Byzantine Mass breakdown

[Thom18]

Thom18:

babochka:

Thom18:

I didn’t get off work Saturday, but managed to go this morning.

I really enjoyed it. Though I prefer statues to icons, the icons were nice, and this particular parish was more nicely decorated than my own parish. The iconostasis was beautiful, and I loved how it was used during the Liturgy. I was disappointed about the Old Testament not being read from, one thing I prefer about the Latin Mass, but I think that I’ll be attending there for the rest of the time I’m home from school.

Thanks for the update! I am glad you had a good experience.

Reconciliation is offered before the Divine Liturgy on Saturday, so I’m planning to make my confession there as well.

Are there any primers on Eastern spirituality that you’re aware of? I’d be interested in exploring beyond the liturgical differences.

I would start with the 3-volume Light for Life series: The Mystery Believed, The Mystery Lived and The Mystery Celebrated. They are short books, but well done and a great introduction.
https://www.amazon.com/Light-Life-Eastern-Catholic-Part/dp/188715812X

Thanks! I just ordered the first book.

 

[babochka]

Can you cancel the order?

God With Us publications is trying to clear out its stock and you can get the first two volumes for free. Just pay shipping.

https://store.godwithusbooks.org/index.php?p=catalog&mode=search&search_str=light+for+life

 

[Margaret_Ann]

Fantastic! Also, if you like webinars, God With Us Online has a GREAT webinar series going:

Homepage - God With Us

You have to pre-register though.

And if you love books:

http://www.godwithusbooks.org

These are great:

https://store.godwithusbooks.org/

Shown To Be Holy is easy to read. It helped me immensely.

(I have all of them. )

 

[Thom18]

Can you cancel the order?

God With Us publications is trying to clear out its stock and you can get the first two volumes for free. Just pay shipping.

Oh, cool! Thanks for the heads up! I got the last two books and a few other things.

 

[dochawk]

I believe all Byzantine Catholics except for Melkites receive from a spoon.

You are corre3ct.

. Though I prefer statues to icons,

Note that statutes and paintings on the one hand, and icons on the other, are not comparable or similar in nature.

Statues and paintings are art, while icons are prayers their own right, as well as being (historically) the primary teaching tool for illiterate member.

 

[Thom18]

Here’s a question:

I planned on going to the Byzantine church today to fulfill my holy day of obligation, but just realized that our celebrations today are different (the Latin rite is celebrating the solemnity of Mary, the Byzantines the Circumcision of Christ). Does going to the Byzantine church fulfill my obligation?

 

[Catholic21]

As long as they are in communion with the Church yes. I believe you also say your name when you receive communion but someone can correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[Fuerza]

Yes it does fulfill your obligation. As long as it’s in communion with Rome it does not matter what rite is used, what readings are done or even if it’s a holy day in that particular church.

 

[dochawk]

As long as they are in communion with the Church yes. I believe you also say your name when you receive communion but someone can correct me if I’m wrong.

Yes to both.

Softly state your name to the priest as you step up.

Tilt your head back with mouth wide open and tongue down/inside.

Do NOT bite the spoon (or if in a Melkite church, the priests’s fingers! )

You don’t need to bend your knees or bow–but common sense says that if your mouth is above the priest’s eyes or so, lower yourself so enough that he can see! (or if you see that the priest is like ours, with limited ability to lift his right hand, get your head down to the same height as the parishioners who are used to it!)

 

[Thom18]

Do you genuflect, bow or cross yourself any time before or after?

 

[RyanBlack]

Do you genuflect, bow or cross yourself any time before or after?

Genuflecting is not part of the Byzantine tradition. At my parish, I make a deep bow and cross myself while standing at the tetrapod as the person in front of me is receiving. Then, after I receive, I cross myself again. Not all parishioners do this, but a number do.

 

[dochawk]

Do you genuflect, bow or cross yourself any time before or after?

specifically for communion, no.

But, oh my, you may cross yourself as many times as you do in an entire year at the RC Mass [and that’s assuming that you don’t hit something with extras, like the Exaltation of the Cross, or . . .]

We also tend to kiss everything in sight . . . icons, hand crosses . . .

