Byzantine Catholic Questions

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Tous_Logous said:
I do have another set of questions regarding fasting and Great Lent. I’m currently reading “The Eastern Catholic Churches” by Joan L. Roccasalvo. I know during Great Lent there is a strong emphasis on penance and fasting but how does this work exactly? How many weeks of fasting are there? I know that in Joan’s book she describes that there is a “rigorous fast on the Monday before Ash Wednesday” (pg. 18), and that “In the Byzantine tradition, Five Sundays before Great Lent begins, the liturgical texts exhort the faithful to ponder its meaning before undertaking its ascestism” (pg. 18).

Does this mean there is a 5 week period of fasting prior to Great Lent beginning or is this “Pre-Lent” a 5 week preparation for the Great Fast/Lent? Are there “rules” to the fasting, such as no water including no food or just reduced amount of food/water intake? I am asking because I am wondering how Great Lent affects those (like me) who suffer from hypoglycemia, blood sugar issues, and having to work outside in all weather (where dehydration is a real issue depending on which season it is).

I’ve been really wanting to focus more on fasting but I’m not quite sure how. I am somewhat disappointed by the fact that in the Latin Church fasting seems to no longer have an importance as it still does in the Eastern Churches. All of this reading and learning is so fascinating. I hope I will be able to find the courage to start attending the Byzantine parish soon.
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For Great Lent in the Byzantine traditions, the penitential period of the Great Fast is from Clean Monday to the Friday before Lazarus Saturday (Lazarus Saturda is the day before Palm Sunday). There is a preparatory period for Great Lent which begins after Theophany.

Byzantine Catholics, members of the Byzantine Catholic Church (USA) follow these rules minimally:
The fasts of the liturgical year are to be kept in accordance with the Norms of
**Particular Law of the Byzantine Metropolitan Church ***sui iuris *of Pittsburgh.

Strict Abstinence (Pure Monday and Great Friday)
  • The law of strict abstinence (fast) forbids the use of meat, eggs and dairy products. Facsimiles, substitutes, and synthetic derivatives, although they are permitted, violate the intention and spirit of the law of strict abstinence.
  • All the faithful of the Archeparchy who receive the Eucharist are bound to observe strict abstinence.
  • Strict abstinence (fast) is to be observed on Pure Monday (the first day of the Great Fast) and on Great and Holy Friday.

    Simple Abstinence (Wednesdays and Fridays of the Great Fast, all Fridays)
  • The law of simple abstinence forbids the use of meat, permitting the use of eggs and dairy products.
  • All the faithful of the Archeparchy who receive the Eucharist are bound to abstain.
  • Abstinence is obligatory on all Wednesdays and Fridays of the Great Fast.
 
Tous_Logous said:
I do have another set of questions regarding fasting and Great Lent. I’m currently reading “The Eastern Catholic Churches” by Joan L. Roccasalvo. I know during Great Lent there is a strong emphasis on penance and fasting but how does this work exactly? How many weeks of fasting are there? I know that in Joan’s book she describes that there is a “rigorous fast on the Monday before Ash Wednesday” (pg. 18), and that “In the Byzantine tradition, Five Sundays before Great Lent begins, the liturgical texts exhort the faithful to ponder its meaning before undertaking its ascestism” (pg. 18).

Does this mean there is a 5 week period of fasting prior to Great Lent beginning or is this “Pre-Lent” a 5 week preparation for the Great Fast/Lent? Are there “rules” to the fasting, such as no water including no food or just reduced amount of food/water intake? I am asking because I am wondering how Great Lent affects those (like me) who suffer from hypoglycemia, blood sugar issues, and having to work outside in all weather (where dehydration is a real issue depending on which season it is).

