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Byzantine Rite

So Far, Yet So Close

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When entering a Byzantine church, everyone is overwhelmed by the number of icons. There are icons on the walls, icons on the ceiling, icons on tapestries, icons all over the place. Among them are many icons of Christ — the Last Supper, the Transfiguration, the Resurrection, all sorts of things. But there are two that Read More
BYZANTINE PRIEST GIVES COMMUNION AT DENVER PARISH

Guardians of the Holy

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One of the observations I frequently hear from those who attend an Eastern-rite Catholic liturgy is that the sense of reverence strikes them. The word “reverence” comes from the Latin reverential, meaning “awe” or “respect.” In the Catholic tradition, reverence is considered a virtue that can and should be cultivated in the soul, and is Read More

‘It Is Time for the Lord to Act!’

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Just before the blessing of the deacon to leave the sanctuary and go out before the Royal Doors at the beginning of the Byzantine Divine Liturgy, the deacon begins prayers of dialogue with the priest by saying: “It is time for the Lord to act. Reverend Father, give the blessing.” The priest, in response, says, Read More
Holy Spirit

Servant of the Epiclesis

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Within the Divine Liturgy, there are many different kinds of prayer. One type of prayer, which is offered in nearly all of the sacramental mysteries in the Christian East, is a particular type of invocation to the Holy Spirit known as an epiclesis. This prayer involves the calling down of the Holy Spirit upon an Read More
Stephen

Martyrdom in the Diaconate

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At this time of year, many of us are celebrating ordination anniversaries, and this got me thinking about the ordination rite of the deacon in the Byzantine rite. While there are many different symbols and prayers that we could spend a long time meditating on through this passage, there are three prayers that stand out Read More
deacon ordination

Divine Grace and the Diaconate

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In the Byzantine ordination rite of a deacon, the bishop places his omophorion (stole) and his right hand on his head and offers the following prayer: “Divine grace, which always cures the infirm and supplies what is wanting, ordains the devout subdeacon N., to the diaconate; therefore, let us pray for him that the grace Read More
Dormition

Lamentations of the Assumption

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Summertime in the Byzantine rite always ends with the great feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on Aug. 15. Most people might know this feast by the name Assumption. There is a great deal of debate about this feast between the churches, including questions about if the Theotokos died and what the ramifications of Read More