Byzantine vs Slavic

[John_of_Patmos]

Can someone lay out the key differences between these to variations on the Byzantine Rite? This may effect my vocational choice (UGCC or Romanian).

 

[SonCatcher]

As I understand, they are the same Rite but different sui juris. Theologically, they should be identical. The only difference I can discern (aside from patriarch) is the “mother tongue” used in liturgy. I don’t really know the historical significance of the splits (was it for manageability, a response to Roman solidarity, or what?).

Personally, I think I would have an easier time picking up “Church Greek” than “Church Slavonic” but I’ve only experienced the Liturgy in the latter.

 

[MonkMoses]

Hello John of Patmos…I am Fr. Moses from HRM. Would you mind sending me a PM so we could correspond privatly.

Thanks!

 

[CDB1718]

Can someone lay out the key differences between these to variations on the Byzantine Rite? This may effect my vocational choice (UGCC or Romanian).

You’re either called to celibacy or to married life. What does the rite have to do with that?

If you think you’re called to celibacy, you start living it. As you live it, you discern with the help of those around you where God wants you. Not just which Church, but which community. The rite is incidental.

Have you visited any of these places you’re considering? That’s where you’ll learn what it means to be a Ukrainian Catholic or a Romanian Catholic. You can’t get that from books or the internet. The more you read without guidance, practice or grounding the more of a shock you’re going to be in when you start worshiping with a community. Reading it and living it are very different things.

You need off-line personal guidance. Edit: Fr. Moses posted at the same time as me. That’s a perfect place to start!

 

[Diak]

The Romanian liturgical tradition itself is a unique synthesis of “Greek”, Transylvanian and is not without some Slavic influence; St. Paissius Velychkovsky and others from Ukraine and further east entered into monastic life there and St. Peter Mohyla, one of the most notable Orthodox Metropolitans of Kyiv himself was from what is now Moldavia.

Outwardly the largest difference is chant style; the UGCC uses Galician, Kyivan and some Znamenny chant while the Romanian GCC uses Romanian Transylvanian chant styles and adapted Greek-Byzantine melodies. Other than that the differences are smaller rubrical differences. On a usual Sunday in the UGCC you might hear the Typical Psalms and Beatitudes instead of the Sunday Antiphons while in the Romanian usage you will almost always hear the Sunday Antiphons more similar to the Melkite and Greek usage. The differences get smaller from there and of course there will always be local variations. There may also be some differences in the celebration of the Divine Praises (you will more likely find Vespers in “Slavic” parishes and Orthros/Matins in the Greek-Byzantine usages.

Archpriest Roman Galadza has some nice recordings of UGCC chant on his St. Elias website: saintelias.com/ca/home/ The most important thing is to be familiar with each before you make any kind of decision as big as one of a vocation.

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

Theologically they are identical. Liturgically there is some variation; but that’s often true from parish to parish, let alone Church to Church. One minor difference is that the Slavs have a para-liturgical service called a “Moleben.” Molebens don’t really exist in the Greek Byzantine tradition.

There are also different styles of chant. The Greek Byzantine tradition will follow the 8 Modes according to the Byzantine modes. Russians have Znammeny chant. Ruthenians (and some Ukrainians and Romanians) use Prostepjna (spelling?), Ukrainians have Kievan and Gallician chant, etc. The list goes on.

There will also be some difference in how the traditions celebrate the Hours. But again, this is going to be true from parish to parish even within one sui iuris Church. I’ve been told that the Slavs traditionally celebrate Third Hour before Divine Liturgy, whereas the Greeks celebrate Orthros/Matins.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Diak]

Theologically they are identical. Liturgically there is some variation; but that’s often true from parish to parish, let alone Church to Church. One minor difference is that the Slavs have a para-liturgical service called a “Moleben.” Molebens don’t really exist in the Greek Byzantine tradition.

Actually the Greek/Byzantine usages have something similar to the Moleben called the Paraklesis. And of course the Akathist hymn is used as a devotional service in across most Constantinopolitan traditions whether “Greek” or “Slavic”.

 

[Sybok]

Can someone lay out the key differences between these to variations on the Byzantine Rite? This may effect my vocational choice (UGCC or Romanian).

liturgy wise chanting style is very different. that and the historic language - greek for melkites, romanian for romanians, church slavonic for the slavs (ruthenian, ukrainian, slovakian). the rituals themselves are all the same.

i assume youre in usa or canada, so vocation wise:

Ukrainians (youre more than welcome to join us!) will require you to learn Ukrainian. not sure about Melkites but with all the recent immigration I would think they would want you to learn Arabic.

The Ruthenians have no foreign language requirements except taking several Church Slavonic courses in seminary for liturgical purposes. I highly suggest them, they really need a few good men.

too ignorant on Romanians to comment.

 

[rdorseyhsd]

It is my understanding that although the liturgy is the same, there is a Slavic variation and a Greek variation. Our Italo Greek church follows the Greek variation, and although we are under a Ruthenian Bishop, some of our practices are very different from the Ruthenians and there can be a variation in the placement of tables in the Apse. We do have Molebens, and the Akathist in Mary’s months