Worshipping with Orthodox Christians.....A Blessed Experience!

[Antonius_Lupus]

Dear brothers and sisters,

I wanted to drop by and write about my experience at the Melkite Greek Catholic parish on Sunday. I was gonna do it on Monday, but I didn’t feel like it yesterday. (Teenage laziness…hehe).

However I wanted to write about it now, because I cherish the experience…AND the experience itself rekindled my deep love of Byzantine Catholic Christianity. While I am learning to truly love my own home: the Roman Rite; I am still in love with the East.

It is good to breathe through both lungs of the Church my brethren! :byzsoc:

As usual I arrived early and was greeted by a woman who ironically reminded me of my spiritual mother. Anyway she was messing around with a sprinkler. She looked at me warily at first but then hid her wariness with a smile and a hello. I responded and began to introduce myself. I told her that I had visited St. Ignatios of Antioch before, and that I had recently been fully Initiated into the Catholic Church via the Roman Rite. I told her that Fr. Miguel (the parish administrator) and Fr. Damian (priest in residence) were both very helpful in my decision to be Catholic and not Orthodox so I had come to thank them and to see them again.

She told me that the parish hall was open so I went on in. You must understand that St. Ignatios is literally a “house-church.” The relatively medium sized building was once a house, but was consecrated in the 1980’s by Archbishop John Elya as a Temple of God. The parish hall is really what was once a living room and kitchen. Anyway, I went into the hall and met with one of the deacons (a former Baptist). I joyously greeted him (startling him I think). The woman I had earlier met was his wife. He and I spoke briefly and I told him how happy I was to be back, he seemed happy too. The deaconessa (deacon’s wife) invited me to either stay in the parish hall or to go into the Temple. Well, you can guess which decision I made!

As I entered into the sanctuary, I was greeted with the smell of Eastern incense (different in smell than Roman incense) and to beauty of the icons on the walls. I was able to briefly gaze into the Holy of Holies where the altar of sacrifice was located. I however went passed the Holy of Holies and soon found myself standing in front of the Iconostasis (a wall of icons that separates the sanctuary from the Holy of Holies). As always there is a small table in front of the great doors of the Iconostasis. On the table was an icon of Christ, a Byzantine Cross, and an upright cross containing a very small relic of the True Cross. I stopped to kiss the icon and the Cross (noticing the relic) and went up to the iconostasis. I then prayed before the large icon of Christ, then the Theotokos, then St. Ignatios of Antioch (stopping to briefly gaze upon his relic), and then St. John the Baptist.

After this, I went to view the 12 or so large icons lining the walls (similar in practice to our stain-glass). They started with a depiction of the Nativity of the Theotokos, went through all of Christ’s life, and ended with the Dormition (i.e. Assumption) of the Theotokos.

I then decided to leave the sanctuary and enter the parish hall where I got to see Fr. Damien’s new icon he is working on, he is a master iconographer in my opinion. Any way, I decided to go back into the sanctuary to study the Liturgy.

So I read the Liturgy over and prayed a little in preparation for Orthros (Sunday morning prayers). The Deacon saw me sitting there and asked me if I would like to help light the candles near the Iconostasis. I was honored.

Soon the front door of the Church clicked open…and there stood Fr. Damian. He stopped to kiss the icon of Christ at the front door and turned to see me sitting in the front pew. He murmured something with a big smile that kinda sounded like, “Praise to God” or something like that. As he came down the center aisle, the deacon greeted him and introduced me. Of course Fr. Damian remembered me well, and I arose to greet him. “I have missed you Father!” was all I could say at first as I was so excited. I bowed to kiss his hand and saw his gentle and loving smile. I told him how happy I was to be back and how I had been fully Initiated in my home parish. Eventually, he stopped to calm me down and told me that we can catch up after Divine Liturgy and he said: “Until then why don’t you pray Orthros with us?”

TO BE CONTINUED…

 

[Antonius_Lupus]

Then he left to don his vestments. Soon he returned, looking like a traditional Russian Orthodox priest, and he and the deacon began the Preparation of the gifts for the sacrifice. This time of preparation is truly beautiful and you can really see Fr. Damian’s sanctity as he performs this duty.

Fr. Damian bowed low three times at the great doors of the Iconostasis and recited the ordinary beginning of prayer (which I recited with him and the deacon). He then repeated three times “O God, be propitious to me a sinner!” Fr. Damian asked for mercy and grace as he approached the Holy of Holies and then he entered into the area. The deacon went through a side door (“deacon’s doors”) and prepared some incense. While the deacon was doing this, Fr. Damian was preparing the Holy Gifts. The bread was a leavened loaf, which Fr. Damian proceeded to cut into small strips. All the while he recited, with great reverence, some psalms and even a passage from “Isaiah 53.”

After the gifts had been prepared, Fr. Damian incensed them and proceeded to do other duties which I could not see from behind the Iconostasis. You could still hear him chanting those psalms though.

