Ancient Faith Radio: Dr. Bouteneff contemplates the power of the Cross during this "Halloween season."
Click HERE to listen
Monday, October 31, 2011
Halloween, Demons, and the Cross
Ancient Faith Radio: Dr. Bouteneff contemplates the power of the Cross during this "Halloween season."
Click HERE to listen
Photo of the Day
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| "The Last Judgement" Church of the Most Holy Mother of God “of Kazan“ Tolyatti (Samara Oblast. Volga Federal Region) |
Click image to enlarge.
Patriarch Sviatoslav Consecrates Cathedral of the Protection of the Virgin Mary in Sambir
SOURCE: WEBSITE OF UGCC
October 23 was a significant day in the history of the Sambir-Drohobych Eparchy. On that day, Patriarch Sviatoslav, head of the UGCC, consecrated the Cathedral of the Protection of the Virgin Mary in Sambir. On the day of its consecration, the church received the title pro-cathedral (the most important church after the cathedral in the eparchy).”
On the eve of the consecration, October 22, Bishop Yaroslav (Pryriz), coadjutor bishop of the diocese Sambir-Drohobych, came to the parish of the Protection of the Virgin Mary. The hierarch led the Vespers in concelebration with local clergy. Addressing the faithful, Bishop Yaroslav recounted the story of the construction of the cathedral, and the events of the 1990s, when the UGCC emerged from the underground. The bishop emphasized the importance of building a church of God in every Christian soul, which every true believer of the Christ’s Church must do, reports the press service of the Sambir-Drohobych Eparchy.
With lighted candles, the faithful went to the chapel, where they have prayed for almost 20 years. After pleading prayers, relics and sacraments were carried to the cathedral.
On Sunday, Patriarch Sviatoslav came to Sambir. In the courtyard of the church, young people and clergy of the parish welcomed the church primate.More than 80 priests and about 7,000 faithful from Sambir and neighboring villages took part in the solemn Mass.
Then the head of the UGCC, in concelebration with hierarchs and priests, led the rite of consecration.
The next part of the festivities continued inside the church with the consecration of the altar. “Today, when I crossed the threshold of this church, the words of my great predecessor, the confessor of the faith His Beatitude Patriarch Joseph, came to mind. By building the Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Rome and laying the foundations for a Ukrainian Catholic University in the diaspora, he exceeded the expectations of his contemporaries. He was called a dreamer and told that he was launching unrealistic projects, but, it is with the wisdom of a Galician peasant that he answered: ‘There will be a house and people will come,’” said Patriarch Sviatoslav, congratulating the Sambir residents on the completion of the construction of the Protection of the Virgin Mary Cathedral. “Only God can give us the power to love our enemies. And the manifestation of such a force was the construction of this temple,which the enemies of the UGCC did not want,” His Beatitude Sviatoslav said in his sermon. “We are present in this world not be against someone but to be for someone, to show our opponents, who consider us enemies, offend and shame us, the indescribable love of God,” said the head of the UGCC.
After the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Sviatoslav awarded patriarchal diplomas to Hieromonk Mykola Kuts (CSSR), protopriest Ivan Havan and protopriest Volodymyr Korkun – the priests who oversaw at various stages of the construction of the Cathedral Protection of the Virgin Mary. Individual patrons and builders of the sanctuary received patriarchal letters. At the end, Bishop Yaroslav (Pryriz) on behalf of the ruling bishop, clergy and faithful, thanked His Beatitude Sviatoslav for his visit to Sambir. In gratitude the bishop gave the head of the UGCC an icon of the Virgin Mary.
The history of the construction of the Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin is closely associated with the emergence of the UGCC from the underground. On July 2, 1989, underground UGCC priests, headed by hieromonk Mykola Kuts, and believers erected a cross here, which began the worship of the Greek Catholic community, reports the press service of Sambir-Drohobych Eparchy.
At the end of 1989, a liturgical chapel was erected on this place. In 1991, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sterniuk) blessed the construction of the Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, because at that time the Sambir Greek Catholic congregation had no church. On April 27, 1991, Bishop Julian (Voronovskyi), who was then auxiliary bishop of Lviv Archeparchy, blessed the cornerstone of the church.
On October 14, 2009, the 20th anniversary of the emergence of the UGCC from the underground was celebrated in Sambir. On this occasion the first Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, which was then in its final stages of construction, was celebrated. The Hierarchal Liturgy was led by Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh), the secretary of the Synod of Bishops.
UGCC Department of Information
October 23 was a significant day in the history of the Sambir-Drohobych Eparchy. On that day, Patriarch Sviatoslav, head of the UGCC, consecrated the Cathedral of the Protection of the Virgin Mary in Sambir. On the day of its consecration, the church received the title pro-cathedral (the most important church after the cathedral in the eparchy).”
With lighted candles, the faithful went to the chapel, where they have prayed for almost 20 years. After pleading prayers, relics and sacraments were carried to the cathedral.
On Sunday, Patriarch Sviatoslav came to Sambir. In the courtyard of the church, young people and clergy of the parish welcomed the church primate.More than 80 priests and about 7,000 faithful from Sambir and neighboring villages took part in the solemn Mass.
Then the head of the UGCC, in concelebration with hierarchs and priests, led the rite of consecration.
After the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Sviatoslav awarded patriarchal diplomas to Hieromonk Mykola Kuts (CSSR), protopriest Ivan Havan and protopriest Volodymyr Korkun – the priests who oversaw at various stages of the construction of the Cathedral Protection of the Virgin Mary. Individual patrons and builders of the sanctuary received patriarchal letters. At the end, Bishop Yaroslav (Pryriz) on behalf of the ruling bishop, clergy and faithful, thanked His Beatitude Sviatoslav for his visit to Sambir. In gratitude the bishop gave the head of the UGCC an icon of the Virgin Mary.
--------------- + + + --------------
At the end of 1989, a liturgical chapel was erected on this place. In 1991, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sterniuk) blessed the construction of the Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, because at that time the Sambir Greek Catholic congregation had no church. On April 27, 1991, Bishop Julian (Voronovskyi), who was then auxiliary bishop of Lviv Archeparchy, blessed the cornerstone of the church.
On October 14, 2009, the 20th anniversary of the emergence of the UGCC from the underground was celebrated in Sambir. On this occasion the first Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, which was then in its final stages of construction, was celebrated. The Hierarchal Liturgy was led by Bishop Bohdan (Dziurakh), the secretary of the Synod of Bishops.
UGCC Department of Information
Feast of the Hieromartyr Theodore Romzha
SOURCE: Ramblings of a Byzantine Catholic (Blog)
Today is a most Blessed Feast. No, it is not Halloween. October 31, is the Feast of the Blessed Hieromartyr Theodore (Romzha). Here is his life from the Menaion of the Byzantine Church.
The holy priest-martyr Theodore Romzha. Born in Veliky Bychkiv in Carpatho-Russia in 1911, he came from a poor family and exhibited a vocation to the priesthood. Sent to Rome for studies, he was ordained in 1937 and sent to the country parish of Berzovo. In 1939, he was called to the seminary at Uzhhorod and taught there until 1944. In 1944, despite his youth, he was ordained bishop for the Mukachevo Eparchy. During the Soviet Army’s occupation of Carpatho-Russia, he was tireless in his care for his flock and in his defense of the rights of the Byzantine Catholic Church. On October 27, 1947, he was severely wounded in a staged accident. He was taken to the hospital in Mukachevo, where he was subsequently poisoned, and died. (1947)
OLTV produced a video of the sixtieth anniversary of Blessed Theodore’s martyrdom.
