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I had been away from my local Byzantine Catholic parish for about two months. They had always chanted the Nicene Creed when I attended prior to my two month absence. I returned three weeks ago and have been to every Sunday Divine Liturgy since then and at each one the Nicene Creed is recited rather than chanted now. Is the Nicene Creed being recited in other parishes now? Thank you.

In Christ,
Anthony

//I had been away from my local Byzantine Catholic parish for about two months. They had always chanted the Nicene Creed when I attended prior to my two month absence. I returned three weeks ago and have been to every Sunday Divine Liturgy since then and at each one the Nicene Creed is recited rather than chanted now. Is the Nicene Creed being recited in other parishes now? Thank you.//

Nope. Sounds like another lapse-doodle-diddly. Is there a new cantor who cannot chant it? Was there actually an instruction to the people that the Creed was to be recited? Has your parish gone back to the Tridentine Latin High Mass format of the Byzantine Rite? What other symptoms do you see? Has a Fatima shrine been erected outside? Novena prayer bookles laying around on the pews? Has the Filioque been re-inserted back into the Creed? Advertisements in religious newspapers promoting "rosary before every Mass" like some parishes are doing out West? If not, then I think they just plum forgot how to chant it since you left.

What would happen if you started to chant it?

Joe

Dear Cantor Joseph,

This reminds me of the time when I tried to be a cantor and chanted the Creed during the LIturgy.

I was later called in to the sacristy by the priest and given a dressing down.

I didn't, at first, know why he was shouting at me, but then I realized why - I had omitted the "Filioque."

Silly me!

He wasn't mad at my chanting. So I guess there's hope for me yet! I've always aspired to be even a little like you, you know!

Alex

Dear Singing Gentlemen,

Growing up in the Orthodox Church, I've been in some parishes that have recited the Creed and some that have sung or chanted it.

I've looked at recital as advantageous in that even those who can't sing (or who are ashamed to try to sing) can always recite it. Some 7 year-olds that serve in the altar have memorized it.

Also, I find it easier to commit to memory when recited, although I admit that some people may find it easier to commit to memory when sung.

In the Mediterranean Orthodox Churches, I've usually found that the psalti/chanter just reads it plainly, like "Vouchsafe O Lord..." during the Vespers. To me that's a recital.

I never considered it as an issue of Latinization in the Orthodox Churches.

In Christ,
Andrew

Dear Andrew,

You said it all!

The congregation also recites with the chanter. Standard practice in the GO church is to recite with the chanter in Greek first, for those who only know it in Greek, and then all over again in English for those who know it only in English.

Do OCA churches recite the Creed in Slavonic too?

Regards in His name,
Alice

Dear Reader Andrew and Alice,

Does this mean you've come to an arrangement over your formerly disparate views on the Dormition?

Have a great evening!

Alex

Alice, we do have some Ukrainian parishes where the Creed is sung or recited in Ukrainian, and then immediately recited again in English as is the prayer before Communion, "I believe and profess".

From my experience, most of the OCA parishes I have attended recite or sing the creed in English only. I'm sure the Russian Patriarchal parishes and others with newer Russian immigrants would recite it in Slavonic.

LOL, Joe!!! I have NEVER been to a High Mass at which the Creed was not chanted!!! ( and I've been to quite a few in my day )

Dear Alex,

...don't think so!!

But, hoping to find common ground with my Orthodox brother in SOMETHING...safe and non-controversial!

So, you HAVE been following!

Regards,
Alice

//LOL, Joe!!! I have NEVER been to a High Mass at which the Creed was not chanted!!! ( and I've been to quite a few in my day//

LT,

Not referring to the Tridentine Mass celebrated in the Latin Church, but the hybrid Greek-Catholic Latin High Mass parishes that still need to find an identity. Our Tridentine True Catholic Divine Liturgy books used to have notes for High Mass, those parts not taking during other celebrations.

Joe

LT, in the 1965 Pittsburgh pew books for the Ruthenian Metropolia, still in common use, there are selected parts which are labelled "High Liturgy Only", which leads one to conclude these were omitted during a "low liturgy".

Diak,

To what pew books are you referring? The Msgr. Levkulic edition? Those are the only pew books I've seen in the many Ruthenian churches I've visited, and I don't remember them referring to "High Liturgy" and "Low Liturgy". I have seen some older books that mention that, but they are usually around the cantor's stand or in the sacristy, not in general circulation. At least that has been my experience.

Dave

Chtec, it was/is the (in)famous "gray book" with the "High Liturgy Only" sections.

Not only was this not phased out, but it was actually reprinted in bulk, with a fresh silvery cover, about 10 years ago!

It should still be available from Byz. Seminary Press.

Really? I know the book, but I don't recall seeing it in pews. I only know of Levkulic's book in pews. I guess I need to get out more. :p

In some parishes, that IS the pew book. Some parishes have the newer, Levkulic, pew book as well as the gray book. (I guess they like the gray one because it has music... :rolleyes: {can't imagine why else they'd like it!})