I recently uploaded three videos to YouTube of a Divine Liturgy I attended in November at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church (ACROD) in Lansford, PA. The celebrant was Fr. Robert Teklinski, and the cantor was my dad, Ray Mastroberte--a.k.a. "70x7" on this Forum.
Video 1: From a point in the Litany of Supplication until the conclusion of the Cherubic Hymn (to the melody of "O Marije, zastupaj nas")
Video 2: From before the Creed until the conclusion of "We praise You"
Video 3: From "You are truly deserving" until the conclusion of "Only one is holy"
I've been waiting to see what other people would write.... Here goes....
I know that the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church has many remnants from its Greek Catholic past, but to me St Nicholas' Church looks very Catholic. I am familiar with several Carpatho-Russian churches here in New Jersey and all of them have a proper Iconostasis - often the multiple tier Russian-type of Iconostasis. I have seen side Altars before in a Carpatho-Russian Church, which are not apparently used as Altars for private Masses (though they look as though that is precisely what they were designed for), and so I am not surprised by this at St Nicholas' Church. In an era where Greek Catholic Churches are putting the Iconostasis back into their churches, why are there still Orthodox churches without them? The three EC churches in my neighbourhood all have an Iconostasis. Now I'm beginning to sound tedious.
Your question, "In an era where Greek Catholic Churches are putting the Iconostasis back into their churches, why are there still Orthodox churches without them?" My answer is just like the recent reunion of ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate after many decades, with patience, with patience, with patience all things can get accomplished. Some come here planting seeds, others water them and others get to see the fruits. God's timing is not ours. God looks kindly upon our progress, not our perfection.
Aside from the above remarks about patience, it also must be said that St. Nicholas is a small parish with a small congregation in a small Coal Region town. Coal has not been king for a long while, so all churches--Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant--in towns like Lansford have a somewhat precarious future. This somber thought puts their lack of a complete ikonostas into a different perspective.
I do say "complete" ikonostas, since they do have the 4 main icons of Christ, the Mother of God, Saint Nicholas and Saint John, as well as two large half-circle icons (in Byzantine style) of the two archangels Michael and Gabriel above the doors leading into the sacristies.
Your question, "In an era where Greek Catholic Churches are putting the Iconostasis back into their churches, why are there still Orthodox churches without them?" My answer is just like the recent reunion of ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate after many decades, with patience, with patience, with patience all things can get accomplished. Some come here planting seeds, others water them and others get to see the fruits. God's timing is not ours. God looks kindly upon our progress, not our perfection.
Ray
Yes, of course you are right about patience. We all need more of it. I am convinced that patience with its partner humility will gain many entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, while proud and impatient people like myself will be left outside, weeping and gnashing our teeth.
I am just wondering if there is an effort being made in the Diocese, from the Bishop on down, toward recovering authentic Eastern traditions, such as the installing the iconostasis in churches which don't have them, baptism of infants by immersion, the communion of infants and young children, the elimination of First Communion Ceremonies for seven year olds, the reintroduction of the Presanctified Liturgy during Great Lent, the elimination of daily requiem Liturgies in Great Lent, etc. It seems that all these things are being implemented in Greek Catholic churches. I would hope that Orthodox churches would not lag behind.
Aside from the above remarks about patience, it also must be said that St. Nicholas is a small parish with a small congregation in a small Coal Region town. Coal has not been king for a long while, so all churches--Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant--in towns like Lansford have a somewhat precarious future. This somber thought puts their lack of a complete ikonostas into a different perspective.
I do say "complete" ikonostas, since they do have the 4 main icons of Christ, the Mother of God, Saint Nicholas and Saint John, as well as two large half-circle icons (in Byzantine style) of the two archangels Michael and Gabriel above the doors leading into the sacristies.
Dave
Your points are good ones. But as one who has built up one tiny church in very humble circumstance and begun another in his livingroom from nothing at all, I can tell you that much can be done with little money to make an iconastasis.
You can see one made from doors bought at Home Depot that stands in my church after nine years. I "built" it myself for my livingroom Chapel and it has been moved twice, as we got bigger accommodations. It will be replaced by an older proper iconostasis that had been in an old church that was closed in time for our Parish's Tenth Anniversary and our fourth Anniversary in our new building.
The four free-standing icons you mention could be configured to make more of an iconostasis than they do now. And with the addition of some connecting elements and doors, St Nicholas' Church would have a nice iconostasis,
I really do make these remarks in love and not just to be a crank.
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 - 1996-2025 (Forum 1998-2025). All rights
reserved.