Today is a most Blessed Feast. No, it is not Halloween. October 31, is the Feast of the Blessed Hieromartyr Theodore (Romzha). Here is his life from the Menaion of the Byzantine Church.
Troparion of Blessed Theodore
My father, my father!The chariots of Israel and its horse men!May the Holy Hieromartyr Theodore a witness to Church unity and the crown of the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church, pray to God to Save our souls.
Up on a cart as up on his bishop’s throne, Theodore has been carried beyond the sanctuary veil. Let fall, O father, your mantle of prayer, and beseech Christ to save our souls
OLTV produced a video of the sixtieth anniversary of Blessed Theodore’s martyrdom.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
This Week in Christian History (October 30)
SOURCE: ChristianityToday.com
October 30
October 30, 1451: Christopher Columbus, who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean both to spread Christianity and (as his crew members complained) to "make a great lord of himself," is born (see issue 35: Christopher Columbus).
October 30, 1821: Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevski, whose works (including Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamozov, and Notes from the Underground) reflect his deep Russian Orthodox faith, is born.
October 31
October 31, 1517: Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses in Wittenberg (see issue 34: Luther's Early Years).
October 31, 1825: George Muller, who founded orphanages that would house more than 10,000 orphans by his death in 1898, converts to Christianity at a Moravian mission.
October 31, 1992: Pope John Paul II formally admits the Roman Catholic Church's error in condemning Galileo Galilei in 1633 for believing the sun, not the earth, was the center of the universe (see issue 76: Christian Face of the Scientific Revolution).
November 1
November 1, 451: The Council of Chalcedon (in modern Turkey) adjourns. The fourth and largest of all the ancient councils, attended by between 500 and 600 bishops, it repudiated the Eutychian heresy (that Christ has one nature, not two) and drew up a Christological statement of faith now known as the Definition of Chalcedon (see issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church).
November 1, 1512: After four years of work, Michelangelo Buonarroti unveils his 5,800-square-foot painting on the ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.
November 1, 1776: Spanish Franciscan missionaries found San Juan Capistrano Mission in California, one of 21 missions founded in the region between 1769 and 1823 (see issue 35: Christopher Columbus).
November 1, 1950: Pope Pius XII releases his "Munificentissimus Deus," proclaiming the "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The doctrine teaches that Mary was taken in body and soul into heaven at the end of her life. The belief was first propounded in Christian circles by Gregory of Tours in the late 500s.
November 2
November 2, 1164: Thomas a Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, leaves for France for a six-year exile after being condemned in royal court for "ingratitude" toward England's Henry II, who had once been his dear friend.
November 2, 1533: Harried by Catholic authorities, John Calvin flees Paris by lowering himself out a window with a bedsheet rope and disguising himself as a farmer, complete with a hoe over his shoulder. He spent three years as a fugitive before settling in Geneva (see issue 12: John Calvin).
November 3
November 3, 753 (traditional date): Pirminius, the first Abbot of Reichenau (Germany) dies. His pastoral instruction book, Scarapsus, contains the earliest evidence for the present form of the Apostles' Creed.
November 3, 1534: The British Parliament passes the Supremacy Act, officially making England Protestant and putting the English monarch at the head of the nation's church (see issue 48: Thomas Cranmer).
November 3, 1600: Richard Hooker, an Anglican rector whose book Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity is a classic on the relationship between church and state, dies in England.
November 3, 1966: John Lennon tells reporters that his band, the Beatles, is "more popular than Jesus," touching off a firestorm of controversy.
November 4
November 4, 1646: The Massachusetts Bay Colony makes it a capital offense to deny that the Bible is the Word of God.
November 4, 1740: English clergyman Augustus Toplady, author of the hymn "Rock of Ages," is born.
November 4, 1958: Angelo Roncalli becomes Pope John XXIII. Though his papacy was expected to be uneventful, his convening of the Second Vatican Council and his changing of the church's attitudes toward non-Catholics were milestones for Roman Catholics.
November 5
November 5, 1414: The Council of Constance opens to end the Great Schism. It deposed all three rival popes, but it also executed Bohemian reformers Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague, and anathematized the teachings of John Wycliffe (see issue 68: Jan Hus).
October 30
 |
| Fyodor Dostoevsky |
October 30, 1821: Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevski, whose works (including Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamozov, and Notes from the Underground) reflect his deep Russian Orthodox faith, is born.
October 31
October 31, 1517: Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses in Wittenberg (see issue 34: Luther's Early Years).
October 31, 1992: Pope John Paul II formally admits the Roman Catholic Church's error in condemning Galileo Galilei in 1633 for believing the sun, not the earth, was the center of the universe (see issue 76: Christian Face of the Scientific Revolution).
November 1
November 1, 451: The Council of Chalcedon (in modern Turkey) adjourns. The fourth and largest of all the ancient councils, attended by between 500 and 600 bishops, it repudiated the Eutychian heresy (that Christ has one nature, not two) and drew up a Christological statement of faith now known as the Definition of Chalcedon (see issue 51: Heresy in the Early Church).
November 1, 1512: After four years of work, Michelangelo Buonarroti unveils his 5,800-square-foot painting on the ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.
November 1, 1776: Spanish Franciscan missionaries found San Juan Capistrano Mission in California, one of 21 missions founded in the region between 1769 and 1823 (see issue 35: Christopher Columbus).
November 1, 1950: Pope Pius XII releases his "Munificentissimus Deus," proclaiming the "Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The doctrine teaches that Mary was taken in body and soul into heaven at the end of her life. The belief was first propounded in Christian circles by Gregory of Tours in the late 500s.
November 2
November 2, 1533: Harried by Catholic authorities, John Calvin flees Paris by lowering himself out a window with a bedsheet rope and disguising himself as a farmer, complete with a hoe over his shoulder. He spent three years as a fugitive before settling in Geneva (see issue 12: John Calvin).
November 3
November 3, 753 (traditional date): Pirminius, the first Abbot of Reichenau (Germany) dies. His pastoral instruction book, Scarapsus, contains the earliest evidence for the present form of the Apostles' Creed.
November 3, 1534: The British Parliament passes the Supremacy Act, officially making England Protestant and putting the English monarch at the head of the nation's church (see issue 48: Thomas Cranmer).
November 3, 1600: Richard Hooker, an Anglican rector whose book Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity is a classic on the relationship between church and state, dies in England.
November 4
November 4, 1646: The Massachusetts Bay Colony makes it a capital offense to deny that the Bible is the Word of God.
November 4, 1740: English clergyman Augustus Toplady, author of the hymn "Rock of Ages," is born.
November 4, 1958: Angelo Roncalli becomes Pope John XXIII. Though his papacy was expected to be uneventful, his convening of the Second Vatican Council and his changing of the church's attitudes toward non-Catholics were milestones for Roman Catholics.
November 5
November 5, 1414: The Council of Constance opens to end the Great Schism. It deposed all three rival popes, but it also executed Bohemian reformers Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague, and anathematized the teachings of John Wycliffe (see issue 68: Jan Hus).
Newt Gingrich describes importance of faith in political decisions
Washington D.C., Oct 29, 2011 / 07:58 am (SOURCE: CNA/EWT News) Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich said Catholics should pray about the decision of whom to support for public office and then vote according to their consciences.
