www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Totally Confused, please clarify

Basil is also celebrated on the Sundays of the Great Fast, which given its festal nature, underscores the Sundays of the Great Fast(Lent) as a "break" from the Fast. Basil is also celebrated with Vespers of Christmas and Theophany (Epiphany in the West), as well as Holy Thursday and the Vigil of Pascha (Easter).

On top of that, the Roman Missal contains at least 4 Eucharistic prayers for general use, 2 more for penitential use and 2 or 3 for celebrations with Children.

Even more, there are variations allowed for special ceremonies such as weddings, which go beyond the rite of the ceremony itself.

I thought that the only real Anaphora of the Roman Rite was the Roman Canon, developped in the 4th century and codified in the 1500's. The second Anaphora is a shortened version of a thing known as "tradition of Hyppolitus" approved after Vatican II. The other Anaphoras are not of Apostolic origin, and were written in the 1960's.

I had never heard of "children anaphora". I am told that only four canons have papal approval while the others are an abuse, condemned by Rome itself.

Hasta pronto!

Thank you all for the great information. I can't wait to visit the Byzantine Church in Las Vegas, both my brother and I are attending. Mexican, como estas? I am not too sure yet as to what you are talking about but I have an idea. Thank you all. God Bless.

Hello,

If the Roman Canon was developed in the 4th century and codified in the 1500's, then it is not of Apostolic origin as well.

The same is true for virtually all Eucharistic Rites in the Church as we use them today.

The same thing the Church did in the 1960's to put Eucharistic Prayers 2, 3 and 4 in the form we know them today, was done by, say, St. John Chrysostom to put his Anaphora in the form it was know at that time (which, of course, is not the form we know it today).

I don't see why it is OK for St. John Chrysostom to do something, and not OK for Pope Paul VI to do exactly rhe same thing, only some 1600 years later.

I think your source is incorrect. The Eucharistic Prayers for Masses with Children are right there in the Roman Missal, at least the first 2, the third one I am not sure it is in every edition. The two Penitential Eucharistic Prayers are there as well.

Rome has approved the Roman Missals with these Eucharistic prayers included.

Shalom,
Memo.

One more question, I read that there are Byzantine Catholics, Rumanian and I can't remember the others at this time, and they are all Catholics just like Roman Catholics. So what is an Orthodox Catholic? The same? Why not all just catholics at this point in time if we all embrace the same faith and just different liturgical process or the architecture of our churches and icons or statutes, but the faith is the same and we are all in communion with the Pope? This would be easier and we would look more united. Am I making sense?

Dear Iliana,

Both East and West use the title, "Catholic" in describing themselves. Both also use the term "Orthodox."

"Orthodox" means "right belief in right worship" and initially always referred to one's faith - "Orthodox" or "Heterodox" or heretical.

At the First Ecumenical Council in 325 AD, I believe, the term "Orthodox Faith" was acclaimed to describe the true faith that won over the heresy of Arius (who claimed, as you know, that Christ was "more than man, but less than God").

St John Damascus wrote his catechetical work entitled, "De Fide Orthodoxa."

So both East and West, when they were still united, called themselves "Orthodox Catholic."

This meant that they confessed the true faith of Christ AND that they were the true Church of Christ.

Originally, "Catholic" meant the same Church that is contained in one parish that is also contained throughout the entire world.

It is the "Eucharistic" view of the Church, where Christ is wholly present in the smallest particle of Holy Communion.

So "Orthodox" = right believing/right worshipping and "Catholic" the true Church of Christ that is throughout the world etc.

Both East and West continued to call themselves "Orthodox Catholic" after they split up sometime within 1054 AD and 1204 AD. But the first term has come to reference Eastern Christians and the second, Western Christians, in common parlance.

"Orthodox Catholic" is what an Eastern Orthodox Christian is who is not in communion with Rome.

There are Eastern Catholics who affirm they are "Orthodox in communion with Rome" or "Orthodox Catholics" as well.

You ask why not have "one Church" with different rites etc.?

In fact, the Church is always one. But the different rites, traditions, theologies etc. are contained within and characterize Particular Churches.

We referred to the Eucharistic Model of the Church above.

So too does a Particular Catholic Church possess the fullness of the Orthodox Catholic Church of Christ - with the fulness of the true Faith, the Sacraments/Mysteries, the Episcopacy and Apostolic Orders, the communion with the Bishop of Rome.

