Went to an Eastern Rite today-WOW

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Well, DL can last 2.5 hours-just the DL. I have been gto Greek Orthodox parishes where this is the case (albeit, this was with two homilies). A professor (a reader in the ROCOR) i had said that when he was at Harvard, he never heard the Danielov monastery bells, which were played at noon because they were always in the Divine Liturgy until 12:30-12:45 (they started at 10:00). In a Ruthenian Church, for instance, if the Typical Psalms (a particular group of psalms, not meaning they are normally used) are sung to the long melody, and all verses taken, with litanies, all of the tropars and kondaks, and all, the Enarxis (opening part of DL) could take an hour or more. DL proper can last at least another hour if all prayers were taken aloud, and there were several Priests and Deacons celebrating (thus lengthening Communion of the Clergy), and all this before a homily is added.

In Christ,
Adam
 
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OhioBob:
My family and I attended a Byzantine liturgy a few weeks back. I had heard much about it and was excited to go. It was a bit disappointing, but I get the feeling that the one we attended was not a good examble of the genre.

The liturgy was over within 45 minutes. It seemed incredily rushed - almost to the point that the chanting seemed silly. There was very little participation by the congregation. Basically just the priest and the cantor.

I could see the potential from reading the missal. However, the reality didn’t do it justice. I would like to attend another one in a different church to give it another chance. I think it was just a poor example.
Bob, come travel North and visit my church. You will recieve the ‘full treatment’ of the Divine Liturgy.
We have 70 families in the parish and of course like most churches the whole congregation won’t be there unless it’s Christmas and/or Easter.
However, our liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is ‘by the book’!

go with God!
Edwin
Blessings.
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Our parish (Holy Transfiguration Byzantine Catholic Parish-Mentor on the Lake, Ohio) has been going through the changes needed to return to the ‘true Byzantine traditions’. However as in most Eastern Catholic Parishes, the priest has to combat the elder members who want what they were accustomed to…latinization.
Here, Fr. Bryan has gotten at least 80% of the traditions returned to authenticy. (He still has to stir up intrest in Matins before Liturgy, a well organized choir, no pews, and attendance to Vespers and other important feasts. (I am sure this is going on in most parishes).
Most Eastern Catholic parishes are small in the number of families (ours is between 65 & 75).-except for those Churches in Large cities; so participation is services is like pulling teeth.

I throughly enjoy and satisified in the parish I attend, and yes our Divine Liturgy will last from 75 to 90 minutes.

go with God!
Edwin
 
The only Eastern rite that I have attended was Maronite which I understand is somewhat different than Byzantine. The mass was in Arabic. In another post someone said it was probably Aramaic. I asked my son-in-law, who is Maronite and the reason we went to the mass, he assured me it was in Arabic, the language of the people of the parish. Since he was born after Vatican II he did not know if they changed from Aramaic to Arabic then or if it had always been Arabic. Anyway as a convert in 1970 I don’t know much about the Latin mass before then. I thought the Maronite mass was beautiful but did not understand much of what was going on due to the language barrier. I thought the mass was long(almost 2 hrs) but if I had understood the language it probably would not have seemed as long. I was made to feel welcome, several parishners asked if I were a ‘Latin’ after mass and asked me to come back anytime. Since I live in the Chicago area and they are in Boston that is not going to happen often. I am considering attending a Byzantine mass in Aurora near where I live.
 
Well, I am tired of reading some of these crazy comments.

So if this looks to you like a normal celebration of events then let me know. The first is Holy Week at St. Georges Melkite Church melkite.org/HolyWeek/Hweek.html

Here is a Baptism. One of the unfortunate happeings of Latinazation of Eastern Rite parrishes was confessionals. These were removed and a full baptismal pool was put in it’s place. melkite.org/HolyWeek/Hweek.html

In the early church people confessed their sins to the whole church. Eventually it became the job of the priest, to hear them one on one and this was done in front of the icons. So confession is or should be heard in front of an Icon of Christ, usually at the Iconastasis. This did not mean that the priest were not fogiving the sins, though they were being confessed to the whole church.

Also, the first Sunday of Lent, we have a fogivness vesper. At the end of this vesper starteing with the priest and then deacons, then layity, everyone in the church asks forgiveness of each other, face to face. It is an awesome service!
 
I want to apologize for my harsh words in the previous post. I didn’t pray before I posted, and I let my frustrations get into my words. I was at prayer meeting and was really convicted of my words and what they do to prevent understanding and harmony.

Pani Rose
 
Thanks Rose - I had to restrain myself not to respond to that post and now I don’t have to;)
 
a pilgrim:
Old photo, Ryan… when originally built, the church had the pew arrangement you see in the photo with the traditional “Latin-esque” center aisle and two side aisles. A little over a year ago (Easter season 2003, as I understand) about half of the pews were removed from the building and the remaining ones were rearranged and pushed more toward the sides, opening up the entire center and back areas of the church for those who choose to stand.
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OH WELLTHANK YOU FOR CLEARING THAT UP FOR ME
 
a pilgrim:
Old photo, Ryan… when originally built, the church had the pew arrangement you see in the photo with the traditional “Latin-esque” center aisle and two side aisles. A little over a year ago (Easter season 2003, as I understand) about half of the pews were removed from the building and the remaining ones were rearranged and pushed more toward the sides, opening up the entire center and back areas of the church for those who choose to stand.
Click to expand...
I’ve been there recently and the pews are out. You will find a few moveable pews for the older folks (and visiting Latins) so that they can sit if necessary. The majority stand and chant the divine liturgy. Beautiful Parish
 
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