Maronite questions

[Caladrius]

Friends,

I am a Latin-rite Catholic in good standing with the Church in Canada, and wish to receive the holy Mysteries at the local Maronite parish. Here are a few questions:

1. I have never been to the Holy Qurbono, nor have I seen one. The website for this parish calls it “Mass”, so does this indicate anything about the style of worship to expect?
2. Not having seen the Qurbono, I have never received holy communion at a Maronite Mass. Is there a general practice? Intinction? Communing with a Spoon? Communion in the hand? On the tongue?
3. How much time should I allow myself to get into the church before the holy Qurbono? Is there often Matins celebrated prior to the Qurbono, as is common with the Orthodox?

Thank you…

 

[Denho]

Friends,

I am a Latin-rite Catholic in good standing with the Church in Canada, and wish to receive the holy Mysteries at the local Maronite parish. Here are a few questions:

1. I have never been to the Holy Qurbono, nor have I seen one. The website for this parish calls it “Mass”, so does this indicate anything about the style of worship to expect?
2. Not having seen the Qurbono, I have never received holy communion at a Maronite Mass. Is there a general practice? Intinction? Communing with a Spoon? Communion in the hand? On the tongue?
3. How much time should I allow myself to get into the church before the holy Qurbono? Is there often Matins celebrated prior to the Qurbono, as is common with the Orthodox?

Thank you…

1. Each parish uses a different nomenclature. Mass, Divine Liturgy, Qurbono… you will see all three. Also, the quality of liturgy will differ between parishes, along with the amount of English/Arabic used.
2. Communion is received by intinction on the tongue while standing as a normal practice in the United States. I can’t speak for Canada but it isn’t uncommon to see Communion under one Species in Lebanon and even Communion in the Hand.
3. I can count on one hand the number of parishes on this continent that offer Safro (Matins) before the Qurbono (sadly). Also, how punctual people are is dependent on a number of factors. There may be people there praying beforehand and there may be people who show up in time for communion.

 

[Caladrius]

Thank you Denho…

I was just wondering if the use of “Mass” connotes a more latinized or westernized liturgy. It doesn’t matter, but it’d be nice to know if I’d expect “more easternness” or less.

So, is the process of intincture simply the dipping of the sacred Body into the Blood, and communing the recipient with a spoon? I need to know if I should hold my mouth open, stick my tongue out, say “Amen”, etc.! All should be done for the glory of the blessed Lord.

 

[JRS_88]

I’ve heard and read people call the Qurbono “mass”, “divine service”, “divine liturgy”, “service of holy mysteries”, “divine mysteries”.
None of those terms denote a lower or higher form or different version of the Qurbono.

In my opinion, you’ll be able to follow along without any problems. While the Qurbono certainly has it’s latinizations, you wouldn’t mistake it for a RC mass.

 

[MorEphrem]

I was just wondering if the use of “Mass” connotes a more latinized or westernized liturgy. It doesn’t matter, but it’d be nice to know if I’d expect “more easternness” or less.

While some might contend that it does in fact reflect a more Latin parish, I disagree completely. Usually the people who favor “Divine Liturgy” are Melkites who’ve become parishioners at a Maronite parish or revisionists who want to be novel and use a term other than mass (however, DL is as foreign to us as mass).

To be honest, anyway, I can think of three priests (out of the ~100 in the US) who would actually be willing to say a sufficiently “eastern” [by my standards] Maronite qurbono qadisho. Expect very latinized - including possibly unauthorized additions from the Latin mass (such as Agnus Dei) and improper “preparation of the gifts” in the middle (i.e. as opposed to the beginning).

So, is the process of intincture simply the dipping of the sacred Body into the Blood, and communing the recipient with a spoon? I need to know if I should hold my mouth open, stick my tongue out, say “Amen”, etc.! All should be done for the glory of the blessed Lord.

We have almost entirely abandoned leavened communion so we do not use a spoon (even the priests that use the leavened bread intinct like the Melkites - i.e. by hand). The priest will dip the Body into the Blood and all you do is open your mouth (don’t even stick your tongue out). He’ll place them into your mouth and say “the body and blood of Christ are given to you for the forgiveness of sin and eternal life,” at which point just sign yourself and return to your seat and remain standing.

I hope that was helpful.

In my opinion, you’ll be able to follow along without any problems. While the Qurbono certainly has it’s latinizations, you wouldn’t mistake it for a RC mass.

