Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Holiness Blessed Pope John Paul II

This Video Clip is entitled "Pope John Paul II celebrates Ukrainian Divine Liturgy, St. Peter's Basilica 1996" but this one has a huge amount of Discrepancies and all of this have been Clarified by our Resident Priest and Ukrainian Greek Catholic Historian Rev. Fr. Athanasius McVay of the Blog Annales Ecclesiae Ucrainae, Here are the following Information correcting the Events and even the Personalities involved here.

1. This Video taken in 1996 was celebrated in 1988. It was in 1000th Anniversary of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus and not the 400th year Celebration of the Union of Brest

2. By the Year 1996, the current Major Archbishop at that time His Beatitude Cardinal Myroslav Ivan Lubachivsky was incapacitated to perform the mos intrinsic rubrics of the Church ceremony in Lviv and at that time Vatican had appointed Lubomyr Husar as the Apostolic Administrator, becoming Major Archbishop at the time of Cardinal Lubachivsky death in 2000

3. The Bearded Deacon, namely Vasyl Medvit, was already Ordained to the Episcopate in 1994, 2 years before 1996. He is currently the Auxiliary Exarch of the Major Archiepiscopal Exarchate of Donetsk.

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One of the very few to be exact Documentaries that a Pope celebrated a Eastern Rite Liturgy namely this one, including also His Holiness Blessed Pope John XXIII celebrating a Eastern Rite Liturgy even using his Tiara as a Mitre. It is also been said that the Mother of the late Pontiff is a Ukrainian Greek Catholic though we cannot confirmed such from our Eastern Catholic friends. Here is a quotation of His Holiness Blessed Pope John Paul Papal Encyclical to Eastern Catholics Orientale Lumen And one of the easiest acquired reference for Latin Rite Roman Catholics who want to learned the Eastern Faith from a Pope who also came from the East in a way

"Our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters are very conscious of being the living bearers of this tradition, together with our Orthodox brothers and sisters. The members of the Catholic Church of the Latin tradition must also be fully acquainted with this treasure and thus feel, with the Pope, a passionate longing that the full manifestation of the Church's catholicity be restored to the Church and to the world, expressed not by a single tradition, and still less by one community in opposition to the other; and that we too may be granted a full taste of the divinely revealed and undivided heritage of the universal Church which is preserved and grows in the life of the Churches of the East as in those of the West." - BLESSED POPE JOHN PAUL II

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The Immaculate Misconception

Does the Roman Catholic Church really teach that Mary did not taste death?


I grew up as a Roman Catholic before taking my faith Eastward.  I was taught about the dogma of the Assumption, and that Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven.  It's one of the basic beliefs of every Catholic, East and West.


But upon my journey East, I came upon the 12 Great Feasts. One of them is the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (for readers not familiar with Eastern theology, Theotokos is Mary's title and is how she is addressed by Eastern Christians.  The same way Christ is a title that eventually used as a proper name for Jesus because he is the one and only Messiah, Mary is referred to as the Theotokos which is Greek for "the one who bore God" or "God-bearer".  Loosely, it is also translated as "The Mother of God").  Now the Dormition is an interesting feast for a Roman Catholic to come upon on.  It is celebrated on August 15, which is the same day the Assumption is celebrated.  And the reason for that is that they are the same feast, we celebrate the Assumption of the Thetokos into heaven.  But the interesting part is that the Dormition does not merely celebrate the Assumption, but the entire translation of Mary from this life to the next.  Part and parcel of the tradition is that she died, was burried, resurrected by Christ on the third day and immediately assumed into heaven.  The tradition tells that the Apostles, who at that time have already been at different parts of the world preaching and establishing the early Churches, were miraculously transported to the bedside of Mary.  Instead of the usual death that every man and woman faces which is a violent separation of body and soul, believed to be painful, she had a light falling asleep.  Thus the term Dormition.


