Should I check out a Russian or a Greek church first?

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Augustus24

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I have decided to check out some local Eastern Orthodox churches. One is a Russian Orthodox (ROCOR) and the other is a Greek Orthodox.

Which one should I check out first, coming as a newcomer?
 
Check out their websites, find out which is more open to visitors, which has services mostly in English (if that matters to you).

Either can be a good choice.

And be prepared for the onslaught now.
 
Rawb said:
Check out their websites, find out which is more open to visitors, which has services mostly in English (if that matters to you).

Either can be a good choice.

And be prepared for the onslaught now.
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Onslaught? Sounds interesting.

What specifically should I be prepared for?
 
The multitude of people on this forum who will try to convince you to not go.

I’m not saying they’re wrong, mind you, in fact, arguably they’re correct to do so as it *is *a Catholic forum, just letting you know my experience.
 
Rawb said:
The multitude of people on this forum who will try to convince you to not go.

I’m not saying they’re wrong, mind you, in fact, arguably they’re correct to do so as it *is *a Catholic forum, just letting you know my experience.
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Fair enough, I misunderstood your post.

I thought you meant to be prepared for the onslaught at the church.
 
I’m a Russian 👍 … but I gratefully spent many evenings during the recent Great Lent in services at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

How far are you from Salinas? Fr. Anthony, Ruthenian, celebrates Divine Liturgy there 2nd & 4th Saturdays. He’s a *wonderful *priest! (See “Fr-Anthony Hernandez” on Facebook.)
 
5Loaves said:
I’m a Russian 👍 … but I gratefully spent many evenings during the recent Great Lent in services at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

How far are you from Salinas? Fr. Anthony, Ruthenian, celebrates Divine Liturgy there 2nd & 4th Saturdays. He’s a *wonderful *priest! (See “Fr-Anthony Hernandez” on Facebook.)
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I am 30 minutes from Salinas. Yes, I have gone to the byzantine divine liturgy offered there, but its only offered once a month, and its eastern Catholic, in a borrowed Latin chapel with no icons or icon doors etc. I want the full EO experience, with all the trappings.
 
Why do you want to leave the Roman Catholic Church? You can always apply to change Rites and still be Roman Catholic: Byzantine, Maronite…👍
 
sing4joy said:
Why do you want to leave the Roman Catholic Church? You can always apply to change Rites and still be Roman Catholic: Byzantine, Maronite…👍
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🤷

Byzantine, Maronite, etc are NOT Roman Catholic
 
ConstantineTG said:
🤷

Byzantine, Maronite, etc are NOT Roman Catholic
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To be “Catholic” you must be in communion with Rome, and to be in communion with Rome you must accept that the Roman Pontiff has an inalienable right to intervene in the matters of your Church. He is jurisdictionally at the head of every “Catholic” Church. The only thing that sets you apart from Rome is that you may make your own canon laws, because the Roman Pontiff agreed to that. How could it be that you are not “Roman Catholic”. It would be the equivalent to saying that “I’m a citizen of the State of Colorado, but I am not citizen of the United States”.
Go to the Greek Church first then go to the Russian Church second.

You said the Russian Church was ROCOR, but you didn’t say which Greek Church it is. I assumed it was the Greek Archdiocese in America. But if it is one of the Old Calender Greek Churches, then go to ROCOR first then to the Greek. Basically I’m advising that you go to the relatively more liberal Church first and the relatively more conservative one second.
 
For EC’s, “Roman Catholic” refers to the Particular Latin Catholic Church only that follows the Roman Rite.

EC’s maintain they are both “Orthodox” and “Catholic.” Being in communion with Rome, so they say (and EC’s can be troublesome, as you know . . .), puts their Orthodox Churches in a similar relation to Rome as was obtained prior to 1054 AD.

EC’s can be very sensitive about being called “Roman Catholic” by Roman Catholics.

Even moreso when they are called that by Orthodox Christians.

Dominus Vobiscum!

Alex Romanus
 
Rawb said:
Check out their websites, find out which is more open to visitors, which has services mostly in English (if that matters to you).

Either can be a good choice.

And be prepared for the onslaught now.
Click to expand...
This EC won’t be part of any such onslaught. I love attending Orthodox services at all manner of Orthodox Churches.

It only strengthens my communion with Rome within the context of a centre of Apostolic unity bringing together different Churches with their particular rites, traditions and spiritualities.

Alex
 
sing4joy said:
Why do you want to leave the Roman Catholic Church? You can always apply to change Rites and still be Roman Catholic: Byzantine, Maronite…👍
Click to expand...
If I switched rites, I would, by definition, not be Roman Catholic anymore, but rather Byzantine, Maronite etc.

And, I am not sure I want to leave the Catholic Church at all.
 
I hope the Dominus Vobiscum was a tongue-in-cheek latinization hahah but in any case simply find a good EC Parish nearby that isn’t borrowing a Latin Church space.

If you can’t and you want to expereince the EO go to the Greeks first. A lot of the Russians don’t even recognize Catholic Baptisms so they might be hostile to you if they find out you are Catholic.
 
I think we are beginning to truly understand each other, Smad! 😃

Your point is well taken.

I visited a ROCOR parish in western New York last year and when I identified myself as UGCC, I was set upon by the wife of the pastor: “You should become Orthodox, right now, that (Eastern Catholicism) is not the same!”

I smiled and nodded courteously before beating a hasty retreat . . .

Thought she was going to take a swing at me at one point . . . 🙂

Alex
 
Augustus24 said:
If I switched rites, I would, by definition, not be Roman Catholic anymore, but rather Byzantine, Maronite etc.

And, I am not sure I want to leave the Catholic Church at all.
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Some might say that if you became a Maronite, you still would be “Roman Catholic” . . .😉

Alex
 
Alexander_Roman said:
Some might say that if you became a Maronite, you still would be “Roman Catholic” . . .😉

Alex
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About a year ago, I came across a Maronite Catholic website which described itself as St. X Roman Catholic Church, Maronite Rite. 🤷
 
Alexander_Roman said:
I think we are beginning to truly understand each other, Smad! 😃

Your point is well taken.

I visited a ROCOR parish in western New York last year and when I identified myself as UGCC, I was set upon by the wife of the pastor: “You should become Orthodox, right now, that (Eastern Catholicism) is not the same!”

I smiled and nodded courteously before beating a hasty retreat . . .

Thought she was going to take a swing at me at one point . . . 🙂

Alex
Click to expand...
Didn’t Father Galadza’s son spend short time at Jordanville studying? I seem to remember something about that. It didn’t go so badly for him.

Or am I thinking of someone else? 😊
 
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