Gingrich, a convert who entered the Catholic Church in 2009, is running for the Republican presidential nomination.
Gingrich told CNA on Oct. 24 that he believes the single biggest threat to America today is “the attack against the Judeo-Christian tradition and the effort to drive God out of public life and eliminate the understanding that our rights come from our Creator.”
The former speaker explained that he was motivated to run for president by the current political situation in America.
“The United States faces the most serious election since 1860,” he said.
“Our challenges are so great and the consequence of choosing American exceptionalism or class warfare and bureaucratic socialism is so large that as a citizen I felt compelled to run.”
Gingrich explained that his faith would influence his political decisions as president.
“Any leader should seek God's guidance,” he said. “The teachings of the Church inform my thinking about solving earthly problems.”
Gingrich said that he would “listen” to the concerns of those who feel threatened by his views and values.
“In many cases better communications and clarification will eliminate their worries,” he said.
“In some cases they are right to feel threatened because we have incompatible values and fundamentally different visions of the future.”
As speaker of the House, Gingrich had a strongly pro-life voting record.
In his race for GOP presidential candidate, he has signed the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life Presidential Leadership Pledge.
The pledge asks candidates to commit to nominating federal judges who are dedicated to “applying the original meaning of the Constitution;” selecting “only pro-life appointees for relevant Cabinet and Executive Branch positions;” supporting legislation to “permanently end all taxpayer funding of abortion;” and working toward a law “to protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion.”
Gingrich has also expressed support for efforts to defend marriage.
“I helped author the Defense of Marriage Act which the Obama administration should be protecting in court,” he said in a Republican primary debate in Manchester, N.H. on June 13, 2011.
“I think if that fails, you have no choice except a constitutional amendment.”
Gingrich told CNA that Catholic voters who are trying to pick a candidate to support in the upcoming election should pray about their decision and “take seriously the responsibility of citizenship.”
“Pray for America and for our leaders,” he said. “Then vote as your conscience instructs you.”
“If possible become an activist helping America regain its sense of purpose and direction.”
Gingrich told CNA on Oct. 24 that he believes the single biggest threat to America today is “the attack against the Judeo-Christian tradition and the effort to drive God out of public life and eliminate the understanding that our rights come from our Creator.”
The former speaker explained that he was motivated to run for president by the current political situation in America.
“The United States faces the most serious election since 1860,” he said.
“Our challenges are so great and the consequence of choosing American exceptionalism or class warfare and bureaucratic socialism is so large that as a citizen I felt compelled to run.”
Gingrich explained that his faith would influence his political decisions as president.
“Any leader should seek God's guidance,” he said. “The teachings of the Church inform my thinking about solving earthly problems.”
Gingrich said that he would “listen” to the concerns of those who feel threatened by his views and values.
“In many cases better communications and clarification will eliminate their worries,” he said.
“In some cases they are right to feel threatened because we have incompatible values and fundamentally different visions of the future.”
As speaker of the House, Gingrich had a strongly pro-life voting record.
In his race for GOP presidential candidate, he has signed the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life Presidential Leadership Pledge.
The pledge asks candidates to commit to nominating federal judges who are dedicated to “applying the original meaning of the Constitution;” selecting “only pro-life appointees for relevant Cabinet and Executive Branch positions;” supporting legislation to “permanently end all taxpayer funding of abortion;” and working toward a law “to protect unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion.”
Gingrich has also expressed support for efforts to defend marriage.
“I helped author the Defense of Marriage Act which the Obama administration should be protecting in court,” he said in a Republican primary debate in Manchester, N.H. on June 13, 2011.
“I think if that fails, you have no choice except a constitutional amendment.”
Gingrich told CNA that Catholic voters who are trying to pick a candidate to support in the upcoming election should pray about their decision and “take seriously the responsibility of citizenship.”
“Pray for America and for our leaders,” he said. “Then vote as your conscience instructs you.”
“If possible become an activist helping America regain its sense of purpose and direction.”
Saturday, October 29, 2011
VIDEO: Patriarch Filaret Consecrates New Church in Vinnitsia
On October 1, 2011 His Holiness Patriarch Filaret of Kyiv and all Rus-Ukraine made a visit to the Vinnitsia region of Ukraine. The Patriarch consecrated the newly built church in the village of Dyakivtsi, Lityn district. After the prayers, he delivered a sermon. This video was broadcast on Vinnitsia State Television (VDT-6).
New Roman Missal November 27--What's New?
SOURCE: USCCB Media Blog
On November 27, the First Sunday of Advent, the Roman Missal, Third Edition, the ritual text containing prayers and instructions for the celebration of the Mass, will be implemented in the United States of America. (To see similar implementation in Canada, click HERE)-AK
It is not a new Mass, it is a new translation for a new edition of the Missal. Because a new edition of the Missale Romanum, the Latin Roman Missal, was promulgated by Pope John Paul II in 2000, it was necessary for all the countries of the world to translate this missal into the various local languages. The new missal has added features: prayers for the celebration of recently canonized saints, additional prefaces for the Eucharistic Prayers, additional Masses and Prayers for Various Needs and Intentions, and some updated and revised rubrics (instructions) for the celebration of the Mass. In the case of the English-speaking world, a common translation of the common text was sought through the International Commission for English in the Liturgy (ICEL) to ensure uniformity.
Vatican guidelines for translation.The translation of the new Roman Missal was carried out under the newest Vatican guidelines for translating prayers into modern local (i.e., vernacular) languages. These were given in the instruction Liturgiam Authenticam, published in 2001, urging a stronger adherence to the original Latin wording and structure than earlier directives. In the new translation, the unique style of the Roman Rite is closely maintained. The texts are marked by a heightened style of English speech and a grammatical structure that follows closely the Latin text. In addition, many biblical and poetic images—such as “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…” (Communion Rite, taken from Matthew 8:8) and “…from the rising of the sun to its setting” (Eucharistic Prayer III, taken from Psalm 113), that were lost in the 1973 translation—have been restored.
Particular adaptations to the U.S. are included. The new English-language Missal also includes Vatican-approved adaptations requested by the Bishops of the United States as well as texts for observances that are proper to the United States (such as the prayers for the Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and prayers for Independence Day and Thanksgiving Day).
“And with your spirit.” The translation of several phrases in the Order of Mass had been previously decided by the Vatican in the instruction Liturgiam authenticam. Among these are “certain expressions that belong to the heritage of the whole or of a great part of the ancient Church, as well as others that have become part of the general human patrimony…” Such is the case of the response “Et cum spiritu tuo.” What had originally been translated in 1973 as “And also with you” becomes now “And with your spirit.” This places the English translation in line with the way this has always been translated in most other languages, including Spanish, French, German, and Italian
Changes in the people’s parts. In addition to the response to the greeting “The Lord be with you”, people are going to find a number of other changes in the translation of common prayers throughout. This includes the various parts of the Penitential act (“I confess to Almighty God…”), the Gloria, the Creed (both in the Nicene Creed and the Apostles’ Creed), the Sanctus (Holy, Holy, Holy), the Mystery of Faith, and the invitation to communion. (Samples of comparative texts for the new and old responses can be found at the USCCB Roman Missal website.