Now, many Roman Catholics today contend that Mary did not taste death.  She was assumed into heaven body and soul before she died, some say the very moment before.  Is this true?  And is this what the Roman Catholic Church teaches?  Why is there conflict between the traditions of East and West?  Is one right and the other is wrong?


One contention most Roman Catholics who want to come off respectful to Eastern traditions will say is that the death of Mary is a minor tradition of the East, something that is not "de fide" or required belief.  While the East does not dogmatize everything in Papal documents like the West, one proof that this is not a minor tradition, thus meaning "optional" belief, is the Troparion and Kontakion for Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos.

Troparion
In giving birth you retained your virginity, in falling asleep you did not abandon the world, O Mother of God.
You passed into life, for you are the Mother of Life, and by your prayers you deliver our souls from death.


Kontakion
The tomb and death could not hold the Mother of God, unceasing in her intercession and unfailing hope of patronage,
for as the Mother of Life, she was transferred to life by Him Who had dwelt in her ever virgin womb.

The highlights are mine.  Clearly during the Divine Liturgy we pray and profess to the belief that Mary did die.  Lex orandi, lex credendi.  The law of prayer is the law of belief.  What we pray in our Liturgies is what we (should) believe in.  Its not optional belief, its not minor "t" tradition that people may or may not believe in if they want to.  Imagine if its optional and one would pray the Troparion and Kontakion on August 15, isn't that person lying during Liturgy?


Now, in relation to Roman Catholicism, does the Roman Catholic Church teach that Mary did not die?  Some would say that is the teaching, others say that we do not know and people are free to believe either she died or not.  Lets look at what the CCC says:

CCC 974 The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son's Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body.


The CCC uses the phrase "when her earthly life was completed" which seems like an open ended statement.  One can validly contend that death followed immediately after the completion of one's life, and taking this phrase alone would suggest that she ether did not taste death, or that one is being careful in the wording so as not to suggest death while being completely open to that possibility.


So thats it?  Case closed?  Hold on a minute.  The best place to check what the dogma says is to read the Apostolic Constitution itself that dogmatically defined the Assumption (for those unfamiliar with dogmatic definitions, its not the creation of new belief but formalizing what the belief is so that there is no more disagreements or any contrary points to the belief.)  The document MUNIFICENTISSIMUS DEUS can be found here in the Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus which proclaimed the Dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.


On paragraph 17, we read that:

17. In the liturgical books which deal with the feast either of the dormition or of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin there are expressions that agree in testifying that, when the Virgin Mother of God passed from this earthly exile to heaven, what happened to her sacred body was, by the decree of divine Providence, in keeping with the dignity of the Mother of the Word Incarnate, and with the other privileges she had been accorded. Thus, to cite an illustrious example, this is set forth in that sacramentary which Adrian I, our predecessor of immortal memory, sent to the Emperor Charlemagne. These words are found in this volume: "Venerable to us, O Lord, is the festivity of this day on which the holy Mother of God suffered temporal death, but still could not be kept down by the bonds of death, who has begotten your Son our Lord incarnate from herself."

Clearly here we see two instances mentioning Mary's passing from this world, with the second one clearly stating that Mary suffered temporal death.  Lets look at paragraph 20:

20. However, since the liturgy of the Church does not engender the Catholic faith, but rather springs from it, in such a way that the practices of the sacred worship proceed from the faith as the fruit comes from the tree, it follows that the holy Fathers and the great Doctors, in the homilies and sermons they gave the people on this feast day, did not draw their teaching from the feast itself as from a primary source, but rather they spoke of this doctrine as something already known and accepted by Christ's faithful. They presented it more clearly. They offered more profound explanations of its meaning and nature, bringing out into sharper light the fact that this feast shows, not only that the dead body of the Blessed Virgin Mary remained incorrupt, but that she gained a triumph out of death, her heavenly glorification after the example of her only begotten Son, Jesus Christ-truths that the liturgical books had frequently touched upon concisely and briefly.

