www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Used "Both Lungs" this past weekend

I used "Both Lungs" this past weekend.

I was able to use information from this forum and website to find out more about the Byzantine/Eastern rites and locate churches.

On Saturday I visited St. Mary's Byzantine on Mifflin ave in Scranton. I wanted to see the inside, but could not get there for a Divine Liturgy. I got confession there and spoke with the Priest. Got some Literature about Eastern Rite churches.

That night I went to St. Ann's Basillica in Scranton for a Latin Rite mass. On the way out I visited the Lower Church. The Altar on the Lower Church is in the Eastern tradition with Icons behind it.


Sunday I was out doing some photography and decided to find St. Nick's Byzantine Church in Old Forge. I forgotten were it was. My parents were married here, and I went to Bingo here alot with my Granmother and Aunts. I did not recognise the Church untill I saw the steps of the Church hall. The church was locked but I did take note of the time of services.

I continued up the hill to St. Nick's Orthodox church. Church was letting out and I was able to go in. It took my breath away it was so beautiful. I got some literature on the Orthodox church.


At 4:00 I went to SS. Peter and Paul Ukranian Catholic Church in Wilkes-Barre for Stations of the Cross. They had people from the North Anthracite Deanery there. That was a nice service.

When I get the chance I will try to go to Eastern Rite Divine Liturgies. Eventually I will learn the form and prayers and it won't seem so strange.


Before this winter is over I also want to drop in for an Orthodox Divine Liturgy to see how they to theirs.

If you can decide on one. Try to make some of the Holy Week sevices. Depending on which rite you can possibly arrange your scedule aroung the Latin Rite. It is a season of the year that you will not forget. Here are some images for Holy Week at St. Georges.
http://www.melkite.org/HolyWeek/Hweek.html

Pani Rose

Shlomo Roamin'

Don't forget that the Byzantines are not the only Eastern Catholics. We Maronites who use the Syriac Tradition (the one closest to the Jewish Tradition), also have a church in Scraton. It is called:

St. Ann Maronite Church 1320 Price Street, Phone: (717) 344-2129

There you will hear the Words of Concencration as Jesus actually said them.

Poosh BaShlomo,
Yuhannon

They have Stations?

Dear Friends,

The Stations of the Cross are, today, extremely popular in Ukrainian Catholic parishes in Eastern Europe.

They are also popular in Ukrainian Orthodox Churches there as well - I have, as I've said before, a copy of an Orthodox Stations of the Cross where it is stated that "it is to be hoped that ALL Orthodox churches adopt the practice of the Stations of the Cross, establishing the 15 Stations (the 14 traditional plus one of the Resurrection) around the Church . . ."

(Hal, I would get a glass of cold water to sip right now for that choking feeling - whatever you don't drink you can pour over your face ).

Alex

Dear Alex:

Just getting it out of my system before Monday.

Yours,

hal

Dear Hal,

Yes, and I'm trying to help you out there . . .

A good Fast to you, Sir!

Alex

The Ukranian Catholic priest at St. Vlad's in Scranton that this is one of the prayers that came from Latin Rite origins.

Roamin' Catholic,
You are lucky out there in Scranton-Wilkes-Barre.
To have Ukrainian, Ruthenian, Melkite and Maronite all in one local area is awesome. I want to attend a Maronite and a Melkite Divine Liturgy. I hope someday to have attended every sui juris Catholic church there are in the USA.
I want to see the whole Catholic church.
The nearest Maronite and Melkite are two hours from me, many churches are even farther.

I went to confession at Sacred Heart (Latin) Saturday afternoon, then from there to Divine Liturgy at Nativity (Ukrainian Rite) came back next morning for the Liturgy in Ukrainian with the choir. During the week I've been to a Convent (Latin) for the Rosary, then to St Mary of the Angels, one of Chicago's most impressive churches, for Mass Tuesday night. Hopefully I'll get in a few more Eastern Rite churches during Lent.

Roamin'

If you want to attend an Eastern Liturgy, Lent brings a special celebration.
It is called the Liturgy of the Presancitified Gifts.
You will find these on Wed. and Fri. around 6 o'clock. You will probably find these at any Byzantine Church, Ruthenian (Byzantine), Ukrainian, and the Melkite.
It is a wonderful service. We use already consecrated Body of Christ and mix it with unconsecrated wine.
Don't be nervous to attend any of the above mentioned Catholic Churches. Everyone is very very very nice, we're like family.

We do have Maronite and Antiochian Churches.

I don't know much of there traditions.

I did go to some bazzars and partook of the Middle Eastern food - the grape leaves, hummas and tabouli and kibbie.

Dear Halychanyn, Don't feel badly about the above comment...be proud. I have to go to a Roman Catholic Monastery to pray the Stations of the Cross...since we Orthodox only do this usually in Jerusalem. There's NOTHING wrong with having Stations of the Cross---quite the contrary, it is a TOTALLY Orthodox practice and devotion. St. Seraphim of Sarov loved the idea of this devotion to the Passion of Christ. Only wish we had them in EVERY parish church...God knows our people could benefit GREATLY from praying them, at least during Great Lent...nay, MORE often. Meditation on the Passion of Christ is one of THE most beneficial devotions that one can carry out in his/her spiritual life. So instead of the Stations, we should always have Presanctified Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist, Pope of Rome? (My patron by the way...whom I love!). Whatever devotions the parish provides for Great Lent...make good use of...Presanctified, Stations, Molieben to the Cross---whatever---it's ALL good...and ALL 'Orthodox.'

We adore You O Christ and we bless You, because by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world!

In His Holy Name,
+Fr. Gregory

Dear Father Gregory:

Thank you for setting me straight.

I was taught at a young age that "Stations of the Cross" are a Latinization. Perhaps that was wrong, I do not know.

I do know that there is a service called the Akafist to the Passion of Christ that is, according to what I have been taught, in keeping with Byzantine tradition and practice.

Respectfully,

hal