“For many.” One of the points that has generated more discussion is the translation of qui pro vobis et pro multis effundétur in remissiónem peccatórum, presently translated “which will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.” In the new edition of the Roman Missal, “for all” will be changed to “for many.” There are several reasons for this change. First, “for many” is a more accurate translation of the Latin phrase pro multis than the present translation. This is also the wording used in the Biblical narrative account of the Last Supper found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Even though it is a dogmatic teaching of the Church that Christ died on the Cross for all men and women, the expression “for many” is reflective also of the fact that this salvation is not brought automatically, without one’s own willing participation, but rather is a gift to be accepted. Also, in the context of the Last Supper, Jesus was speaking to the Twelve, extending the reach of his sacrifice beyond the boundary of his closest disciples. In the context of the celebration of the Eucharist, the phrase “for you and for many” connects the particular gathered assembly with the larger sense of the Church in every time and place, as if to say “not only you gathered here, but many more as well.”
Gradual implementation for Musical Settings. Though official implementation is set for the First Sunday of Advent 2011, Diocesan bishops may permit the gradual implementation of various musical settings of the people’s parts in the Order of Mass starting in September to allow the congregation time to learn them. This applies only to the Glory to God, the Holy, Holy, Holy, and the Memorial Acclamations. Composers have readjusted previous musical settings and new compositions are also being prepared. New musical settings of the Amen and the Lamb of God, the texts of which are not changing, can be introduced at any time.
What’s not changing. The structure and rite of the Mass itself is not changing, so the Mass will look and feel the same. Some texts of the Mass are not changing, including the Lord’s Prayer and the Lamb of God. The translation of Scripture readings used at Mass will remain the same, so those who proclaim the readings (lectors and deacons) will not be affected in their ministry by the introduction of the new Missal. Much of the hymnody and other chants sung at Mass will not be affected by the changes, although many hymnals and other participation aids are being revised to reflect the changes in the parts of the Mass.
Symbolism of posture and gestures. The symbolism of some traditional gestures has been recaptured in the new missal. The gestures themselves have always been prescribed, but the introduction of the new Missal provides an opportunity to teach about these long-standing customs. One such example is striking oneself over the chest during the Penitential Act (Confiteor) while reciting the words “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault,” (mea culpa), as a show of remorse, a tradition that had not always been followed in the U.S. Another example is the reverent bow during the recitation of the Creed. After the words “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,” at the words that follow up, “and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man” all bow as a sign of reverence for the mystery of the Incarnation.
Proximate preparation. Parishes and dioceses are now abuzz with preparations for the reception of the new Missal. The Roman Missal itself is the primary source of training and instruction for the new translation. It displays rubrics, sentences printed in red that instruct a priest on what to say and do, how and when to gesture, and when to sing the common prayers in the Order of Mass. It provides instructions that guide the celebrant in leading the liturgy and the people assembled in ritual response for each occasion. It also dictates the words used by a priest during the Mass. In addition to the homily at Mass, during which many priests will offer instruction about the new text, many parishes are making use of various small- and large-group catechetical sessions to help the people learn the new responses and be aware of upcoming changes. A variety of print and online resources for use in parishes, in group settings, and in homes are available from many publishers.
On November 27, the First Sunday of Advent, the Roman Missal, Third Edition, the ritual text containing prayers and instructions for the celebration of the Mass, will be implemented in the United States of America. (To see similar implementation in Canada, click HERE)-AK
If you have been hearing the buzz but are not completely up to speed on the new Roman Missal, here are ten things you need to know:
Vatican guidelines for translation.The translation of the new Roman Missal was carried out under the newest Vatican guidelines for translating prayers into modern local (i.e., vernacular) languages. These were given in the instruction Liturgiam Authenticam, published in 2001, urging a stronger adherence to the original Latin wording and structure than earlier directives. In the new translation, the unique style of the Roman Rite is closely maintained. The texts are marked by a heightened style of English speech and a grammatical structure that follows closely the Latin text. In addition, many biblical and poetic images—such as “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…” (Communion Rite, taken from Matthew 8:8) and “…from the rising of the sun to its setting” (Eucharistic Prayer III, taken from Psalm 113), that were lost in the 1973 translation—have been restored.
“And with your spirit.” The translation of several phrases in the Order of Mass had been previously decided by the Vatican in the instruction Liturgiam authenticam. Among these are “certain expressions that belong to the heritage of the whole or of a great part of the ancient Church, as well as others that have become part of the general human patrimony…” Such is the case of the response “Et cum spiritu tuo.” What had originally been translated in 1973 as “And also with you” becomes now “And with your spirit.” This places the English translation in line with the way this has always been translated in most other languages, including Spanish, French, German, and Italian
“For many.” One of the points that has generated more discussion is the translation of qui pro vobis et pro multis effundétur in remissiónem peccatórum, presently translated “which will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.” In the new edition of the Roman Missal, “for all” will be changed to “for many.” There are several reasons for this change. First, “for many” is a more accurate translation of the Latin phrase pro multis than the present translation. This is also the wording used in the Biblical narrative account of the Last Supper found in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Even though it is a dogmatic teaching of the Church that Christ died on the Cross for all men and women, the expression “for many” is reflective also of the fact that this salvation is not brought automatically, without one’s own willing participation, but rather is a gift to be accepted. Also, in the context of the Last Supper, Jesus was speaking to the Twelve, extending the reach of his sacrifice beyond the boundary of his closest disciples. In the context of the celebration of the Eucharist, the phrase “for you and for many” connects the particular gathered assembly with the larger sense of the Church in every time and place, as if to say “not only you gathered here, but many more as well.”
Gradual implementation for Musical Settings. Though official implementation is set for the First Sunday of Advent 2011, Diocesan bishops may permit the gradual implementation of various musical settings of the people’s parts in the Order of Mass starting in September to allow the congregation time to learn them. This applies only to the Glory to God, the Holy, Holy, Holy, and the Memorial Acclamations. Composers have readjusted previous musical settings and new compositions are also being prepared. New musical settings of the Amen and the Lamb of God, the texts of which are not changing, can be introduced at any time.
Symbolism of posture and gestures. The symbolism of some traditional gestures has been recaptured in the new missal. The gestures themselves have always been prescribed, but the introduction of the new Missal provides an opportunity to teach about these long-standing customs. One such example is striking oneself over the chest during the Penitential Act (Confiteor) while reciting the words “through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault,” (mea culpa), as a show of remorse, a tradition that had not always been followed in the U.S. Another example is the reverent bow during the recitation of the Creed. After the words “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,” at the words that follow up, “and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man” all bow as a sign of reverence for the mystery of the Incarnation.
Proximate preparation. Parishes and dioceses are now abuzz with preparations for the reception of the new Missal. The Roman Missal itself is the primary source of training and instruction for the new translation. It displays rubrics, sentences printed in red that instruct a priest on what to say and do, how and when to gesture, and when to sing the common prayers in the Order of Mass. It provides instructions that guide the celebrant in leading the liturgy and the people assembled in ritual response for each occasion. It also dictates the words used by a priest during the Mass. In addition to the homily at Mass, during which many priests will offer instruction about the new text, many parishes are making use of various small- and large-group catechetical sessions to help the people learn the new responses and be aware of upcoming changes. A variety of print and online resources for use in parishes, in group settings, and in homes are available from many publishers.