I take it you have not been to Lebanon, akhi?

 

[JRS_88]

…including possibly unauthorized additions from the Latin mass (such as Agnus Dei) and improper “preparation of the gifts” in the middle (i.e. as opposed to the beginning).

…I take it you have not been to Lebanon, akhi?

Wow thats sad - fortunately I’ve never witnessed the Agnus Dei or the improper preparation of the gifts. I would have to pick my jaw up off the floor.

No I’ve not been to Lebanon. Maybe some day.

 

[Rafkqa]

Can I suggest that you do not get hung up on the specifics (don’t worry about what various Parishes call it or about the latinisations). Just turn up to the liturgy (you do not need to be early) and enjoy. Just follow what everyone else is doing.

Many people who turn up for the first time love it. I pray you will as well.

Friends,

I am a Latin-rite Catholic in good standing with the Church in Canada, and wish to receive the holy Mysteries at the local Maronite parish. Here are a few questions:

1. I have never been to the Holy Qurbono, nor have I seen one. The website for this parish calls it “Mass”, so does this indicate anything about the style of worship to expect?
2. Not having seen the Qurbono, I have never received holy communion at a Maronite Mass. Is there a general practice? Intinction? Communing with a Spoon? Communion in the hand? On the tongue?
3. How much time should I allow myself to get into the church before the holy Qurbono? Is there often Matins celebrated prior to the Qurbono, as is common with the Orthodox?

Thank you…

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

Can I suggest that you do not get hung up on the specifics (don’t worry about what various Parishes call it or about the latinisations). Just turn up to the liturgy (you do not need to be early) and enjoy. Just follow what everyone else is doing.

Many people who turn up for the first time love it. I pray you will as well.

I must say that I agree here. Let the Liturgy and the tradition speak for itself. Some of the prayers of the Liturgy are so beautiful that I’ve been moved to tears at times. So go, pay attention, and enjoy.

 

[JRS_88]

Can I suggest that you do not get hung up on the specifics (don’t worry about what various Parishes call it or about the latinisations). Just turn up to the liturgy (you do not need to be early) and enjoy. Just follow what everyone else is doing.

Many people who turn up for the first time love it. I pray you will as well.

Well said!

 

[Caladrius]

Thank you for the advice, brethren. Thank you for the prayers, Rafkqa!

I have always had a great fondness for profound bowing and standing throughout the Liturgy, or at least for Holy Communion. One Maronite site said this:

maronite-sf.org/church/home/our-church/faq

*What differences might I see between the Roman and the Maronite mass ?

A careful viewer will notice that Maronites do not genuflect but like all Eastern Christians bow profoundly to the Tabernacle when entering or leaving the church. Every Sunday incense is used extensively throughout the service. The Sign of Peace is exchanged prior to the start of the Anaphora (Eucharist Prayer) so that we may be reconciled with our brothers and sisters before we approach the Altar of our Lord. The vestments of the priest are in the Eastern, Syriac fashion and a small hand cross is carried by the celebrant which is used in blessing the congregation. At the Words of Institution the priest sings in West Syriac a dialect of Aramaic, the language Our Lord, thus recreating closely the Last Supper. During this time we do not kneel but stand ready to greet our Savior when He comes again. We kneel only on Pentecost Sunday during the Kneeling Ritual and at the Great Matany on Great Friday. Holy Communion is distributed by intinction meaning that the Sacred Host is dipped into the Precious Blood and given to the communicant on the tongue, never in the hand.*

 

[Rafkqa]

I think that is a fair assessment, except my understanding is the bowing is to the altar. One thing about the sign of peace is that it is distributed from the celebrant from the altar. And the passed on to the people. So you wait take it from the person in front of you or beside you by cupping your hand over theirs and then you pass it onto the person beside you or beside you and they will cup their hand over yours.

Thank you for the advice, brethren. Thank you for the prayers, Rafkqa!

I have always had a great fondness for profound bowing and standing throughout the Liturgy, or at least for Holy Communion. One Maronite site said this:

maronite-sf.org/church/home/our-church/faq

*What differences might I see between the Roman and the Maronite mass ?

