News

Byzantine rite is focus of event

By Patricia Kasten
Compass Associate Editor

GREEN BAY -- St. Francis Xavier Cathedral was filled with incense, the sound of bells and chanting, and the sight of ornate vestments. The priest faced the altar for much of the liturgy and people received Communion on the tongue, not in the hand.

However, this was not a Latin Mass. It was the Divine Liturgy of the Byzantine Church. Most of the celebration was in English, but Greek and Arabic verses were also sung. Communion was on the tongue, because the bread used is cut (by the priest) from a leavened (yeast baked) loaf and dipped into the wine.

The Divine Liturgy, which lasted nearly two hours, was part of Catechetical Leadership Day, sponsored by the diocesan education department on Jan. 10.

Fr. Philaret Littlefield, pastor of St. George Melkite Greek-Catholic Church in Milwaukee, was the celebrant and also spoke to the 60 catechists gathered from around the diocese about the spirituality of the Byzantine Catholic Church.

"I enjoyed the way he explained the differences," said Mary Wichmann of Oshkosh. "People always ask what the differences are (between the Eastern and Western rites), but we don't always share that."

Most people are familiar with Western church's format for the Mass, sometimes called the Latin or Roman Catholic rite. However, there is more to the Catholic Church and its liturgical life. The Byzantine rite belongs to the Catholic Church as it developed in the East, around the city of Constantinople (modern Istanbul), which became the center of the Roman Empire from the fourth to the 14th century. Both Western and Eastern churches share a common history and date to the apostles and the early church fathers. In fact, the Eastern Mass - properly called the Divine Liturgy - contains chants in Greek and Arabic, as well as the vernacular, because of their historical ties. (The Byzantine church acknowledges the pope as head of the church; the Eastern Orthodox church does not.)

Fr. Littlefield, who is also a monastic priest (the Byzantine rite has always allowed priests to marry), explained that differences between the two churches can be traced to the Roman Empire's influence.

In Rome, the governmental influence on laws, as well as the collapse of the governmental structure after the invasion of Germanic tribes, resulted in a more structured and legalistic approach to spirituality. In the East, the Roman empire continued for centuries and was able to focus more on a philosophical approach to spirituality, while its rites were influenced by the opulence of eastern cultures, leading to a more poetic and mystical approach to spirituality.

"The Western church's genius is law," Fr. Littlefield said, noting the contributions of St. Thomas Aquinas. "The Eastern church is more about poetry and mysticism."

The influence of St. John the Evangelist also guides the Eastern Church, where he is honored as St. John the Theologian. Fr. Littlefield said that John "learned true theology because he leaned on the breast of the Lord before his passion."

This difference of approach to spirituality shows itself in the worship. Fr. Littlefield said that Western churches are very structured about the Mass, with specific times for silence and everyone waiting their proper turn in prayer. He described the Eastern rite worship as "riotous."

"Silence doesn't make sense to us," he said, explaining that the Eastern liturgy is meant to be a personal experience - in the midst of community worship - of a God who is present and touchable in that very moment. So, he said, you will see people walking all around an Eastern rite church during worship, kissing and talking to icons, rushing ahead of each other in prayers and singing, and clouds of incense to remind us of heaven.

"I liked the idea that God is imminent," said Sue Johnson of Brussels, "and totally present with everything you do."

Most of those in attendance at the workshop were happy to begin to understand the differences between the two main branches of the Catholic Church, and how those differences are revealed in worship.

These include:

• Communion with leavened bread made by women of the community. The Eastern church believes that the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist, was on the day before Passover, the day of unleavened bread, as it says in John's Gospel;
  
  
• Holy Communion to infants - since infants are usually baptized and confirmed at once, they have the right to receive Communion;
  
  
• The belief that the Apostolic Age continues to this day through the apostles of today, who include the bishops and missionaries;
  
  
• The prominence of Mary, honored in the East as Theotokos (God-bearer), in the liturgy. (Her icon stands beside Christ's before the altar.);
  
  
• The lack of marriage vows, since marriage is not viewed so much as a contract (as it is in the West) as a coming together of the bride and groom before God and within the community;
  
  
• Only one "Sunday Mass," though there are other opportunities on Sunday for community prayer such as morning prayer and vespers in the evening;
  
  
• Fasting on both Wednesday and Friday all year, with no meat, dairy, fish or eggs during Lent (except on Sundays). But fasting rules are not binding - "if you can't do it, just try," said Fr. Littlefield.
  
  
• The obligation to worship in community. Fr Littlefield said that anyone who misses community worship - prayer or liturgy - for three Sundays in a row, has automatically excommunicated themselves. However, reconciliation is fairly easy, as long as the person resumes community worship.
  
  

Overall, Fr. Littlefield stressed, Eastern spirituality involves the realization that God chose to take on a human nature, not so much to take away our sins, but to help us become united to the divine nature and return to the relationship we had with God when we lived in the garden of Eden, before there was any sin. We are meant to walk with God.

Kathy DeNoble, pastoral minister at St. Mary and St. Francis Xavier parishes in De Pere, appreciated the workshop and enjoyed the liturgy that followed - a liturgy proclaimed as "holy things for holy people."

"What struck me most," DeNoble said, "was how much theology (you learn) when you say the prayers. These are things I teach a lot."