Here we see that the document is already discussing the fact of the incorruptibility of the dead body of the Theotokos.  And further of course that she was granted a triumph out of death, which is the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection that eventually all of us will receive at the end of time.  The privilege granted to her is that her body did not suffer corruption (or decomposition) but that she was resurrected before that happened.  We all will suffer through bodily corruption before being restored on the last day.  Further on paragraph 21:

21. Thus St. John Damascene, an outstanding herald of this traditional truth, spoke out with powerful eloquence when he compared the bodily Assumption of the loving Mother of God with her other prerogatives and privileges. "It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death. It was fitting that she, who had carried the Creator as a child at her breast, should dwell in the divine tabernacles. It was fitting that the spouse, whom the Father had taken to himself, should live in the divine mansions. It was fitting that she, who had seen her Son upon the cross and who had thereby received into her heart the sword of sorrow which she had escaped in the act of giving birth to him, should look upon him as he sits with the Father. It was fitting that God's Mother should possess what belongs to her Son, and that she should be honored by every creature as the Mother and as the handmaid of God."

Again, conclusively specifying that Mary did not suffer corruption after death.  Some Roman Catholics would contend that being free from corruption means being free from death, but here we see it says "after death", the corruption pointing to decomposition.  And this is made clear on paragraph 22:

22. These words of St. John Damascene agree perfectly with what others have taught on this same subject. Statements no less clear and accurate are to be found in sermons delivered by Fathers of an earlier time or of the same period, particularly on the occasion of this feast. And so, to cite some other examples, St. Germanus of Constantinople considered the fact that the body of Mary, the virgin Mother of God, was incorrupt and had been taken up into heaven to be in keeping, not only with her divine motherhood, but also with the special holiness of her virginal body. "You are she who, as it is written, appears in beauty, and your virginal body is all holy, all chaste, entirely the dwelling place of God, so that it is henceforth completely exempt from dissolution into dust. Though still human, it is changed into the heavenly life of incorruptibility, truly living and glorious, undamaged and sharing in perfect life." And another very ancient writer asserts: "As the most glorious Mother of Christ, our Savior and God and the giver of life and immortality, has been endowed with life by him, she has received an eternal incorruptibility of the body together with him who has raised her up from the tomb and has taken her up to himself in a way known only to him."

Again very clearly stated that the corruption being talked about is the decomposition of the flesh, which happens to all who died.  Even saints who are incorruptible do suffer from some point of corruption.  Though their bodies are relatively preserved than what would be the normal course for dead bodies in the given time.  They definitely do not look like the day they died.  And by giving Mary the resurrection soon after her death, it was ensured that her body do not suffer even the mildest of corruption.  On paragraph 29, it is explained how and why:

29. Among the holy writers who at that time employed statements and various images and analogies of Sacred Scripture to Illustrate and to confirm the doctrine of the Assumption, which was piously believed, the Evangelical Doctor, St. Anthony of Padua, holds a special place. On the feast day of the Assumption, while explaining the prophet's words: "I will glorify the place of my feet,"(27) he stated it as certain that the divine Redeemer had bedecked with supreme glory his most beloved Mother from whom he had received human flesh. He asserts that "you have here a clear statement that the Blessed Virgin has been assumed in her body, where was the place of the Lord's feet. Hence it is that the holy Psalmist writes: 'Arise, O Lord, into your resting place: you and the ark which you have sanctified."' And he asserts that, just as Jesus Christ has risen from the death over which he triumphed and has ascended to the right hand of the Father, so likewise the ark of his sanctification "has risen up, since on this day the Virgin Mother has been taken up to her heavenly dwelling."

"Since likewise" is a crucial term here because what happened to Mary is compared to what happened to Jesus.  Clearly the belief is like Christ, Mary died, was resurrected by her Son and lifted up to heaven the same way.  "So likewise... has risen up," Christ has risen up in his resurrection.  Mary likewise resurrected.  


