www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Eucharistic Adoration

haha, yeah I would believe it.

I usually answer (the smark aleck in me)

"Sorry that the Body and Blood of our Lord is getting in the way of your show."

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church practices Eucharistic Adoration. All are aware that it's a Latin devotion that's been adopted to Malankara devotional practice.

Some detective work here... The blogger has, I believe, innocently incorporated an "Eastern" image to indicate the overall context. His point is the text but unfortunately the picture, sandwiched between the title and text, certainly gives the impression that it is part of a "Benediction" service, which it is not.

I don't think, however, that it is at the transfer of the Gifts after Communion. For one thing, the deacon is outside the iconostas, rather than inside where at the transfer, having received the diskos from the priest and turning to the people, he would have departed to the Prothesis Table before the priest turns to face the people.

It looks to me to be at the Great Entrance.

Dn. Anthony

The priest in the picture posted on the blog is Fr. Terry Lozynksy; it is from a Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom celebrated at St. Demetrius Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Toronto (Etibicoke) back in the 80s which was included in the pan-Greek Catholic publication He Dwells in our Midst. So if the blogger is attempting to imply the picture represents a specific Melkite "Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament" service, he is wrong on two counts; this is not a Melkite celebration being pictured (it is Ukrainian Greek Catholic); and it is in the context of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom at the Great Entrance, even before the Epiclesis, and most certainly not a paraliturgical Benediction.

The blogger should note the real provenance of the picture, which might be from a copyrighted publication.

Fr. Serge has pointed out in a previous thread, and very correctly I would say, that elements of Eucharistic adoration are certainly found in the Byzantine rite lenten Service of the Presanctified.

Dn. Anthony

As has been pointed out, there is an experience of adoration at every DL wherein the priest proceeds post-communion to bless the congregation by holding the Holy Gifts aloft.

I think sometimes much is made of either having to justify why we don't do something in a fashion, or questioning why the Latins do in fact do some things in a fashion. I have come to pretty much accept that we just emphasize different things at different times, with neither thing being better or worse. I am certain you could still find Supplikatsia somewhere if you went looking (do they still do it at Uniontown?), and I would bet the farm that somewhere in this great big wide world there is a Latin parish with a tetrapod where Romans venerate icons somewhere...

Just one of those things... Doesn't bother me what they do, doesn't bother me we don't do it.

Slava Isusu Khrystu!

There are Ukrainian Catholic monastic communities that have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. There is a contemplative monastery of the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great in Ukraine that has Eucharistic Adoration and the contemplative monastery of the Sisters of Saint Basil the Great in Middletown, New York has Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament!

Peace,

John Doucette

Katie g
How did your Modern Catholic Thought class go? Was there a chance to remind your professor that the Eastern Church never had a Eucharistic heresy, so the development of public Eucharistic benediction has not been in need?

Is this really the case in the Western Church, though? We've had Eucharistic Adoration since the Middle Ages (circa 12th-13th centuries). The so-called Protestant 'Reformation' did not occur till later. I think this may have been in response to the Albigenses.

Things brings up an interesting question. In the Traditional Latin Rite there are ceremonial kisses (the solita oscula) of various objects handed to the celebrant as well as of his hands. As well, the faithful (men only; woman are exempt from this less it come across as 'unseemly') are supposed to kiss his hand when they go to the communion rail to receive candles at Candlemas, and palms on Palm Sunday. Were there more present that were lost over time?

Not sure, Byzantophile. I wasn't even aware of the kissing at Candlemas and Palm Sunday.

Alexis

C^ABA ICYCY XPUCTY !

Couple points of reason�

If you accept the date of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church splitting as 1054 then the East spared the catholic (small c) Church from ever having an Eucharistic heresy. The West has had Eucharistic heresies from the XI century, after the split so adoration in the West was needed, because the Eastern Church was no longer involved in safeguarding orthodoxy (small o) there. Adoration starting in the XII century seams right.

How can one think the faithful believe the elements are already transformed at the Great Entrance? It is customary at the Divine Liturgy to only bow from the waist during the Great Entrance as if (old world) public officials, representatives of royalty were parading. In contrast when the pre-sanctified gifts are transferred during the Great Lent we prostrate ourselves to the ground as if royalty itself were approaching.

Gestures are as important as words or music in teaching the faith.

Sorry it took me awhile to get back but I went home for a couple of days. I mentioned that but he already knew about it and we talked about it with the rest of my class. He is really very knowledgeable about the Eastern Rite. The questions came from a student in class who was the group leader for the day. We ended up talking about the Byzantine Catholic church so much that my class started to plan a field trip to my home parish, Annunciation in Homer Glen!

Katie,

Wonderful!!

Many years,

Neil

C. I. X.

Katie g

Wonderful! I�m glad your prof. is so understanding and classmates so open. It would be nice if Annunciation parish had some homemade cookies for them too.

Decades ago my daughter received a below average grade in religion, I went to see her teacher. I was determined to have her understand that since they were Roman and we were of a Greco Catholic perspective it was no reason to downgrade my child. The Irish nun informed me my kid wasn�t handing in her homework, then she ended the conference quoting St. John Chrysostom in Greek. Like March I came in like a lion but left like a lamb.