Have there always been pews there?

Congratulations on your presentation, Philippe!

Perhaps you could publish your explanation either on-line or in a Church periodical?

God bless!

In ICXC,

Gordo

I think so, Max.

Thanks, Gordo! I will offer it on the internet, but in portuguese... And my Bishop, Farès, said we can publish it as a book one day.

Max,

As memory serves, the Cathedral was built in the early '50s as originally a Latin church and transferred to the Melkites when the Eparchy was erected in 1970 or thereabouts (rather than being built to be an Eastern temple), so the pews would have been in place when it came to us.

Philippe, my Melkite brother,

I echo Gordo's congratulations to you on this presentation and look forward to trying to stumble through it in Portuguese, so please let us know when it's posted and where.

Please tell Sayedna Fares that his driver from Boston sends fond best wishes to him; he is both a very holy bishop and a most pleasant and delightful person.

Many years,

Neil

Hello...

Where are the deacon doors? I didn't see any...or was this presented during the time after Pascha?

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine

Our Cathedral was built just by the melkites, and to have pews it is not something strange. If the Patriarchal Cathedral of Damascus has them, who is our little poor Cathedral to do not have them?...

Dear Neil, melkite brother,

If you really want to get an adventure on the Portuguese, there is my explanation to download [:)]:
http://www.4shared.com/file/38553401/160ce296/A_Misericrdia_de_Paz_e_o_Sacrifcio_de_Louvor.html

I am very happy with your interest!

I will send this link itself to Sayedna Farès to he see your message for him. If you could leave your e-mail here for him it will be good.

SPDundas, it hasn't deacon doors.

I find too boring this type of observations. Everytime I post photos of our churches in Brazil, people come to ask why there is or there isn't this, or this!

Ahh, my mistake - I knew it was constructed in the 1950s, prior to Sayedna Elias (Coueter)'s appointment as Melkite Auxiliary of the Rio Latin Archdiocese. It didn't occur to me that it was originally built as a Melkite parish church and subsequently elevated to the status of Cathedral. But having now reviewed, for the first time in a while, the excellent on-line history of my brothers and sisters in Brazil, I am reminded.



I downloaded it and will struggle with it a bit this weekend (since it looks as though we will be snowbound for a good bit of it ). Thanks very much for making it available.



Very happy to oblige. It's Irish_Melkite@verizon.net



Philippe,

I don't think SPDundas meant to be critical. As you've no doubt noticed during your time here, we all tend to be very interested and curious regarding temples - both Eastern Catholic and Orthodox. It's especially true of those which we'll likely never be blessed to visit in person.

As a general rule, we have much opportunity to see photos of those in Europe. Photos of those in the Near and Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, Oceania, and Central and South America are much less common rare and we tend to wonder what things are different and why (although it's rare that we can ever find out, since the reasons are often shrouded in the memory of those who've gone before us).

As to pews, in the era in which the Cathedral was built, it would have been relatively uncommon to find Eastern temples built without pews.

Many years,

Neil

Your opportunity for a presentation is most wonderful. It is uplifting to see 'regular' folks doing things in and for the Church. May you be blessed with the opportunity to do many more and to provide service for God's people.

As for the pews? In the 20th century, many church buildings got fans and air-conditioning, although they are not part of the "Typikon". So? People get used to being able to sit down. It's like the teplota (hot water) being used to de-ice the chalice in the northern climes and then 'spiritualized' throughout the church. I chuckle when I see the fly/insect dispersing ripidia (fans) being used in Alaska in January. There ain't no flies!! But, hey, it's part of a tradition.

Enjoy your pews!

Dr John, Not the Rock Star

My Greek Orthodox friend was complaining that there were no pews in any of the churches when she went to Russia, as was the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch when he visited Russia in the 1650s or whenever it was... so I assume having seats in churches is more common in Arab countries. But at the same time most Latin churches didn't have pews either until the protestants invented them.

C. I. X.
Seating or no seating is really like air-conditioning or no air-conditioning. It is not Tradition but custom. In the US our turn of the (XX) century churches in Pennsylvania were built without pews. If they wanted to escape being taxed they had to put pews not chairs in or be listed as a dance hall. In Europe I am sure the former Soviet lands it is simply economic and not being accustom with pews due to the hardships lingering from the Soviet era.

Patriarch Myroslav (Cardinal Lubachivsky) would not authorize any service books for publication which gave rubrics to sit. In Eastern Europe where there are seating it is usually along the wall where the elderly are given preference. There is a feeling of belonging standing together one does not get filed in seats.

If anyone is contemplating pews I suggest chairs which can be configured to service parameters or set up numerically tight when expecting a crowed and spread out otherwise. Bottom line seating or standing, neither is needed for salvation. It is a cultural or endurance thing not of spiritual dimension. Unless you see pews as cattle corrals demeaning the laity.