Worship at St.
Nicholas Parish
Worship in the Eastern Catholic tradition is
marked by theological richness, distinct cultural expression, and profound
reverence. The Liturgies of the Eastern Catholic Church are almost entirely
sung. At St. Nicholas there is a
Saturday evening Liturgy celebrated in English and Sunday morning Liturgy
celebrated in Ukrainian and English.
At the heart of Eastern Catholic worship is the Divine
Liturgy. While the Divine Liturgy is, in its essence, the same Eucharistic
celebration as the Mass, its outward expression is a bit different from what
most Catholics experience in the Western, or Roman, rite. There is also the use
of icons and gestures and a different emphasis in the practice of spirituality.
The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is the
most commonly celebrated Liturgy at St. Nicholas parish. St. John Chrysostom
(ca. 349-407) was the patriarch of Constantinople
and a Father and Doctor of the Church.
Divine Liturgy
The essential elements of the public worship of
the Catholic Church, in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist and the administration
of the sacraments, are the same in all Catholic rites. What is called the
"Mass" in the West is called "Divine Liturgy" in the
Eastern Churches.
The rite celebrated at St. Nicholas parish is the Byzantine rite, which
originated in the ancient Church at Constantinople.
The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is most often used within the Byzantine
rite, but is not the only Liturgy available.
Worship in the Ukrainian Catholic Church is characterized by a great sense of
God's holiness, a reverence for the sacred, a humble dependence on the power
and mercy of God and faith in the intercessory power of the Mother of God and
all the Saints. There is a strong tradition of congregational singing without
instrumentation, with traditional melodies adapted to our liturgical texts.
The Liturgy consists of three main parts:
- The
Preparation, during which the priest prepares the bread and chalice
for Communion.
- The
Liturgy of the Word, which includes particular readings, prayers
and a homily.
- The Liturgy of Sacrifice, the main part of
Divine Liturgy when the Creed is recited, the Holy Gifts are Consecrated
and Communion is received.
The Preparation
Prior to Divine Liturgy the priest prepares the
bread and wine which will be consecrated during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Reciting Scripture passages from the Prophets and the Gospels which speak of
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, he cuts small loaves of leavened bread into
smaller pieces which will be distributed as Holy Communion. He remembers and
prays for the needs of the living and the deceased.
The Word
During the Liturgy of the Word the focus is on the
proclamation of the Gospel - the Good News of Jesus Christ - as recorded in the
Scriptures. The major portions are as follows:
- Opening
Doxology: "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit." Our worship, which is a participation in the
Kingdom of God, is always focused on the One
God who is Three Persons.
- Great
Litany: Here we pray for our various needs, asking the Lord to have
mercy on us.
- The
Antiphons: These Psalm verses are joyful expressions of praise in
which we thank God for His gracious works of love, mercy, and salvation.
- Hymn
to Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God: We proclaim that Jesus, the
Incarnate Second Person of the Trinity, is true God and true man.
- The
Little Entrance: All are solemnly invited to worship the risen Christ
as we pay homage to his presence in the Holy Gospel.
- The
Troparia and Kontakia: In which we hear the theme of the day's
Liturgy.
- The
Trisagion: We glorify the Holy Trinity with these words: "Holy
God, Holy and Mighty, holy and Immortal, have mercy on us." Following
these introductory hymns, the Scriptures for the day are read in this
order:
- The
Prokimenon: A responsorial Psalm.
- The
Epistle: Taken from the New Testament, this usually addresses a
particular aspect of the Christian life.
- The
Alleluia: Two Psalm verses separated by the singing of
"Alleluia," which means "Praise the Lord."
- The
Gospel: The public proclamation of the Word of God, taken from one of
the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. We always stand during the
reading of the Gospel.
- The
Homily: The sermon in which the priest proclaims the Good News of
Christ while applying it to our daily lives.
The Sacrifice
"In the Liturgy of the Church, it is principally his own Paschal
mystery that Christ signifies and makes present." [CCC 1085]
Having been fed by the Word of God, we now turn to the central mystery of our
faith - participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ through the
celebration of the Eucharist. "Eucharist" refers to the Body and
Blood of Christ; it literally means "thanksgiving," and it expresses
our gratitude for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life we receive in Holy
Communion. "Primarily in the Eucharist . . . the Liturgy is the
memorial of the mystery of salvation." [CCC 1099]
The Liturgy of the Sacrifice is as follows:
-
The Great Entrance: While the Cherubic Hymn is sung, the bread and
wine are brought to the altar. We are invited to unite ourselves with the
angels in worship and to "lay aside all earthly cares so that we may
receive the King of All."
-
The Creed: A declaration of our common faith in the Trinity, the deity
of Christ, and other tenets of the Catholic Church.
-
The Eucharistic Prayer: Recalls the institution of the Eucharist by
Christ at the Last Supper and proclaims the holiness and love of God through
the death, resurrection, and ascension of the Saviour.
-
The Consecration: The gifts of bread and wine are changed, by the
power of the Holy Spirit, into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
-
The Commemorations: These help us to recall all those for whom our
sacrifice is offered.
-
The Lord's Prayer: Our acknowledgement that God is our Heavenly
Father.
-
Prayer Before Communion: We profess our faith in Christ’s real
presence in the Eucharist, and ask Him to make us worthy to receive Him in the
sacrament.
-
Reception of Holy Communion: The climax of the Liturgy, when we
partake of the Eucharist, "the source and summit of the Christian
life." [CCC 1324] By partaking of Holy Communion we fulfill the purpose of
our worship by uniting ourselves with Christ "for the forgiveness of sins
and unto life everlasting." After receiving the Eucharist, we express our
thanks by worshipping the Trinity who saves us:
-
We pray to depart in peace, in the name of the Lord, in order to bear
witness to Christ, our Saviour and Lord.
-
We pray for salvation and guidance during the closing prayer recited by
the priest in the center of the Church.
-
We receive the Lord's blessing, proclaimed by the priest through the
veneration of the Cross, and take a piece of the Antidor (blessed
bread). Pieces of this bread, which is not the Eucharist, are especially for
those who could not receive Communion and for those who could not come to
Liturgy.
"In the earthly Liturgy we share in a foretaste of that heavenly
Liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we
journey as pilgrims, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God, Minister
of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle. With all the warriors of the
heavenly army we sing a hymn of glory to the Lord; venerating the memory of the
saints, we hope for some part and fellowship with them; we eagerly await the
Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, until he, our life, shall appear and we too will
appear with him in glory." [CCC 1090]
Eastern Catholic Spirituality
Our History & Our Faith