www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Saint John Paul II added to ECC liturgical calendars?

Considering all the positive things that Saint John Paul II did for the Eastern Catholic Churches (ECC), has there been any decision by any of the ECC to add his feast day to their respective liturgical calendars?

While we're on the subject, does anyone know if any Byzantine-rite Catholic Church is writing an office for Ss John and John Paul?

Or do we use the Common of Bishops from the General Menaion for the time being?

Patriarch Svyatoslav, when he was in Rome for the glorifications, did mention in his interview that both pope-saints were closely linked to the UGCC.

There is certainly nothing barring individual parishes and eparchies from celebrating their feastdays.

I know of UGCC parishes with icons of the "Pillars of Orthodoxy" including St Mark of Ephesus.

I'm almost certain they didn't ask their Eparch for permission for that . . .

When I meet His Beatitude the Patriarch on Sunday, I will put the question to him!

Alex

Well, there's a half-decent Akathist to St John Paul II online somewhere . . .

It has already been sung and I understand that Pope Benedict XVI has taken particular notice of it . . .

Alex

They lived saintly lives and deserve to be counted among the blessed, so I don't see why they shouldn't be added.

I hope to get icons of the two Pope Saints.

There is a stunning icon of St John Paul in the chapel of the theology department of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. If I can find my picture of it, I'll post it. He is on the East wall, along with 3 others whom I cannot remember.

Thank you Slavophile!

This evening, I had the privilege of briefly meeting with His Beatitude Patriarch Svyatoslav.

He gave me his blessing and imparted it to all Members of the Byzantine Forum.

I asked him if there were any plans to place the two new Papal Saints into the liturgical calendar of the UGCC, and while he praised both Popes, he said there weren't any as yet . . .

Alex

I hope you find the picture; I look forward to see it.

In Ukraine, there are two icons of Saint John Paul II which feature him with the Greek Catholic New Martyrs:

1) http://img.narodna.pravda.com.ua/images/doc/9/e/9ebc8-img00212.jpg

2) http://ntktv.ua/upload/resize_cache/iblock/2b6/400_322_2/MisijaCerkva211112.jpg

I believe it is inevitable that at least Saint John Paul II will be added to the UGCC liturgical calendar considering what he did for the emergence of the UGCC after decades of Soviet repression and his visit to Ukraine to beatify the Greek Catholic martyrs.

Here is a moving video of Saint John Paul II visiting the church of Saint Sophia in Rome following the death of His Beatitude Josyf Slipyj:

[Linked Image]

Saint John Paul II, pray for peace in Ukraine.