Rachel Evans
The Byzantine Catholic Church, officially known as the Ruthenian Catholic Church, is one of 24 self-governing churches in union with the Pope of Rome. Byzantine Catholics have their own unique traditions and practices, including the way they bless themselves. While they do make the sign of the cross, they do not follow the Roman rite practice of crossing hands over the chest as a signal to receive a blessing. Instead, crossing hands over the chest is the prescribed and proper posture when receiving Communion. Byzantine Catholics also have different practices surrounding Holy Communion, such as receiving from a common chalice and making prostrations during certain services.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Beliefs | Byzantine Catholics believe in the veneration of icons, where respect is shown to saints through their icons. This can take the form of bowing and kissing icons. |
| Liturgy | The Divine Liturgy is divided into three parts: The Preparation, Liturgy of the Word, and Liturgy of the Eucharist. |
| Liturgy Practices | During the Liturgy, there are select times when Byzantine Catholics kneel, such as during certain services in Lent and when approaching the image of the crucified Lord on Good Friday. They also traditionally make a slight bow or sign of the cross during blessings with incense at the start of Liturgy. |
| Communion | Byzantine Catholics are accustomed to receiving Holy Communion from a common chalice, with the priest using a small spoon to drop a particle of the Blessed Sacrament into the communicant's mouth. |
| Communion Posture | Crossing hands over the chest is the prescribed and proper posture when receiving Communion, not a sign to ask for a blessing in place of Communion. |
| Communion Prayer | The priest says a prayer on behalf of each communicant when giving Communion. |
| Priesthood | Unlike Roman Catholic priests, Byzantine Catholic priests can be married. |
| Icons | Byzantine Catholic churches are filled with icons, as they represent the presence of angels and saints during the Divine Liturgy. |
| Headcoverings | While not a requirement, some women parishioners may choose to wear headcoverings during the Divine Liturgy. |
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What You'll Learn
Crossing yourself
Crossing oneself is a common practice in Byzantine Catholic churches. This practice is also known as making the sign of the cross.
In Byzantine Catholic churches, crossing your hands over your chest is often the proper posture when receiving Holy Communion. This is different from the Roman rite, where crossing your hands over your chest is a signal to receive a blessing instead of Holy Communion.
When it comes to the specific way of crossing oneself, there are some variations. For example, Byzantine Catholics are known for crossing themselves in a way that some perceive as "backwards". This may be due to differences in liturgical practices between Eastern and Western churches.
In general, the act of crossing oneself is a way to show reverence and respect during prayer and worship. It is a physical gesture that accompanies the spiritual act of seeking God's blessing.
If you are new to a Byzantine Catholic church, it is recommended to follow what others do during the service. While there may be books indicating when to sit or stand, the guiding principle is to observe and adjust your posture based on what is happening in the moment. This includes standing during any incensing, which is a common practice during blessings.
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Receiving Holy Communion
During the part of the Divine Liturgy called the Great Entrance, the gifts are blessed again with incense and are brought to the main altar by the priest. The prepared gifts are consecrated during the anaphora, when the priest says the words of Institution that Christ spoke during the last supper with his apostles: "do this in remembrance of Me". In the Byzantine rite, transubstantiation is completed during the epiclesis, the prayer in which the priest invokes the Holy Spirit to change the elements of bread and wine to the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
The faithful are called to "Approach with the fear of God and with Faith". A gesture of reverence and thanksgiving is appropriate (hands folded one over the other on the breast in the form of a cross). The priest takes the "lamb", or central part of the original loaf, and breaks it into four parts. This breaking or "fraction" represents the broken body of Christ, which will be shared among the faithful. The priest uses a very small spoon to skillfully drop a particle of the Blessed Sacrament into the communicant's mouth with no contact made with the spoon. Simply open your mouth very wide, as if at the dentist. Do not extend your tongue. The priest will place the Host in your mouth by flipping the spoon over so the host drops inside.
When Holy Communion has been distributed to all who will receive, the priest blesses the faithful with the chalice containing the Body and Blood of Christ, saying: "Save your people, O God, and bless your inheritance". In some liturgical traditions, a blessing of the faithful with the Holy Eucharist (called "benediction") is a special occurrence. In the Byzantine Rite, this blessing is imparted at the end of every Divine Liturgy.