The introduction of a new translation for the Roman Missal gives people an opportunity to pause to think about the words they are saying every time they participate in the Mass. It is an opportunity for the entire Church in the United States to deepen its understanding of the Sacred Liturgy, of its meaning and importance in their lives. It also puts Catholics in contact with the Church’s tradition of prayer and helps create a historical awareness. The new translation and the education Catholics shall receive before it is implemented offer Catholics a chance to “brush up” on their knowledge of the Mass and of the Church’s beliefs. Those leading the efforts to educate the community hope the changes “will invite the faithful to pause and reflect on what, after so many years, we may have taken for granted” and that such meditation will redound in an “enrichment of people’s spiritual life.”
To learn more about the new English translation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition, visit the USCCB Roman Missal website.
Photo of the Day: Храм Спаса на Крови
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| Khram Spasa na Krovi is one of the main sights of St. Petersburg, Russia. This Church was built on the site where Tsar Alexander II was assassinated and was dedicated in his memory. |
(Click on image, and then Show Original, for a closer view)
A HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN
SOURCE: SSPX Website
The story of Halloween is very old, going back to the days of the Druids1 in England, where in fact, most of the secular customs that are now performed during Halloween were first practiced. The Druids practiced many superstitious customs depending on their beliefs. They had two big feast days and one of these was their New Year’s Eve which was celebrated around the 31st of October. On this day they believed that all those who had died during the past year would rise from their graves and come to spend a last evening by the hearth where they had spent their days of the past. The Druids believed that at midnight all these souls would walk out of the town to be taken by the Lord of Death to the afterlife from where the souls would be able to tranmigrate.2 They also feared that if these souls were able to recognize them, that they would drag them down into the afterlife with them. The townspeople therefore wore costumes so as not to be recognizable. They wore these costumes as they escorted the souls of the dead out to meet the Lord of Death. It is easy to see how the custom of wearing costumes (i.e., of demons, witches, etc.) on Halloween has never had anything to do with those customs of Christianity!
When Catholicism came to England and Ireland, it encountered this very popular pagan custom. The popes and bishops became aware that they were going to have to combat this particular custom by stringent means. They therefore set this day aside in honor of the saints in Heaven and the following day as a day of prayer for the souls of all the deceased. The Church made up a whole beautiful set of customs and prayers to be done for the honor of the saints and the relief of the souls in Purgatory. The Litany of the Saints was chanted and the living went to the cemetery to pray at the graveside of their dearly beloved deceased. The feast of All Hallow’s Eve became thus a most holy day.
But due to the popularity of the pagan customs, there were still many people who were not ready to abandon this ugly ritual and they persecuted the Catholics who attempted to fulfill the customs of the Church. The Church tried to draw these troublemakers away from their mischief by staging morality plays and presenting skits on the lives of the saints. But to no avail; the mischief makers would stand behind trees taunting the praying Christians, howling and hooting so as to frighten them from the graves. They would do all sorts of nasty tricks, and all of sorts of strange things would happen. It was not unusual for a farmer to find his livestock spread all over the countryside the following day or even up in the loft of his barn! Most of these nasty pranks were blamed on witches, those women who had sold themselves to the Devil in life, and who returned on brooms supplied by the Lord of Death in order to gather up those souls who would be dragged thenceforth into their afterlife. Those who believed in these witches would set small piles of hay on fire and wave piles in the air to ward off the witches from snatching them up and to frighten them away from their livestock. We see here the two sets of rituals established, the one all glowing with the beauty of Holy Mother Church, the other rank with ugly and ignorant foolishness.
In a gesture of mutual charity, the Christian beggars of the towns would go from door to door asking for food for which they would, in exchange, pray for souls of the departed of that family. Eventually, the prayers were exchanged for what were called soul cakes, and later because one women wished the beggars to remember the eternity of life, pierced her soul cakes for the beggars, thus as tradition tells us, being responsible for the first donuts.
"Trick or Treat?"
After hundreds of years of the superstitions of the pagans still being subtly supported by the Devil in diverse ways, the Protestant Reformation came along and blew life into the uglier side of the Halloween rituals. The Protestants went about knocking upon doors of Catholic families as if they were beggars coming for the soul cakes. The Catholics were greeted by cold water or other nasty tricks. One can see again the unCatholic origin of this standard which is so widely practiced now on Halloween.
The mischievous tricks of the Halloween pranksters had become so out of hand by the days of World War II, that in fact, the day was known as Mischief Night. And like anything and everything that honors the Devil and detracts from the glory due to God, the ugly customs of the pagan holiday of Halloween were promoted and spread and practiced in greater malice until they became what we now know them to be.
We can easily see simply by reading the history of this holiday that what had been a pagan custom was combated by the Church for an honorable and charitable reason and how the Devil has used it in a perverted manner in order to destroy, if possible, what should be a ritual of beautiful custom. We have a duty, as Catholics, to practice ONLY those rituals designed for the honor of God and the relief of the suffering souls and given to us by Holy Mother Church as a means of furthering our salvation also. To partake in the practice of pagan and devil-honoring rituals is to offend God in a most demeaning way. We should therefore strive rather to return to the beautiful customs of our forefathers and practice in its entirety and with all the purity of its original intention, the customs of All Hallow’s Eve.
Footnotes
1 The Druids were a people practicing a most cruel and inhumane paganism, similar to that of the barbaric Aztecs.
2 Transmigration: The belief that a soul cam move from one object or being to another. Hindus also believe in this, claiming that those who live well will return to their next life in a body of higher caste and that those who lived badly will return as animals or insects or such like.
When Catholicism came to England and Ireland, it encountered this very popular pagan custom. The popes and bishops became aware that they were going to have to combat this particular custom by stringent means. They therefore set this day aside in honor of the saints in Heaven and the following day as a day of prayer for the souls of all the deceased. The Church made up a whole beautiful set of customs and prayers to be done for the honor of the saints and the relief of the souls in Purgatory. The Litany of the Saints was chanted and the living went to the cemetery to pray at the graveside of their dearly beloved deceased. The feast of All Hallow’s Eve became thus a most holy day.
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| It is an impressive, unforgettable sight to look upon the hundreds and often thousands of lights quietly burning in the darkness and dreary solitude of a cemetery. People call them "lights of the holy souls" |
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Soul Cakes were eaten, representing a soul being freed from Purgatory. (for recipe, click HERE) |
"Trick or Treat?"
After hundreds of years of the superstitions of the pagans still being subtly supported by the Devil in diverse ways, the Protestant Reformation came along and blew life into the uglier side of the Halloween rituals. The Protestants went about knocking upon doors of Catholic families as if they were beggars coming for the soul cakes. The Catholics were greeted by cold water or other nasty tricks. One can see again the unCatholic origin of this standard which is so widely practiced now on Halloween.
The mischievous tricks of the Halloween pranksters had become so out of hand by the days of World War II, that in fact, the day was known as Mischief Night. And like anything and everything that honors the Devil and detracts from the glory due to God, the ugly customs of the pagan holiday of Halloween were promoted and spread and practiced in greater malice until they became what we now know them to be.
We can easily see simply by reading the history of this holiday that what had been a pagan custom was combated by the Church for an honorable and charitable reason and how the Devil has used it in a perverted manner in order to destroy, if possible, what should be a ritual of beautiful custom. We have a duty, as Catholics, to practice ONLY those rituals designed for the honor of God and the relief of the suffering souls and given to us by Holy Mother Church as a means of furthering our salvation also. To partake in the practice of pagan and devil-honoring rituals is to offend God in a most demeaning way. We should therefore strive rather to return to the beautiful customs of our forefathers and practice in its entirety and with all the purity of its original intention, the customs of All Hallow’s Eve.
