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Hello,

I travel every month for work and generally the closest church that I can get to is a Roman Catholic Church. Though sometimes there is an Orthodox church nearby, but not frequently. My question for you is what is a proper way to conduct myself at a Mass? Should I stand and pray as I would during a Divine Liturgy? Should I genuflect or can I bow as I would if I were referencing the icon? Do I kneel when receiving the Precious Body and Blood? When in Rome should I do is the Romans do I guess is the question. Thank you all and forgive me for any errors, this was typed using a speech to text feature.
I already asked the priest at our local church what I should do and I am submitting to his direction, but I thought I would ask and see what other Byzantine Catholics do when visiting a Roman church.
I also apologize if I posted this in the wrong category.

Christ is in our midst!!

Francis W.,

You ask
I've been in the same situation as a funeral director. I am tasked by my State Board to learn the customs of all those I serve. So wherever I am, I try to fit in out of respect for the people in another church than my own. In an Orthodox parish, I might seek a seat, but that's because I have physical issues with my legs.

That said, in a Latin parish--of which I am a member--a profound bow is the same as a genuflection. In fact, last year while I was on retreat, a priest told us that this was acceptable in any Latin parish. He backed it up by saying he had had two knee replacements and was not about to jeopardize his new knees by genuflecting. Receiving the Lord--that may vary by diocese. Many that I have been in mandate standing for reception. I myself have been under doctor's orders NOT to genuflect or kneel since 1993 after a severe work-related accident. I can only squat if I want to reach a lower level. My right leg has a bad habit of coming out of the hip socket as a result of a work-related accident that year. I have had a regular regimen to keep what are left of my stretched muscles and ligaments in place, but every once in awhile I can feel it move so I am very careful. My example of profound bow has encouraged many of my fellow parishioners with bad legs and bad knees to do the same thing.

Standing all through the liturgy would make you stand out. I recommend blending in; that's my practice and advice.

Bob

Hey I just joined the forum so I am obviously late to this discussion. But what our family does is just stand in the back of the parish where we won't become a spectacle to others. We make metanies and don't kneel or genuflect for anything. We are Byzantine no matter where we are. And 99% of Roman Catholics need to learn that we Eastern Catholics exist so I don't see a need to "do as the romans do".

Christ is in our midst!!

EasternChristian19,

Welcome to the forum. We hope your time with us will be spiritually beneficial.

Bob
Moderator

Thank you Bob. God bless you and grant you strength for the Great Fast!

I assume this means you would you find it acceptable to Roman Catholics to come to your church and kneel on the floor during the Anaphora, since they are Romans no matter where they are?

Personally, I don't really mind what other people do anywhere as long as they are reverent. But there are many who would prefer for others to "blend in" as far as possible out of respect for the location in which they are a guest.

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Plus.....we should ask ourselves in real sincerity....is our main purpose in attending "to.participate in communal worship?" or....... "to prove a point?" And the answer to that question can be our guide.

As long as they do it out of sight of everyone else, so as not to become a distraction/spectacle, then sure. Although there is a difference insofar that Rome allows all manner of variation whereas the Byzantine churches do not. On the Lord's Day we stand for prayer and never kneel per canon 20 of the First Holy and Ecumenical Council of Nicaea. Rome allows standing, kneeling, communion by one or both kinds, in the hand or on the tongue, etc. So there's room for us to express ourselves as Byzantine Catholics without "breaking the rules" (for lack of better words) whereas the Latin practice does not enjoy that same luxury with our "rules".