The Byzantine Forum
Newest Members
Paderau, Chaplainjosephg66, JamesOrange, elisha, Samuil
5,977 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 221 guests, and 46 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Latest Photos
St. Sharbel Maronite Mission El Paso
St. Sharbel Maronite Mission El Paso
by orthodoxsinner2, September 30
Holy Saturday from Kirkland Lake
Holy Saturday from Kirkland Lake
by Veronica.H, April 24
Byzantine Catholic Outreach of Iowa
Exterior of Holy Angels Byzantine Catholic Parish
Church of St Cyril of Turau & All Patron Saints of Belarus
Forum Statistics
Forums26
Topics35,385
Posts416,710
Members5,977
Most Online3,380
Dec 29th, 2019
Active Threads | Active Posts | Unanswered Today | Since Yesterday | This Week
Church News Jump to new posts
Re: Head of the UGCC commenced the beatification of Patriarch Husar bwfackler 03/16/24 08:47 PM
I wasnt aware this is a debate forum where we need to have a back and forth with statements to discuss and refute. I apologize if my general impression I got while living in western Ukraine offends you. I dont know why you assume there is some conspiracy theory involved in that. Cardinal Dannels was pretty open about that group among other not so great things he (cardinal dannels) was doing such as being on video attempting to cover up sexual abuse.
3 254 Read More
Prayer Jump to new posts
Re: Prayers needed theophan 03/15/24 05:13 PM
Christ is in our midst!!

Call your doctor immediately!!
1 51 Read More
Books Jump to new posts
Council of Florence Devin1890 03/15/24 01:56 PM
Hello,
I have been re-reading Fr. Christiaan Kappes excellent book on the Epiclesis debate at the council of Florence. I am wondering if any of you can recommend a book on the entire Council itself? One that is fair to both sides. And also, maybe clear somethings up I read on the internet. For example, on one hand, I read that the Council modified its definition on purgatory to satisfy St. Mark of Ephesus. And on the other hand, I hear he was fervently opposed to the Council's definition. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
0 40 Read More
Old-Ritualists Forum Jump to new posts
Re: New lestovka owner with questions J Michael 03/11/24 10:02 AM
Perhaps it would be useful to consult your priest/spiritual father about the details of your prayer rule. Also, it seems to me that what is important is the prayer itself, not the prayer rope and whether you go through half of it or more or less; it is, after all, primarily a counting device.
1 100 Read More
Church News Jump to new posts
Re: Polish and Ukrainian bishops on same-sex blessings theophan 03/09/24 07:23 PM
Christ is in our midst!!

Here is a synopsis of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church held recently. It is worth the read to take the above-mentioned link for the full statement on the LGBTQ issue. It is unequivocable. Thank you, San Nicolas for this update. I noticed the consultation with the other Churches of the Oriental Orthodox communion. This is troubling because it means the Armenians, Syriac Orthodox, the Malankara and Malabar Churches, and possibly the Ethiopians. It could not be worse because these Churches have been in dialogue with our brethren in the Orthodox Churches with which the Catholic Church shares the Chalcedonian definitions. I wonder when the next shoe will drop.


Quote
On March 7, 2024, at 11 AM, the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church, led by H.H. Pope Tawadros II, and with the attendance of 110 of the current 133 members, held the General Meeting at the LOGOS Center of the Papal Residence in St. Bishoy’s Monastery – Wadi El-Natrun, Egypt.

The following are the decrees and recommendations of the Holy Synod for the March 2024 session:

First: Decrees:

6- After consulting with the sister churches of the Eastern Orthodox family, it was decided to suspend the theological dialogue with the Catholic Church, reevaluate the results achieved by the dialogue from its beginning twenty years ago, and establish new standards and mechanisms for the dialogue to proceed in the future.

Second: Recommendations

3- The Coptic Orthodox Church affirms its firm position of rejecting all forms of homosexual relationships, because they violate the Holy Bible and the law by which God created man as male and female, and the Church considers any blessing of such relations, whatever its type, to be a blessing for sin, and this is unacceptable.

Thursday 7th March 2024 AD, 28th Meshir 1740 AM
113 8,437 Read More
Town Hall Jump to new posts
Re: Praying the Hours using a chotki Fr. Deacon Thomas 03/06/24 11:41 PM
Originally Posted by Administrator
Think spread, take over, and kill. Like the way cancer metastasizes.

