Eastern vs. Western Rites

[Antonius_Lupus]

This is a letter that I wrote to my deacon. I felt like it would be a good starter for a discussion on the similarities and differences between the Eastern and Western rites…

Dear Deacon Bob,

Recently I have begun to find certain practices of my rite disagreeable. I submit to the Church teaching that these practices are in line with orthodoxy. I want to make that clear. Yet, I am beginning to think that the Byzantine rite’s disciplines may be more to my “liking.” (I HATE using that word but I felt it was honest).

1. The Byzantine rite gives communion under both species (and always has). The Tridentine Mass (the traditional Roman rite) denied the laity the Blood of Christ. I know that receiving only under one species is full Eucharistic communion, but why did the Roman rite change this in the Latin days?
2. The Byzantine rite mixes the Blessed Body and Blood together in the chalice before giving it to the participants. This symbolizes the Hypostatic Union.
3. The Byzantine rite always uses incense in the Liturgy. Why has the Novus Ordo seemingly abandoned this?
4. The Byzantine rite ordinarily baptizes by immersion. This follows the idea of “going into the tomb of Christ, and rising again with Him.” Why has the Roman rite ordinarily used pouring?
5. The Byzantine rite Chrismates infants and gives them the Holy Eucharist. It seems like the waiting period between infancy and teenagery dilutes the union of the Sacraments of Initiation.
6. The Byzantine rite NEVER allows a penitent to confess anonymously. They also have the penitents confess to God Himself, but IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PRIEST. This seems better than confessing to the priest himself.
7. The Byzantines use Holy Unction at any time when the Christian is very sick, not just at death.

These are just a few reasons why I feel I “like” the Byzantine rite more than my own (I am Roman). To be perfectly honest, I feel like (visibly at least) the Byzantine rite has remained more faithful to Early Church practices than the Roman rite. I believe firmly that the Roman rite is ORTHODOX, but I feel like…

I really don’t know what I feel right now. I feel confused.

I really can’t think of anything more to say, so…

Thanks in advance,

-Anthony

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

1. The Byzantine rite gives communion under both species (and always has). The Tridentine Mass (the traditional Roman rite) denied the laity the Blood of Christ. I know that receiving only under one species is full Eucharistic communion, but why did the Roman rite change this in the Latin days?

There was a problem in the Western Church where some claimed that if you did not receive both the Body and the Blood then they said that you did not receive the whole Christ. The Church made the change to only giving the Body to the laity in their combating this heresy.

1. The Byzantine rite mixes the Blessed Body and Blood together in the chalice before giving it to the participants. This symbolizes the Hypostatic Union.

I am a Byzantine and I have never heard of this symbol but then you can hear many different ones for many things. The Western Church allows intinction. Intinction is the norm in Mexico, at least the Diocese of Torreon were we (Carmelites) have a Mission.

1. The Byzantine rite always uses incense in the Liturgy. Why has the Novus Ordo seemingly abandoned this?

This is the idea of low and high Mass which is something carried over from the TLM. There is nothing that says there is to be no incense used during the Ordinary Form of the Mass and I know some priests who use it all the time for the Gospel reading and the preparation of the Gifts.

1. The Byzantine rite ordinarily baptizes by immersion. This follows the idea of “going into the tomb of Christ, and rising again with Him.” Why has the Roman rite ordinarily used pouring?

Depends on the parish you go to in the Byzantine Churches. I know of many that just pour.

1. The Byzantine rite Chrismates infants and gives them the Holy Eucharist. It seems like the waiting period between infancy and teenagery dilutes the union of the Sacraments of Initiation.

I have heard that the West changed to emphasize the relationship between the bishop and the person being confirmed.

1. The Byzantine rite NEVER allows a penitent to confess anonymously. They also have the penitents confess to God Himself, but IN THE PRESENCE OF THE PRIEST. This seems better than confessing to the priest himself.

Again, depends on the Byzantine parish (even Orthodox ones), some use confessionals and allow the use of the screen.

1. The Byzantines use Holy Unction at any time when the Christian is very sick, not just at death.

After Vatican II the Western Church also does this, this is why they changed the name to the Anointing of the Sick.

 

[LRThunder]

The use of incense in the OF depends on the parish. At Midnight Mass, there was some use of incense.

And currently at Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame, they use incense.

It all depends on each parish.

 

[bpbasilphx]

3. The Byzantine rite always uses incense in the Liturgy. Why has the Novus Ordo seemingly abandoned this?

You might find this funny–or sad:

In a Ukrainian Catholic paper, a woman complained, “Why are we using incense so much now? That makes us look like Orthodox, not like Catholics.”