Byzantine Catholic Door

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adawgj

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How come at Byzantine Catholic Churches their is a door in front of the altar? Just wondering
 
You mean the Royal Doors? They are usually called Royal, Beautiful or Holy doors.
They are considered to be most sacred of three doors on Iconostasis, and may only be entered at certain sacred moments during the services, and only by ordained clergy (deacons, priests, bishops).
 
RimoGrkoKatolik said:
You mean the Royal Doors? They are usually called Royal, Beautiful or Holy doors.
They are considered to be most sacred of three doors on Iconostasis, and may only be entered at certain sacred moments during the services, and only by ordained clergy (deacons, priests, bishops).
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Very interesting sorry for not calling them by their proper term. I also wonder (I’m not good with terms) does the incense have bells on it when the priest swings it?
 
adawgj said:
Very interesting sorry for not calling them by their proper term. I also wonder (I’m not good with terms) does the incense have bells on it when the priest swings it?
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Yes, it does. The bells stay there when the deacon stops swinging, too. You just don’t hear them then. 😉
patheos.com/blogs/thecrescat/2012/05/weapons-of-mass-destruction-the-thurible.html
And in the church, candles burn with the divine light; the ringing of bells sanctifies the air; incense reminds us of the fragrance of prayers; and from each icon the Saviour Himself, the Mother of God and all the saints mysteriously look at us and we look at Their holy images as two worlds come face to face: the dwellers of the Kingdom of God and we, the sinners.
stsophiaukrainian.cc/resources/candles/
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You can see and hear the censor on YouTube. youtube.com/watch?v=1nD6DjmdKrI
 
In the West we used to have these things called “altar rails.” Oh the horror! Dies of aneurysm because of rage
 
YoungTradCath said:
In the West we used to have these things called “altar rails.” Oh the horror! Dies of aneurysm because of rage
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Too bad I was never around to see those sounds like it brings more reverence to communion.
Maybe they will come back
 
patrick457 said:
We used to have things called rood screens too, but well…most everyone ditched them after Trent came along.
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Interesting that you should say most everyone and not absolutely everyone. I distinctly remember there still being a rood screen in the crypt of San Miniato al Monte in Florence by the Piazzale Michelangelo. Of course an anomaly. I’ve also heard of a Spanish church that maintains the tradition of employing a sanctuary veil; I don’t know if that’s true though and even if it is whether or not the tradition itself is an importation from Byzantine/Syriac Christianity or organically Spaniard.
 
The term Royal Doors is commonly used to describe the Holy Doors, because Christ passes through these gates during the Great Entrance at the Divine Liturgy. Only the Priest or Bishop when vested pass through the Royal Doors.
 
MorEphrem said:
Interesting that you should say most everyone and not absolutely everyone. I distinctly remember there still being a rood screen in the crypt of San Miniato al Monte in Florence by the Piazzale Michelangelo. Of course an anomaly. I’ve also heard of a Spanish church that maintains the tradition of employing a sanctuary veil; I don’t know if that’s true though and even if it is whether or not the tradition itself is an importation from Byzantine/Syriac Christianity or organically Spaniard.
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Well, many monasteries retained the rood screen, and even the ones built after Trent would continue to install rood screens, albeit in a much more simplified style. This picture of Mariawald Abbey shows a distinctly ‘modern’ rood screen in place between the monastic choir and the nave.
 
ByzCath08 said:
The term Royal Doors is commonly used to describe the Holy Doors, because Christ passes through these gates during the Great Entrance at the Divine Liturgy. Only the Priest or Bishop when vested pass through the Royal Doors.
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Actually, the Deacon also does so with the Gospel or the gifts, and at certain other points.
 
YoungTradCath said:
In the West we used to have these things called “altar rails.” Oh the horror! Dies of aneurysm because of rage
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To be fair, there are still a good number of parishes that have them :P. In my former Archdiocese in Western Canada there are a few pastors who require the faithful to receive kneeling at the altar rail (and this is vernacular ordinary form masses that I’m talking about) and at the cathedral the faithful have always had both options. In my current archdiocese you can find parishes that still use the altar rail as well… but you are correct that it is no longer the norm in most parishes :(.
 
YoungTradCath said:
In the West we used to have these things called “altar rails.” Oh the horror! Dies of aneurysm because of rage
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You’d be surprised. My diocese has retained the altar rail in many churches. In fact, during the last couple of renovations in our diocese, new altar rails were actually installed. Of course, it’s still not standard and they aren’t being used for communion now, but it’s only a matter of time… 😉
 
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adawgj said:
How come at Byzantine Catholic Churches their is a door in front of the altar? Just wondering
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