Learning about the Byzantine Rite

[ConstantineTG]

From the previous thread, question by Barbkw

In the Byzantine Catholic Church, can priests marry?

Do you have various types of Masses as we do here in the U.S. (sorry I’m not familiar with the proper names of the various types in the U.S.) The traditional Latin Mass and the modern Mass?

Married men can be ordained in the Byzantine Rite until the preisthood. Then its pretty much universal that only celibate men can be ordained into the Episcopacy both in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches

The Byzantine Rite will always have the Divine Liturgy. The most common form is the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. 10 times a year, the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil is said. Its not like OF and EF in the Roman Rite that are said independent of each other. The DL of St. Basil is said universally in those 10 days, and the DL of St. John all the other days of the year.

 

[Barbkw]

Thanks for moving the thread and for answering my questions.

I’ve traveled a bit (to Izmir Turkey and to Ephesus) and I’m a faithful EWTN viewer. I recorded and saved a program they had on Eastern Catholic Churches about religous icons. I’ve seen one other program hosted by two Eastern Catholic priests.

Our priest traveled to Russia and he’s very interested in icons. We have a hall at Church dedicated to icons that show the Stations of the Resurrection.

Are you in the U.S. and if not what country are you from?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Thanks for moving the thread and for answering my questions.

I’ve traveled a bit (to Izmir Turkey and to Ephesus) and I’m a faithful EWTN viewer. I recorded and saved a program they had on Eastern Catholic Churches about religous icons. I’ve seen one other program hosted by two Eastern Catholic priests.

Our priest traveled to Russia and he’s very interested in icons. We have a hall at Church dedicated to icons that show the Stations of the Resurrection.

Are you in the U.S. and if not what country are you from?

I come from the Philippines but now I’m in Canada. We have a strong presence of Ukrainians here, both Catholic and Orthodox. To me its a huge blessing, I now regularly go to a UGCC (Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church) parish for Divine Liturgy.

One good resource to learn about the Byzantine Rite is the FAQ page of St. Elias church in Bramption, Ontario. Its also a UGCC parish, and is very, very orthodox. From architecture to the way the services are conducted, everything is according to strict and traditional (thus orthodox) Byzantine-Ukrainian. I say Byzantine-Ukrainian because each sui jurish Church in the Byzantine Rite may have little differences in tradition. For example, I learned from Bro. David (ByzCath) that only the Ruthenians and Ukrainians would have the prayer before communion (you can see it here). Also, the kissing of the book of Gospels during the little Entrance is also done only by the Ukrainians. The little Entrance is when the book of Gospels is brought through the Holy Doors onto the altar. Traditionally I read the book is kept somewhere else and at this point it is brought to the altar. But today the book would already be on the altar but the priest would come out of the left (from your perspective) deacon door and in procession move to the Holy Doors, present the book of Gospels to the people, and then enter the doors. For Ukrainians the priest would pause after exiting the deacon’s doors and would present the book of Gospels to be kissed by members of the congregation. Today its usually done by the children in the parish.

Here’s the link to St. Elias’ guide to church etiquette: saintelias.com/ca/etiquette/

 

[Barbkw]

Wow!

Check out your Church (My closest visual similarity - the main lodge built from cedar at Yellowstone).

You stand throughout Mass! No pews?! No kneeling? (My aching back and feet )

I like how the “Mystery of Forgiveness” is stated. Thanks for the link, very interesting, I’ll keep “touring” thorugh the Church!

Great website.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Wow!

Check out your Church (My closest visual similarity - the main lodge built from cedar at Yellowstone).

You stand throughout Mass! No pews?! No kneeling? (My aching back and feet )

I like how the “Mystery of Forgiveness” is stated. Thanks for the link, very interesting, I’ll keep “touring” thorugh the Church!

Great website.

I don’t go to St. Elias, its on the other side of the country for me

We have pews at my parish. We’re a bit more Latinized. St. Elias I believe is the gold standard for Ukrainian Catholic parishes here in Canada. It will vary from parish to parish, depending on how orthodox (or in Latin Catholic terms, traditional) a parish is. But yeah the idea is to have everyone stand throughout the Liturgy. Prostrations are easily done without pews, and this happen during Lent. Prostrations would be similar to the posture of Muslims when worshiping.