I’ve been really wanting to focus more on fasting but I’m not quite sure how. I am somewhat disappointed by the fact that in the Latin Church fasting seems to no longer have an importance as it still does in the Eastern Churches. All of this reading and learning is so fascinating. I hope I will be able to find the courage to start attending the Byzantine parish soon.
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Great Lent is a time of preparation for Pascha through fasting, prayer, and works of mercy/almsgiving. The ascetical fast, abstinence from meat, dairy, eggs, wine, oil, marital relations, is only one aspect of the Fast. 🙂

If you go to the bottom of the page linked to you can go thru the other sections including the Pre-Lent, Lenten Fasting, Lenten Services, Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Sundays of Lent, Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Holy Thursday. January 25, in just three weeks, is Zacchaeus Sunday in my church which is on the Old Calendar Paschalion.

View also the interview with Father Deacon Moses “Fasting in the Byzantine Church Year with Fr. Moses of Holy Resurrection Monastery” If you click on “SHOW MORE” you can see the list of the questions asked of Fr Moses.
 
Tous_Logous said:
I do have another set of questions regarding fasting and Great Lent. I’m currently reading “The Eastern Catholic Churches” by Joan L. Roccasalvo. I know during Great Lent there is a strong emphasis on penance and fasting but how does this work exactly? How many weeks of fasting are there? I know that in Joan’s book she describes that there is a “rigorous fast on the Monday before Ash Wednesday” (pg. 18), and that “In the Byzantine tradition, Five Sundays before Great Lent begins, the liturgical texts exhort the faithful to ponder its meaning before undertaking its ascestism” (pg. 18).

Does this mean there is a 5 week period of fasting prior to Great Lent beginning or is this “Pre-Lent” a 5 week preparation for the Great Fast/Lent? Are there “rules” to the fasting, such as no water including no food or just reduced amount of food/water intake? I am asking because I am wondering how Great Lent affects those (like me) who suffer from hypoglycemia, blood sugar issues, and having to work outside in all weather (where dehydration is a real issue depending on which season it is).

I’ve been really wanting to focus more on fasting but I’m not quite sure how. I am somewhat disappointed by the fact that in the Latin Church fasting seems to no longer have an importance as it still does in the Eastern Churches. All of this reading and learning is so fascinating. I hope I will be able to find the courage to start attending the Byzantine parish soon.
Click to expand...
There are five pre-Lenten Sundays in preparation for Lent.
  • Zacchaeus Sunday
  • Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee
  • Sunday of the Prodigal Son
  • Sunday of the Last Judgment, also known as Meatfare Sunday because it is the last day meat consumption is allowed
  • Forgiveness Sunday, also known as Cheesefare because it is the last day dairy is allowed. Lent begins the next day on Clean Monday
So there is one fast free week between the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee and the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. During Meatfare Week, the week after the Sunday of the Last Judgement, meat is not allowed but all dairy is still allowed. Then starting the day after Forgiveness Sunday the fast begins in earnest. The actual prescribed fast for Clean Week is extremely rigorous. You would take no food at all on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday until after the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy on Wednesday night. Then no food again on Thursday and Friday until after the Pre-Sanctified on Friday.

Then during the rest of Lent you would abstain from all meat including fish, dairy, oil and wine during all week days. On Saturdays and Sundays wine and oil are allowed. Then on Annunciation on March 25th and Palm Sunday wine, oil and fish are allowed.

Then for Holy Week the very rigorous fast resumes. No food on Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday until after the Liturgy on Wednesday. On Holy Thursday no food is taken but wine is allowed in remembrance of the Last Supper. Holy Friday is a strict fast day with no food or water taken. The same goes for Holy Saturday.

So…after probably scaring you to death…in practice this fasting regimen is rarely held to strictly. There is a lot of leeway and your confessor will prescribe the appropriate fast for you. 🙂
 
Tous_Logous said:
Are there “rules” to the fasting, such as no water including no food or just reduced amount of food/water intake? I am asking because I am wondering how Great Lent affects those (like me) who suffer from hypoglycemia, blood sugar issues, and having to work outside in all weather (where dehydration is a real issue depending on which season it is).
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Ascetical fasting is only done with guidance from a spiritual father or mother, which Seraphim73 was indicating. The fasting guidelines are those established for monastics. We lay folks may need to adapt them to our lives, again guided by a spiritual father or mother. And, again, the food component of the Fast is just a diet if it’s not part of the whole discipline with prayer and works of mercy/almsgiving. I think Father Deacon Moses begins the interview by talking about this.

