www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Vespers, Matins & the Divine Liturgy The Revised Divine Liturgy Second Antiphon

I know very little of the RDL so please excuse my ignorance.

I am a Latin Catholic learning more about the UGCC and the Byzantine-Ukrainian Rite. At the local Ukrainian parish I noticed that the Second Antiphon is missing from the Divine Liturgy booklets in the church. I also noticed it missing from the Basilian Missal & Prayerbook I bought a month ago. It is not said at the Liturgy as well. My 1950s Ukrainian Missal clearly has it in there. What gives?

The Ukrainain Synod approved omitting the second antiphon. The Rusyns used to omit the third. The Melkites have the option of only taking one antiphon.

Many thanks.

It may be taken (either the Second Antiphon with verses or the second Psalm of Typika) and is included in the 1988 altar Liturgikon. It is more often seen in its full use in Ukraine than North America. The Anthology includes it for those who wish to sing it. It is the perogative of the priest to take it or not.

I created small inserts from the 1988 Liturgikon text that can be laminated and taped or glued into the front or back covers of the small pew books to facilitate restoration of the Second Antiphon/Second Psalm of Typika without needing new pew books.

The Second Antiphon is always sung at the Divine Liturgy in Dubln. Why anyone would wish to omit it is a mystery to me.

Fr. Serge

Maybe this is a stupid question, but can somebody give me a logical reason as to WHY any Antiphon would be omitted?

Alexandr

This happens because the Byzantines are lazy and latinized and have it in their minds that we should be in and out of church in under an hour. God forbid we should actually get into the rhythm of praying. My suggestion to you is to visit an Orthodox church in the states or to fly to Dublin to see Fr. Serge. If you choose the latter, let me know I'll go with you.

Sadly or happily, whichever way you choose to look at it, I celebrated St. Nicholas Vespers tonight at St. Theodosius, one of the most beautiful churches around. Does anyone know if any of the Byzantine Churches celebrated full Vespers for the feast day? Vespergy doesn't count!

Such Charity!!!
Happy feast of St Nicholas!

Some times the truth hurts...sadly even on the vigil of a feast day that I can't celebrate at a local Byzantine Church. Sorry, it's just reality. We have to stop hiding from reality, it will be the death of our beloved Byzantine Church.

"Does anyone know if any of the Byzantine Churches celebrated full Vespers for the feast day? Vespergy doesn't count! "

Well our day isn't over yet here on the west coast. In years past our parish has celebrated the FULL vespers of St Nicholas, as well as other feasts. We will be doing the "vespergy" thing tonight though. I'm not a fan of the vesper-liturgy myself, at least I insist that if we are going to do "vespergy", ALL the stichera for the feast will be sung. Yes that makes our "vespergy" longer than a regular Sunday liturgy, (which already well over 80 minutes)!!!

JMTC

Steve

Sadly, the only answer I come up with seems to be to shorten the liturgical service.

A whole 80 minutes!!!! Don't pass out from overexertion. This is sad.


Alexandr

I know I am not a member of the BCC, but isn't the downward spiral of your Tradition sending up all kinds of red flags, fireworks, alarms? How can ALMOST everybody be so passive and just shrug their shoulders? You can reverse this nonsense.

Alexandr

Fortunately, I don't get overexerted.
Hey, for those who complain about liturgy under one hour this is long!!!
Yes it is sad. It also seems to be par for the course in the BCC. However, I don't make a point of denigrating our church publicly with comments like: "Byzantines are lazy and latinized" as posted earlier.

I wouldn't know an ROCOR Liturgy from an Old Rite Liturgy, but at the BCC that I go to, the Liturgy is always between an hour and a half to two hours. I guess it's not much to brag on as Alexandr's Liturgies sometimes span THREE hours.