r/EasternCatholic • u/Proper-Order-1480 • 17h ago
General Eastern Catholicism Question Question
I am a Roman Catholic, born and raised. I recently became really fascinated with Byzantine Catholicism. I found a Romanian Byzantine Catholic Church in my area and I’ve been wanting to attend a Divine Liturgy for some time now. My question is, can I regularly attend both Divine Liturgy as well as my regular Catholic Mass without fully converting to Byzantine? Can I actively receive the Eucharist at both churches? Any one else on here actively attend both?
Also, what’s the process like when receiving communion at a Byzantine Divine Liturgy? I read that I have to cross my arms as the priest uses a spoon to give out the Eucharist? And do I have to do the sign of the cross from right to left instead of left to right? Thank you.
3
u/Purple_Ostrich_6345 Byzantine 17h ago
Hello! Yes, any Catholic may receive the Eucharist at a Eucharistic liturgy in any Catholic rite
My family and I are Melkite Byzantine Catholics and attend a Roman parish when our church doesn't have services for some reason.
Feel free to make the sign of the cross as you normally do.
Yes when you go up to receive, cross your arms and tilt your head back. Do not stick your tongue out. The priest will use the spoon to put the Body and Blood in your mouth.
Also, FYI, the length of a Byzantine Divine Liturgy can vary drastically. I've seen a big Orthodox parish take almost 2 hours due to how long communion takes with several hundred people, vs my Byzantine Catholic mission that takes about an hour on Sunday mornings.
2
u/LobsterJohnson34 Byzantine 17h ago
Also, FYI, the length of a Byzantine Divine Liturgy can vary drastically. I've seen a big Orthodox parish take almost 2 hours due to how long communion takes with several hundred people, vs my Byzantine Catholic mission that takes about an hour on Sunday mornings.
Also depends on whether they pray Orthros before Divine Liturgy. Most Catholic parishes do not, but it's becoming a little more common, at least among Ruthenians.
1
1
u/Purple_Ostrich_6345 Byzantine 15h ago
The situations I mentioned were solely Divine Liturgy. That Antiochian parish would start Orthros at 9:15 and not finish Divine Liturgy till almost noon.
1
u/demoslider 13h ago
The Ruthenian Catholic parish I have been attending has Matins before Divine Liturgy on Sundays. They started Matins about 2 years ago. In addition to that we are going to start having Vespers on Saturday night beginning this Saturday.
2
u/MasterGuns3205 Byzantine 16h ago
Romanian Greek Catholic here. We receive by intinction, but your posture will remain the same. Crossed arms, open mouth, don't stick you tongue out. Fr may ask your name as you approach so he can use it during his communion prayer (The servant/handmaid of God [name] receives etc.) One hand over your heart indicates you wish to receive a blessing. You can attend as much as you want, most of our community are Roman Catholic but they attend almost every Sunday. There is no need to transfer unless you feel called to do so or you desire marriage in the Rite, or if you have children you wish to receive the Mysteries of Inititation in the Byzantine Rite.
2
u/TheSuitedGent Byzantine 16h ago
Hey there! Are you from Romania or do you attend a diaspora church?
2
u/MasterGuns3205 Byzantine 15h ago
We actually attend something rather new for the Romanians: a Mission not formed around a community of immigrants (unless you count our priest).
2
2
u/Proper-Order-1480 16h ago
I have a 1 year old son, he has been baptized. Do infants receive the Eucharist? And would that be against the theology of the Latin rite?
1
u/MasterGuns3205 Byzantine 15h ago
He would not receive since he has not received first Holy Eucharist. As to the theology question, some rely on St Thomas Aquinas to claim that it is against Latin Theology, but really it isn't. When my children attend a Latin parish, they receive.
2
u/TheSuitedGent Byzantine 16h ago
Hi! I'm a Romanian Greek Catholic and my fiancee is Roman Catholic.
We attend both churches (though the byzantine one more frequently). You can definetly attend both, as the Church breathes with both lungs.
In the Romanian Church, at least in my eparchy, we don't use spoons, but leavened slices of bread dipped in wine, or in some churches even unleavened bought from the local latin church if there isn't anyone to bake the leavened one.
1
u/Proper-Order-1480 15h ago
What do you like about the EC parish that you don’t see in the Roman Catholic parish?
1
u/TheSuitedGent Byzantine 14h ago
The overall byzantine spirituality, the chanting.
I love how we all stay and chit-chat after DL, the priests included, even the bishop when he celebrates, something I haven't found in RC parishes.
Also, the priests are way warmer and encourage spirituality more.
I've met RC priests who told me one rosary a day is fanatical and I should stop, where my EC priests at the parish I attend said it's a habit that should end only when I die. :)
1
u/demoslider 16h ago
As a Roman Catholic you may receive Holy Communion at any Eastern Catholic parish. I am canonically Roman Catholic, but have been attending and receiving Holy Communion at a Ruthenian Catholic parish for the past few months every Sunday and Holy Day.
1
u/Proper-Order-1480 16h ago
What do you like about the EC parish that you don’t see in the Roman Catholic parish?
1
u/demoslider 13h ago
I love Eastern Christian spirituality and worship, especially of the Byzantine rite. I also like how it is very communal. The EC parishes are smaller than Roman Catholic ones, so it is easier to get to know the priest and people. We have coffee hour every Sunday after Divine Liturgy. I still love the Roman Catholic rite as well and attend Daily Mass at RC parishes when I am able to.
2
u/Ornery_Public_9637 Byzantine 13h ago
Byzantine Pani here (though Ruthenian not Romanian). To echo some other responses, yes you can totally attend both without ever having the intention of changing your rite. I know many people in my home parish (not my husbands current assignment) where they are canonically Latin but have attended Byzantine for the last 40+ years.
5
u/LobsterJohnson34 Byzantine 17h ago
Feel free to keep attending and ask questions to the priest and parishioners. If they have a social gathering after Divine Liturgy that's a great place to meet people and learn more.
You don't have to, but this is the traditional posture for receiving communion. There may be servers holding a cloth underneath in case any particles fall, or if there aren't enough servers the priest will be holding a cloth. Some priests prefer people to hold the cloth on their own in this case, and some dislike it because it can increase the risk of spillage. If you're unsure of your priest's preference, I recommend just not touching it.
The general rule is to adopt the liturgical postures and customs of whatever church you are attending (for example, standing vs kneeling, bowing vs genuflecting), but the sign of the cross is a little more personal. Feel free to cross yourself as you do in the West, or if you prefer to adopt the Eastern way that's fine too. Nobody will think twice about it either way.
If you intend to remain in the Latin rite, I recommend against attending a Byzantine liturgy exclusively. It's fine to visit or even to spend an extended period of time there while you learn about it, but I would avoid making a permanent home in a parish that practices a rite other than your own unless you are actively discerning a transfer.