Ortodox liturgy vs. Catholic liturgy

  • Thread starter Thread starter tkd7334
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

tkd7334

Guest
I was hoping that you would be able to tell more about the differences between Catholic and Orthodox liturgy. I understand that people are mostly concerned about historical differences between the two churches, but I was wondering if you would know more about some of the liturgical customs.
 
I’m not sure what level of detail you are looking for. On a gross level, there’s no difference in overall structure: there’s a Liturgy of the Word and a Liturgy of the Eucharist. There are significant differences, however, in the ways in which these two parts are celebrated.

Perhaps the best place to start is to point you to the Divine Liturgy where you can read the actual Liturgy and the rubrics associated with it.

You might want to visit faswebdesign.com/ECPA/Worship/overview.html which contains a number of Eastern Catholic liturgies. The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is used by the Churches from the Byzantine tradition which would include the Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches as well as the 14 Eastern Catholic Churches of Byzantine usage. The next most common would be the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil.

Once you’ve looked through those you might have more focused questions that are more easily addressed.

Deacon Ed
 
Eastern Catholics have the same liturgy as many of the Eastern Orthodox. The distincion is more or a Latin Rite Liturgy and a Byzantine Liturgy and other estern litrugies.

All liturgies were all catholic at one point they just were not all Latin and still not all Latin.
 
What are, in your opinion, four or five most stricking differences between the two?!?

I have experienced both, and although i’m not a relegious person, Orthodox liturgy has left a more spiritual impresion… I don’t know much about either liturgy, so if you could point out, like i said, four or five major differences, it would be great…
Thanks,
ATP
 
40.png
tkd7334:
What are, in your opinion, four or five most stricking differences between the two?!?

I have experienced both, and although i’m not a relegious person, Orthodox liturgy has left a more spiritual impresion… I don’t know much about either liturgy, so if you could point out, like i said, four or five major differences, it would be great…
Thanks,
ATP
Click to expand...
Since you ask, I would say the greatest differences are 1) the use of incense which is much greater in the Eastern tradition; 2) the use of processions (both the little entrance before the reading of the epistle and the great entrance before the anaphora or Eucharistic Prayer are much more involved than the gospel procession and offertory procession in the Latin Rite); 3) the involvement of the deacon leading the people in prayer; 4) the involvement of the people; 5) the iconostasis adds a sense of separation between heaven and earth that is not generally found in the Latin Rite.

Deacon Ed
 
Keep in mind the main “liturgy” of the Latin Rite is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

It seems quite trendy today to refer to the Mass as “the liturgy” (which is accurate enough), but we cannot forget that there are other liturgies within the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church that are not the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Benediction is a “liturgy” for instance.

I would say that some actually dislike using the term “Mass” in place of “liturgy” or the even more PC “Eucharist.”
 
40.png
Crusader:
Keep in mind the main “liturgy” of the Latin Rite is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

It seems quite trendy today to refer to the Mass as “the liturgy” (which is accurate enough), but we cannot forget that there are other liturgies within the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church that are not the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Benediction is a “liturgy” for instance.

I would say that some actually dislike using the term “Mass” in place of “liturgy” or the even more PC “Eucharist.”
Click to expand...
Crusader,

I tend to use the term “Liturgy” even in reference to the Mass because it is, IMNSHO, more precise. The term “Mass” derives from the dismissal at the end of Mass in Latin (Ite, missa est). The term “liturgy” was in use long before the term “Mass” arrived on the scene. Also, the term “Liturgy” indicates that the Mass is “the work of the people” (from the Greek *laos *(people) and *ergon *(work). This is not conveyed or connoted by the term “Mass” which suggests something that the priest does for the people.

However, at the same time, you are quite correct that there are other liturgies besides the Mass, not just in the Latin Rite, but in all Rites.

It seems that there is no end to the possible ways to confuse 😉

Deacon Ed
 
Deacon Ed:
Crusader,

I tend to use the term “Liturgy” even in reference to the Mass because it is, IMNSHO, more precise. The term “Mass” derives from the dismissal at the end of Mass in Latin (Ite, missa est). The term “liturgy” was in use long before the term “Mass” arrived on the scene. Also, the term “Liturgy” indicates that the Mass is “the work of the people” (from the Greek *laos *(people) and *ergon *(work). This is not conveyed or connoted by the term “Mass” which suggests something that the priest does for the people.

However, at the same time, you are quite correct that there are other liturgies besides the Mass, not just in the Latin Rite, but in all Rites.

It seems that there is no end to the possible ways to confuse 😉

Deacon Ed
Click to expand...
I look at the people who strenuously avoid the term “Mass” and I know I never want to be confused with them.

Several months ago we had a wonderful cantor who mentioned “the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.” I would guess 75% of the faithful mouthed “the whaaaaaa?” It was sad.

Say “liturgy” and I really have no idea what you mean. Say “the Mass” and I know precisely what you mean.
 
40.png
Crusader:
I look at the people who strenuously avoid the term “Mass” and I know I never want to be confused with them.

Several months ago we had a wonderful cantor who mentioned “the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.” I would guess 75% of the faithful mouthed “the whaaaaaa?” It was sad.

Say “liturgy” and I really have no idea what you mean. Say “the Mass” and I know precisely what you mean.
Click to expand...
I don’t “strenuously avoid” the term – but I do prefer to use the term the Church herself uses. Of course, as a bi-ritual deacon I have to be very careful. In my Melkite Church we don’t have “the Mass” – we have Divine Liturgy. By not using the term “Mass” except under very specific conditions I don’t accidentally use it where I shouldn’t.

Deacon Ed
 
One other difference is that many Orthodox/Eastern Catholic churches have always used leavened bread. This has an effect on how the Eucharist is prepared and distributed.

In the Byzantine liturgy, there is a rite of preparation that is not present in the Latin/Western tradition. The host is cut from a loaf and the particles are immersed in the wine. There never was a time (that I know of) when the elements were distributed separately in the Byzantine-Greek tradition.

Also, the normal method of reception in the B-G tradition is standing, and distributed only by a priest or deacon, no eucharistic ministers.

Children are communed from the time of baptism, and throughout their entire lives.

The vestments are great too, deriving largely from Byzantine court tradition, the fabrics and trim are usually very elegant.

http://www.oca.org/pages/events/2002/1110stnicholascathedral/images/DSC_0057.JPG
 
Michael,

While it is true that Byzantine Churches use leavened bread, not all Eastern Catholic Churches do. For example, the Chaldeans and Maronites use unleavened bread just as do the Latin Church Catholics.

Deacon Ed
 
Deacon Ed:
Michael,

While it is true that Byzantine Churches use leavened bread, not all Eastern Catholic Churches do. For example, the Chaldeans and Maronites use unleavened bread just as do the Latin Church Catholics.

Deacon Ed
Click to expand...
Thank you Father Deacon! I realized that and I should have reworded my post for clarity.

Mea Culpa
 
Deacon Ed:
I don’t “strenuously avoid” the term – but I do prefer to use the term the Church herself uses. Of course, as a bi-ritual deacon I have to be very careful. In my Melkite Church we don’t have “the Mass” – we have Divine Liturgy. By not using the term “Mass” except under very specific conditions I don’t accidentally use it where I shouldn’t.

Deacon Ed
Click to expand...
Aren’t all deacons “bi-ritual”? I didn’t think any special approval was necessary, unlike a priest of course…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top