When you enter a Roman church, you bless yourself with Holy Water and genuflect before entering a pew. Neither of these are part of our practice.

Instead, take a candle, go up to the tetrapod in front to reverence the icon (cross yourself, kiss it [or your fingers and apply them], and cross yourself again [see, you’re already past where you’d be on that at Mass ]). Then wait your turn at one of the two candle stands, and make your prayer and light your candle(s). Then take a seat.

 

[Thom18]

I went again tonight. Someone was able to figure out I was new and helped me navigate the Liturgy. She was extremely helpful. Being able to follow along in the book truly enhanced the experience for me. Being lost last time made it a little too alien for me to reflect on any of it.

She also guided me through receiving the Eucharist (which I could do this time, since I had gone to confession). I wasn’t sure if I should chew and just swallowed. It wasn’t the best reception I’ve ever had, but I was smiling when I got back to my seat.

Confession beforehand was a bit awkward. I saw the priest standing in front of the iconostasis and walked over to him, and he walked back to the confessional. Other than that, I really appreciated the prayers before and after the “confession” part. I wish I’d been viewing an icon to make them even more “powerful” for me, but I’ve gotten into the attitude of treating (not believing) confession as confession to a priest rather than (primarily) to God, and these prayers helped put reconciliation back into its proper context for me.

 

[Vico]

I didn’t get off work Saturday, but managed to go this morning.

I really enjoyed it. Though I prefer statues to icons, the icons were nice, and this particular parish was more nicely decorated than my own parish. The iconostasis was beautiful, and I loved how it was used during the Liturgy. I was disappointed about the Old Testament not being read from, one thing I prefer about the Latin Mass, but I think that I’ll be attending there for the rest of the time I’m home from school.

The Old Testament is used for readings such as those in Great Vespers and the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts on Wednesdays and Fridays of Great Lent and the first three days of Holy Week.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

Do you genuflect, bow or cross yourself any time before or after?

I make the sign of the cross, bow, receive Communion, bow and make the sign of the cross again.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

I simply swallow It simply because I’m afraid of getting Particles stuck in my teeth.

 

[dochawk]

Being able to follow along in the book truly enhanced the experience for me.

I do think the older red book was better than the green for learning and experiencing the Divine Liturgy–but we’v swapped out that bizarre cantors’ creation for a simpler one that I’ve never really seen, since I’ve been up on the altar since before then . . .

d he walked back to the confessional

err, we’re not really supposed to have those in the first place . . . the norm is before an icon of Christ, with the priest “just kind of there” off to the side.

I make the sign of the cross, bow, receive Communion, bow and make the sign of the cross again.

We have enough visitors (we are the closest Catholic Church to the Las Vegas airport, and get many, err, surprised, visitors . . ) that Father explains each week that “the priest does all the work. You’re welcome to say ‘amen’, but it’s not required.”

I simply swallow It simply because I’m afraid of getting Particles stuck in my teeth.

Come Holy Lent, at the Presanctified Liturgies, many of our priests are, uhhhm, “aggressive” about drying out the Host to preserve it. By which I mean using hair dryers and heat lamps to dry it out . . . which leaves those of us with flashbacks of Sr. Mary Holy Water’s warning of “Don’t Chew God!” feeling kind of awkward . . .

[for the RC, in the Presantified Liturgy, the reserved Host is added to the blessed (not consecrated!) wine, and can have, well, the physical characteristics of petrified crouton! )

 

[Margaret_Ann]

By which I mean using hair dryers and heat lamps to dry it out . . .

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[dochawk]

Yeah, that.



For crying out loud, it’s three days from Sunday to Wednesday, and five from Sunday to Friday . . . what, like it’s going to go stale or something if you leave it be??

[note: the East fasts from the DL during the week during Lent, with a bit off relief being in holding the Presanctifed Liturgy on Wednesday and Friday.]

 

[Thom18]

Thom18:

d he walked back to the confessional

err, we’re not really supposed to have those in the first place . . . the norm is before an icon of Christ, with the priest “just kind of there” off to the side.

It surprised me to see one, but I passed by it last Saturday. That just added to my confusion.