It is important to note that the Churches (i.e., mainly Catholic and Orthodox) that believe in the Real Presence do not see what is really in the Eucharist as a lifeless corpse and mere blood but as the whole Christ, … Continue reading
Category Archives: Learning About the Practices of Our Religion
In this article I have been spending some time on the concept of the Real Presence of Christ in Holy Communion/Eucharist. I believe that it is critical that we come to a true understanding of this idea. It seems that … Continue reading
I have been presenting some ideas about our belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. It is our belief that in the Holy Eucharist the bread and wine offered and consecrated are changed into the holy … Continue reading
One of the differences between our Ukrainian Greek-Catholic faith and Roman Catholicism, is our sacramental theology – our understanding of how the Mysteries are performed. In our Eastern experience of Christianity, there is no thought of trying to pin-down the … Continue reading
In the last issue of this article, which was before the feast of Christmas, I had already introduced the Holy, Holy, Holy prayer which takes place near the beginning of the Anaphora. It is the prayer, according to St. John’s … Continue reading
It is truly proper and just to worship our Triune God. This is what Jesus revealed to us. Our Divine Liturgy continues that which Jesus began, namely the worship of our Triune God by offering our very lives to Him … Continue reading
Perhaps the most sacred portion of our communal worship (i.e. Divine Liturgy) follows upon the recitation of the Creed of our faith. It is called the Anaphora (Greek ἀναφορά for offering up or carrying back). In the sacrificial language of … Continue reading
In the past, the gifts were prepared not behind the Iconastasis but in a side chapel. People would bring the bread and wine. As is the tradition in the Orthodox Church, people who were desirous of the priest praying for … Continue reading
As I stressed in the last issue of this article on the Divine Liturgy, the sobornal character of the Liturgy is something that we should think about when we gather for our communal worship of God. Truly one of the … Continue reading
As you probably know from experience, our Divine Liturgy is a concelebration of people and celebrant. This finds particular expression in the eucharistic prayers which are all, without exception, structured as dialogues. Every prayer is sealed by the gathering with … Continue reading