What is 'Divine Liturgy' and is it different than the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?

[The_Reginator]

Hello Easterners.

I know virtual nothing about Eastern Catholicism.
I keep seeing the term ‘Divine Liturgy’ and I have the impression that it is the Eastern form or word for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

I’d appreciate a brief explanation.
Thanks, Reg.

 

[RyanBlack]

The Divine Liturgy is the Eucharistic liturgy of the Eastern Catholic (at least the Byzantine Eastern Catholic Churches-some of the Eastern Catholic Churches that are not Byzantine may use a different term) and Eastern Orthodox Churches.

 

[DavidKays]

The Divine Liturgy and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the same thing. Quite identical. Both of them can produce the same result which is the actual change of the species of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The form used mostly in the East is commonly called the Divine Liturgy of St.John Chrysostom and the form used in the West is commonly from the Gregorian Mass. Both of these are actually called Rites and there are many Rites within the Church that can produce the same result of changing the bread and wine into the Lord’s Body and Blood. A Catholic Church can if it knows the rubrics celebrate the Eastern Rite and the Eastern Church if it desires and has knowledge of the rubrics of the Western rite celebrate the Gregorian Mass. Even though you may receive the same rite at a particular church at every Sunday service this may change because knowledge of the other rites is so increasing among the people and in time you may see a variety of rites celebrated at the same church during its Sunday services. For instance at my local Orthodox Church the priest tends to celebrate the same rite every week, the Liturgy of St.John Chrysostom, but on occasions during the week he has opted to celebrate the Western rite. The Orthodox Church has made provisions for him to choose the Western rite and he has done this on occasions during the weekly services. Any Church really can choose whatever rite that is approved because in each of these rites the actual change of the species do occur.

 

[Aramis]

Hello Easterners.

I know virtual nothing about Eastern Catholicism.
I keep seeing the term ‘Divine Liturgy’ and I have the impression that it is the Eastern form or word for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

I’d appreciate a brief explanation.
Thanks, Reg.

Generic Term used in Canon Law: Divine Worship Service.

Roman Term: Mass, Divine Worship Service (Anglican Use)

Byzantine term: Divine Liturgy

Armenian terms: Badarak, Surb Patarag, Mass, Divine Liturgy

Maronite, Chaldean terms: Quorbono, Mass

Syrian, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara Terms: Qurbana, Mass

Coptic terms: Divine Liturgy, Mass.

Mass is used in English for many of the Eastern Churches’ liturgies, as it’s an “Anglicization” more than Latinization. It’s also used in English by the Armenian Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East, and Coptic Orthodox…

In point of trivia, searching “Coptic Mass” pulls more Coptic Orthodox than Coptic Catholic hits…

 

[ConstantineTG]

In addition to what has already been said, I think its a testament to our faith that the Liturgy, while developed separately in different locations around the world through different traditions, is still very similar to each other. I think its a testament to our faith that the Apostles and the Church Fathers all had a single origin, and that is Jesus Christ. I think this is a good way to refute those who claim that Catholicism was invented by St. Paul or Constantine or whomever.

 

[Fr_Kyrillos]

I believe “liturgy” (“public worship”) is also more generic and includes:

Liturgy of the Word or Catechumens
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Liturgy of Baptism
Liturgy of Unction
et. al.

Whereas “sacrifice of the mass” would only imply the eucharistic celebration.

God bless,
Fr. Kyrillos