Comments on: XXIV. Stuff Byzantine Catholics Like – Liturgical gymnastics

By: Joseph

Joseph — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:42:44 +0000

To Irene: Yes, on the kneeling. I was referring more to the fact that no kneeling accompanies the consecration as most Latin visitors would expect.

To Susan: I think you’re right. The irony is that the farther West you go the more Eastern it is. Having been to parishes in New York, Seattle, Albuquerque, and Texas that seems a pretty consistent rule. Also worth mentioning we tend to be more filled with converts who are more zealously protective of Eastern traditions than ‘Nash are. As an example: You should have seen the metropolitan’s reaction to all the hand kissing.

By: Susan Peterson

Susan Peterson — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:13:49 +0000

Not every Byzantine parish uses all of these customs. The one I attend does have holy water, obviously a Westernization, but I see that few people use it.
No one makes a prostration at the Trisagon; we just cross ourselves. The only time I see prostrations is at Liturgy of the PreSanctified, perhaps because this service was re-introduced in the process of reclaiming our Eastern roots. Perhaps because in Texas your Byzantine parish is fairly new, it is all Byzantine, all the time. My parish is in an east coast city which had many immigrants from Slavic countires. Even those who split off from them and went back to Orthodoxy (ACROD) retain a bit of Western Catholic influence, much as they wouldn’t like to admit it.

I would enjoy worshipping at your parish.
Susan Peterson

By: Irene

Irene — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:34:20 +0000

They are lovely – I’m Eastern Orthodox, but I’ve been to an Estern Catholic service, and they’re a lot alike. There IS kneeling – for an hour straight on Pentecost, called “kneeling vespers.”

And speaking of liturgical gymnastics – instead of Ash Wednesday Eastern churches have Forgiveness Sunday, where each person in the congregation (including the priest) prostrates to each other member.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:32:27 +0000

I went to a Byzantine service last year while on vacation – couldn’t find a Catholic church in time. It was VERY long, compared to traditional Roman Catholic services, but very moving. The priest was used to vacationers and other visitors at mass, and they explained everything.

The entire service was chanted/sung. I got a little queasy from the incense, but managed to stay the entire time.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:59:45 +0000

Wow. I’m a convert to Catholicism, so even the Roman Rite seemed strange and difficult to remember at first, I can’t imagine having to remember all of that stuff! Yikes! Haha, it does sound like a beautiful liturgy, though.

By: Lirioroja

Lirioroja — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:20:37 +0000

Oh, this is great! Which reminds me, I’m overdue for a visit to one of our Eastern Catholic parishes. I love the Divine Liturgy!

By: Joseph

Joseph — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:46:52 +0000

Do go drop by!

http://www.byzcath.org/ – An incomplete list of parishes. You can also do a Google search for words like Byzantine, Meklite, Ukrainian, Romanian, etc. plust your city’s name.

By: Angela Santana

Angela Santana — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:53:30 +0000

Beautiful indeed! I would love to partake in a Byzantine liturgy.

By: Meredith Gould

Meredith Gould — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:56:43 +0000

Quite beautiful, yes!