If you listened to that interview with Fr Moses you’ll know he has diabetes and his eating is strictly dictated to conform to the needs that creates for him.
 
Thanks for the information provided everyone.

Another question: do any Eastern/Byzantine Catholic prayer books exist dealing specifically with Icons?
 
Tous_Logous said:
Thanks for the information provided everyone.

Another question: do any Eastern/Byzantine Catholic prayer books exist dealing specifically with Icons?
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It’s not a prayer book but the definitive defense of icons was made by St John of Damascus.

On the Divine Images: Three Apologies Against Those Who Attack the Divine Images

Of old, God the incorporeal and uncircumscribed was never depicted. Now, however, when God is seen clothed in flesh, and conversing with men, (Bar. 3.38) I make an image of the God whom I see. I do not worship matter, I worship the God of matter, who became matter for my sake, and deigned to inhabit matter, who worked out my salvation through matter. I will not cease from honouring that matter which works my salvation. I venerate it, though not as God. How could God be born out of lifeless things? And if God’s body is God by union, it is immutable. The nature of God remains the same as before, the flesh created in time is quickened by a logical and reasoning soul. I honour all matter besides, and venerate it. Through it, filled, as it were, with a divine power and grace, my salvation has come to me. Was not the thrice happy and thrice blessed wood of the Cross matter? Was not the sacred and holy mountain of Calvary matter? What of the life-giving rock, the Holy Sepulchre, the source of our resurrection: was it not matter? Is not the most holy book of the Gospels matter? Is not the blessed table matter which gives us the Bread of Life? Are not the gold and silver matter, out of which crosses and altar-plate and chalices are made? And before all these things, is not the body and blood of our Lord matter? Either do away with the veneration and worship due to all these things, or submit to the tradition of the Church in the worship of images, honouring God and His friends, and following in this the grace of the Holy Spirit.
 
Yet another question: how do Eastern Catholics view Purgatory? I thought that for example, the Orthodox Churches do not believe in purgatory. How do Eastern Catholics view Purgatory differently from Latin Catholics?
 
Tous_Logous said:
Yet another question: how do Eastern Catholics view Purgatory? I thought that for example, the Orthodox Churches do not believe in purgatory. How do Eastern Catholics view Purgatory differently from Latin Catholics?
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Eastern Catholics do not deny any dogma associated with it, although it is not part of the tradition, so don’t expect to see it in any eastern Catholic catechism.
 
Vico said:
Eastern Catholics do not deny any dogma associated with it, although it is not part of the tradition, so don’t expect to see it in any eastern Catholic catechism.
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Yes I figured as much.

Also I am wondering, do some Eastern Catholics believe in the aerial toll houses as some Eastern Orthodox Christians do? I realize that aerial toll houses are not Church teaching and are not even believed by some Orthodox Christians.
 
Tous_Logous said:
Yes I figured as much.

Also I am wondering, do some Eastern Catholics believe in the aerial toll houses as some Eastern Orthodox Christians do? I realize that aerial toll houses are not Church teaching and are not even believed by some Orthodox Christians.
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We have an icon of the ladder of divine ascent at our church. However, like all Catholics the belief is in the dogma, that at death there is a particular judgment. However we do not know what can transpire in the consciousness in that instant so there is room for speculation, and the toll houses (vision of Gregory of Thrace) could constitute the particular judgement. Three catholic dogmas of faith are:
  • The souls of the just which in the moment of death are free from all guilt of sin and punishment for sin, enter into Heaven.
  • The souls of the just which, in the moment of death, are burdened with venial sins or temporal punishment due to sins, enter Purgatory.
  • The souls of those who die in the condition of personal grievous sin enter Hell.
 
