www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Question about a Solemn Feast.

Sunday at St. George's, our Byzantine parish here in the Pacific NW, our pastor announced that Thursday was the Solemn Feast of St. John the Baptizer and that Vespers and Divine Liturgy would be celebrated on Wednesday night. In our Roman Catholic background this was not a Holy Day for us. I am not sure if in the Byzantine Rite this is the same as a Holy Day of Obligation. Anyway, we are driving in for it. I think it is wonderful to honor St. John the Baptist as the Byzantines and Orthodox do. My question is: Is this is the same as a Holy Day of Obligation(Roman rite) and whether all Solemn Feasts in the Byzantine rite are obligatory for attendance at Divine Liturgy. Appreciate your imput.


Blessings and gratitude,


Mary Jo

In the Pittsburgh Metropolia the Holy Days of Obligation are:

Christmas
Theophany
Ascension Thursday
SS. Peter & Paul
Dormition of the Mother of God

However, traditioanlly the East does not have Holy Days of Obligation but simply celebrates Feasts with varying degrees of solemnity. The degree of solemnity being determined by whether Divine Liturgy is celebrated and the way Vespers and Matins are done. The Great Feasts have Great Vespers with Litia (if not All-Night Vigil) Matins with Polyeleos and Divine Liturgy. For the Slavs these Great Feasts are

Of the Lord:
Nativity
Theophany
Meeting in the Temple
Palm Sunday
Ascension Thursday
Pentecost
Transfiguration
Exaltation of the Cross

Of the Mother of God:
Nativity of the Mother of God
Presentation in the Temple
Annunciation
Dormition

Of the Saints
Nativity of the Forerunner
Beheading of the Forerunner
SS. Peter and Paul

Fr. Deacon Lance

Deacon Lance,

Our parish (Ruthenian)is in the Eparchy of Van Nuys. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. From what you have written I would ask whether the Nativity of the Forerunner or Beheading of the Forerunner could be what is being celebrated tonight in the Vespers and Divine Liturgy. I will find out. Thanks so much. Am assuming Pascha(Easter) is also a solemn feast in the East although you have not included it in the list. Unless it is in a special category or I am missing something. Thanks for such a prompt reply.


Mary Jo>of many years but still learning.

Mary Jo,

The Eparchy of Van Nuys is part of the Pittsburgh Metropolia.

The Nativity of the Forerunner, June 24 ,is what is being celebrated. The Byzantine Liturgical day starts the evening before so evening Jun 23 is Jun 24. Sorry I didn't post dates with the Feasts.

Pascha is the Feast of Feasts and is outside of the ordinary designations.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Dear Deacon,

Great!! That does answer my questions. I love this website where people are so willing to be helpful. Thanks and may yours be a blessed day.


Many years....


Mary Jo>who just learned something new.

A group of friends all of which have Germany and or Northern Europe in common gather every 23rd of June and celebrate Jonsok, the eve of St John the Baptist.
We have a moleben in his honor, a bondfire and then a festive meal and music.
Stephanos I

Dear All:

For the sake of comparison, while the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is considered a "Solemn Holyday" in most Byzantine calendars, it is also called a "Solemnity" in the current Roman Rite ordo. Neither calendars, Roman or Byzantine keep it as a holyday of obligation (where this terminology is used), but it is considered a major feast by both. While our tradition keeps it with the customary Great Vespers with Litija, Matins, Divine Liturgy, etc, the Roman usage also solemnizes it with a separate Vigil Mass celebrated on the eve of the holyday and a different "Mass During the Day" to be used on the day itself.

Just for the information, the Roman calendar also knows a particular distinction between ranks of important feasts, using "solemnity" for the greatest, "feast" for the next in line of importance (often for the days of the Apostles, etc), memorial and "optional memorial." Our current Byzantine calendar uses simply solemn and simple holydays, with daily commemorations of the saints being left to local usage, as to what extent they are solemnized.

So, both traditions consider this day (June 24) one of solemnity. The other major holyday honoring the Baptist is that of his "Beheading" on August 29. This too is an important day and one of fasting in the Byzantine tradition. It does not however hold the title of "solemn holyday" or "solemnity," but rather is considered (at least in our usage) as a "simple holyday." These distinctions between "solemn" and "simple" were devised, to the best of my knowledge in the 1950s, when Bishop Elko and his contemporaries tried to devise a calendar that would be practical to modern life. As mentioned above, in addition to these distinctions, certain "major" holydays received the title of "obligation" in imitation of the Roman custom. While strictly not Byzantine in flavor, the idea of making certain important liturgical days obligatory does bring more people to church. We must weigh the pros and cons of these measures.

In conclusion, besides Our Lord and the Mother of God, the Baptist is the only other individual whose birth and death are celebrated on the liturgical calendar, thus indicating the importance of his role in salvation history.

God bless you all,

Fr. Joe

Slava Isusu Christu!

There are many pagan customs associated with the longest day that have been new Christian meaning and have transfered to the Feast of St. John the Baptist.

In Croatia, the IVANCICE or St. John's Maidens going from house to house in the village and singing songs telling of summer and it's warm days and the coming harvest.

The telling of fortunes in Slovakia using melted lead and the jumping of bonfires and the throwing of wreaths of flowers into streams and rivers to encourage the coming a young girl's "intended".

This may be why it is such religious importance.

JHMO...

A Blessed Feast to all of our Johan's & Johanna's

mark

Yes, the jumping of bonfires was common in Scotland for "Mid Summers' Night Eve. (June 24).
In Italy, the Feast is a Holy Day of Obligation as is the feasts of Ss. Peter and Paul, (Also, St. Joseph's Day).

While strictly not Byzantine in flavor, the idea of making certain important liturgical days obligatory does bring more people to church. We must weigh the pros and cons of these measures

But there is something I have always been curious about. Does attendance at one of the days of obligation bind under pain of sin in the Byzantine Rite as it does in the Latin Rite? I have never seen anything in print about this.