Precisely.

The distracting thought--for illustration purposes, let's use money--might actually be a call to self examination of one's discipline, forethought, and, ultimately, stewardship.

Or the thought about money might be a reminder of persons in want, who may or may not be known by name.
6 358 Read More
Church News Jump to new posts
Delegation of UGCC Bishops Visits USCCB Adamcsc 03/06/24 08:26 PM
I always think it's good to share news like this, because 1) I'm American, and, 2) As a Catholic, heavily interested in what is going on with Ukraine, I like knowing what is going on with the Church, there. This may or may not surprise y'all, but I have never been to a Ukrainian Greek Catholic church (though, I have been to a Ruthenian Byzantine one). What really spurred my interest in Ukraine, was talking to people from there, and that have lived there. Mostly Orthodox, some Protestant, and a few Catholics. I know a priest (an Abbott of a monastery, at that) that is a UGCC iconographer (he would sometimes celebrated Divine Liturgy at the local Melkite church). And while he is not of Ukrainian ethnicity, Ukraine seems to be really close to his heart, as I know it is to a lot of yours, and as I know it is to mine.
Delegation of UGCC Bishops Visits U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops [ugcc.ua]
Anyway, I hope y'all will check this out.
0 77 Read More
Prayer Jump to new posts
Re: Prayers for my foot healing Adamcsc 03/06/24 03:45 AM
I will indeed, to the best of my ability. And thank you for your prayers.
21 2,278 Read More
Church News Jump to new posts
Re: Sweden says Russian Orthodox Church spies for Kremlin Administrator 03/06/24 02:01 AM
It is well known that Patriarch Kyrill and numerous other clergy of the Moscow Patriarch openly support Putin and the war against Ukraine. Russian Orthodox clergy have been suspended and even removed for refusing to read the patriarch’s statements supporting Putin and the war.

It is also well known that some in the MP work for Russian intelligence. I have friends originally from Eastern Europe who often complain about the damage that this does to Orthodoxy, and to Christianity in general. So, while I don’t have any firsthand knowledge of what’s going on in Sweden, I find the article you linked entirely believable.

I will also add that the patriarch remains upset that a large number of Orthodox parishes in Ukraine have switched their allegiance from Moscow to another Orthodox jurisdiction.
1 163 Read More
Prayer Jump to new posts
Re: Recovery after a stroke Administrator 03/02/24 12:51 AM
Alex,

Thanks for the update. Glad to know that you’re recovering. Prayers continue! CIX!

John
18 1,385 Read More
Town Hall Jump to new posts
Re: prophecies from luz de maria, from jesus christ for the coming ye J Michael 03/01/24 03:40 PM
In video from january 2022, Is info about Russia. Attack to thé Europe Union And after that to thé rest od world
3 383 Read More
Icons & Iconography Jump to new posts
Re: Acquiring Icons Fr. Deacon Thomas 02/29/24 09:34 PM
Jordanville does excellent work: https://iconstudio.jordanville.org/
8 581 Read More
Parish Life & Evangelization Jump to new posts
Re: Baby/Toddler in Liturgy Fr. Deacon Thomas 02/24/24 02:54 AM
For further consideration and reflection, a recent FB post by Kh. Fredericka Matthew-Green:

A hot topic in some Orthodox churches has to do with children. Some people think children should always behave with discipline and reverence, and be taken out of the church when they cross the line. Others think there is room for some movement and vocalizing, because the priority is to keep the kids immersed in worship from the start. Someone wrote to me asking about this, and whether I'm the author of the line, "God gave kids their wiggle." I replied:
<

In my church there used to be a mix of older church members who were very strict with the children, but as time passed the makeup of the congregation changed. The demographics shifted, as many of the older members retired, moved away, got assigned to a different position, and some of the oldest passed on. Meanwhile we were gaining many more converts, mostly young men and young families, some with many children. The atmosphere in worship is very different than it was back then.

Something I learned, that helped me, is that it wasn't that the older folks were unrealistically touchy about child noises. It was that they had a very high view of the church *itself.* Everything in the church is understood to be holy. One older man even objected to little children sitting on the rugs. You shouldn't put your bottom on a church rug! It's disrespectful!

