Attending First Byzantine Liturgy

  • Thread starter Thread starter holdencaulfield
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Now that Patchunky and I have had our little spat I’d like to read about holdnecaufield’s journey to heaven.

CDL
 
I myself being a Latin who has attended a couple of Divine Liturgies (one Rusyn-Byzantine, the other Melkite) I would recommend just taking it all in the first time. Don’t use any books or try to follow along because that is VERY distracting to you and those around you. Just take in the beauty of what’s going on.👍 You’re in for a treat!! Wish I could go! I think the DL of St John Chrysostom is one of the most beautiful ways of worshiping God I’ve ever seen.
 
Hello again everyone. I have just attended my first Divine Liturgy. It was very good, and nice to see a reverent respect. It’s a lot of standing even though the parishioners only stood for about half of the Liturgy. The whole service was an hour and a half. I have a few questions. I didn’t see any one kissing the Icons, however most people lit a little candle at the start. People were bowing towards the alter before the Consecration. Is that typical. Also is the Eucharist, normally received outside of the Iconostasis. All, the prayers were chanted, however the music seemed like it was more on the side of sung as opposed to chanting. The priest cut the bread a head of time, which seemed good as well. Many younger kids like 4 years old were receiving the Eucharist, that is typical however I assume in the Byzantine Rite. They also did not say the Filioque, which I assume is also typical. I may choose this parish to join and be Confirmed at, however I still want to attend the Traditional Latin Mass, and see which I prefer. I have a FSSP parish by my house, so we will see what I like better. I didn’t know what to do, however I enjoyed it.
 
holdencaulfield said:
Hello again everyone. I have just attended my first Divine Liturgy. It was very good, and nice to see a reverent respect. It’s a lot of standing even though the parishioners only stood for about half of the Liturgy. The whole service was an hour and a half. I have a few questions. I didn’t see any one kissing the Icons, however most people lit a little candle at the start. People were bowing towards the alter before the Consecration. Is that typical. Also is the Eucharist, normally received outside of the Iconostasis. All, the prayers were chanted, however the music seemed like it was more on the side of sung as opposed to chanting. The priest cut the bread a head of time, which seemed good as well. Many younger kids like 4 years old were receiving the Eucharist, that is typical however I assume in the Byzantine Rite. They also did not say the Filioque, which I assume is also typical. I may choose this parish to join and be Confirmed at, however I still want to attend the Traditional Latin Mass, and see which I prefer. I have a FSSP parish by my house, so we will see what I like better. I didn’t know what to do, however I enjoyed it.
Click to expand...
To try and answers some of your questions…

Yes, it is common to bow towards the altar at the consecration.

No, the Eucharist is not reserved outside of the Sanctuary. It is kept behind the ikonostasis.

Yes, the Filioque is no longer used during the Creed.

As for the singing, what you heard was the “new” version of the traditional plain chant called PROSTOPINIJE. It is the singing of the entire congregation. Choir singing was something that was “adopted” when the Ruthenians came to this country.

I call it the “new” version because it has only in mandatory use since June 29, 2007. Not everyone is happy with it…

Hope you enjoyed your expierence at the Divine Liturgy…
 
Patchunky said:
Yes, it is common to bow towards the altar at the consecration.
Click to expand...
This was before Consecration, when the parishioners entered the building.
No, the Eucharist is not reserved outside of the Sanctuary. It is kept behind the ikonostasis.
Click to expand...
At this parish the priest distributed the Eucharist outside of the Sanctuary. He went into the Iconostasis, consecrated the host and then brought the Eucharist outside of the Sanctuary for the parishioners.
 
holdencaulfield said:
Hello again everyone. I have just attended my first Divine Liturgy. It was very good, and nice to see a reverent respect. It’s a lot of standing even though the parishioners only stood for about half of the Liturgy. The whole service was an hour and a half. I have a few questions. I didn’t see any one kissing the Icons, however most people lit a little candle at the start. People were bowing towards the alter before the Consecration. Is that typical. Also is the Eucharist, normally received outside of the Iconostasis. All, the prayers were chanted, however the music seemed like it was more on the side of sung as opposed to chanting. The priest cut the bread a head of time, which seemed good as well. Many younger kids like 4 years old were receiving the Eucharist, that is typical however I assume in the Byzantine Rite. They also did not say the Filioque, which I assume is also typical. I may choose this parish to join and be Confirmed at, however I still want to attend the Traditional Latin Mass, and see which I prefer. I have a FSSP parish by my house, so we will see what I like better. I didn’t know what to do, however I enjoyed it.
Click to expand...
Hi holden,

I’m glad you had a good experience this morning. Yes, in my experience the Eucharist is normally received just outside of the iconostasis. The bread is prepared before the Liturgy in a special service called the Proskomedia or Prothesis which you can read about here.
 
holdencaulfield said:
This was before Consecration, when the parishioners entered the building.

At this parish the priest distributed the Eucharist outside of the Sanctuary. He went into the Iconostasis, consecrated the host and then brought the Eucharist outside of the Sanctuary for the parishioners.
Click to expand...
OK…

instead of genuflecting, Ruthenians, Ukrainians and other Eastern Christians will bow to the Eucharist present on the Altar.

