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Psalm45_9
Guest
Does anyone know if there is a Byzantine Catholic Liturgical Calendar online that I could look up. I would like to know the Byzantine feast days. Also, what are the Holy Days of Obligation in the Byzantine Rite?
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Deacon_Ed
Guest
What you are asking for is a Menion or Typicon. I don’t know of any that are online. There is a Melkite typicon created by Fr. Peter Butros that can be downloaded.
As for “holy days of obligation” – that’s a Latin concept that really doesn’t exist in Byzantine theology. Just as there is no “obligation” to eat or to breath, there is no obligation to attend a particular service. In our canon law there is a statement that attending Vespers meets one’s “obligation” – but that’s really a concession to the Western mind.
Of course, we believe that just as one needs to breath and eat to live, one must also attend the Divine Liturgy to live.
Deacon Ed
As for “holy days of obligation” – that’s a Latin concept that really doesn’t exist in Byzantine theology. Just as there is no “obligation” to eat or to breath, there is no obligation to attend a particular service. In our canon law there is a statement that attending Vespers meets one’s “obligation” – but that’s really a concession to the Western mind.
Of course, we believe that just as one needs to breath and eat to live, one must also attend the Divine Liturgy to live.
Deacon Ed
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Psalm45_9
Guest
Deacon Ed:
I also thought the The Circumcision of Christ, The Encounter with Simeon and Anna, The Annunciation, The Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Sts. Peter and Paul, St. Elijah the Prophet, The Transfiguration, The Dormition, The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, and The Nativity of the Lord were all Holy Days in the Byzantine Rite in which the faithful were obligated to attend the Divine Liturgy.
Thank you for the link.
I wondered about Holy Days in the Byzantine Rite, because I remember Good Friday this year was also the Annunciation and some Byzantine Catholics on the forums said it was a Holy Day of Obligation and so the priest was going to celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the Annunciation and then the Good Friday service.
I also thought the The Circumcision of Christ, The Encounter with Simeon and Anna, The Annunciation, The Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Sts. Peter and Paul, St. Elijah the Prophet, The Transfiguration, The Dormition, The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, and The Nativity of the Lord were all Holy Days in the Byzantine Rite in which the faithful were obligated to attend the Divine Liturgy.
Thank you for the link.
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Deacon_Ed
Guest
Psalm45:9:
Deacon Ed
Most Byzantine Churches transferred the Annunciation toi a later date. When you hear Byzantines speaking of “Holy Days of Obligation” that is a carryover from the days when our Churches were heavily Latinized. As I said, the concept of a Holy Day of Obligation is foreign to Eastern thinking. Nevertheless, it is considered an important part of life to attend such liturgies as may be offered on those days, on all Sundays, and to be prepared to participate in the Mysteries.
Deacon Ed
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
Two things.
1. The eparchial bishop, as the moderator, promoter and guardian of the entire liturgical life in the eparchy committed to him, must be vigilant that it be fostered as much as possible and ordered according to the prescriptions and legitimate customs of his own Church sui iuris.
2. The eparchial bishop is to see to it that in his own cathedral at least part of the divine praises are celebrated, even daily, according to the lawful customs of his own Church sui iuris; also, in any parish if possible, the divine praises are to be celebrated on Sundays, feast days, principal solemnities and their vigils.
3. The eparchial bishop is to preside frequently at the divine praises in the cathedral or other church, especially on holy days of obligation, and on other solemnities in which a sizeable part of the people participate.
**Canon 378
**According to the norm of the particular law clerics are to celebrate the Divine Liturgy frequently, especially on Sundays and holy days of obligation; indeed daily celebration is eagerly encouraged.
Canon 880
1. Only the supreme authority of the Church can establish, transfer or suppress feast days and days of penance which are common to all of the Eastern Churches, with due regard for 3.
2. The authority of a Church sui iuris which is competent to establish particular law can constitute, transfer or suppress feast days and days of penance for that Church sui iuris, however having sought the opinions of the other Churches sui iuris and with due regard for can. 40, 1.
3. Holy days of obligation common to all the Eastern Churches, beyond Sundays, are the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Dormition of the Holy Mary Mother of God and the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul except for the particular law of a Church sui iuris approved by the Apostolic See which suppresses a holy days of obligation or transfers them to a Sunday.
- The Melkite Typicon that Fr Deacon Ed suggests is good but keep in mind that it has the Melkite Holy Days on it, while we Byzantine Slavs share many Holy Days with our Melkite brethren they do have some that we do not have. It also has the Orthodox date for Easter.
- While Fr Deacon Ed is correct that days of obligation are foregin to Byzantine Tradition, we must acknowledge that the term does appear in the Code of canons of Oriental Churchs, our Canon Law. Here they are.
1. The eparchial bishop, as the moderator, promoter and guardian of the entire liturgical life in the eparchy committed to him, must be vigilant that it be fostered as much as possible and ordered according to the prescriptions and legitimate customs of his own Church sui iuris.