Later the deacons wife came out and began to lead the Church (which consisted of two people in the pews and some altar servers) in Orthros. She sung several psalms with responses that we chanted with her. We stood when we were to pray because standing is the ordinary posture of Orthodox prayer. It was easy for me to follow along and it was very beautiful. The chanting lifted my soul up to God. Later in Orthros, Fr. Damian prepared to read from the Holy Gospel (not the reading of the Liturgy). We heard him chant reverently the Gospel reading and then he stepped down from the Holy of Holies and lifted up the Gospels to allow us to come and kiss the Gospel Book which I did with great reverence.

As Orthros started coming to an end more and more parishioners (about 20 or so in all) came in for Divine Liturgy. We all sat until and watched as Fr. Miguel appeared along with Fr. Damian (this Liturgy was concelebrated by the two of them) and the deacon. Before the start of the Liturgy the deacon incensed the entire santuary (including the parishioners).

The Divine Liturgy started with the Great Doxology:

Glory to You, O Giver of Light, Glory to God in he highest, peace on earth, and good will among men.

We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give thanks to You, the for splendor of Your glory.

O Lord King, O heavenly God, Father Almighty, O Lord Only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, and You All Holy Spirit.

O Lord God, O Lamb of God, O Son of the Father, who take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us, O You who take away the sins of the world. Accept our supplication, O You who are enthroned at the right hand of God the Father and have mercy on us. For with You is the fountain of life, and in Your light we shall see light.

Extend your mercy upon those who confess you.

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One have mercy on us. (3 times)

Then came the Litany of Peace. The priest chanted the perscribed prayer requests and at the end we said: “Lord have mercy.” It was very similar to our “Lord hear our prayer” in the Mass.

Then we sung two BEAUTIFUL antiphons.

The chanting was incredibly awesome. It lifted my mind and heart to God in a way that I hardly experienced before (it spoke to me much more powerfully than the Mass). We sung hymns to the Incarnation as the Liturgy of the Word began, and soon came time for the readings of the Scriptures.

The priest (Fr. Miguel) took up the Gospel and processed around the altar. The deacon walked before him with the incense thingy so that there was always incense before the Gospel. This is the “Little Entrance” procession. The priest, altar servers, and the deacon (carrying the incense) processed through the center aisle following a Cross (similar to our entrance procession). He held the Gospel high in the air and all of us bowed when the Gospel got near to us.

 

[Antonius_Lupus]

As he entered the Holy of Holies again, Fr. Miguel held the Gospel high over the congregation and said: “Wisdom! Let us be attentive!”

We then recited the Thrice Holy Hymn (three times in Greek, Arabic, and English)

Agios O Theos! Agios Eeskhiros! Agios Athanatos! Eleison imas!

Quddouson Allah! Quddouson ul-qawee! Quddouson ulladhee la yamout! Irhamna!

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us. Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.

We stood as the cantor read/chanted from the epistle, and then we sat down again. Then the deacon rose to read from the Holy Gospel. During this time we sung “Alleluia” and then sat down to hear the Gospel.

After the Deacon was finished he put the Holy Gospel on the altar and kissed it.

Fr. Miguel then stepped out to give his homily. He spoke of how Christianity is not a “comfortable” faith. It is a battle and it is not easy. He told us that Jesus stops to help us, though, and gives us the grace to follow Him even when the going gets tough. He said the key to our Faith as Christians is the saying: “CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST!”

Now came some more litanies and then the “Great Entrance” when the priest and the rest of the altar serves processed again from the Holy of Holies, around the Church, and back into the Holy of Holies. However, this time, the priests held the bread and the wine instead of the Gospel.

All the while we chanted hymns following the cantor’s lead. Including the "Cherubic Hymn (i.e. Sanctus)

TO BE CONTINUED…

 

[Antonius_Lupus]

Then came the Offeratory litany were we again prayed for the world. Then Fr. Miguel put the holy gifts on the altar and we then professed the Nicene Creed (without the Filioque of course, LOL!)

A little later (I am skipping a lot of details mind you) came the anaphora. Fr. Miguel reverently intoned the Institution Narrative, to which the congregation showed great reverence, and then called on the Holy Spirit to change the bread into the Body of Christ and the wine into the Blood of Christ, which engendered another moment of deep reverence.

Then came about two more litanies which was followed by the recitation of the Our Father.

After we said the Our Father, we professed our faith in the Holy Eucharist in the Kinonikon:

I believe, O Lord, and profess that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, come to the world to save sinners, of Whom I am the greatest. I believe also that this is really your spotless body and that this is really your precious blood. Wherefore I pray You: have mercy on me and pardon my offenses, the deliberate and the indeliberate, those committed in word and in deed whether knowingly or inadvertently; and count me worthy to share without condemnation your spotless mysteries, for the remission of sins and for eternal life. Amen.

