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Bballer32
Guest
Simple,
Do Eastern Catholics pray the rosary?
I don’t see why not. But i’m curious
Do Eastern Catholics pray the rosary?
I don’t see why not. But i’m curious
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Aramis
Guest
Yes, many do.Simple,
Do Eastern Catholics pray the rosary?
I don’t see why not. But i’m curious
Technically, it’s not supposed to be done as a public devotion, but many parishes allow it as one.
Private devotions are not restricted - as a private devotion, it’s fine for Catholics of any of the Churches in Union. (And any Non-Catholics Christians, too…)
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Bballer32
Guest
Is this because of de-Latinization? That would make sense but what I don’t see is why would they want to get rid of it when it seems to logically be the greatest devotion to Christ through our Mother.
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RyanBlack
Guest
The problem is that the public recitation of the rosary in Eastern Churches tends to take place immediately prior to Divine Liturgy. The tradition is for Matins or the LOTH to be prayed during that time.
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Aramis
Guest
Partly because the Western Rosary, more properly the Dominican Rosary, is western in origin in its current form, partly because it’s a violation of the rule of not hybridizing rites… And partly because there is a modified form which is almost never used utilizing Byzantine traditional prayers… The Prayer Rule of the Theotokos. Which may be the progenitor of the Dominican Rosary.
Because the Byzantine equivalents are, for public use, the Akathist service, and for private use, the akathist hymns, and for private repetitive recitation the Chotki. But also…
This certainly is another piece of the puzzle… But some parishes simply had the rosary prior to Third Hour… Until Fr. James arrived, St. Nick’s was one of them. One I went to while traveling had the rosary following the fellowship time.
Then, for the Ukrainians, there’s the issue of it having been adopted to signify resistance to the Soviets and the Orthodox, and unity with Rome, during the 20th Century. The SSJK argue that it’s become “tradition”… citing the CIC definition of 50 years… but the Major Archbishop disagreed.
It’s worth reiterating that EC’s are NOT forbidden to say the Dominican Rosary, especially in inter-rite gatherings… just not to replace their own authentic traditions with it.
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Bballer32
Guest
Ok that makes sense now. Thanks for the help
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JER7177
Guest
Yes, Eastern catholics do pray the western Rosary! After reading the life and autobiography of Blessed Vasyl Velychkovsky, C.Ss.R., Ukrainian bishop and martyr for the faith against the communists, I marveled at his firm and unwavering devotion to the holy Rosary. He remarked that it was truly one of the pillars of his spiritual life and reminder of the presence of God. Yes…eastern Catholics do pray the Rosary. It is not taboo but can only lift-up one’s communion with God! And I would advocate the reverse, western Catholics can and should pray the eastern Rosary (“Jesus Prayer”). I do daily!
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Phillip_Rolfes
Guest
Just thought I’d chime in and add my two cents, for what little they’re usually worth.
The history of the recitation of the Rosary in the East is somewhat complex, from what I’ve found. First we must be more specific as to whether we’re talking about the Byzantine East, or all of the Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches: i.e. those of the Byzantine tradition, Maronite, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, etc., etc., etc. I can’t speak of the Oriental traditions as my experience of them is very limited. I do know, however, that the Coptics tend to use the same prayer rope as the Byzantines and devotion to the Jesus Prayer is very strong among them. I’ve not heard whether or not they pray the Rosary. The Ethiopian traditionally pray the “Mequtaria,” which is a rather complex prayer rule that I’ve yet to master. The Mequtaria includes elements of both the Rosary and the Jesus Prayer, but using prayers that are traditional to the Ethiopian and Eritrean traditions. The Coptics have also been known to pray the Mequtaria. From what I’ve been told the Rosary is fairly standard among Maronites, but it seems that there is a small push to restore or introduce the Jesus Prayer as more of a central focus over and above the Rosary. I don’t know how successful this push has been.
Among the Churches of the Byzantine tradition, the Rosary is not a traditional prayer, although it has indeed been a popular private devotion. It’s popularity seems to be stronger among the Churches originating in the Eastern European areas such as Ukraine, Russia, Trans-Carpathia, and Romania. Although the Rosary certainly has a presence among Middle Eastern Byzantines like the Melkites, it’s certainly not as prevalent. There has also been a good deal of devotion to the Rosary among the Orthodox, particularly those of Russia, and it was recommended for private prayer by a handful of Orthodox saints such as Dimitri Rostov and, I believe, St. Theophan the Recluse.