Even the Roman Catholic Church is a Particular Church - a large one, but still a Particular Catholic Church of the West in communion with Rome.

The Church of Spain was a Particular Catholic Church of the West, in communion with Rome, but with its own Spanish Rite and ecclesial hierarchy, Saints and traditions.

This is the beauty and strength of the Church of Christ - its resplendent variety, colour and glory.

Just as in the Eucharist Christ is fully present in each Particle, so too is Christ fully present in each Particular Church.

Alex

Why was it OK for Saint John Chrysostom to do something but not OK for us to do something similar? Well, I can speak only for myself; I am not on the same spiritual level as Saint John Chrysostom. Incognitus

Thank you Alex. I love it!! Knowledge is powerful!

Hello,

But I was not talking about any particular individual. I was talking about the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. That is "us".

Shalom,
Memo.

�Hola, Iliana, y bienvenidos!

No soy latino, y no hablo espa�ol perfectamente, pero mi esposa es latina, de Colombia.

The good people here will be able to answer any and all of your questions. I've learned a lot from them.

I wish you well on your journey in the Catholic Church. The Holy Spirit definitely is with you.

So many Latinos have been converted away from the Catholic Church into fundametalism. I am happy you did not take that path, but were guided by the Holy Spirit.

While I do not know much Spanish, I enjoy going to the Mass in Spanish with my wife. There is something so beautiful about it.

Anyway, �buena suerte a ti! y Dios te bendiga y tu familia.

HOLA!! Que bien esta tu espa�ol!!! God Bless you and your family. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Catholics that just leave blndly without knowing what they are doing and without caring to study and reinforce their faith. Definetely not me!! I love to know, I love to study religion and the early Christian Church. I went to a Byzantine church this weekend and loved it. I am planning to attend both, I can find richness in both Catholics churches.

One more thing, why not just be Catholic?

Instead of Byzantine, Roman, Maronite, Melchites, Hungarian, Greek?

Hi Iliana,

What does just be Catholic mean exactly?

In Christ,
Michael

Iliana,

We are all Catholic. Within the "Oneness" of the Catholic Church, there are 23 Churches sui iuris or Churches "of their own law" (i.e., self-governing).

Churches sui iuris

It used to be that each of the various Oriental and Eastern Catholic entities was referred to as a "Rite" (e.g., Melkite Rite, Ukrainian Rite); that was inaccurate since it misused the meaning of the word. For instance, in the example that I just used, the Melkites and Ukrainians actually use the same Rite - the Byzantine Rite. In more recent times, the Holy See has given recognition to each of the Oriental and Eastern Catholic bodies as a Church sui iuris. Together, the Churches sui iuris, including the Latin or Roman Church, constitute the Catholic Church.

Rites

The term "Rite" is now used appropriately to describe the form which characterizes the complex of liturgical services of any Church or group of Churches sui iuris. Thus, each Church sui iuris 'belongs to' or 'uses' or 'is of' a Rite.

Traditions

Some Rites are further delineated by the Tradition from which they derive, e.g., otherwise generally similar ceremonies or rituals may be distinguished by particular prayers, linguistic variants, or cultural variations expressed in things such as style of vestments, chant, or other externals.

Usages

Usages, generally, only apply to the Latin Church; the sole exception among the Eastern or Oriental Churches is the Knanya Catholics of the Syro-Malabarese Catholic Church.

Rites

If you research how many Rites are extant in the Catholic Church, you will find various experts citing a range of numbers, from 4 to 8. It really depends on where you draw the line between "Rite" and "Tradition". At the most basic level, there are only 4 Rites - 1 Latin (or Roman) Rite and 3 Eastern (or Oriental) Rites (i.e., Alexandrean, Antiochene, and Byzantine); that line of thought reflects the fact that all Rites developed from the customs and style of worship practiced in what were the 4 most important centers of Christian development - at a time when achievement of uniformity was hampered by the limitations geography and communication imposed.

In time, the Rites which originated from those 4 sites were either modified by those who carried them back to other cities or were developed further in those new regions. Some of the variations that arose came to be considered Rites unto themselves. Thus, in some lists of Rites, you will find 'Maronite'; in others, it is deemed a "Tradition" within the West Syrian-Antiochene Rite, which is where its origins were. The Armenian Rite had its origins in the Byzantine Rite, but developed in a state of relative geographic isolation (as was the case with the Maronites); accordingly, you can find Armenian listed as a "Rite" or as a "Tradition", depending on the author's perspective. (Melkite ritual practice had its origins in the Antiochene Rite, but eventually became 'byzantinized', to the point where its Antiochene origins are only a footnote reference in most discussions of Rite today.)

