Music Monday: More Chant
I’m feeling pretty basic today, so here’s an hour of Byzantine Chant:
Tag: Byzantine
Music Monday: The Cherubic Hymn
Continuing our Byzantine theme, today is the Cherubikon (The Cherubic Hymn):
We, who mystically represent the cherubim, and sing to the life-giving Trinity the thrice-holy hymn:let us lay aside all earthly cares, that we may welcome the King of All, invisibly escorted by angelic hosts. Alleluia.
Music Monday: The Thrice Holy
We’re going to be going Byzantine for the next few weeks. Today, the Trisagion (The Thrice Holy)…
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.
Music Monday: O Virgin Pure
Last week we had some Taizé chant, so I thought this week we’d have a Byzantine chant, “O Virgin Pure”:
Roman Catholics Say The Darndest Things: Part 2
A few days ago I began responding to the common reactions I hear when a Roman-Rite Catholic visits an Eastern-Rite parish for the first time. Last time I covered numbers 1-10 and today I’m going to finish the list with numbers 11-20 for “Roman Catholics Say The Dardnest Things”:
11. “What are the circles on sticks being carried around?”
These are called “rapidia” (or “flabella”). They are carried by altar servers in the Gospel procession and again when the bread and wine are brought to the altar. On them are pictures of angels. Symbolically, they remind us that our earthly liturgy touches Heaven.
Roman Catholics Say The Darndest Things
As I mentioned a few days ago, I have issued an open invitation to my friends to come with me to a Byzantine parish on Saturday, 29th June to celebrate the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul (if you’d like to come, just let me know).
I have already written quite a bit about the byzantine tradition and about my first visit to this parish, but I thought I’d put together a couple of short posts identifying some of the liturgical differences which may be encountered by my Roman Rite friends while on their visit at the end of the month.
I’ll finish the list in a few days, but here are numbers 1-10 for Roman Catholics Say The Darndest Things:
1. “Why does the outside of the building look so weird? Is it a mosque?!”
Eastern and western churches have different architectural styles, so expect to see domes rather than a spire.
Time for Confession?
Lent, the traditional season of penance, is drawing to a close. As we enter Holy Week I thought it might be helpful if I shared some of the prayers from the Byzantine Rite. These prayers are prayed by the priest as you stand before the icon of Christ prior to confessing:
God our Savior, through your prophet Nathan You granted the repentant David the forgiveness of his sins. You also accepted Manasseh’s prayer of repentance. In your love now receive your servants here present who repent for the sins they have committed.
O Lord, Who forgive offenses and pass over transgressions, overlook all that they have done. As You have said “I do not desire the death of a sinner, but that he should turn from his wickedness and live” and, another time, that sins should be forgiven even to “seventy-times-seven.” How incomparable is your goodness and how limitless your mercy; for if You were to take notice of iniquities, who should be able to stand? You are the God of the repentant and we glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.
Behold my spiritual child, Christ stands here invisibly and receives your confession. Therefore, be not afraid or ashamed and conceal nothing from your confessor, but tell without hesitation all that you have done so you shall have pardon from our Lord Jesus Christ. Behold his holy image is before us and I am but a witness bearing testimony before Him of the things which you have to say, but if you shall conceal anything you shall have the greater sin. Take heed, therefore, lest having come to the Physician, you depart unhealed
Might it be time to go to the Sacrament of Confession?