As has been pointed out, however, the Byzantine East does have its own “Rosary-like” devotion that actually predates the Dominican Rosary in common use today. This devotion is known as the “Prayer Rule of the Theotokos” and consists of 150 “Angelic Salutations” divided into 15 decades. Meditating on the mysteries of Christ’s life is optional and one is perfectly free to simply pray the Angelic Salutations with an Our Father after every decade. Which mysteries one meditates on is also subject to personal preference. In my own research on the matter I’ve come across at least three different lists of mysteries for use with the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos. The East is a little more free-form in these matters than the West.
The main difference with regards to the Rosary in the West and the Rule of the Theotokos in the East is that the Rosary actually developed in the West as a suitable replacement for the Liturgy of the Hours when participation in the Hours was simply not possible. It is, then, more of a liturgical devotion and is intimately tied to the weekly liturgical cycle of the West. In the East the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos (or the Rosary for that matter) has no connection to the liturgical cycles and is pretty much as close as we come to a strictly “private” devotion (although no prayer is ever “private”). The Eastern equivalent of the Rosary in this case would be the Jesus Prayer. The Jesus Prayer is, in fact, very intimately tied to the liturgical cycle of the Byzantine Churches, and there are prescriptions for how many repetitions of the Jesus Prayer one ought to pray if one cannot participate in the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) and even the Divine Liturgy. So in this sense one could actually claim that the Jesus Prayer is the Byzantine Rosary, although not in the sense that it is a devotion to the Theotokos with meditations on the mysteries of Christ’s life.
Apart from the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos, the Byzantine tradition also has the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God as a meditation on the mysteries of Christ and the Theotokos. This is a public para-liturgical service that is celebrated during the Great Fast (Lent). We also have the service of Paraklesis which is a supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos. So even sans the Rosary or the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos, devotion to the Mother of God is very strong in the Byzantine East.
The history of the recitation of the Rosary in the East is somewhat complex, from what I’ve found. First we must be more specific as to whether we’re talking about the Byzantine East, or all of the Eastern and Oriental Catholic Churches: i.e. those of the Byzantine tradition, Maronite, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, etc., etc., etc. I can’t speak of the Oriental traditions as my experience of them is very limited. I do know, however, that the Coptics tend to use the same prayer rope as the Byzantines and devotion to the Jesus Prayer is very strong among them. I’ve not heard whether or not they pray the Rosary. The Ethiopian traditionally pray the “Mequtaria,” which is a rather complex prayer rule that I’ve yet to master. The Mequtaria includes elements of both the Rosary and the Jesus Prayer, but using prayers that are traditional to the Ethiopian and Eritrean traditions. The Coptics have also been known to pray the Mequtaria. From what I’ve been told the Rosary is fairly standard among Maronites, but it seems that there is a small push to restore or introduce the Jesus Prayer as more of a central focus over and above the Rosary. I don’t know how successful this push has been.
Among the Churches of the Byzantine tradition, the Rosary is not a traditional prayer, although it has indeed been a popular private devotion. It’s popularity seems to be stronger among the Churches originating in the Eastern European areas such as Ukraine, Russia, Trans-Carpathia, and Romania. Although the Rosary certainly has a presence among Middle Eastern Byzantines like the Melkites, it’s certainly not as prevalent. There has also been a good deal of devotion to the Rosary among the Orthodox, particularly those of Russia, and it was recommended for private prayer by a handful of Orthodox saints such as Dimitri Rostov and, I believe, St. Theophan the Recluse.
As has been pointed out, however, the Byzantine East does have its own “Rosary-like” devotion that actually predates the Dominican Rosary in common use today. This devotion is known as the “Prayer Rule of the Theotokos” and consists of 150 “Angelic Salutations” divided into 15 decades. Meditating on the mysteries of Christ’s life is optional and one is perfectly free to simply pray the Angelic Salutations with an Our Father after every decade. Which mysteries one meditates on is also subject to personal preference. In my own research on the matter I’ve come across at least three different lists of mysteries for use with the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos. The East is a little more free-form in these matters than the West.
