My First Eastern Catholic Divine Liturgy

[Intrigued_Latin]

Dear Friends,
Yesterday I experienced my first Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgy. (UGCC)
Now that I’ve come back down to earth, I thought I’d share some of my experiences with you.
First of all the English Liturgy immediately followed the Ukrainian one. I noticed many people leaving all speaking in a Slavic language that I could almost understand (thanks to having Macedonian in-laws)
The parish was Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Toronto, Canada
When I entered the front doors, I paid reverence by a bow at the waist and blessed myself from right to left. I really had to concentrate on that as it did not feel natural at first, my fingers automatically wanted to go to the left first. it appeared that I was the only one there. (could I have mixed up the times ? I said to myself)
A few minutes later more parishioners walked in.
There was even an older Oriental looking gentleman, who, by his actions, appeared as devout as one could be.
The time was now 11:15am and there was about 25 people. The priest began, I grabbed the bi-lingual missal and sang along.
The leader of the choir seemed to have a bit of a cold as her voice was diminishing. There were a few others standing behind her, who picked up the slack.
Their voices were beautiful and harmonized impeccably.
As we proceeded into the Liturgy, I noticed that the majority of the faithful blessed themselves slowly and actually touched their heads, chests, and shoulders. (I was not used to seeing this in the Orthodox Liturgies that I attended in the past, most of them, including my wife, bless themselves quickly… No offense intended)
I also noticed that when the Creed was recited the Filioque was added.
His Holiness Pope John Paul II was commemorated 3 or 4 times in the Liturgy… much more than the Latin Church.
The faithful approached the Holy Cup with their hands folded across their heart. I followed along.
After exactly 60 minutes the Liturgy ended. I sat back and looked up and said “Thank you”. I felt as though I had given everything I could give in my worship to God.
I waited for the priest to come out but he did not. I said to myself, I’ll be back next Sunday, maybe I’ll meet him then.
All day yesterday I felt special and fortunate to have witnessed and participated in a beautiful expression of our love for Christ.

If any of you “Roman” Catholics ever get the chance, I strongly recommend going to an Eastern Rite Liturgy.

Glory to Jesus Christ

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Latin:

I’m glad you enjoyed your experience! Just a couple of comments to clarify some things you said.

1. 
   *]The *filioque *is supposed to be omitted from the Creed in Byzantine Churches. The Ukranians, being more “latinized” than the others, do include it. This is not a terrible sin, and there are other Churches that include it such as the Maronites.
   *]It is traditional on entering a Byzantine church to kiss the icon of Christ and then of Mary and, if there is one, the icon on the tetrapod (this is a small table near the front of the church). If you don’t wish to actually kiss the icon, you can touch it with your fingers and then kiss your fingers. Some people feel this protects them from germs.
   *]Eastern Catholics generally sign themselves any time the Trinity is mentioned either as the Trinity or mentioning the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They may also sign themselves at the mention of the *Theotokas *(Mother of God).
   *]Singing in harmony (polyphany) as opposed to simply singing a melody is found primarily in the churches with Ukrainian, Ruthenian or Russian origin.
   *]When one goes to communion it is traditional, unless you are already known to the priest or deacon, to give your first name so that the priest or deacon can give you communion properly (“The servant/handmain of the Lord n. receives the precisious Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and everlasting life.”)
   
   Deacon Ed

 

[Volodymyr]

Also very glad that you enjoyed the Divine Liturgy in a Ukrainian Greko-Catholic church.

However, if you have attended Macedonian Orthodox churches, our Liturgy should seem quite similar. I am certain that Macedonians use Church Slavonic, having been freed from Greek hierarchs, in the Divine Liturgy. For me it is Church slavonic which makes the liturgy most beautiful. But perhaps the use of English in the liturgy is what you liked - probably otherwise you would not have known that they sang the "filioque (iz syna) during the Symbol. Find out if the parish has feasts or Sundays when the Divine Liturgy is in Church Slavonic and bring your wife. She will be quite at home.

Stay after Liturgy for coffee (kava) and introduce yourself and your wife to the priest and his wife.

 

[Psalm45_9]

I have attended two Divine Liturgies. One was a Ruthenian Catholic Church and the the other was Ukranian. I was very pleased with them, and I left with a feeling that I have not felt since the last Tridentine High Mass I attended. One thing I did notice is at the Ruthenian church, they did not open the royal doors until they sang about the incarnation, they also opened the deacon’s doors. In the Ukranian church, the royal doors were opened to signal the beginning of the Liturgy. I liked the Ruthenian way better.