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Prayer before meals
The following prayers can be said before meals:
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
> In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, everywhere present and filling all things, Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life, come and dwell within us, cleanse us of all stain, and save our souls, O gracious One. Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, have mercy on us. (x3) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen. Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse us of our sins; Master, forgive our transgressions; Holy One, come to us and heal our infirmities for your name’s sake. Lord, have mercy. (x3) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever.
> O Christ God, bless the food and drink of Your servants for You are holy always, now and ever, and forever. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
> Dear God, You feed me and those I love. Thank you. Give me the grace to always thank you. And help me to remember at this moment others who are hungry. Those who hunger for food, but also those who hunger for other things, like love or friendship or security or dignity. May your grace help me to remember those I can so easily forget. Bless all that I receive and all those whose work puts food on the table— the farmers, the cooks, and the servers. May all of us treasure the bounty you bring us, including the greatest bounty of all: your grace. Your amazing grace.
> Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. Lord, have mercy. (x3) [If a priest is present, add: Father, bless.] O Christ our God, bless the food and drink of these Thy servants, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages.
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Prayer after meals
Byzantine Catholics offer a prayer before and after each meal, thanking God and asking for His blessing. Here is a step-by-step guide to the prayer after meals:
- Begin by lighting a candle and making three prostrations. Stand quietly to collect yourself in your heart.
- Make the sign of the holy cross over your chest.
- Recite the following prayer: "We thank You, Christ our God, for You have satisfied us with the good things of Your earth. Do not deprive us of Your heavenly kingdom but as You appeared to Your disciples, O Saviour, granting them peace—come also to us and save us. Lord have mercy (Three times). Give the blessing."
- Continue with: "Blessed is our God who, through His grace and loving kindness, is merciful to us and nourishes us from the abundance of His gifts, always, now and ever, and forever. Amen."
In addition to this prayer, there are other common prayers that can be offered after meals. Here are some examples:
"O Most sweet Jesus, You are the fulfilment of all blessings. Fill my soul with joy and gladness and save me. Grant that your Name be glorified: for not to us, but to Your Name are forever due honour, glory, and adoration. Amen."
"May the poor eat and be satisfied and may those who seek the Lord praise him and may their hearts live forever. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen."
"O Lord, do not deprive me of Your heavenly riches. O Lord, deliver me from eternal torments. O Lord, if I have sinned by mind, thought, word, or deed, forgive me. O Lord, deliver me from every type of ignorance, forgetfulness, apathy, and faintheartedness."
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Veneration of icons
The veneration of icons is a practice common to Byzantine Catholic churches. It involves showing respect to saints, or "the cloud of witnesses", through their icons. This can take many forms, but for Byzantine Catholics, it most commonly refers to bowing and kissing icons. Icons are typically portable sacred images, painted on a piece of wood according to the style and techniques of Byzantine art.
The practice of icon veneration is believed to have originated in the Syro-Palestinian region, the cradle of Christianity. Initially, icons depicted the Holy Martyrs and their deeds, but later, in the fifth century, icons of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Mother were introduced. By the sixth century, Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, became a great centre of sacred art. The golden age of Byzantine art and iconography began in the middle of the ninth century and ended with the sack of Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204.
The Byzantine period saw the development of various icon types, including biographical icons, which feature scenes from a saint's life added around the periphery of the central icon. Another form is the icon in miniature mosaic, such as the Virgin and Child icon. The addition of precious metal revetments, or sculpted covers, to icons also gained popularity during the Middle and Late Byzantine periods.
The practice of icon veneration is not without controversy. The Iconoclastic controversy, which spanned the 8th and 9th centuries, saw the destruction of most primitive icons. The immediate causes of this crisis are contested, but some suggest they include the rise of Islam and the emperor's desire to usurp religious authority. The controversy centred on the appropriate use of icons in religious veneration and the relationship between the sacred personage and their image. After the reintroduction of icons in 843, changes were made to the production of Byzantine images, including the evolution of distinct portrait types for individual saints and the development of more standardised programmes of church wall decoration.
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Frequently asked questions
Byzantine Catholics bless themselves multiple times during the Divine Liturgy, which is a form of worship that engages all the senses.
Byzantine Catholics make the sign of the cross, but it is not considered a "backward" cross by practitioners. The left-to-right motion is a tradition that dates back to early Christianity.
Byzantine Catholics hold their hands open with palms facing down when blessing themselves.
Crossing hands over the chest is a sign of receiving Holy Communion, not a blessing.