The main difference with regards to the Rosary in the West and the Rule of the Theotokos in the East is that the Rosary actually developed in the West as a suitable replacement for the Liturgy of the Hours when participation in the Hours was simply not possible. It is, then, more of a liturgical devotion and is intimately tied to the weekly liturgical cycle of the West. In the East the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos (or the Rosary for that matter) has no connection to the liturgical cycles and is pretty much as close as we come to a strictly “private” devotion (although no prayer is ever “private”). The Eastern equivalent of the Rosary in this case would be the Jesus Prayer. The Jesus Prayer is, in fact, very intimately tied to the liturgical cycle of the Byzantine Churches, and there are prescriptions for how many repetitions of the Jesus Prayer one ought to pray if one cannot participate in the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) and even the Divine Liturgy. So in this sense one could actually claim that the Jesus Prayer is the Byzantine Rosary, although not in the sense that it is a devotion to the Theotokos with meditations on the mysteries of Christ’s life.
Apart from the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos, the Byzantine tradition also has the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God as a meditation on the mysteries of Christ and the Theotokos. This is a public para-liturgical service that is celebrated during the Great Fast (Lent). We also have the service of Paraklesis which is a supplicatory Canon to the Theotokos. So even sans the Rosary or the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos, devotion to the Mother of God is very strong in the Byzantine East.
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Phillip_Rolfes
Guest
You’re certainly correct here. But this begs the question, ought ECs pray the Rosary in place of the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos, which is their authentic tradition? Ought they pray the Rosary in place of the Jesus Prayer, which, as I pointed out, has the strong liturgical ties in the East that the Rosary has in the West? These are the questions I’m struggling with at the moment.
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Aramis
Guest
Both the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos and the Chotki are, pointedly, private devotions.You’re certainly correct here. But this begs the question, ought ECs pray the Rosary in place of the Prayer Rule of the Theotokos, which is their authentic tradition? Ought they pray the Rosary in place of the Jesus Prayer, which, as I pointed out, has the strong liturgical ties in the East that the Rosary has in the West? These are the questions I’m struggling with at the moment.
The Dominican Rosary* as private devotion* is, per HH JP II, part of the church universal.
The public ritual recitation in the west is equivalent to an akathyst… which may not be replaced.
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Tradycja
Guest
If it’s okay with the babsi in Western Ukraine, it’s okay with me. 
It must be noted that in the Enchiridon of Indulgences, the faithful of the Eastern Churches can recite the Akathistos Hymn instead of the Rosary and gain the same indulgence.
It must be noted that in the Enchiridon of Indulgences, the faithful of the Eastern Churches can recite the Akathistos Hymn instead of the Rosary and gain the same indulgence.
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Tradycja
Guest
An Eastern Orthodox priest once told me that he prays the Rosary daily. He’s a well known priest, but I won’t mention his name since I don’t have permission to do so.
In the end if one prays the Rosary or not is not the important question, but if one PRAYS. I know for me, if I’m brutally honest with myself, I’d much rather read a book about the Faith or debate about the Faith online than pray.
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5Loaves
Guest
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Phillip_Rolfes
Guest
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Tradycja
Guest
That’s okay. I’m an outcast wherever I go. Liturgically I agree with the “Easternizers”. Doctrinally with the Basilians. Only guy who stands during Divine Liturgy but reads the Enchridion of Indulgences. Pray the chotki when friends drag me to the TLM.
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Sophronius
Guest
Paraklesis and Molebens too!
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MrPip
Guest
I’ll second that!
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MorEphrem
Guest
Many Maronites do pray the rosary, from my own experience, and especially subsequent to the divine liturgy. I was once ridiculed as myopic and simply wrong because I would rather spend my time saying 200 Jesus Prayers in private than the rosary in public for various reasons, and I was then pressured into saying the rosary in a group to spite me (great usage of prayer…).
I don’t have anything particularly against the rosary (I love the Mother), nor do I think it should be removed from the spiritual diet of ECCs, but in the words of Patriarch Maximos IV we must separate Latinism from Catholicism. If a rosary helps someone grow spiritually, that is good and they should pray it. If someone has a preference to do another type of prayer, than they should do that one. There seems to be some kind of social force amongst catholics that demonizes those who do not say the rosary because in various apparitions, which one is not even required to believe in nor do I, a plethora of things were promised.
I don’t have anything particularly against the rosary (I love the Mother), nor do I think it should be removed from the spiritual diet of ECCs, but in the words of Patriarch Maximos IV we must separate Latinism from Catholicism. If a rosary helps someone grow spiritually, that is good and they should pray it. If someone has a preference to do another type of prayer, than they should do that one. There seems to be some kind of social force amongst catholics that demonizes those who do not say the rosary because in various apparitions, which one is not even required to believe in nor do I, a plethora of things were promised.
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