The Ruthenian people under the Carpathian Mountains, besides their own liturgical chant (cf. Byzantine Leaflet Series, No. 23, 1981), developed another kind of religious singing, known as the Spiritual Songs. These devotional songs, by their simplicity and musical freshness, captivated the hearts of the people and were kept alive throughout the centuries mostly by oral tradition. Today they are considered a treasured part of our Ruthenian spiritual heritage. Continue reading →

One of the most popular and venerated Saints among the Ruthenian people is St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Archbishop of Myra in Lycia, Asia Minor, who died in the middle of the fourth century. His name is equally honored among the Christians of the East, where he lived and died, and of the West, where his precious and venerable relics, which secrete a miraculous ointment, called “Manna of St. Nicholas,” are preserved. Continue reading →

The Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the principal and the most ancient Byzantine Rite festival celebrated with great solemnity from its inception. Already in the fourth century it was called ” the Feast of feasts,” since by its solemnity it surpassed all other festivities as the “sun surpasses all other stars by its brightness” (cf. St. Gregory of Nazianz, Oration 45, 2). The commemoration of Christ’s resurrection in our Rite is indeed ” the day that the Lord has made,” therefore the faithful are encouraged to be ” glad and rejoice in it” (Ps. 118:24). Continue reading →

Liturgical chant became an integral part of Christian worship since Apostolic times in agreement with the admonition of St. Paul : “With gratitude in your heart sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God” (Col. 3:16) . Chant, especially in the Byzantine Rite, became an expression of liturgical piety of the faithful , who used to come together in their churches not only for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, but also for their common prayers, offering to God their ” sacrifice of praise” (Heb. 13:15). Continue reading →

We owe special veneration (hyperdulia) to the Blessed Virgin Mary, since She gave birth to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Lk. 1 :35), and thus She became the Mother of God. The Greeks called Her Theotokos, and the Ruthenians Bohorodicja, which literally means the God-Bearer. The title of ” Theotokos” was acknowledged to Mary by the Third Ecumenical Council, held in Ephesus in 431 A.D. Continue reading →

On the fifth Wednesday evening of Lent, the Byzantine Church celebrates the impressive Penitential Services with Prostrations, known to the Ruthenian people as-Poklony. These moving ceremonies, celebrated within the liturgical setting of the Lenten Matins, are concentrated around the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete (d. 740), which consists of 250 troparia divided into nine odes, with a prostration (Old-Slavonic: poklon-prostration, a deep bow) after each troparion. Hence it received the popular name: Prostrations or Poklony. Continue reading →