The following is a list of the Oriental and Eastern Rites and the Traditions associated with each:

1. Alexandrean Rite
Coptic Tradition
Ge'ez (or Ethiopian) Tradition
2. Antiochene Rite
East Syrian Tradition
West Syrian Tradition
3. Armenian Rite
4. Byzantine Rite
Byzantine-Greek Tradition
Byzantine-Slav Tradition
5. Maronite Rite

Hierarchical Types

One of the ways in which Churches sui iuris can be grouped is by 'hierarchical type', a grouping that describes a Church by the rank of its presiding or primary hierarch. The generally cited hierarchical types are:

1. Patriarchal Churches sui iuris
2. Major Arch-Episcopal Churches sui iuris
3. Metropolitan Arch-Episcopal or Arch-Eparchial Churches sui iuris
4. Episcopal Churches sui iuris
5. Churches sui iuris sine episcopi (i.e., without hierarchy)

To those 5 generally cited types, for reasons that I explain below, I've added 3 additional groupings:

6. Eastern Catholic communities with hierarchy, but not of a Church sui iuris
7. Eastern Catholic communities without hierarchy and not of a Church sui iuris
8. Eastern Catholic Ordinariates

Churches sui iuris

This list of Churches sui iuris is grouped by hierarchical type (the Rite and Tradition are indicated in brackets below the Church name). I have added some brief explanation as to each hierarchical type.

Patriarchal Churches sui iuris

Major Patriarchal Churches sui iuris

Those whose Patriarchal Sees are styled "The Ancient Sees”, i.e., Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem.

Coptic Catholic Church
[Alexandrean - Coptic]

Maronite Catholic Church
[Maronite or Antiochene - West Syrian]

Byzantine Melkite Greek-Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Greek]

Syriac Catholic Church
[Antiochene Rite - West Syrian]

Minor Patriarchal Churches sui iuris

Those Patriarchal Sees which are not among those styled "the Ancient Sees".

Armenian Catholic Church
[Armenian]

Chaldean Catholic Church
[Antiochene - East Syrian]

Major Arch-Episcopal Churches sui iuris

Eastern Catholic Churches not of patriarchal rank; each is headed by a Major Archbishop.

Syro-Malabarese Catholic Church
[Antiochene - East Syrian]

The Syro-Malabarese are unique among the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris in that, within their Church, there is what amounts to a "Usage", although it hasn't been formally designated as such. The Knanaya Catholics of the Syro-Malabarese Catholic Church are members of an ethnic minority (i.e., the Knanaites). They are descendents of 72 Jewish Christian families who emigrated to Kerala (India) in A.D. 345, under the leadership of Knai Thomman (Thomas the Canaanite). They form an endogamous community within the Church, retain certain liturgical practices unique to their "ritual sub-Church", and have their own Eparchy (Kottayam), a non-exempt diocese of personal jurisdiction, canonically erected by the Holy See solely on the basis of the ethno-cultural identity of its faithful.

Byzantine Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

Metropolitan Arch-Episcopal and Arch-Eparchial Churches sui iuris

These are certain large Eastern Catholic Churches which are of neither Patriarchal nor Major Arch-Episcopal rank; each is led by a Metropolitan Archbishop or Metropolitan Arch-Eparch

Ethiopian Catholic Church
[Alexandrean - Ge'ez]

Romanian Greek Catholic Church United with Rome
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Greek]

Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church
(Metropolitan Arch-Eparchy of Pittsburgh for the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics in the United States)
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

In the US, the Ruthenians commonly use the terminology 'Byzantine Catholics' to refer to their Church sui iuris. There are two distinct Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church jurisdictions, one in the diaspora (USA) and one in the lands of its origin. Neither hierarch has been singularly designated as the presiding hierarch of the Church and there is no formal relationship between the two jurisdictions, analagous to that which exists in other Churches sui iuris. Thus, each of the two is, theoretically, a Church sui iuris, although the hierarch with the precedential title is situated in the diaspora (USA). (See the list of Episcopal Churches sui iuris for the other jurisdiction. For purposes of counting, consider the two as one.)