 

[prodromos]

Volodymyr:

However, if you have attended Macedonian Orthodox churches, our Liturgy should seem quite similar. I am certain that Macedonians use Church Slavonic, having been freed from Greek hierarchs, in the Divine Liturgy.

I am uncertain as to why you would make such a statement since the church in FYROM was not under Greek hierarchs. The church in Serbia has been autonomous for some time and it is from them that the FYROM church has broken away for purely political reasons and hence has seperated itself from the Orthodox church. They are not canonical and should be considered in the same light as Catholics would consider SSPX or Old Catholic churches.

John.

 

[Crusader]

Deacon Ed:

Latin:

I’m glad you enjoyed your experience! Just a couple of comments to clarify some things you said.

1. 
   *]The *filioque *is supposed to be omitted from the Creed in Byzantine Churches. The Ukranians, being more “latinized” than the others, do include it. This is not a terrible sin, and there are other Churches that include it such as the Maronites.
   
   Deacon Ed

1. 
   Where does it say that? Many Ruthenian Catholics also recite the entire creed and it’s printed in our missalettes…

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Crusader:

Where does it say that? Many Ruthenian Catholics also recite the entire creed and it’s printed in our missalettes…

There is a document from Rome on the authentic interpretation of the directives from Rome to restore the original practices of the Church. When the Ruthenians came into union with Rome they added the filioque to their creed. This document is called *Instructions for Applying the Liturgical Prescriptions of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. *One such statement reads:

The Eastern Catholic Churches, although having been influenced by the weight of Western tradition, have maintained in the field of liturgy a more faithful conformity to their true traditions. It is precisely their liturgies, restored to greater authenticity and vitality by eliminating that which has altered them, that could be the best starting point for a growth of their specific identity, from which could be drawn words and gestures capable of touching the hearts and illuminating the minds of their faithful in the present time.

One of the alterations was, indeed, the addition of the *filioque *which is not found in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom nor St. Basil in the ancient texts, nor in the texts of the Greek Church or Russian Church. It is not found in the Melkite Catholic Church. Special consideration was taken by Rome of the Orthodox Churches from whom most of the Eastern Catholic Churches arose since they saw, and still see, the Eastern Catholic Churches as a link to the Orthodox Church.

BTW, when the Pope joins in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy he does not use the filioque.

Deacon Ed

 

[Hesychios]

The Ruthenian parish I belong to has not taken the filioque as long as I have been attending. Coming from a Latin background originally it was something I couldn’t help but notice.

The Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma does not use the filioque officially, although I suppose there are a few places where the congregation has resisted the change.

I visited a parish once that had statues near the altar! What a surprise, but they looked like they had been there a very long time, and the congregation was just a very few elderly individuals.

 

[Intrigued_Latin]

Deacon Ed:

Latin:

I’m glad you enjoyed your experience! Just a couple of comments to clarify some things you said.

1. 
   *]The *filioque *is supposed to be omitted from the Creed in Byzantine Churches. The Ukranians, being more “latinized” than the others, do include it. This is not a terrible sin, and there are other Churches that include it such as the Maronites.
   *]It is traditional on entering a Byzantine church to kiss the icon of Christ and then of Mary and, if there is one, the icon on the tetrapod (this is a small table near the front of the church). If you don’t wish to actually kiss the icon, you can touch it with your fingers and then kiss your fingers. Some people feel this protects them from germs.
   *]Eastern Catholics generally sign themselves any time the Trinity is mentioned either as the Trinity or mentioning the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They may also sign themselves at the mention of the *Theotokas *(Mother of God).
   *]Singing in harmony (polyphany) as opposed to simply singing a melody is found primarily in the churches with Ukrainian, Ruthenian or Russian origin.
   *]When one goes to communion it is traditional, unless you are already known to the priest or deacon, to give your first name so that the priest or deacon can give you communion properly (“The servant/handmain of the Lord n. receives the precisious Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and everlasting life.”)Deacon Ed

1. 
   Thanks Deacon Ed,
   There were no icons in the front of the church. At the end of Liturgy, I went up and kissed the icon of the Theotokos on the tetrapod.
   Prior to attending I had e-mailed the priest on the proper etiquette on receiving communion. He told me that communion is done in silience. I did not have to give my name.

 

[Crusader]

Hesychios:

The Ruthenian parish I belong to has not taken the filioque as long as I have been attending. Coming from a Latin background originally it was something I couldn’t help but notice.

The Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma does not use the filioque officially, although I suppose there are a few places where the congregation has resisted the change.