Footnotes
1 The Druids were a people practicing a most cruel and inhumane paganism, similar to that of the barbaric Aztecs.
2 Transmigration: The belief that a soul cam move from one object or being to another. Hindus also believe in this, claiming that those who live well will return to their next life in a body of higher caste and that those who lived badly will return as animals or insects or such like.
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For Catholic customs of All Souls Day around the world, click HERE , which is an adaptation from the Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs by Fr. Francis Weiser
The Vatican, Ukraine & The Great Famine (Holodomor)
SOURCE: Vatican Radio
Between 1932 and 1933, there was a famine in the then Soviet Socialist Republic of Ukraine. The episode is known to history as the Holodomor – the “killing-by-hunger” in which millions of Ukrainians perished for want of sustenance, a want that was created by human agency.
A little-known part of the story is the work of the Holy See to alleviate the suffering of the people in Ukraine. Fr. Athanasius McVay is a Catholic priest of the Ukrainian Rite, a Church historian, and author of the book, The Holy See and the Holodomor: Documents from the Vatican Secret Archives on the Great Famine of 1932-1933 in Soviet Ukraine. He spoke with us about the volume.
Listen
Between 1932 and 1933, there was a famine in the then Soviet Socialist Republic of Ukraine. The episode is known to history as the Holodomor – the “killing-by-hunger” in which millions of Ukrainians perished for want of sustenance, a want that was created by human agency.
A little-known part of the story is the work of the Holy See to alleviate the suffering of the people in Ukraine. Fr. Athanasius McVay is a Catholic priest of the Ukrainian Rite, a Church historian, and author of the book, The Holy See and the Holodomor: Documents from the Vatican Secret Archives on the Great Famine of 1932-1933 in Soviet Ukraine. He spoke with us about the volume.
Listen
Kyiv Patriarchate, UAOC Dialogue Committee Meets
The dialogue committee of the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church-KP and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) has met at St. Michael's Golden-domed Monastery in Kiev to discuss the reasons for the schism between the Kiev Patriarchate and the UAOC. Three hierarchs of the Kiev Patriarchate and five hierarchs of the UAOC participated in the meeting, which drafted an outline of the unification process discussed by the committee for submission to the hierarchies of the two churches. More (in Ukrainian) here.
Marriage to Catholic no longer a bar to British royalty
SOURCE: Catholic Culture
The nations of the British Commonwealth have agreed to alter the rules of royal succession, allowing for a monarch to marry a Roman Catholic.
The new rules provide that the oldest child of the reigning monarch will inherit the throne—abolishing the longstanding rule that a son takes precedence over older daughters.
The ban on Catholics in the royal family will be lifted partially. British Prime Minister David Cameron explained: "Let me be clear, the monarch must be in communion with the Church of England because he or she is the head of that Church. But it is simply wrong they should be denied the chance to marry a Catholic if they wish to do so. After all, they are already quite free to marry someone of any other faith."
Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster welcomed the change, and suggested that the remaining ban on a Catholic monarch was understable; he said that he could “fully recognize the importance of the position of the established church in protecting and fostering the role of faith in our society today.” Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond was less understanding, saying that it was “deeply disappointing” that a Catholic would still be ineligible for the throne.
The nations of the British Commonwealth have agreed to alter the rules of royal succession, allowing for a monarch to marry a Roman Catholic.
The ban on Catholics in the royal family will be lifted partially. British Prime Minister David Cameron explained: "Let me be clear, the monarch must be in communion with the Church of England because he or she is the head of that Church. But it is simply wrong they should be denied the chance to marry a Catholic if they wish to do so. After all, they are already quite free to marry someone of any other faith."
Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster welcomed the change, and suggested that the remaining ban on a Catholic monarch was understable; he said that he could “fully recognize the importance of the position of the established church in protecting and fostering the role of faith in our society today.” Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond was less understanding, saying that it was “deeply disappointing” that a Catholic would still be ineligible for the throne.
Friday, October 28, 2011
World Recognition of Greek Catholic Church Building
SOURCE: Poland.pl
A sixteenth-century church has been placed on the prestigious list of international monuments worth of care and financial support.
“This church has a soul” - says Fr. Jan Tarapacki, who celebrates masses several times a year in this Greek Catholic Church of St. Paraskeva in Radruz (Subcarpathian Province) for former residents of the village.
In 1940 the whole village was deported to the Soviet Union and the local church became empty. The majority of former villagers live now in the Lviv area of Ukraine. They visit the place regularly but mostly the church is besieged by tourists. It attracts about 10 thousand visitors every year.
The wooden church, dated to the late sixteenth century, as the only Polish monument, has been included on the prestigious list of World Monuments Fund, dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training.
WMF describes its mission as "to preserve important historic architectural sites and works of art without regard to national boundaries".
“This church has a soul” - says Fr. Jan Tarapacki, who celebrates masses several times a year in this Greek Catholic Church of St. Paraskeva in Radruz (Subcarpathian Province) for former residents of the village.
In 1940 the whole village was deported to the Soviet Union and the local church became empty. The majority of former villagers live now in the Lviv area of Ukraine. They visit the place regularly but mostly the church is besieged by tourists. It attracts about 10 thousand visitors every year.
The wooden church, dated to the late sixteenth century, as the only Polish monument, has been included on the prestigious list of World Monuments Fund, dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training.
WMF describes its mission as "to preserve important historic architectural sites and works of art without regard to national boundaries".
Photo of the Day: Orthodox Ethiopia
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| Young girls celebrate one of Ethiopia’s holiest days, Mariam Zion or Mary of Zion in Askum, Ethiopia. (photo: Sean Sprague) SOURCE: CNEWA |
Rite of Revestment of the Relics of St. John of Shanghai (San Francisco)
On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, in accordance with a decision by the Diocesan Council of Western America, clergymen of the diocese performed the rite of revestment of the uncorrupt relics of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco. This special rite was headed by His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America along with His Grace Vicar Bishop Theodosius of Seattle in San Francisco’s Cathedral of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow.”
Having made confession in advance and asking forgiveness of each other, the archpastors and priests performed a moleben to St John at 9 pm, after which they proceeded to perform the rite of changing the vestments. Every priest of the Western American Diocese was able to participate in this rite. The attending protodeacons then intoned the corresponding prayers after the revestment of the holy man’s relics.
Details of this event will be forthcoming, along with a report on the Pastoral Conference of the Western American Diocese on its official website.
Art, History and Religion - Vologda's Cathedral of Divine Wisdom: The last of its kind
By the mid-16th century, the city of Vologda had become the major trading and administrative center in northern Russia. It served as the primary distribution point for Moscow's rapidly increasing trade with England and Holland by way of the Dvina River and the river's new port located at the site of the Monastery of the Archangel Michael, a settlement subsequently known as Arkhangelsk.
Vologda was still built entirely of wood until Ivan IV (the Terrible) decided in 1565 to include the town in his private domain, his oprichnina. With this decision, he initiated construction of a masonry fortress, or kremlin, intended to serve as his northern residence. After 1571 this enterprise was abandoned, and the walls were eventually dismantled. But one important monument remained: the Cathedral of Saint Sophia.
