Question for Ukrainian Catholics:

[Tradycja]

Do you think the change from Church Slavonic to Ukrainian in the Liturgy was a positive change or a mistake?

 

[KyivAndrew]

Do you think the change from Church Slavonic to Ukrainian in the Liturgy was a positive change or a mistake?

Positive. I had to learn the Our Father, etc. as a child in Church Slavonic and in Ukrainian. The latter was easier, obviously, to understand; however, the thing to remember is that the differences between Church Slavonic and literary Ukrainian are really Not that great. It is nothing like the difference between English and Latin. Church Slavonic is still comprehensible to those who know Ukrainian, whereas for Latin, I assume one would need some background to understand Latin mass in full.

In any event, some choirs will still sing the Liturgy in Church Slavonic which is nice, but there really is not that much difference. Plus, the fact that many Ukrainian Catholics born outside of Ukraine and in North America may have enough problems understanding the Ukrainian used during Ukrainian liturgies (as English is their first language) means that the Liturgy in Ukrainian is at least more understandable. So, bottom line, positive.

 

[mariyka]

Do you think the change from Church Slavonic to Ukrainian in the Liturgy was a positive change or a mistake?

To me, it was like the difference between Shakespearian English and modern English. The Slavonic was something we were used to singing, but the Ukrainian was easier to understand. The changeover was not difficult, and the music still sounds right. So I agree with Andrew- positive overall.

 

[KyivAndrew]

To me, it was like the difference between Shakespearian English and modern English.

You know Mariyka; I was thinking quickly how to explain the difference. That is right on target. (One of my prof’s in college translated Shakespeare into Ukrainian, but I never looked to see how it reads )

 

[mariyka]

You know Mariyka; I was thinking quickly how to explain the difference. That is right on target. (One of my prof’s in college translated Shakespeare into Ukrainian, but I never looked to see how it reads )

Like Old Slavonic?

 

[KyivAndrew]

Like Old Slavonic?

Exactly what I thought.

 

[Aramis]

Having studied Russian in university, and being a native English speaker, Church Slavonic as used in the Ruthenian Metropolia was like reading Chaucer… most of the words make sense, but the endings are wrong and it doesn’t quite flow the same. But it is decipherable. (Russian Church Slavonic is slightly more intelligible.)

 

[ciero]

Having studied Russian in university, and being a native English speaker, Church Slavonic as used in the Ruthenian Metropolia was like reading Chaucer… most of the words make sense, but the endings are wrong and it doesn’t quite flow the same. But it is decipherable. (Russian Church Slavonic is slightly more intelligible.)

Old Church Slavonic is Old Church Slavonic, Ruthenian, Ukranian or Russian.