First Divine Liturgy - Wonderful!

[BusterMartin]

I just went to my first Divine Liturgy today. As a practicing Roman Catholic, I was definitely unsure of what to expect exactly, despite reading whatever I could before hand. I went to a local Church…Saint Ann’s Byzantine Catholic Church. I have to say, the Church itself was gorgeous.

We (my wife and I) arrived about 15 minutes ahead of time and went in to pray for a little before the DL started. It was so soothing to be there early, as there was some chanting softly playing over the speakers as background music (mood music as my wife put it), and the lights were all dimmed. Everyone was quiet and respectful. That was so unlike my typical RC Churches. Shortly before the DL started, the chanting stopped and the lights came on and the Church quickly filled up.

Soon, the DL started. I’d say almost everything but the Homily was chanted. That was a beautiful, different experience for me. To those RC’ers who have never been to an Eastern Catholic Church, please do yourselves a favor and go. Experience it. It was a beautiful way to start my Sunday, and I will be going back (hopefully at least monthly). God bless!

 

[LatinJohn]

I just went to my first Divine Liturgy today. As a practicing Roman Catholic, I was definitely unsure of what to expect exactly, despite reading whatever I could before hand. I went to a local Church…Saint Ann’s Byzantine Catholic Church. I have to say, the Church itself was gorgeous.

We (my wife and I) arrived about 15 minutes ahead of time and went in to pray for a little before the DL started. It was so soothing to be there early, as there was some chanting softly playing over the speakers as background music (mood music as my wife put it), and the lights were all dimmed. Everyone was quiet and respectful. That was so unlike my typical RC Churches. Shortly before the DL started, the chanting stopped and the lights came on and the Church quickly filled up.

Soon, the DL started. I’d say almost everything but the Homily was chanted. That was a beautiful, different experience for me. To those RC’ers who have never been to an Eastern Catholic Church, please do yourselves a favor and go. Experience it. It was a beautiful way to start my Sunday, and I will be going back (hopefully at least monthly). God bless!

Wonderful! We were there at the 11am liturgy. I think I have my wife convinced to join St. Ann’s parish.

 

[yaHalyna]

I am an Eastern Rite Catholic. Was happy to hear you love the Divine Liturgy. Tell me, have you participated in my favorite: Good Friday services with procession of the Holy Shroud? Don’t you just FEEL like you are there?
In a discussion about the appearance of the churches as compared to RomanCatholic, someone once told me: In the Roman Catholic churches they see Jesus as the Good Shepherd as far as church styles goes, in the Byzantine Catholic churches they see Jesus as King.

 

[Marc_Anthony]

Question for you guys-how long is the Divine Liturgy in Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Churches?

My friend went to a Divine Liturgy once and said it was three hours long, making it two hours longer than the average Roman Catholic Mass.

Is it really this long, or is the Dl my friend went to an anomaly?

Thanks.

 

[BusterMartin]

Question for you guys-how long is the Divine Liturgy in Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Churches?

My friend went to a Divine Liturgy once and said it was three hours long, making it two hours longer than the average Roman Catholic Mass.

Is it really this long, or is the Dl my friend went to an anomaly?

Thanks.

I’m not sure what the norm is, but today’s DL for me was only one hour.

 

[Little_Boy_Lost]

Assuming it isn’t a Great Feast or there is an Evlogitaria being sung in memorial, my parish runs around an hour and 15 minutes for Divine Liturgy. It also probably takes a little longer than normal since readings are also said in Arabic after they are said in English.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Awesome!

We’re doing the same thing. I’m glad my wife agreed that we’d go to DL once a month (first Sundays). She doesn’t want to go to Liturgy thats not in English so it was great that DL is offered in English. Although I went alone the first time as I always do when I go to other Rites.

 

[5Loaves]

Question for you guys-how long is the Divine Liturgy in Eastern (Byzantine) Catholic Churches?

My friend went to a Divine Liturgy once and said it was three hours long, making it two hours longer than the average Roman Catholic Mass.

Is it really this long, or is the Dl my friend went to an anomaly?

Thanks.

A Divine Liturgy that isn’t a great feast goes about an hour and 20 minutes in my parish. The length depends somewhat on who is delivering the homily.* There is about 15 minutes of the Hours chanted before and about 10 mins chanted after. If we are marking the anniversary of a death that commemoration is another 10 minutes or so.

In my limited experience, mainly No CA, Orthodox and EC the homilies are much shorter than a Sunday Mass homily in the Latin Church, of which I have heard a great many. The shorter homilies I’ve been blest to hear in the East, Catholic and Orthodox, have been distilled and for me* typically much richer than what I hear in the Latin churches, with the exception of the former Bishop of the Oakland Diocese, now Archbishop Vigneron, whose homilies I always found very deep. I’m very grateful that our parish priest at my Byzantine parish always hits the mark for me. With Bishop Vigneron I always felt “today I have been deeply taught in the faith” and that’s what I feel with most of the preaching I’ve heard in the East.