Vologda's cathedral is an excellent example of 16-century church architecture based on Aristotle Fioravanti's Dormition Cathedral (1475-1479) in the Moscow Kremlin, Russia's Holy of Holies. The Sophia Cathedral was intended to serve as the seat of the Vologda bishopric, enlarged in 1571. For various political reasons, however, the cathedral was not consecrated until 1588, four years after Ivan's death.
The monumental simplicity of the exterior is imposing, but the St. Sophia Cathedral reveals its true grandeur on the interior, which contains some of the best-preserved examples of 17-century frescoes. In 1686, the archbishop of Vologda, Gavriil, commissioned the painting of the enormous interior space by a group of some 30 artists from the city of Yaroslavl. Among them were experienced masters such as Dmitrii Grigorev Plekhanov, who had supervised the painting of the Dormition Cathedral at the Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery near Moscow in 1684. In an era when the Western view of art as an occupation was entering Russia, the artists painted an elaborate inscription on the lower part of the interior with a list of their names and a proclamation on the beginning and end of their work, from July 1686 to summer 1688.
The frescoes include symbols of the faith, major church festivals, scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, as well as the life and parables of Christ. In the main cupola, Christ Ruler of All is depicted, while the four smaller cupolas portray John the Baptist; the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost); Mary and the Christ Child; and Christ Emanuel. Martyred warriors and Russian princes are on the great piers that support the ceiling vaults. Elsewhere are apostles, Old Testament prophets and patriarchs, the four Evangelists. In contrast to earlier medieval art, these wall paintings demonstrate a greater attention to background detail – a process attributed in part to 17th-century engravings in the so-called Piscator Bible, published in Amsterdam, known in Russia and used by artists from Yaroslavl. The apse, which contains the altar, is also covered with frescoes, although lay worshipers are not generally permitted in this space. It is not even visible from the center of the cathedral because of the iconostasis, the wooden screen containing icons that separate the nave from the altar.
Indeed, the Sophia Cathedral's painterly art is not limited to its frescoes. The east side of the interior contains an icon screen that is among the largest in the Russian north, over 190 feet in height. The frame of this towering structure was completed in 1737 by Arsenii Borshchevskii, a local monk of Polish extraction, to replace a late 17th-century iconostasis badly damaged by fire in 1724. With the exception of the Local Row of ancient icons at the bottom, the new icons were completed a year later by Maksim Kalinin Iskritskii – also of Polish descent. Painted in oil on pine boards, these icons show a mannered Western style favored by Russia's church hierarchs and by the Russian court.
The revealing irony here is that in the early 1690s, shortly after these magnificent frescoes were painted, the young Tsar Peter Alekseevich (later Peter the Great) would eagerly keep company with Protestant Europeans in Moscow's "German Quarter," created by the Orthodox Church in the mid-17th century to restrict foreign influence. During the formative 1690s, Peter would come to see the advanced technology and well-governed states of Protestant Europe as a model for Russia. Thus the world view vividly portrayed in Vologda's Sophia Cathedral was on a collision course with a modern, secular view of Russia's place in the world, a vision so forcefully represented by Tsar Peter. One could indeed argue that the fallout from that collision lingers to this day.
Some 300,000 venerated the Belt of the Holy Virgin in St. Petersburg
Moscow, October 27, SOURCE: Interfax - 300 thousands of people venerated the Belt of the Holy Virgin when the shrine stayed in St.Petersburg, head of Andrew the First-Called Foundation press service Alexander Gatilin said.
"No one expected such a flow of believers... People stand in lines for 10-15 hours to kiss the Belt just for one second, to pray, to ask the Holy Virgin about something. They spent these ten hours in cold," he said in his interview with the Vechernyay Moskva daily on Thursday.
Visit of the Holy Belt from the Vatopedi Monastery on Athos to Russia is organized by Andrew the First-Called Foundation. The shrine has left Greece for the first time in the history of its stay in the Vatopedi Monastery.
"One of the reasons why we asked the Vatopedi Monastery to bring the belt of the Mother of God to Russia is demographic situation in our country. We think this shrine will arouse interest to spiritual revival of our society, to family values," head of St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation and head of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin told journalists on Athos.
On November 19, the Belt will be delivered to Moscow, on November 23 it will come back to Athos. Mostly women come to kneel down before the reliquary with the Belt as they are not allowed to the Holy Mount.
For many years Vatopedi monks have done small belts, blessed them on the belt of the Mother of God and spread among the believers. As usual they take a bobbin with 300 meters of ribbon, which is blessed on the reliquary with a special prayer. Then the bobbin is handed over to the monks: they divide the fabric for meter and a half belts, twist them and put into plastic bags together with the text telling about the shrine and instructions how to pray and observe fast.
Orthodox believe that thanks to intercession of the Holy Virgin these belts help cure female infertility, bear and give birth to a healthy child. As the belt of the Mother of God is kept on Athos where women are not allowed, Russian women have a rare chance to kneel down before the shrine, pray for granting children, health to relatives and friends and prosperity to Russia.
"No one expected such a flow of believers... People stand in lines for 10-15 hours to kiss the Belt just for one second, to pray, to ask the Holy Virgin about something. They spent these ten hours in cold," he said in his interview with the Vechernyay Moskva daily on Thursday.Visit of the Holy Belt from the Vatopedi Monastery on Athos to Russia is organized by Andrew the First-Called Foundation. The shrine has left Greece for the first time in the history of its stay in the Vatopedi Monastery.
"One of the reasons why we asked the Vatopedi Monastery to bring the belt of the Mother of God to Russia is demographic situation in our country. We think this shrine will arouse interest to spiritual revival of our society, to family values," head of St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation and head of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin told journalists on Athos.
On November 19, the Belt will be delivered to Moscow, on November 23 it will come back to Athos. Mostly women come to kneel down before the reliquary with the Belt as they are not allowed to the Holy Mount.
For many years Vatopedi monks have done small belts, blessed them on the belt of the Mother of God and spread among the believers. As usual they take a bobbin with 300 meters of ribbon, which is blessed on the reliquary with a special prayer. Then the bobbin is handed over to the monks: they divide the fabric for meter and a half belts, twist them and put into plastic bags together with the text telling about the shrine and instructions how to pray and observe fast.
Orthodox believe that thanks to intercession of the Holy Virgin these belts help cure female infertility, bear and give birth to a healthy child. As the belt of the Mother of God is kept on Athos where women are not allowed, Russian women have a rare chance to kneel down before the shrine, pray for granting children, health to relatives and friends and prosperity to Russia.
Ministry in Tatarstan (...and you thought your job was difficult)
From time to time, we get interesting comments and reviews from a special friend of St. Elias, who, for the time being, will remain anonymous (denoted here as 'KD'.) We hope you enjoy this first offering. AK
If you ever thought that serving in multiple parishes as a priest, cantor, DRE, in the US was difficult, think about a ministry in Tatarstan.
The following three clips are in Russian. But, you don't really need to understand the language in order to understand what is being told.
All three YouTube clips tell the story of an Orthodox priest from the City of Zainsk which is in the Diocese of Kazan. Most of the village churches were destroyed by the Tatarstan Soviets beginning in 1917. As a result, the only people keeping the faith are either Muslims or Orthodox who would periodically travel to Zainsk or other cities or, those who were only told of the Faith as it was handed down from great-great-grandmother to great-grandmother to grandmother to mother to child.