2. The eparchial bishop is to see to it that in his own cathedral at least part of the divine praises are celebrated, even daily, according to the lawful customs of his own Church sui iuris; also, in any parish if possible, the divine praises are to be celebrated on Sundays, feast days, principal solemnities and their vigils.
3. The eparchial bishop is to preside frequently at the divine praises in the cathedral or other church, especially on holy days of obligation, and on other solemnities in which a sizeable part of the people participate.
**Canon 378
**According to the norm of the particular law clerics are to celebrate the Divine Liturgy frequently, especially on Sundays and holy days of obligation; indeed daily celebration is eagerly encouraged.
Canon 880
1. Only the supreme authority of the Church can establish, transfer or suppress feast days and days of penance which are common to all of the Eastern Churches, with due regard for 3.
2. The authority of a Church sui iuris which is competent to establish particular law can constitute, transfer or suppress feast days and days of penance for that Church sui iuris, however having sought the opinions of the other Churches sui iuris and with due regard for can. 40, 1.
3. Holy days of obligation common to all the Eastern Churches, beyond Sundays, are the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Dormition of the Holy Mary Mother of God and the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul except for the particular law of a Church sui iuris approved by the Apostolic See which suppresses a holy days of obligation or transfers them to a Sunday.
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Deacon_Ed
Guest
David,
We have to recognzie that the Code of Canons was developed under Latin influence. Thus, they have carried across many Latin terms. At least in our Melkite tradition, “daily Divine Liturgy” is a foreign concept since we would normally do Orthros or, at least, Matins in the morning and Vespers at night. Since, unlike the Latins, we cannot celebrate the Divine Liturgy without at least a second person present (priest and one other) private liturgies are not done and in many cases this would preclude daily Liturgy.
BTW, I have found an online Typicon that is more appropriate for Slavic usage: patronagechurch.com/Typicon/2005/Typicon%20Frame.htm
Deacon Ed
We have to recognzie that the Code of Canons was developed under Latin influence. Thus, they have carried across many Latin terms. At least in our Melkite tradition, “daily Divine Liturgy” is a foreign concept since we would normally do Orthros or, at least, Matins in the morning and Vespers at night. Since, unlike the Latins, we cannot celebrate the Divine Liturgy without at least a second person present (priest and one other) private liturgies are not done and in many cases this would preclude daily Liturgy.
BTW, I have found an online Typicon that is more appropriate for Slavic usage: patronagechurch.com/Typicon/2005/Typicon%20Frame.htm
Deacon Ed
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Friar_David_O.Carm
Guest
Deacon Ed:
The issue of daily liturgies is a constant source of pain I have with some Latin Catholic friends of mine. They have trouble understanding the fact that Daily Divine Liturgy is something that only occurs in monasteries and then not even all the time.
Yes that is true and I agree with it, but we still must recognize that it is there in the Law and we are bound by the Law, no matter where it came from.
The issue of daily liturgies is a constant source of pain I have with some Latin Catholic friends of mine. They have trouble understanding the fact that Daily Divine Liturgy is something that only occurs in monasteries and then not even all the time.
Thanks!
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akemner
Guest
Daily Divine Liturgy should not even be a possibility for us given the large number of days that it is prohibited (not just during the Great Fast, but during all the fasts). At any rate, a monastery would be the last place to expect daily liturgies, unless it was a large cenobitic monastery that has a large number of priests. But if the monastery has a moderate number of priests (1, 2, or 3 for instance) then you will definately not have frequent liturgies.
I did not know that any Byzantine Rite Churches (on the Gregorian Calender) moved the Annunciation this year, and would not have expected such a thing (since the only Orthodox jusrisdictions that would do such a thing only recently allowed for it).
While “Holy Days of Obligation” is not a real phrase save in our code canon law, the concept does exist-according to tradition, one must attend services on Sundays (if one misses three Sundays in a row with out good cause, he is to be excommunicated). Other days that are to be kept as Sundays: the Great Feasts of Christ; of the Theotokos; the two feasts of the Forerunne, his Nativity and Beheading; the Feast of the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul; and the two feasts of John the Theologian. Thus the Typikon of our father among the saints, Sabas.
That said, we have this other thing that determines law in Catholic Churches. I noted that we have “Holy days of Obligation” (which we happily keep at its minimum), but i wonder how many places celebrate the Divine Praises persuant to canon 199 art 2 cited above?
In Christ,
Adam
I did not know that any Byzantine Rite Churches (on the Gregorian Calender) moved the Annunciation this year, and would not have expected such a thing (since the only Orthodox jusrisdictions that would do such a thing only recently allowed for it).
While “Holy Days of Obligation” is not a real phrase save in our code canon law, the concept does exist-according to tradition, one must attend services on Sundays (if one misses three Sundays in a row with out good cause, he is to be excommunicated). Other days that are to be kept as Sundays: the Great Feasts of Christ; of the Theotokos; the two feasts of the Forerunne, his Nativity and Beheading; the Feast of the Chief Apostles Peter and Paul; and the two feasts of John the Theologian. Thus the Typikon of our father among the saints, Sabas.