Syro-Malankarese Catholic Church
[Antiochene - West Syrian]

Episcopal Churches sui iuris

Those Oriental churches "entrusted to hierarchs who preside over [the Church] as per the norms of common and particular laws”; all such Churches are of the Byzantine Rite.

The presiding or primary hierarchs of such Churches are all of the Order of Bishop, but are variously styled: Abbott vere nullius dioecesis ("subject to no diocese"); Apostolic Administrator; Apostolic Exarch; Bishop; Eparch; or Vicar Apostolic.

Byzantine Albanian Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Greek]

Byzantine Bulgarian Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

Byzantine Croatian Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

Byzantine Greek Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Greek]

Byzantine Hungarian Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

Byzantine Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
(Eparchy of Lungro degli Italo-Albanesi ['for the Italian-Albanians'] in Calabria [Italy])
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Greek]
Byzantine Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
(Eparchy of Piana [Sicily] degli Albenisi ['for the Albanians'])
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Greek]
Byzantine Italo-Greek Catholic Church
(Exarchic Abbey & Territorial Monastery of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata degli Italo-Grieco ['for the Italian-Greeks'])
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Greek]

For all intents and purposes, the Byzantine Italo-Albanian and Italo-Greek Catholic Churches now constitute a single Church sui iuris, which is variously referred to by either name. There are two distinct Byzantine Italo-Albanian and one Byzantine Italo-Greek Catholic Church jurisdictions. None of the hierarchs has been singularly designated as the presiding hierarch of the Church and there is no formal relationship among the three jurisdictions, analagous to that which exists in other Churches sui iuris (although the three hierarchs maintain an informal relationship to assure uniformity of liturgical practice). Thus, each of the three is, theoretically, a Church sui iuris. For purposes of counting, consider the three as one.)

Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church
(Eparchy of Muka�evo (Ukraine) for the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholics)
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

The Eparchy of Muka�evo is an exempt (i.e., directly subject to the Holy See) jurisdiction with no canonical relationship to the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Metropolitan Church sui iuris [see above].

Byzantine Slovakian Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]


Churches sui iuris sine episcopi

These Churches are those "entrusted to hierarchs (not of the Rite) who preside over (the Church) as per the norms of common and particular laws" (hierarchs in locum tenens). All such Churches are of the Byzantine Rite.

Byzantine Belarussian Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

The canonical jurisdiction is extant, but sede vacante since being suppressed during Communist rule in Belarus. There is presently an Apostolic Visitator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis.

Byzantine Georgian Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Greek]

This Church has never been formally organized under its own hierarchy, due to the small number of faithful served by it.

Russian Orthodox Church in Union With Rome
Byzantine Russian Catholic Church
(Apostolic Exarchate of Moscow for the Russian Byzantines)
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]
Byzantine Russian Catholic Church
(Apostolic Exarchate of Harbin (China) for Russian Byzantines and All Oriental Rite Catholics in China)
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

Both canonical jurisdictions of the Byzantine Russian Catholic Church are extant, but sede vacante since being suppressed during persecution in their respective homelands under Communist rule. The Church's last hierarch was an ordaining bishop who entered into rest in 1996. As neither See was singularly designated as precedential, each is, theoretically, a Church sui iuris. (The two should be counted as one Church).

Eastern Catholic communities with hierarchy, but not of a Church sui iuris

This grouping consists of three communities which have hierarchy of their own, but have not been identified as Churches sui iuris, although they have the potential for such given their separation from the larger religious community of which they were a part prior to the political restructuring of Eastern Europe.

Byzantine Czech Catholics
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

The Byzantine Czech See was officially categorized as Ruthenian when it was canonically erected after separation of the former Czechoslovakia into the Czech and Slovack Republics. However, there is a decidedly non-Ruthenian cast to the See, in that the first and second (incumbent) Eparchs were priests of the Byzantine Slovack Catholic Church sui iuris prior to their episcopal ordinations (although both are ethnic Rusyn rather than Slovack). Some sites already list this jurisdiction as a Church sui iuris, but Annuario Pontificio 2003 does not accord it that status.

Byzantine Montenegran Catholics
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

A See was recently erected for Byzantine Serbian and Montenegran Catholics. There are reasons to surmise that a Church sui iuris might be designated for Byzantine Serbian Catholics. If that occurs, it is unclear whether Byzantine Montenegrens would be best served by inclusion in such, or whether their traditions and numbers would merit establishment of a separate Church sui iuris.