A careful viewer will notice that Maronites do not genuflect but like all Eastern Christians bow profoundly to the Tabernacle when entering or leaving the church. Every Sunday incense is used extensively throughout the service. The Sign of Peace is exchanged prior to the start of the Anaphora (Eucharist Prayer) so that we may be reconciled with our brothers and sisters before we approach the Altar of our Lord. The vestments of the priest are in the Eastern, Syriac fashion and a small hand cross is carried by the celebrant which is used in blessing the congregation. At the Words of Institution the priest sings in West Syriac a dialect of Aramaic, the language Our Lord, thus recreating closely the Last Supper. During this time we do not kneel but stand ready to greet our Savior when He comes again. We kneel only on Pentecost Sunday during the Kneeling Ritual and at the Great Matany on Great Friday. Holy Communion is distributed by intinction meaning that the Sacred Host is dipped into the Precious Blood and given to the communicant on the tongue, never in the hand.*

 

[shlomo3amrooh]

It may be different amongst the moronoye, but in the SCC the bowing is only on Sundays. All other days upon entering a church the worshiper must prostrate

He would say.
Labytokh Aloho aliet…

Then the qadishat. Prostrating all the way down while making the sign of the cross every time qadishat Aloho is said.

Following that: Moran itraham Alain Moran Hoos Wu raHim alaien. Moran qabil tishmishtan wa slothan…

Then Abun Dbashmayo then shlom lech Maryam

But the prostrations seemed to have disappeared after the introduction of pews according to Abuna.

 

[malphono]

Thank you for the advice, brethren.

As others have said or implied, what one experiences depends quite a bit on the where, meaning particular location, and the who (meaning the particular priest). In general, Novus Ordo-inspired neo-latinizations abound. For example, in most places, one will see versus populum instead of the proper ad orientem celebration. One will also usually see a Novus Ordo-style “offertory procession” which is totally untraditional.

But despite the deplorably neo-latinized books, in some few cases it’s possible to see at least a vestige of traditional practice. One of the more traditional parishes in Canada is St Charbel in Mississauga.

maronite-sf.org/church/home/our-church/faq

*What differences might I see between the Roman and the Maronite mass ?

A careful viewer will notice that Maronites do not genuflect but like all Eastern Christians bow profoundly to the Tabernacle when entering or leaving the church. Every Sunday incense is used extensively throughout the service. The Sign of Peace is exchanged prior to the start of the Anaphora (Eucharist Prayer) so that we may be reconciled with our brothers and sisters before we approach the Altar of our Lord. The vestments of the priest are in the Eastern, Syriac fashion and a small hand cross is carried by the celebrant which is used in blessing the congregation. At the Words of Institution the priest sings in West Syriac a dialect of Aramaic, the language Our Lord, thus recreating closely the Last Supper. During this time we do not kneel but stand ready to greet our Savior when He comes again. We kneel only on Pentecost Sunday during the Kneeling Ritual and at the Great Matany on Great Friday. Holy Communion is distributed by intinction meaning that the Sacred Host is dipped into the Precious Blood and given to the communicant on the tongue, never in the hand.*

In many, if not most, Maronite churches, one will see a lot of people genuflecting, although many will perform what is known as the “minor prostration” in varying ways. The “great prostration” is rarely seen, but it actually does involve kneeling.

The Rite of Peace is the first part of the Anaphora. It does not precede the Anaphora. The idea that the Anaphora begins after it is nothing more than an innovation.

 

[Rafkqa]

OP - did you end up attending and if so, how did you go?

 

[Peter_J]

I think that is a fair assessment, except my understanding is the bowing is to the altar. One thing about the sign of peace is that it is distributed from the celebrant from the altar. And the passed on to the people. So you wait take it from the person in front of you or beside you by cupping your hand over theirs and then you pass it onto the person beside you or beside you and they will cup their hand over yours.

The passing of the peace is probably what I remember best about the Maronite liturgy.

 

[malphono]

The passing of the peace is probably what I remember best about the Maronite liturgy.

FYI, the passing of the peace is done in a similar way in the SCC and Chaldean Churches. The Armenians seem to do with a full ritual embrace. I’m not sure about the custom among the Syro-Malankara & Syro-Malabar Churches.

 

[AnthonyJ]

The peace is the same in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

FYI, the passing of the peace is done in a similar way in the SCC and Chaldean Churches. The Armenians seem to do with a full ritual embrace. I’m not sure about the custom among the Syro-Malankara & Syro-Malabar Churches.

 

[Caladrius]

OP - did you end up attending and if so, how did you go?

I am going tomorrow morning.

All the replies in this thread have been helpful to develop an understanding prior to going. I will report back here with my experience.