St. Elias also has a YouTube channel. More videos to watch and learn:

youtube.com/user/tsyhan

This is my favorite, the architecture of the Byzantine Church is explained: youtube.com/watch?v=Y-U0x0oMOqM

Also you can check out Orientale Lumen TV: oltv.tv

 

[Barbkw]

youtube.com/watch?v=Y-U0x0oMOqM

Very good explanation of the Liturgy of the Church, the Good Friday Shroud and the Easter procession.

 

[ConstantineTG]

St. Elias has tons of videos, I think you can piece together an entire Divine Liturgy. Although if you’re unfamiliar with the sequence, you might get a little lost.

This is how Communion is received: youtube.com/watch?v=nYEp4jdGrF8

This is the Little Entrance where there is a procession of the Book of Gospels and it is presented to the children for kissing the Book. Then the procession continues to the altar.
youtube.com/user/tsyhan#p/search/1/pIFr5EiTQuM

 

[Barbkw]

Gosh, alter boys. Haven’t seen that since 4 Ever.

Is that Eucharist Host they are receiving?

What age do children begin receiving? The one young’n was a bit wobbly on his legs

 

[ConstantineTG]

Gosh, alter boys. Haven’t seen that since 4 Ever.

Is that Eucharist Host they are receiving?

What age do children begin receiving? The one young’n was a bit wobbly on his legs

In the East, the Sacraments of Initiation are given at the same time regardless of age. 3 weeks ago I was at the baptism of our priest’s child. Baptized and confirmed before the start of Divine Liturgy. Then received “first Communion” along with the congregation. Child was about 6 or 7 weeks old. So Byzantine children receive the Eucharist along with their parents. Younger children may receive a small drop of the Precious Blood only as they cannot have any solids yet.

Our parish does not have the same army of altar servers as St. Elias. Usually in the English DL which I attend, we only have one.

 

[Barbkw]

Sacraments of Initiation are combined (Baptism, First Eucharist and Confirmation) and are given as babies?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Sacraments of Initiation are combined (Baptism, First Eucharist and Confirmation) and are given as babies?

Are given TO babies
And after which the baby will be given Communion by the priest at every Divine Liturgy.

 

[Barbkw]

Way different than the Latin Rite!

Where does the Sacrament of Reconciliation factor in for young people?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Way different than the Latin Rite!

Where does the Sacrament of Reconciliation factor in for young people?

Historically, its actually the same. But over time the Latin Church emphasized on awerness of the Real Presence and understanding of the responsibilities of a Confirmed Catholic, that is why First Communion and Confirmation has been moved to later ages. I was confirmed as an infant in the Latin Church, and this was about 30+ years ago. So it wasn’t radically different back then. Although I did receive First Communion at age 7.

Confession will be at the age of reason. Haven’t experienced first Confession yet in the Byzantine Rite. But Confessions are usually done in front of everyone at the front of the nave, by the icon of Christ. So you are literally confessing your sins to the icon of Christ, the priest of course is there with you. There’s no confessional boxes unless of course you have a Latinized parish (like mine). I can imagine St. Elias will do it this way. Oh, you don’t have to have anyone else hear your confessions but the priest. You are in full view but not audible to the congregation.

 

[Barbkw]

That’s interesting because at Advent and during Lent we have communial Reconciliation similar to what you’re writing about.

We have a short service (not a Mass) and several priests attend (8 or more) - surrounding area priests and retired priests also help.

Each priest is stationed around the Church and then lines form (out of hearing range) in front of each priest.

We also has private Reconciliation, in confessional rooms available each week before Mass, but for some reason, people wait for 6 months and then come in droves to the group Reconciliation service.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I just came from my RC parish’s confession service. We had 5 priests. The UGCC parish publicized a confession for just before the 10PM Christmas Eve Liturgy.

But traditionally in the Byzantine Rite, confession is face to face and in the front of the nave by the icon of Christ. Latinized parishes such as mine would have a confession box, but I have never seen it used.