Dear MariM:
You might find the following website helpful/interesting.
It has some great photos of what goes on during Great and Holy Friday and Pascha. You can also look on the Church Calendar to find out what services are offered during the Great Fast. It even has a few recipes for the Great Fast!
There is also some general stuff on Liturgy, the Hierarchical Liturgy, various Church customs etc.
It's:
http://www.saintelias.com/ The site has been cited here by members of the Forum [who are actually parishioners there], so it comes with a certain "imprimatur"...kind of.
Anyways, nice colour photos are always fun.
As far as the Orthodox literature issue. Yes, I take RobertK's point. Some jurisdictions are rather polemic vis a vis their views of Catholics in general. And in general, the whole Eastern Catholic Churches phenomenon is problematic for some Orthodox. But we understand that, of course. (Catholics have even been known to be polemic...)
However with that Caveat, I personally have never been disturbed by any anti-Catholic polemic in serious Orthodox theological writings.
I know that I want to be in Communion with Rome and I really believe in that Mission/ideal/vision/etc. of BOTH maintaining inter-Communion with Rome AND at the same time working/praying/etc. for reconciliation with/return to our Orthodox mother Churches [without breaking interCommunion with Rome and the other Catholic Churches].
So having said that, I have no real hesitation in using Orthodox theological writings....because, after all, that is what we [Eastern Catholics] are, viz. Orthodox. We are [or should be and are called to be] Orthodox in theology, spirituality, Church discipine, etc. [though "Orthodox-in-Communion-with-Rome", as our theologians put it]. This is the Church God gave us and the Church God's grace called us to for our Salvation, peace and joy - unworthy though we be.
Besides which, the Orthodox theological writings are generally absolutely Excellent and we use it without qualm in our Theology academies (where we even have Orthodox Professors) and seminaries and parishes here anyways. And how can we "return to our roots" otherwise?
Some specifically Eastern Catholics authors that come to mind presently are such as: Fr. Andrij Chirovsky, Fr. Peter Galadza [both published in the journal "Logos" from the Sheptytsky Institute in Canada], Archbishop Joseph Raya, and of course the famous Bishop Elias Zogby {a Council Father, no less}]- the later 2, Melchites.
Hoping that you will "enjoy the ride"!
cix
herb.
ps: another recommendation just came to mind [this time on the Orthodox side]: ANY writings by Frederica Matthewes-Green [a "Panyi Matka" {priest's wife} in the Antiochean jurisdiction and an Excellent writer {and from a Woman's point of view}]! Try "Facing East" interesting, theological, informative, entertaining, prayerful, funny and inspiring! here's a link:
http://www.frederica.com/ [ 08-25-2002: Message edited by: Herbigny ]
