www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Vespers, Matins & the Divine Liturgy Rubrics?

Is there a book or text anywhere that details the rubrics for the clergy and the altar servers during all Liturgical services?

"Ordo Celebrationis Vesperarum, Matutini et Divinae Liturgiae Iuxta Recensionem Ruthenorum”, Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Church, Rome, 1944 (Imprimatur from Eugene Cardinal Tisserant, available in translation from Eastern Christian Publications [secure.webvalence.com], 1996). [This is the official book for the Ruthenian Recension. It was promulgated for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church by their synod in 2004. It was rejected by Ruthenians in America in 2007.]

More accurately, it was never accepted or promulgated by Ruthenians in America.

Father Deacon Lance is correct that my post was not entirely accurate. In 1970 Bishop Emil of Mihalik promulgated the Ordo for his diocese, with some exceptions. The rest of the Church did not promulgate it at that time and the politics of the day forced a rescinding of the promulgation. The promulgation of the 2007 Revised Divine Liturgy did not formally repudiate the Ordo but the mandated changes effectively do so.

The Ordo is worth getting a copy of, and the study of Liturgy always brings insight.

For the Ruthenian Recension Ordo: The 1955 English translation, with some interesting footnotes and cross-referencing, can be viewed here [patronagechurch.com], and the Latin original here [patronagechurch.com]; and Bishop Emil Mihalik's letter is here [patronagechurch.com] .

Would the Ukrainian and Ruthenian be the same?

In principle, yes. In the USA, in practice, no. In the Eparchy of Uzhhorod-Mukachiv, yes. In the eparchies in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, the situation often varies.

Fr. Serge

For a real eye-opener get a copy of the Ordo Celebrationis with the 'exceptions' Bishop Nicholas Elko (Nick the Greek) wrangled from the Oriental Congregation. The 'exceptions' vitiate the entirety of the document. Eventually the Pittsburgh codicils became so notorious that Bp. Elko recalled all the copies he could. Fr. Archimandrite Januarius (Izzo) showed me his copy miraculously spared the Fahrenheit 451 treatment. I suspect that Fr. Archimadrite Serge (Kelleher) either has a copy or has seen it. It is 'living' proof that the RDL is not the first or only example of the wholesale repudiation of the magisterium when it applies to the liturgy among Catholics of the Byzantine tradition.

Were his directives actually approved by Rome?

It would be interesting to see this document.

It is astounding that the BCC would have, since 1965, a very good, complete English translation of the Ruthenian Recension Divine Liturgy, readily available in a variety of bindings and (probably) found in all its parishes, and somehow, to this day, not have it (or an updated version) as the actual standard and, in a basically complete form, generally used as such.

It was Bishop Daniel who asked for 23 derivations from the Ordo. He was granted 11 of them. Of those granted, almost all are small things and do not vitiate the Ordo.

The 11 exceptions granted:
No. 100: the kissing of the icon may be omitted. (During the prayers before the icons)
No. 116: the priest may bless the oblation with a sign of the cross.
No. 117: in the absence of a deacon the priest need not cense the apsidal icon and the icons in the sanctuary.
No. 118: the doors of the iconostasis may remain open during the entire time of the Liturgy.
No. 119: the petition for the Pope may be conjoined with the petition for the Hierarchy. (in the litanies)
No. 125: the censing may be anticipated during the reading of the Epistle.
No. 126: the Peace unto all! may be omitted. (before the Gospel)
No. 129: the mention of the civil authority may be omitted. (at the Great Entrance)
No. 130: after the Great Entrance the cover is not removed from the chalice.
No. 140: the desired prayer (longer Communion Prayer) may be preserved.
No. 143: the ablution may be made during the singing of May our lips be filled...

Archbishop Nicholas simply forbade the rubrics of the Ordo and required the 1905 Lviv Liturgicon rubrics to be followed. He also allowed (created?) an extremely abbreviated low Liturgy, eliminating the: Little Entrance, Troparia, Prokimen, Epistle, Alleulia, and all Litanies but the first.

Constantine, the UGCC Synod in 2006 decreed the Ordo Celebrationis to be obligatory. The two most common English versions in use in the UGCC are that (mentioned above) available from Eastern Christian Publications, and another older version of Fr. Matthew Berko based on the Rome Slavonic text printed by Redeemer's Voice in Saskatchewan. If you want to be "official" (whatever that may mean), only Fr. Berko's version carries an imprimatur (that of Metropolitan +Constantine of blessed memory). The ECP edition contains many more notes and supplementary information.

These are indeed 'modest proposals' on the part of Bishop Daniel. I had in mind the wholesale vitiation wrought by Bishop Elko of unhappy memory! I saw the document and could scarce believe my eyes!