The Divine Liturgy is the central experience of Faith for Byzantine Catholics. Through it, we participate in the supernatural life, receive inspiration for our spiritual lives, and are catechizedin a profound and foundational way. Simply meditating on the prayers of the Divine Liturgy totally immerses one in the mysteries of salvation and the teaching of the Church.
The Liturgy connects the whole Church - Her past, present, and future, uniting us with all the saints and angels, as well as the believers from all times (the Pilgrim Church, Suffering Church, and Glorified Church).
The Divine Liturgy is composed of three main parts:
The Byzantine liturgical year begins on September 1 by recognizing God as the Creator and Sustainer of all:
O maker of all creation, under whose control are the seasons and the years, being Our Lord, bless the beginning of the year with abundance and, through the intercession of the Mother of God, preserve our Country and the people in peace and save us.
The Byzantine liturgical calendar is inherited from the Old Testament and can be divided into three "seasons." The Season of the Nativity is "fixed," meaning that its dates do not change from one year to another. The Seasons of Pascha (Easter) and Pentecost are "moveable," meaning that they vary from year to year depending on the date determined for Easter.
Although each Feast Day is an opportunity to enter more fully into the mystery of our salvation, these 12 have particular significance.
Three of the Feasts are dependent on the date of Pascha:
In the Byzantine tradition, readings follow a one-year cycle taken from the "Apostol" and the "Evangelion."
The first reading is taken from the "Apostol," a selection from the writings of St. Paul and the other Apostles.
The "Evangelion" is the book that contains the selections from the Gospels, arranged in the order that they are read throughout the year.
The readings contained in these books are arranged according to themes of the liturgical year. During the year we read the entire New Testament except for Apocalypse.
The liturgical texts tell us that above all we fast to be reminded of our desire for God and our dependence upon His providence for our sustenance. Fasting is an important part of the Byzantine faith, finding it's roots in the Scriptures (Matthew 6:16). We observe four major seasons of fasting:
All services are sung with the full and active participation of the congregation. When we are attentive to the words we sing, we realize that we are truly singing our theology.
The Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Church uses a unique style of chanting called "prostopinije." This ancient style of chant developed in the Carpathian Mountains and is noted for its rich spirituality and beautiful simplicity. Because it follows rhythmic cadences of speech, it is easily learned and suitable for congressional singing.
In the singing of the liturgical services, the congregation is led by a single cantor or a group of cantors. The singing can alternate from a single voice, to alternating groups, or the entire congregation singing at once.
Byzantines Catholics 'glorify God with their bodies' (1 Corinthians 6:20) through different postures for prayer and worship:
From the iconography to the priest's vestments, the Byzantine Divine Liturgy is a feast of colors. Traditionally there is no set "color scheme" for the Byzantine tradition, apart from the guidelines for when light colors are to be worn, and when dark colors are to be worn.
Today, the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Churches in the U.S. follow this system of liturgical colors: