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This brings up an interesting question for us new to the Byzantine Rite. For us Latins local feasts are added to the calendar e.g. in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia we have the following local feasts added to (or upgraded in) the calendar: Immaculate Conception (Patroness of the Nation and Archdiocese); SS. Peter & Paul (Patrons of the Cathedral); Our Lady of Guadalupe (Patroness of the Americas); Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal (Patroness of Pennsylvania); etc. Also added would be the Anniversary of Consecration for the Cathedral; and for All Churches in the Archdiocese; and local saints; etc.

Is there a similar policy in the Byzantine Rite?

This is a completely different topic, so I am going to seperate this off into a new thread and transfer it to the section it would belong in.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+
Administrator

Dear Byzantophile,

A fascinating issue you bring up with respect to the Byzantine "Rite" (I think you really mean the BC and Orthodox Particular Churches, many of which follow the Byzantine Rite - a rite doesn't decide local commemorations, a Church can).

As obtained for the Latin Church until Pope Urban VIII, saints were canonized by the local bishops and monasteries. This still obtains in Orthodoxy where there is a plethora of local saints commemorations in various localities. (The RC Church, in 1913, abrogated the local commemorations of Saints, the feast of All Saints of Eire being the sole exception).

In addition, the East has the tradition of the local miraculous icons of the Theotokos especially (over 1,000 in Ukraine alone with the Pochaiv icon having just over 300 miraculous copies around the world, each of which was "canonized" as miraculous by the local church authorities).

And the RC bishops, although they can no longer canonize local saints or beatify them, they still do have the power and authority to declare local miraculous images and to hold indulgenced pilgrimages. (I connected with our old bishop who graciously bestowed this on our parish's icon of Our Lady of Zhirovitsi).

As for the local celebrations of patronal feasts recognized as church-wide feasts, the Eastern Churches do this with great zeal and gusto.

But the first time that the UGCC hierarchy moved unilaterally and without Rome's approval to establish a formal feast day was when the relics of Bl. New Hieromartyr Nicholas Charnetsky were "translated" and this event was enshrined with its own feast day. Rome was simply informed of this event and the creation of this new feast day.

(BTW, Bl. Nicholas Charnetsky was in Holy Eire for a Eucharistic Congress and he figures prominently in an icon with St Patrick that is in Fr. Sergius Keleher's Church in Dublin!).

Alex

As always, thank you for the semantical correction. LOL. What I was trying to say was 'Catholic sui juris churches of the Byzantine Rite' but Byzantine Rite seemed easier to type at the time.

As well many thanks for the information.

Dear Byzantophile,

I used to say "Rite" here all the time until I was told I wasn't . . .

Alex

Perhaps we should coin an acronym. How does CSJCBR sound?

Dear Byzantophile,

The Administrator has already shut down one thread . . . he may be on a roll, so be careful!

Alex

At the risk of unintentionally offending the moderators, they can be a little too 'Politically Correct' at times. There have been many good threads closed...

Personally, I was enjoying that last friendly exchange with you. Perhaps the next time they can suggest that, since the exchange was mainly between the two of us, we switch over to PM-ing rather than shutting it down for eveyone else. Hint, hint.

Dear Byzantophile,

Well, if you are suggesting the Administrator can be a bit on edge and quick to jump . . .

Frankly, I don't know how he manages to keep all those others in line as well as he does . . .

Have a great day!

Alex