What are some devotions and traditions could Latin or Western Catholics learn from the East?

[RCIAGraduate]

What are some treasures like devotions would you love to share with your Latin Rite brothers and sisters or wish would be more known within the Roman Church? Just wanted to ask.

 

[babochka]

I think that it is important for any Catholic to understand the depth and breadth of the Catholic Church. We have a universal church with great diversity in liturgy, theology, disciplinary practice, and personal prayer life.

Many in the Latin Rite seem to view Latin liturgy and theology as normative, and any deviation from that as acceptable, but not ideal. So I think that the most important thing that Western Catholics can learn from the East is that there is a great variety of beautiful thought and practice that is wholly Catholic and wholly traditional.

As far as specific practices and devotions that I love: an appreciation for the theology of icons, the Akathist, Infant Communion, and drinking Holy Water come to mind. I have a particular love for the Blessing of the Waters at Theophany, particularly the custom to bless local large bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and oceans. I also love the procession with icons for the feast of Orthodoxy.

Some of our most important saints seem relatively unknown in the West. St. Mary of Egypt has such a beautiful story of sin, penance, and redemption and should be better known universally. The poetry of St. Ephraim the Syrian and his beautiful prayer that we recite during the Great Fast, privately and liturgically.

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me a spirit of despondency, sloth, love of power, and idle talk.

But give to me, your servant, a spirit of sober-mindedness, humility, patience, and love.

Yes, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, since you are blessed to the ages of ages. Amen.

The East doesn’t tend to have “devotions” in the same sense as the west does. Most of our prayers are tied to the liturgy of the Church in some way.

 

[semper_catholicus]

St. Mary of Egypt is perhaps my favourite saint from the eastern tradition.

 

[Canvas]

More Icons in the Churches would be a great start! Byzantine style Icons should be in every Catholic Church.

The Anointing before Easter. I think this something the Latin Rite should do as well.

 

[dochawk]

The Anointing before Easter. I think this something the Latin Rite should do as well.

Gosh, they have enough conniptions about hearing that we do it, and try to tell us that it isn’t a sacramental anointing . . .

hawk