I visited a parish once that had statues near the altar! What a surprise, but they looked like they had been there a very long time, and the congregation was just a very few elderly individuals.

 

[Crusader]

Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma’s missalette certainly includes it…

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Crusader:

Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma’s missalette certainly includes it…

Crusader,

Yes, I am well aware of that – in spite of the previous metropoltian’s efforts to get rid of it.

Deacon Ed

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Intrigued Latin:

Thanks Deacon Ed,
There were no icons in the front of the church. At the end of Liturgy, I went up and kissed the icon of the Theotokos on the tetrapod.

I’m sorry there weren’t more icons. A “proper” Byzantine church should have icons virtually everywhere.
Intrigued Latin:

Prior to attending I had e-mailed the priest on the proper etiquette on receiving communion. He told me that communion is done in silience. I did not have to give my name.

I suspect he was referring to the Latin tendency to say “Amen” at the end of the “communion formula.” There is no response to what the priest or deacon says – that is in silence.

Deacon Ed

 

[CatholicNerd]

Crusader:

Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma’s missalette certainly includes it…

When I was at the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Olympia WA, we didn’t use it during the hierarchical Divine Liturgy, but it was in the booklet in parenthesis. I’m guessing that since Bishop William didn’t use it, the rest of the Eparchy of Van Nuys doesn’t, either.

 

[Hesychios]

Crusader:

Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma’s missalette certainly includes it…

Parma has a Missalette?

I have never used it. We have these old pew books which no one who knows the liturgy will pick up. We don’t buy the Missalette you are referring to.

 

[akemner]

I jost looked in the DL booklet for the Eparchy of Parma (dated 1986, in effect January 1, 1987). The phrase is in the text, but bracketed. I have only heard the phrase used in two parishes, both very Latinized rural parishes in the Archeparchy. I have never heard it used in the Parma Eparchy (but i have not yet been to every parish).

In Christ,
Adam

 

[Hesychios]

Intrigued Latin:

Prior to attending I had e-mailed the priest on the proper etiquette on receiving communion. He told me that communion is done in silience. I did not have to give my name.

The standard procedure (as I understand it) is for the priest to pronounce one’s name in the form of a blessing as such:

---

Priest - aloud over each recipient:
*The servant of God (your name here) receives the precious and holy body and blood of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, for the remission of his(her) sins and for eternal life!

Many people are not known by the priest or deacon because they are visiting, the usual presumption is that the person who approaches is properly disposed to receive.

I don’t know what is said over the recipient in such a case, but I remember attending a Ukrainian Liturgy and I had not had the chance to introduce myself to the priest beforehand. He said something like “sir” when I approached.

I have been told that it is helpful to announce one’s name when communing if we are not known, and that is advice I have been repeating in charity, always as a suggestion only.

Is it possible that this blessing is not the normal practice in some places?

 

[Deacon_Ed]

Hesychios:

The standard procedure (as I understand it) is for the priest to pronounce one’s name in the form of a blessing as such:

Priest - aloud over each recipient:
******The servant of God (your name here) receives the precious and holy body and blood of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ, for the remission of his(her) sins and for eternal life!

Many people are not known by the priest or deacon because they are visiting, the usual presumption is that the person who approaches is properly disposed to receive.

I don’t know what is said over the recipient in such a case, but I remember attending a Ukrainian Liturgy and I had not had the chance to introduce myself to the priest beforehand. He said something like “sir” when I approached.

I have been told that it is helpful to announce one’s name when communing if we are not known, and that is advice I have been repeating in charity, always as a suggestion only.

Is it possible that this blessing is not the normal practice in some places?

If I don’t recognize the person or can’t remember the name I’ll just skip saying the name. This seems to be pretty common.

Deacon Ed

 

[Volodymyr]

prodromos:

I am uncertain as to why you would make such a statement since the church in FYROM was not under Greek hierarchs. The church in Serbia has been autonomous for some time and it is from them that the FYROM church has broken away for purely political reasons and hence has seperated itself from the Orthodox church. They are not canonical and should be considered in the same light as Catholics would consider SSPX or Old Catholic churches.

John.

 

[Volodymyr]

prodromos:

I am uncertain as to why you would make such a statement since the church in FYROM was not under Greek hierarchs. The church in Serbia has been autonomous for some time and it is from them that the FYROM church has broken away for purely political reasons and hence has seperated itself from the Orthodox church. They are not canonical and should be considered in the same light as Catholics would consider SSPX or Old Catholic churches.

John.