And I chuckle about something I saw at another church. There was a boy who sat beside his mother, with his grandmother and great-grandmother behind him. That boy received a constant stream of whispers from all three: "Stand up straight, face the priest, make your cross, don't fidget, keep your toes pointed toward the altar..."

And yet--they did this because they esteemed the interior of the church itself to be so holy, that all things should be treated with awe.

That helps me to not think the older church members are just being fussy. It's how they grew up, just like that boy, learning a deep lesson that everything in the church as holy and worthy of awe.

But here we are, Americans. We are less formal than European cultures have been, historically. We put our emphasis instead on having our children in the midst of worship from the start. We want them to be absorbing Orthodoxy through their environment from their earliest days--to not be able to remember any time when they didn't experience prayer, hymns, incense, processions, everything Orthodox worship has to offer. In this process parents model the seriousness and attentiveness that they want their kids to learn. As a trade-off, we can put up with some of the natural noises of young children.

People do have different levels of tolerance for this, and the pastor will regularly get complaints about this or that parent who lets their kid go too far. So we all bump along together, and each child gradually acquires the attentiveness that the parents hoped to teach. Each child naturally reaches a point of quieting down--but new kids are always arriving, and stirring things up again.

I hope this way of looking at things is helpful to you. The older view was that demeanor inside the church must be strictly reverent, and there is a good argument for that. However, these young parents are putting their priority instead on keeping their kids saturated with Orthodox worship from the start, and they will accept some natural noisiness as the price to pay.

The thing to notice is that the future belongs to young families. In a very literal sense, young people with children are going to carry this congregation into the future. Time just does this. Hopefully those who find these childish sounds and behavior unacceptable can recognize that things are ultimately going to go the way that comes naturally to the young parents.

It is good for those young people to recognize what is motivating the older folks--that they're not just being fussy, but have a deeply-learned, earliest-days way of seeing that church interior as a very holy place. Their view is not inappropriate or extreme.

But it's not the one that comes naturally to Americans, because for them the priority is to immerse their kids in worship. Time is going to deliver the church into the hands of young people, younger and younger, even, eventually, to those presently-noisy children.




8 632 Read More
Church News Jump to new posts
UGCC declares February 24 the Day of Prayer and Fasting Adamcsc 02/23/24 02:59 PM
From RISU (Religious Information Service of Ukraine)
UGCC declares February 24 the Day of Prayer and Fasting for cessation of war and a just peace
"On February 24, the UGCC declared a Day of Prayer and Fasting for the cessation of war and for a just peace. On this day, the Head of the UGCC invites all faithful and people of goodwill to participate in a joint prayer vigil."
UGCC declares February 24 the day of Prayer and Fasting for Cessation of war, and a just peace [risu.ua]
0 84 Read More
Prayer Jump to new posts
Re: Pray for Studies and Family Fr. Deacon Thomas 02/21/24 05:55 PM
Welcome!

May God's mercy and peace which passeth all understanding surround and sustain you and yours.
2 192 Read More
Liturgical Translations Jump to new posts
Re: Liturgy in the Vernacular Adamcsc 02/21/24 12:48 AM
Roman, people move. I was born in Iowa. I live in South Carolina. Sometimes, people just don't think to update their information. I fail to see how that's relevant to the discussion.
14 8,962 Read More
Prayer Jump to new posts
Please pray for a Ukrainian woman Adamcsc 02/19/24 08:36 PM
For those not in the know, I've entrenched myself in the War in Ukraine, and have made multiple contacts there. Dasha, whom I have been talking to a bit lately, is worried that the Russians are closing in on where she lives because of what happened in Avdiivka. I know the whole world is praying for Ukraine (except the inexplicable amount of people on the interwebs that want Russia to win). And I ask that y'all pray for her, and, not only her, but, everyone in a similar situation.
Thank you.
0 66 Read More
The Byzantine Forum provides message boards for discussions focusing on Eastern Christianity (though discussions of other topics are welcome). The views expressed herein are those of the participants and may or may not reflect the teachings of the Byzantine Catholic or any other Church. The Byzantine Forum and the www.byzcath.org site exist to help build up the Church but are unofficial, have no connection with any Church entity, and should not be looked to as a source for official information for any Church. All posts become property of byzcath.org. Contents copyright - 1996-2024 (Forum 1998-2023). All rights reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5