Although I am sure that all of my readers already know that our Church embraces the theology, liturgy and traditions of Christianity originally established by the Church that developed in the Byzantine Empire, it, like all other Eastern Churches, has over the years developed its own particular customs and traditions.

For example, we have our own particular common chant. While the melodies may be similar to those of other Slavic churches, they are unique to us. Further, we have a number of customs and traditions around the celebration of major feasts which may be unique to our Church.

During the first years of our Church’s presence in this country (USA), it embraced, because it was Catholic instead of Orthodox, to imitate many of the Western Catholic pietistic and religious practices. For example, Stations of the Cross became very common even though they were never a part of Eastern Christianity. Also, such things as May Marian Crownings and Benedictions became very popular. There was even a time when our parishes were without iconastases, which is a very important feature of our Byzantine Eastern Christianity.

During the Second Vatican Council, the Western Catholic Church stressed the importance that Eastern Catholic Churches should make sure that they embraced those traditions and practices which were the original inheritance of our Church. That is why many of the practices that were prevalent some 50 years ago, are no longer practiced. It is not a matter of being right or wrong but being more authentic to the spirituality of our Church.

What many people do not understand is that because our spirituality and theology are truly different from that of the Western Catholic world, our practices and “ways of doing things” must be different from the Western Church.

To be Catholic does not mean that we have to embrace the theology and spirituality of the Western Church.  To be Catholic means that we are in “communion with” the Western Church. It does not mean that we embrace its spirituality or its traditions or, even, its ways of expressing the Catholic Faith. We are as Catholic as the Roman Catholic Church, albeit different.

I know that this may be difficult for some to understand. It is what makes us a Chur