Byzantine Serbian Catholics
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

A See was recently erected for Byzantine Serbian and Montenegran Catholics. Prior to the break-up of the former Republics of Yugoslavia, the Byzantine Church sui iuris for Catholics in the Republics was designated as the Byzantine Serbian Catholic Church. Subsequent to the break-up, it was re-designated as the Byzantine Croatian Catholic Church; it remains to be seen whether the small Serbian Catholic community will be considered to merit sui iuris status.

Eastern Catholic communities without hierarchy and not of a Church sui iuris

This grouping consists of: one community which formerly was routinely listed as a Church sui iuris, but is not reported as such in the current edition of Annuario Pontificio; an Ordinariate - a canonical jurisdiction usually erected to encompass faithful of divers Churches sui iuris who reside within a geographic territory, but are unserved by hierarchy peculiar to their individual religious heritages; and, one community which has no hierarchy and has not been identified as a Church sui iuris, although it has the potential for such, given its separation from the larger religious community of which it was a part prior to the political restructuring of Eastern Europe.

Byzantine Macedonian Catholic Church
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

This Church, which previously was routinely listed as a Church sui iuris, is presently without hierarchy of its own, likely as a consequence of the recent geo-political changes in what were previously the Republics of Yugoslavia. It is not accorded sui iuris status in the present edition of Annuario Pontificio.

Byzantine Polish Catholics
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

The Byzantine Catholic faithful in Poland are a diverse community which includes ethnic Poles and others, including Ruthenian, Slovak, and Ukrainian Byzantines. Only the Ukrainians have a hierarchy. Ordinariates are generally erected for just such communities of mixed heritage, since they lack the cohesiveness of tradition and practice that would persuasively argue for establishment of a Church sui iuris; however, the situation in Poland differs in that it has historical roots in Byzantine Catholicity. This, and the existence of a counterpart Orthodox Church, argue persuasively for erection of a Church sui iuris.

Byzantine Slovenian Catholics
[Byzantine - Byzantine-Slav]

Slovenia, like many Slavic nations, had its Christian origins in the Byzantine tradition, but was latinized in the era of the Crusades. In the breakout of Eastern Europe nations, Byzantine Slovene Catholics have become separated from the Eastern canonical jurisdictions into which they had been assimilated. It remains to be seen whether they are sufficient in number to merit establishment of a Church sui iuris.

Eastern Catholic Ordinariates

An Ordinariate is a canonical jurisdiction erected to encompass faithful of divers Churches sui iuris who reside within a geographic territory, but are unserved by hierarchy peculiar to their individual Churches sui iuris. There are five such jurisdictions; four are listed here (the fifth, Poland, is discussed above as an 'Eastern Catholic community without hierarchy and not of a Church' sui iuris). None of these four has the potential to be designated as a Church sui iuris.

Ordinariate of Argentina, Faithful of the Oriental Rites

Ordinariate of Austria, Faithful of the Eastern Rites (Byzantine)

Ordinariate of Brazil, Faithful of the Oriental Rites

Ordinariate of France, Faithful of the Eastern Rites

You may want to look at this site for more detail on the individual Churches:

www.cnewa.org/ecc-catholiceastern.htm [cnewa.org]

If there are particular Churches on which you want more info, I have a list of informative links on each on them.

Hope this helps.

Many years,

Neil

Shlomo (Paz in Arameo) Iliana,
Esta La Historia de mi Iglesia.

Poosh BaShlomo (Stay in Peace),
Yuhannon

**************************************************
EL MARONISMO

La Iglesia Maronita pertenece al rito Siriaco-Aram�o que ha heredado y guardado las tradiciones de las primitivas comunidades cristianas de Jerusal�n y Antioqu�a.

Los maronitas se sienten orgullosos de pertenecer al Patriarcado de Antioqu�a, cuyo rito y liturgia datan de la �poca de los Ap�stoles.

Desde que los Ap�stoles pasaron por L�bano en su camino a Jerusal�n , desde Antioqu�a y de regreso, fundaron la primera iglesia en L�bano. Se dice, que El Ap�stol Pedro, en persona, particip� en la cristianizaci�n del pueblo liban�s. Desde entonces, se mantienen fieles a la primera predicaci�n, incluso, en las campa�as de persecuci�n, que se remontan al tiempo de los romanos.