This first clip is short and introduces the priest and a little part of his mission work. It is only a few minutes in length and is a Russian television report regarding the mission of what they keep referring to as 'auto-bus church' (автобус храм,) I should note that he is the Rector of a church in Zainsk but is mainly on the road all week long leaving the younger assistant priest at the City church. The side of the bus says "Eparchy of Kazan" and the front of the bus (instead of saying, #1 South Orange Avenue) reads "Christ is risen" From the clips I could not determine if it really was the Paschal season or if the bus, like Saint Seraphim of Sarov, always greets people with the declaration: Christ is risen!!!
This first clip was sent out by Father Serge Lukianov in one of his mass mailings to parishioners. You may know that Father Serge travels the US with the Wonder-working Kursk Root Icon. I pointed out to him that there is a large RV dealership in Lakewood, close to his home. He says he is now thinking of buying one and of calling it 'The Kursk Icon Express'. He has asked me to be the driver and bell ringer. Can you see the CBS documentary now: "On The Road With The Kursk Root Icon." Catchy? I know it's been done before. (But this might be my call to fame. Who knows?)
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| Wonder-working Kursk Root Icon arrives in Jordanville |
The other thing I like is that this video gives some of the sound of the singers and other forms of ministry going on from this mobile church.
Again, the majority of village churches were destroyed beginning in 1917. While the Muslims were limited in their religious life, they did not suffer as badly as the Orthodox Christians did (after all, it was the Tatarstan Bolsheviks that were persecuting the citizens. You can expect a little break for the Muslims from the Tatars). In this clip you also see the priest meeting a muslim cleric who shows him their mosque which is being restored to full use.
This clip also shows some social activity and the maintenance that has to be done on the bus whenever they return to Zainsk (remember, there are no auto-repair shops to go to in most countries).
I know it is a long clip. But, believe me, it is really impressive (from a mission point of view) to see how they are coping and missionizing in these areas - even if you don't understand the language they are speaking.
For my Canadian friends (especially if you happen to be a Redemptorist): could this auto-bus church help in serving those far flung farm churches of the Winnipeg Archeparchy and the Saskatoon Eparchy?
Think about it.
(Of course, in this case it is easier to be a Batushka and to raise your own choir)
KD
In the Holy Land, a changed Christian world
...and we thought we had language issues in our parishes . I bet the Romans wish they kept Latin now (AK)
JAFFA, Israel (AP) — The schedules for Mass at the two Roman Catholic churches in Jaffa, on Israel's Mediterranean coast, reveal a change that has dramatically, if quietly, altered the face of Christianity in the Holy Land.
The two Masses in Arabic for the town's native Arab Christian population are outnumbered by four in English, attended mainly by Filipina caregivers. Then there are others in Spanish, for South Americans; French, for African migrants; three South Asian languages, including Konkani, spoken in the Indian district of Goa; and, for a generation of Christians raised among Israel's Jewish majority, Hebrew.
In September, a colorful celebration for Indian Catholics alone drew 2,000 people. That's twice the total number of native Catholics in the parish.
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| "Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth." (Genesis 11:1-9) |
The newcomers include guest workers from dozens of different countries who provide the economy with cheap labor, and asylum-seekers from Sudan, Eritrea and elsewhere in Africa who sneak across the border from Egypt. And for the first time, there is a significant population of non-Arab Christian Israeli citizens, mainly immigrants from the former Soviet Union who, unlike Arabs, are fully assimilated into the Jewish Israeli mainstream.
Their presence has created new challenges for local churches that are simultaneously, like churches across the Mideast, facing the uncertain future of their local flocks. The numbers of Israel's 110,000 native Arab Christians have largely stagnated: They're not shrinking, but neither are they growing, as many young people leave for the West, squeezed by the conflict between Jews and Muslims and party to the general sense of neglect shared by Israel's Arab citizens.
Father Ramzi Sidawi, an Arab Catholic from Jerusalem, is the parish priest in Jaffa. Outside the church windows, he said, he now listens every day to children from Africa and the Philippines playing in Hebrew, the language of their schools and their parents' employers.
"You have to divide yourself, switch between languages. We have to serve everybody," he said. "The biggest challenge is to maintain the community united and not divided."
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| "Our Father" |
If one counts all of the people in Israel who are neither Jewish nor Muslim, these newcomers outnumber Arab Christians by more than five to one. The number of newcomers who are practicing believers is far smaller, but by some estimates they equal or outnumber the members of local churches.
"This creates concern for some that in the long term there could be a change in who the Christians of the Holy Land are, and concern about what will happen to the historic churches," said Amnon Ramon, who has researched these demographic changes as an expert on Christianity in Israel at the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies.
There are enough newcomers now for a Catholic cathedral in every major Israeli city, said Rev. David Neuhaus, who heads the Church's vicariate for Hebrew-speakers.
"We do not have enough clergy, and we do not have enough places to pray," he said. So services are held in ad hoc locations or in the existing Arab churches.
Clergymen now find themselves dealing with problems like Sudanese asylum-seekers trying to prove paternity without papers, choir members deported by Israeli immigration police, and children who go to Jewish public schools and are drawn not by their parents' Christianity but by the culture of their Israeli peers.
On a recent Sunday, the chapel at the Ratisbonne monastery in downtown Jerusalem rang with the sound of hymns in Tagalog, one of the languages of the Philippines. Most of the worshippers were women who serve as caregivers for elderly Israelis.
There were 5,000 Filipino workers in Israel when Father Angelo Beda Ison, a Manila-born Franciscan who tends to the local Filipino community, arrived in 1991. Today there are 40,000.
For the first time, the Catholic Church has to deal with Catholic kids who are assimilating into a Jewish majority. There are now several thousand children born to foreign workers who speak Hebrew as a first language, celebrate Jewish holidays with their classmates and are subject, like children everywhere, to the pull of the mainstream.
To bolster their faith, the local church has produced a catechism in Hebrew — "Meet the Messiah" — provides classes on Christianity in Hebrew and invites them to a Catholic summer camp, Rev. Neuhaus said. The church now has 25 clergymen tending to the transient populations, some brought in from the workers' countries of origin, he said.
Catholics are not the only Church dealing with demographic shifts.
Immigrants from the former Soviet Union began moving to Israel en masse in the early 1990s. Among the 1 million who came, about a third were not Jewish according to Jewish law but qualified for citizenship because they had a Jewish spouse or lineage. Among them were an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 practicing Christians, mostly Orthodox.
So the Russian Orthodox Church now holds services in Hebrew every week in Jerusalem.
"The Church never dreamed of such an arrival," said Father Alexandr Winogradsky, the priest who leads those services and a convert from Judaism originally from Ukraine. His job is to "try to acculturate the Church within the new Israeli culture and language."
Some of the new members, especially the young, are so assimilated into the Israeli mainstream they are uncomfortable entering a church, he said. Winogradsky goes to meet them, dressed in cassock and cross, for confession in cafes instead.
The tiny Ethiopian Orthodox Church, too, has been dealing with its own newcomers: asylum seekers from Eritrea reaching Israel in increasing numbers, smuggled in from Egypt by Bedouin. At a baptism ceremony on the Jordan River earlier this year, Eritreans were the most noticeable group.
These disparate groups of Christians share one trait — they have gone almost unnoticed by the majority of Israelis.
"This is a population that is present and absent at the same time," said Hana Bendcowsky of the Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations. "No one here knows anything about their lives."
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