Receive me now, O Son of God, as a participant in your Mystical Supper; for I will not betray you Mystery to your enemies, nor give you a kiss like Judas, but like the thief, I confess You; remember me, O Lord, in your kingdom. May the reception of your Holy Mysteries, Lord, be for me not to judgement or condemnation, but to the healing of my soul and body. Amen.

TO BE CONTINUED…

 

[Antonius_Lupus]

That profession made me stir with love of God!

Then came our communion time. The deacon announced to us: “Approach with fear of God, with faith and with love.” We responded: “Amen. Amen. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! The Lord is God and He has appeared to us.”

Then we lined up to receive communion. We crossed our hands over our chest and silently recited “To my King and my God, I come.”

When it was my turn, I walked up to Fr. Damian, and he reverently dipped the Flesh of Christ into the Blood of Christ contained in the chalice and dropped it into my mouth saying:

"The servant of God, Anthony, partakes of the precious, most holy and most pure Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins and for life everlasting. Amen."

After everyone went to communion, the we sung a hymn that went:

We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith, worshipping the undivided Trinity, who has saved us.

As a revert to the Faith, I meant that prayer with my whole heart!!!

Later the Fr. Miguel led us in a hymn of thanksgiving and then gave us the final blessing.

After the blessing, Fr. Miguel took a small cross and held it up saying: “Come kiss the sign of your salvation.” We processed up to kiss the cross and then we took a piece of the antidoron (blessed but non-consecrated bread given to all, Catholic or not, as a sign of unity).

We made it to the parish hall (I was of course overcome with the holiness what had just happened) and had some fellowship. I spoke with Fr. Damian telling him where my life had taken me, to which he responded how happy he was for me. I also got to speak with Fr. Miguel again. I kissed his hand (which was kinda hard cause he was munching on a bagel) and asked him if he remembered me. He said, “yes indeed.” I told him that I went through with my Initiation and that I was now a Catholic. He said that he was so happy for me. After talking with him a bit, he told me: “You know that you are always welcome here.” It was also (coincidence?..I think not!) Fr. Miguels 20th year of being a priest. He spoke of when he was first ordained as an Antiochian Orthodox priest and then his coming into communion with Rome and the whole Orthodox Catholic Church. It was a beautiful moment.

I couldn’t stay very long though because I had to get to a Father’s Day dinner. I said goodby to Fr. Miguel and Fr. Damian (who assured me that he would not be going back to the monastery anytime soon, much to my delight) and kissed the hand of the deacon, and then left.

SEE NEXT POST BELOW…

Entitled: “My Later Thoughts”

 

[Antonius_Lupus]

I gave God thanks on the way home.

As I was driving back to my home, I remember thinking that; as much as I truly LOVE the Divine Liturgy, it still is not my home.

Basically the experience galvanized me to speak with my pastor about using more Latin chant in the Mass and other traditional things to create a larger liturgical “sense of the sacred.”

I plan on writing a letter to them, documenting Papal and conciliar statements about “noble simplicity” and the use of Latin for well-known parts of the Mass. I hope to convince them to offer up the Novus Ordo Missae with a much more NOBLE atmosphere and reverence (something that the Second Vatican Council orginally intended).

Anyway, the experience also made me, for the first time, dead set on becoming a priest. I want with my whole heart to dedicate myself to the service of God.

Finally, the experience reminded me of how much I love and cherish Eastern Christianity. It is now clear to me that I shouldn’t rule out the possibility of a canonical-transfer should I feel called by God to become a Eastern Orthodox Catholic.

However right now I am proud to be a Roman Catholic and I am falling in love with the traditions of Roman Catholicism and the heritage of Western Christianity.

I made the decision to visit St. Igantios once every month. Going to Divine Liturgy is a powerful experience to me, especially as a person who hungers for a sense of the sacred.

-Antonios Ioannes

 

[Antonius_Lupus]

FINALLY!

That 5,000 character limit in posts is a bummer.

 

[mardukm]

“Powerful and deeply moving…*****”
Coptic Orthodox in Communion with Rome Review

Dear brother,

When you said “Eastern Orthodox Catholic,” did you mean Eastern Orthodox in communion with Rome?

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[Antonius_Lupus]

Dear brother,

When you said “Eastern Orthodox Catholic,” did you mean Eastern Orthodox in communion with Rome?

Blessings,
Marduk

Yes I did.

Thanks for the kind words!!!

Christ be with you always…you have helped me immensely in my journey home to the Catholic Church with your testimony.

I said that before, but I wanted to say it again…

 

[Altar_Server_01]

I agree Vatican II intended the Mass to be much more traditional I love the more traditional Mass of Vatican II and the eastern rights I to am thinking about becoming a priest Good luck on your Journey
God Bless
David
Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit now and forever and unto the ages of ages Amen

 

[bpbasilphx]

The Divine Liturgy started with the Great Doxology:

**The Divine LIiturgy begins with the exclamation “Blessed is the Kiingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”

The Great Doxology is the last hymn of Matins.**