El nombre de "Maronitas", tiene su origen en el siglo IV, en el que vivi� un famoso monje ermita�o llamado Mar�n, cuyos disc�pulos fueron grandes defensores de la ortodoxia cristiana , y conocidos tambi�n, por su virtud y sabidur�a.

Para escapar de las continuas persecuciones y opresi�n de los enemigos de la fe: paganos provenientes del Imperio Romano, tiempo despu�s, de la dominaci�n �rabe y del Imperio Turco-Otomano. Los monjes, y numerosos cristianos se refugiaron en L�bano, ocupando desde aquel entonces las inaccesibles monta�as, que con el tiempo llegaron a ser fecundas tierras de labor, y vergeles llenos de �rboles frutales y vides, todo, fruto del trabajo organizado y duro.

Es indudable, que la nueva patria molde� y puli� su personalidad y car�cter, convirti�ndolos en heraldos de la paz y la convivencia fraterna, entre los pueblos de la tierra. Fueron trabajadores diligentes e industriosos, que sacrificaron su vida por la unidad, la seguridad, la fe y el amor por el rito antioque�o.

Por siglos sufrieron grandes pruebas, persecuciones, servidumbre y muerte, sin embargo, gracias a la perseverancia y santidad de los monjes, pudieron conservar la verdadera fe, ofreciendo a las generaciones que les sucedieron un esp�ritu de libertad que les preserv� de ser asimilados por el Islam.

Los Maronitas fueron l�deres en muchos ramos de la cultura y la ciencia como: teolog�a, filosof�a, poes�a, literatura, arquitectura, pintura y artes. Fueron los primeros en introducir la imprenta, publicando los primeros libros en medio-oriente, adem�s de ser pioneros en la educaci�n primaria y superior, gracias al empe�o de los patriarcas y sobre todo de los monjes.

Hoy el pueblo maronita se encuentra extendido por el mundo, su presencia y su voluntad de independencia y conservaci�n del patrimonio territorial y cultural, que les es propio, testifican su calidad espiritual, su piedad y su libertad, que les ha conservado �ntegros y a la vez en constante progreso. Son conocidos, como trabajadores incansables, devotos de su herencia y de su amor a La Sant�sima Virgen.

Su ininterrumpida cadena de m�rtires, confesores y santos como: San Mar�n, San Juan Mar�n y los contempor�neos, San Charbel, La Beata Rebeca y el Honorable Padre Al-Hardini a quien S.S. Juan Pablo II acaba de conceder la beatificaci�n, que tendr� verificativo el 10 de mayo de 1998, son testigos de la fidelidad, lealtad, y fe al Evangelio como Palabra viva y permanente de Dios.

Han defendido heroicamente su existencia en la libertad dando ejemplo a otros pueblos de unidad y coherencia en su ideal, que es esencialmente un mensaje de amor.

Muchos son los europeos y actualmente americanos que se han sentido atra�dos a la Monta�a Libanesa, para vivir la experiencia del ascetismo y espiritualidad propios de los maronitas.

El Pueblo Maronita lleva inherente su fe y sus tradiciones, llevando, por este motivo, al mundo entero la suave fragancia de las virtudes cristianas a la vida que les rodea.

Cada maronita deber�a sentirse orgulloso de su herencia y conservar la memoria de sus antepasados, para seguir sus huellas y abrir as� el camino a las futuras generaciones para que conserven su cultura, unidad y tradici�n.

Como Jes�s mand� a sus Ap�stoles para que fueran a evangelizar todas las naciones e hicieran disc�pulos, la naciente Iglesia creci� y se extendi� fuera de Jerusal�n. Experiment� otras tradiciones, culturas, costumbres, idiomas, formas de arte, arquitectura y m�sica. El oriente y el occidente cristianos expresan las mismas verdades fundamentales de su Fe cat�lica en formas diversas, singulares y con distintos adornos. La Iglesia no es lo mismo que un rito. Dentro de la Iglesia cat�lica existen 22 iglesias aut�nomas, cada una de las cuales sigue su propio rito. Todas tienen 3 elementos b�sicos: La Fe y el dogma Apost�lico, Los misterios o Sacramentos y la Unidad en torno al Papa.Un rito es la liturgia �nica, la teolog�a, la espiritualidad y el derecho, caracterizados por su propia influencia cultural, ling��stica y de tradici�n.