The Eucharist that the priest is distributing is the Eucharist that was just consecrated during the Divine Liturgy. It is distributed from the ambon in front of the Royal Doors of the ikonostas (the center doors on the ikonostas).
 
GregoryPalamas said:
Do not extrapolate your experience to a universal principle. I’m sorry if your parish is afflicted by SSPXers. We have none. Yet half of our people, including myself, follow the ancient pattern of standing. As I understand it, sitting is a Protestant habit absorbed by Western Roman Catholics. Perhaps if you had no pews except for the few elderly or infirm you might stair at them and cause a scandle with your complaints. We don’t have that problem. Those who choose to sit, sit. Those who choose to stand, stand. Ancient and modern meet and don’t make snide remarks about the other. I encourage you to do the same.

CDL
Click to expand...
And what is done in your parish is NOT done in all Ruthenian parishes either in this country or in the “Old Country”.

They all have pews and very proud of that fact.

Maybe you should listen to Bishop Kudrick and finish putting the pews in your church as he ordered…
😛
 
holdencaulfield said:
This was before Consecration, when the parishioners entered the building.

At this parish the priest distributed the Eucharist outside of the Sanctuary. He went into the Iconostasis, consecrated the host and then brought the Eucharist outside of the Sanctuary for the parishioners.
Click to expand...
We bow to the major icon of the day. Yes, the priest always consecrates within the sanctuary and then brings the Body and Blood to the people. We can’t go into the sanctuary so the priest must bring out the Precious elements to us.

CDL
 
GregoryPalamas said:
We bow to the major icon of the day. Yes, the priest always consecrates within the sanctuary and then brings the Body and Blood to the people. We can’t go into the sanctuary so the priest must bring out the Precious elements to us.
Click to expand...
What is typically the Major Icon. In this particular parish it was an Icon of the Theotokos with the Christ Child.
 
Patchunky said:
And what is done in your parish is NOT done in all Ruthenian parishes either in this country or in the “Old Country”.

They all have pews and very proud of that fact.

Maybe you should listen to Bishop Kudrick and finish putting the pews in your church as he ordered…
😛
Click to expand...
Sit or stand but leave off the snideness. Pride does go before a fall. Please, provide a link to the order from our good bishop telling us all to sit down. I’ve never heard of such a thing.

CDL
 
holdencaulfield said:
What is typically the Major Icon. In this particular parish it was an Icon of the Theotokos with the Christ Child.
Click to expand...
Whatever icon is on the tetrapod is the icon of the day. The tetrapod is the small table in front of the Ambon. Actually Byzantines bow alot. That is why the most appropriate settng for worship is one in which very few pews are obstructing it. How does one make a profound bow when one has pews in the way?

CDL
 
I want to make sure there are not Liturgical Abuses at this parish. How will I know as I am not familiar with the Byzantine Rite.
 
holdencaulfield said:
I want to make sure there are not Liturgical Abuses at this parish. How will I know as I am not familiar with the Byzantine Rite.
Click to expand...
You’d better check out Churches that really do commit Liturgical abuses as they breath air. Eastern Catholics tend to be quite traditional. (Though I can’t swear to Patchunky’s Church).

One more thing about Eastern bowing. The full liturgy allows for and often calls for many bows and profound bows though It never calls for kneeling on kneelers. During the Great Fasts there are many full prostrations as well. It keeps us in shape in more ways than one.

CDL
 
GregoryPalamas said:
You’d better check out Churches that really do commit Liturgical abuses as they breath air. Eastern Catholics tend to be quite traditional. (Though I can’t swear to Patchunky’s Church).

One more thing about Eastern bowing. The full liturgy allows for and often calls for many bows and profound bows though It never calls for kneeling on kneelers. During the Great Fasts there are many full prostrations as well. It keeps us in shape in more ways than one.

CDL
Click to expand...
Thank You. I didn’t see any abuses I was just wondering. So it is typical for people to sing along in the Service. Also is there a typical hymn book or does it depend.
 
holdencaulfield said:
Thank You. I didn’t see any abuses I was just wondering. So it is typical for people to sing along in the Service. Also is there a typical hymn book or does it depend.
Click to expand...
We have a new liturgical book which Pat has mentioned is not as popular as the old one but there are many supplements. Worship is always to be sung. What St. John saw and heard as recorded in the Book of Revelation is what we are supposed to see and hear during Divine Liturgy. The Roman Catholics are supposed to sing as well. Their song is the Gregorian Chant. If you want to know why the Latin Catholics do not sing their own songs you must ask them. We still sing the songs God has given us.

CDL
 
holdencaulfield said:
Thank You. I didn’t see any abuses I was just wondering. So it is typical for people to sing along in the Service. Also is there a typical hymn book or does it depend.
Click to expand...
The people should be participating in the singing, but in my experience the degree of actual participation depends greatly on the parish. In the different Ruthenian parishes I’ve attended I’ve seen both extremes; parishes that have almost no one singing with the choir and those that the congregation is singing with such enthusiasm that the choir almost can’t be heard. I’d say somewhere in the middle is more typical though.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top