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My wife saw this on Drudge this morning, and it is clearly not a Catholic Church - not even an Eastern Rite one. They carefully don't show the priest (which would give it away).

This has to be a Russian Orthodox Church.

Surely, if you are trolling for Catholic singles, you can show a Catholic church? Yes?

'scuse me !

Why not an EC Church ? Nowt wrong with that Iconostasis - could be either EC or EO

It's just , I suspect , a stock photo which looks good

The feel of the decorations around the iconstasis, and the presence of what seems like a stained glass window in the sanctuary, leads me to believe it is a Greek Catholic church, probably Ukrainian, probably in Canada.

I'm just speaking from my experience, but I'm quite sure it is not an EC Church. I've seen EC Churches and Ukrainian Churches. They usually have a more open iconostasis, and never resemble a class Russian Cathedral, as this does. IMHO, this has Russian Orthodox written all over it.

Specifically, I've only seen the sky high iconostasis in Russian Churches.

I'll happily be corrected, but I'm pretty sure it is an Orthodox church. Again, if anyone knows specifically what parish it is, I'll be happily corrected.

On another note, it is kind of disingenuous to portray this photo on a Catholic Match site.

I was in L'viv this past summer studying Ukrainian, and saw Iconostasis like this one in a few churches: EC; not EO.

I suspect it could well be as StuartK describes.

So, what are we? Chopped liver? I could be cruel and suggest they wanted a church that really looked like a church.

Actually, if you look close at the icon next to the Deacon door on the right, it appears to be an icon of St Iov of Pochaev. Which would kind of rule out it being an EC iconostas.

I know that this is fun wondering about what kind of church is in the picture, but how about cracking the mystery by e-mailing these people!?

Ray

The photo could be of either a Byzantine / Greek Catholic or an Orthodox temple (I have no idea). If you look through the holy doors at that site it looks like a very western Savior in what seems to be a stained glass window. But that again could be in either a Byzantine Catholic or Orthodox temple.

Higher tiered icon screens are not that unusual in Byzantine Catholic Churches.

This thread has a photo of the original icon screen from Windber. They style was almost universal in the churches built late 19th and early 20th century.

Here is one at St. George the Great Martyr Byzantine Catholic Church in Aliquippa (not the best picture and before the walls were done):

I cannot say which Church the one in the picture belongs to, but I have certainly seen Greek Catholic Churches that look exactly like that. I have also seen Orthodox Churches with a more open icon screen like many Greek Catholic Churches have.

Father John,

There are some Greek Catholic churches that have a very traditional (even sky-high) iconostas. Some Greek Catholic parishes have a more open iconostas but there are some (even newer parishes) that have a more traditional look. Next time you're in the Phoenix-Mesa area, look up St. Thomas Byzantine Catholic Church in Gilbert. It's quite a beautiful temple (and my former spiritual home). It's interior dates from the early 90s.

Not sure why showing the priest would give it away. I know many Greek Catholic priests with full beards and that wear highback phelons. I also know many clean shaven Russian Orthodox priests that wear Greek style phelons.

Perhaps a bigger giveaway are those bare shoulders on the bride.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Just say its an "Orthodox Greek Catholic" Church and call it a day. LOL! ;-)

I think it should be Greek Catholic Orthodox Church.

Brethren, I stand corrected - and want to assure you that I was speaking from my own experience of such Churches.

Thanks also for your kind and good-humored responses!