Chicago area folks - curious about Byzantine Catholicism?

[a_pilgrim]

Hi, adstrinity!

What a pleasure it was to meet you Saturday afternoon out at Prairie Fest (I had no idea you were actually posting to the forum LIVE on site, as your previous post indicates - wow… I’m nowhere near that technically savvy!).

Yeah… you caught me. But you gotta admit: I wasn’t too hard to pick out, given that I was the only one there with a mandolin in his hands!

I wanted to catch back up with you after you had a chance to tour the church and (hopefully) have your questions answered, but I lost you in the crowd (we had another job to play that evening so I kinda had to leave right after we finished playing). I sincerely hope you had a great, informative time. I was kinda hoping to see you back out there for Divine Liturgy yesterday - maybe some other time! As I told you when we were out there… the parish is, indeed, in full communion with Rome - every bit as Catholic as the Roman Catholic parish down the road. Now that you know it’s there, don’t be a stranger!

 

[adstrinity]

And don’t you know I was just thinking about you, too!

I did enjoy it there and really liked the family like atmosphere of the place. Everybody there either knew everybody or was just viewing the place for the first time (more on that later). I was just thinking of that last verse of the country song you did. Best Country song EVAR! I was hoping to run into you again after my tour, too, but, no luck. I am happy to hear, though, that you are abundant in gigs. Extra money doing what you love and no bordom wondering what to do on the weekends on your part and entertainment on the listener’s part is truly a blessing.

I did enjoy the interior of the church. It was very beautiful and very well done and I learned a lot. My interest was piqued so I bought a book from the Fest about Icons. I didn’t know that they were painted in layers (though that makes sense, after seeing that not everything was completed in the church). We (the tour) were told that before an iconist writes any icons, they have to go through a prayerful pilgramage (or something…) before they can. It was very informative. I did take pictures because I was so impressed with some of the Icons (mostly the Transfiguration and the Jesus in the Center…where He’s with His blessing and The Book of Judgement), but, I figure I can post these from anywhere seeing as how the Icons are always the same. I also learned that the dome/onion shape of the Eastern Churches, instead of reaching up towards God as found in the Western Church architechture, is God’s arms coming down and bringing the worshipers in to Him.

But, flickr.com/photos/8367250@N03/2073232066/ THIS is what it looks like in the church (maybe that is that church’s representation). I liked how both St. John and St James (which we cannot see) are turning away and covering their faces, where St. Peter is not, but, I don’t understand why Sts. John & James were losing a sandal each?

OOOH! I also liked that there were four pillars in the corners (one each) and that atop of each of the pillars were one of the Gospel Writers. It was ammusing to see how the Gospel Writters are written in icons rather than depicted in the art of the west (angel, lion, ox, eagle).

I might go to the Devine Liturgy one day, but, no promises. I have made a commitment to myself to do it up Latin proper for one year.

That being said, going to your Church also helped me in seeing some things that I may not have noticed in a more traditional Church (and those things are the way the altar is partitioned off and the painting of the table cloth around the room).

Thank you for the announcement/invite. Everybody there was very friendly and I learned LOTS! It was great. Thank you again, and should I have any questions, I wont hesitate to ask.

 

[Dan-Man916]

I would have liked to have come last weekend. I wish I could ahve gone, but had family obligations in which we were unable to be there.
My family and I go to Divine Liturgy at Annunciation 2-3 times a year. It would have been nice to meet some of you, especially Michael.

 

[Dan-Man916]

adstrinity,

I didn’t realize that we myst live nearby to each other.
I live only about 20 minutes from Homer Glen in DuPage county, and work in the city near St. John Cantius parish.