For Byzantine Daily Prayer, where does the numbering of the Psalms come from: the Septuagint or the Masoretic text? I’m asking because usually, the numbering of the Psalms in the Douay-Rheims Bible does not match the numbering of the Psalms in the KJV. I’m not sure which English translation to use for Daily Prayer.
 
Do Byzantine/Eastern Catholics tend to celebrate Name Days (ie celebrating the feast day of the saint you are named after)? In the Eastern Churches, is one’s patron Saint considered whatever Saint one shares his/her name with?

As far as I’m aware, there is no known Saint with my exact name but my name is derived from the Greek katharos (“pure”). Therefore would my patron saint be considered a “Saint Catherine …” ?
 
Tous_Logous said:
Do Byzantine/Eastern Catholics tend to celebrate Name Days (ie celebrating the feast day of the saint you are named after)? In the Eastern Churches, is one’s patron Saint considered whatever Saint one shares his/her name with?
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Oh yes. I’d say it’s bigger in the East than in the West.
 
Tous_Logous said:
I’m hoping this is the correct forum to ask this.

I am a Latin-Rite Catholic who may begin to attend a Byzantine Catholic parish in the next few months or so. As such I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can about the Byzantine Rite, the different liturgies, etc. I’m also a reader of church history, and I’m wondering what reading material (whether it’s books or websites) would be “safe” for me to read about the history of the Byzantine Church and the Empire.

I found that at least, the bookstores around where I live do not have a good selection with regards to anything related to the Byzantine Empire. I managed to pick up a hefty one-volume book called “A History of Byzantine State and Society” by Warren Treadgold. I didn’t know anything about this book before I bought it, but apparently has mixed reviews about the material it presents (apparently the author is “slamming” other historians and their work; I am all too familiar with this attitude, having to endured it throughout my academic, college reading).

Also, I’m finding it somewhat difficult to find good reading material about the Eastern Catholic Churches-specifically the Byzantine Catholic churches. Keep in mind, I am teaching my mother all about this as well. She seems excited about the things I give her to read about the E.C.C’s but at the same time asks me questions which I haven’t had time to research or read about. Currently we are going through Byzantine Leaflet Series (see here: byzantineseminarypress.com/byzantine-leaflet-series/ ) but I’m not sure what other introductory material is out there. I also purchased a book called “The Eastern Catholic Churches: An Introduction to Their Worship and Spirituality” by Joan L. Roccasalvo.

Also, I’ve been recently taking an interest in the Church Fathers. I’ve read “The Confessions” by St. Augustine but that’s about all I’m familiar with. Currently I have works also written by St. Augustine, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Athanasius, Fulmentius, St. Ephrem the Syrian, and St. Cassian. Which of these authors would be good for me to “continue on my way?” I’m currently struggling with some things in the Church (not so much the teachings which I agree with, but odd doubting questions) and I’ve heard St. Ephrem the Syrian would be a good place to start for those who may be going through a scrupulosity phase.

I apologize if I have any of my “Eastern” terminology incorrect. I find all the different ways of trying to explain E.C.C’s quite confusing.

P.S. Before I forget, what English Bible translation(s) do the E.C.C.'s use? I’m assuming that the English translation used in liturgy is taken directly from Old(?)/Church Slavonic or the other “native” languages (Ukrainian, Romanian, etc.). At least in the Roman Rite we use specific English translations at Mass (U.S. uses the NAB: RE, Canada I believe uses NRSV(?), etc.). For those E.C.C.'s that primarily use English in the liturgy (I believe the parish I am thinking about attending primarily uses English in the liturgy/chant) is there no set standard for which English Bible translation to use? I always found it odd, for example, that some Orthodox Churches (like OCA) use the King James Version of the Bible for their liturgy/chant/readings.
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Perhaps this will help: byzcath.org/

Also, EWTN has some books and CDs on “The Light of The East”
 
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