon (“Father Deacon”) and mention your plans to come.

Let us know how it goes. 🙂
 
wynd said:
Holy water is not a traditional Byzantine custom.
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I want to amend myself here. Holy water is very much a part of Eastern spiritual life; please see here for more information. What I meant to say was holy water fonts in the church narthex are not a part of Eastern tradition.
 
Contra_Mundum said:
I have found an Eastern Catholic Church in town and would like to attend one sunday. I am not very informed about it and would welcome some info on what to do. I’ve found the text of the Divine Liturgy in another thread and plan to take it with me.

Here are some questions:

Is it called Eastern Rite Mass or Divine Liturgy? Or are both correct terms?
Click to expand...
Generic Term: Divine Worship, Divine Worship Service
Byzantine, Coptic Rites: Divine Liturgy
Syriac Rites: Quorbono/Qurbana, Mass, qurbono qadisho
Armenian: Badarak, Mass, surb patarag, Divine Liturgy (not so common)

Since you mention Ukrainian, Divine Liturgy. Mass is incorrect, but occasionally used.
Contra_Mundum said:
Is the Divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom the norm on sundays? Are there other variants used? (this particular church is Ukrainian Catholic, if that makes a difference)
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All byzantines normally use the DL of St John Chrysostom, with that of St Basil the Great on certain feasts. A few also use the DL of St James on a feast or two.
Contra_Mundum said:
What do you do when you first go in? (are there holy water stoops or something like that?)
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Stop at the nave doors, cross yourself, possibly making a profound bow at the same time.
Go to the tetrapod, reverence any icons upon them. If you know who is upon them, ask them to pray for you as part of your reverence. Kissing the saint’s hands or feet, and Christ’s feet, is normative. If a cloth is present, wipe the icons after kissing them.

Then find a seat.

You won’t find holy water out normally. (certain feasts, or if there was a baptism, perhaps.) A couple older parishes might have holy water fonts, and they may or may not be dry, but it’s a latinization.
Contra_Mundum said:
How is Communion received? (is this the correct term?)
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Make a sign of reverence as you approach; since most approach by the tetrapod.
Step forward, arms crossed across your chest; closer than most find comfortable; Tilt your head back, and open your mouth WIDE. If there are no servers to bring the cloth under your chin, take the corners and do so.
Contra_Mundum said:
Is it allowed to sit during the liturgy? (I’m heavily pregnant and probably won’t be able to stand the whole time).
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If your health needs you to sit, sit. Some may have no chairs/pews, however, so if in such a parish, find a sill or sit on the floor. If you are obviously gravid, or infirm, many without chairs set up may grab one for you from the fellowship hall anyway.

If possible, stand during the anaphora (from Great Entrance, which is the second procession, the one with the chalice until communion) and during the Gospel.
Contra_Mundum said:
Do women cover their heads?
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Many. Usually a hat or nice scarf.
Contra_Mundum said:
Does attendance fulfill my sunday obligation?
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Yes.
Contra_Mundum said:
Any important dos and don’ts?
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NO LIPSTICK!!! It marks the icons.
It is common to fast from the night before; different eparchies have different rules, call ahead an ask the pastor, mentioning your pregnancy.
If you have issues with incense, take your allergy meds well before hand.
If you can, go to vespers and confession the night before in that same parish.
If you can, arrive for orthros before liturgy.
be ready, if the priest or deacon asks, to give your first name at communion.
 
A note on naming:

Missa is merely Latin slang meaning “Eucharistic Liturgy”. In English, it means Mass.

While is it a bit of a misnomer to refer to an Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy as an Eastern Catholic Mass, it’s still correct in that Mass means “Eucharistic Liturgy.”

They all refer to the same thing - they just have specific meanings. “Divine Liturgy” typically means the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, whereas “Mass” means the Liturgy of Paul VI. So each one can be used as an overarching term, and the English word Mass is incredibly convenient for this because it’s monosyllabic. However, it’s best to be specific and call Byzantine services “Divine Liturgy”.
 
WetCatechumen said:
A note on naming:

Missa is merely Latin slang meaning “Eucharistic Liturgy”. In English, it means Mass.

While is it a bit of a misnomer to refer to an Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy as an Eastern Catholic Mass, it’s still correct in that Mass means “Eucharistic Liturgy.”

They all refer to the same thing - they just have specific meanings. .
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Thanks. I didn’t know this.
 
Archimandrite Fr.Serge gave me a translation of the DL in Ukrainain/English, and in the Creed we do say ‘‘proccedeth from the Father and the Son.’’

Eastern Catholics in communion with Rome do say it this way.
 
Stephentlig said:
Archimandrite Fr.Serge gave me a translation of the DL in Ukrainain/English, and in the Creed we do say ‘‘proccedeth from the Father and the Son.’’

Eastern Catholics in communion with Rome do say it this way.
Click to expand...
I thought that would be the case. Thanks for clarifying it.
 
Stephentlig said:
Archimandrite Fr.Serge gave me a translation of the DL in Ukrainain/English, and in the Creed we do say ‘‘proccedeth from the Father and the Son.’’

Eastern Catholics in communion with Rome do say it this way.
Click to expand...
Eastern Catholics are not supposed to use the filioque; adding it was a latinization, one supposed to be dropped. Individual parishes might still be using it, but it’s not the “norm.”
 
wynd said:
You will also note that children receive communion. It is the ancient Eastern practice that children are baptized, christmated (confirmed) and communed all at once when they are born.
Click to expand...
It is also the ancient Western practice. May they return to the fullness of the Orthodox faith.
 
Stephentlig said:
Archimandrite Fr.Serge gave me a translation of the DL in Ukrainain/English, and in the Creed we do say ‘‘proccedeth from the Father and the Son.’’

Eastern Catholics in communion with Rome do say it this way.
Click to expand...
It is not common anymore. It is not said that way in the Ruthenian Church, nor is it said in the Ukrainian Church that I occasionally attend. The English translation of Divine Liturgy for the Melkite Church released in 2009 also does not contain it.
 
Chaldrean Rite,
I doubt he means it offensively. Its just a Latinization thats all. Not a degradation of the faith, more an addition to what was there. This is where one Patrimony was ascribed something from another Patrimony.
 
Alveus_Lacuna said:
It is also the ancient Western practice. May they return to the fullness of the Orthodox faith.
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I would really appreciate if this thread didn’t go into this direction. No need to turn my rather straightforward set of questions into a kind of political debate. Thanks.
 
Stephentlig said:
Archimandrite Fr.Serge gave me a translation of the DL in Ukrainain/English, and in the Creed we do say ‘‘proccedeth from the Father and the Son.’’

Eastern Catholics in communion with Rome do say it this way.
Click to expand...
My experience with Eastern Catholics (admittedly at just one parish) was the exact opposite. The “and the Son” in their liturgy books had been scratched out with a pen.
 
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