L
Little_Boy_Lost
Guest
I was out of town this weekend and I could have gone to a Byzantine parish but I decided I wouldn’t have the opportunity too often to see other traditions so I went to an Armenian Catholic Parish for mass this morning.
It was interesting. It seemed like a seamless hybrid of Eastern and Western traditions. The deacon and sub deacon vestments resembled coptic vesments but the priest had something that resembled russian orthodox vestments. I was surprised by the lack of icons. There were numerous statues and the stations of the cross. Pews. A high altar that was enclosed by a curtain. The curtain drawing was a little odd. The liturgy was in Armenian so it was difficult for me to follow so I don’t know where in the liturgy the curtains were drawn or for what purpose. The choir was beautiful. I wasn’t sure if the organ they had was something introduced or a traditional part of the Armenian liturgy. The peace was very interesting too. The Priest gave it to the deacon and sub deacon and they in turn gifted it to two men of the congregation by bowing and pressing their hands together and touching them to the two men who did the same. Then the men went down the main aisle and gifted to each person closest to them. I did the same and turned to a little kid on the right of me and gave him the peace.
The body and blood distribution was interesting as well. The priest held what looked like a plate or saucer and a small cup of the blood. I didn’t receive communion so I could not tell if it was leavened or unleavened but he dipped it in the blood and then gave it to the people in the mouth. Very cool.
I was wondering if anyone else has been to an Armenian liturgy and perhaps help me understand a bit better the significance of what was going on or just share their thoughts. Thanks!
It was interesting. It seemed like a seamless hybrid of Eastern and Western traditions. The deacon and sub deacon vestments resembled coptic vesments but the priest had something that resembled russian orthodox vestments. I was surprised by the lack of icons. There were numerous statues and the stations of the cross. Pews. A high altar that was enclosed by a curtain. The curtain drawing was a little odd. The liturgy was in Armenian so it was difficult for me to follow so I don’t know where in the liturgy the curtains were drawn or for what purpose. The choir was beautiful. I wasn’t sure if the organ they had was something introduced or a traditional part of the Armenian liturgy. The peace was very interesting too. The Priest gave it to the deacon and sub deacon and they in turn gifted it to two men of the congregation by bowing and pressing their hands together and touching them to the two men who did the same. Then the men went down the main aisle and gifted to each person closest to them. I did the same and turned to a little kid on the right of me and gave him the peace.
The body and blood distribution was interesting as well. The priest held what looked like a plate or saucer and a small cup of the blood. I didn’t receive communion so I could not tell if it was leavened or unleavened but he dipped it in the blood and then gave it to the people in the mouth. Very cool.
I was wondering if anyone else has been to an Armenian liturgy and perhaps help me understand a bit better the significance of what was going on or just share their thoughts. Thanks!