That said, we have this other thing that determines law in Catholic Churches. I noted that we have “Holy days of Obligation” (which we happily keep at its minimum), but i wonder how many places celebrate the Divine Praises persuant to canon 199 art 2 cited above?
In Christ,
Adam
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Deacon_Ed
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Correct!
We Melkites moved it, but I cannot speak to the Ruthenians and what they may or may not have done.
Deacon Ed
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mgy100
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Anyone getting ready for August 1-14? The Fast before The Dormition.
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Friar_David_O.Carm
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I was not aware that the other Fasts were aliturgical days as the Great Fast is.
Where can I read more about this?
And as for Divine Liturgy not happening daily in monasteries, our only Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Monastery lists the Divine Liturgy in their Typicon under the section listed as, “full daily schedule of services”. Adding “except when it is forbidden”.
And as far as I know they only have one or two priests.
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Patchunky
Guest
Deacon Ed:
Trust me on this Fr.Deacon Ed, if my Baba was still living she would introduce you to this concept with a wooden spoon REAL FAST!
I was taught at an early age that on certain days, you got your dupa outta bed and went to church and you did NOTHING that day… it was a SVETOCH… A HOLY DAY!!! A day dedicated to God, just like Sunday is…:yup:
As for the Good Friday-Annunciation Feast Day this past March, all of the Slavic Byzantine Churches on the Gregorian calendar kept March 25th as the Feast Day of the Annunciation and combined the Feast Divine Liturgy with the Entombment Service.
I wonder how many of the churches that moved the Annuciation Feast are also going to move the date of Christmas this year???
GLORY TO JESUS CHRIST!
Trust me on this Fr.Deacon Ed, if my Baba was still living she would introduce you to this concept with a wooden spoon REAL FAST!
I was taught at an early age that on certain days, you got your dupa outta bed and went to church and you did NOTHING that day… it was a SVETOCH… A HOLY DAY!!! A day dedicated to God, just like Sunday is…:yup:
As for the Good Friday-Annunciation Feast Day this past March, all of the Slavic Byzantine Churches on the Gregorian calendar kept March 25th as the Feast Day of the Annunciation and combined the Feast Divine Liturgy with the Entombment Service.
I wonder how many of the churches that moved the Annuciation Feast are also going to move the date of Christmas this year???
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Deacon_Ed
Guest
Ah, but your Baba grew up in an era of heavy Latinization. It is still found in may aspects of Ruthenian, Ukrainian and Russian Byzantine culture. If one checks the equivalent Orthodox Churches one will not find such an understanding. And, of course, if we are to be faithful to who and what we are (per Vatican II) we are to eliminate those Latinizations which are not part of our heritage.Trust me on this Fr.Deacon Ed, if my Baba was still living she would introduce you to this concept with a wooden spoon REAL FAST!
And that is as it should be. Yes, we keep the Holy Days, not out of a sense of obligation but out of our understanding of our need to be in community worshipping God. Your Baba (sainted woman that she is) was trying to teach you this – but used Latin terminology.
Deacon Ed
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akemner
Guest
I was thinking also that half the monasteries (statistically) could not have DL because they would be women’s monasteries. Not only our monastery has daily Liturgy, but all the main Slavic monasteries do too (Holy Transfiguration-UGCC, Holy Trinity-ROCA, and St Tikhon’s-OCA). It is my understanding that the Greek monasteries do not have daily Liturgies (they have a “priest on duty” that presides over the Office, and concelebrated Liturgies on feast days of certain ranks).
At any rate, if you have the calendar publish by the seminary that contains daily readings and hagiographies, there is a note as to when the aliturgical days are in the minor fasts. This next season, there will be only three days-3, 4 and 11 August. Days of Alleluia, as these aliturgical days are called, when in minor fasts are easily trumped by feasts-a feast need only be of Doxology rank or higher to supress the Alleluia. For the St Philip’s fast this year, 15, 19, 26 (if Alypius only is celebrated), 29 November; 1-3, 7, 8 or 9 (depending on when the Conception of St Anne occurs), 14, 16, 19, and 23 December.
In Christ,
Adam
At any rate, if you have the calendar publish by the seminary that contains daily readings and hagiographies, there is a note as to when the aliturgical days are in the minor fasts. This next season, there will be only three days-3, 4 and 11 August. Days of Alleluia, as these aliturgical days are called, when in minor fasts are easily trumped by feasts-a feast need only be of Doxology rank or higher to supress the Alleluia. For the St Philip’s fast this year, 15, 19, 26 (if Alypius only is celebrated), 29 November; 1-3, 7, 8 or 9 (depending on when the Conception of St Anne occurs), 14, 16, 19, and 23 December.
In Christ,
Adam
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