Now most of the paragraphs quoted were from Eastern or Early Church teaching when the definition of East and West was still somewhat blurred.  But a more contemporary, definitely Western Saint is quoted on paragraph 35 saying:

35. In like manner St. Francis de Sales, after asserting that it is wrong to doubt that Jesus Christ has himself observed, in the most perfect way, the divine commandment by which children are ordered to honor their parents, asks this question: "What son would not bring his mother back to life and would not bring her into paradise after her death if he could?" And St. Alphonsus writes that "Jesus did not wish to have the body of Mary corrupted after death, since it would have redounded to his own dishonor to have her virginal flesh, from which he himself had assumed flesh, reduced to dust."


St. Francis de Sales clearly believed and taught that Mary did die.  Otherwise he would not asked that question that way.  Clearly at his time it is what Roman Catholics believe, and what they believed then went into the dogma.  Further on paragraph 40:


40. Hence the revered Mother of God, from all eternity joined in a hidden way with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination, immaculate in her conception, a most perfect virgin in her divine motherhood, the noble associate of the divine Redeemer who has won a complete triumph over sin and its consequences, finally obtained, as the supreme culmination of her privileges, that she should be preserved free from the corruption of the tomb and that, like her own Son, having overcome death, she might be taken up body and soul to the glory of heaven where, as Queen, she sits in splendor at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages.

To overcome something means to experience it and conquer it.  So Mary, overcoming death, means she died and subsequently resurrected.  Further to remove any doubt, its says "like her own Son."  And we know there is only one way Jesus overcame death.  In the Byzantine Rite we sing during Easter, "Christ has risen from the dead, conquering death by death, and to those in the tombs He granted life."

And there you have it!  Conclusive evidence from a Vatican document that the Roman Catholic Church do indeed believe that Mary died prior to being resurrected and immediately assumed into heaven.  To be clear, what the document declares as dogma and "de fide" is Mary's Assumption into heaven.  The part about the death is not what was declared infallibly, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen or that there is an option not to believe it.  Because of the entire event of the Dormition tradition of the East, that is Mary died then was resurrected and assumed into heaven by Christ, is what is the basis of the dogma.


What is the point of all this?  First, its to show that the faith of East and West really is not that different.  We may want to emphasize on things differently, in this case the West just wants to look solely on the Assumption while the East wants to look at the entire event, but what we believe especially the essential things are one and the same.  So stop the polemics between East and West, stop accusing the Eastern Catholics of being "anti-Pope schismatics" because what we believe in is not the same as what is dogmatically defined.  This proves, at least with the Assumption/Dormition, we believe in EXACTLY the same thing.  Second, more importantly, this puts into better perspective what Mary's roles is in our lives.  We have always talked about her being the best example we have in our lives, total submission to God.  And because the end of her life is something that we all can go through as well, she provides us a complete roadmap on how each and everyone of us will enter heaven.  Live life in total submission to God, die a peaceful death, be resurrected by Christ and partake in the Divine Life of God for all eternity.

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A Decree regarding Images from the Seventh Ecumenical Council

 "We declare that we defend free from any innovations all the written and unwritten ecclesiastical traditions that have been entrusted to us. One of these is the production of representational art; this is quite in harmony with the history of the spread of the gospel, as it provides confirmation that the becoming man of the Word of God was real and not just imaginary, and as it brings us a similar benefit. For, things that mutually illustrate one another undoubtedly possess one another's message. ... we decree with full precision and care that, like the figure of the honoured and life-giving cross, the revered and holy images, whether painted or made of mosaic or of other suitable material, are to be exposed in the holy churches of God, on sacred instruments and vestments, on walls and panels, in houses and by public ways; these are the images of our Lord, God and saviour, Jesus Christ, and of our Lady without blemish, the holy God-bearer, and of the revered angels and of any of the saintly holy men. The more frequently they are seen in representational art, the more are those who see them drawn to remember and long for those who serve as models, and to pay these images the tribute of salutation and respectful veneration. Certainly this is not the full adoration in accordance with our faith, which is properly paid only to the divine nature, but it resembles that given to the figure of the honoured and life-giving cross, and also to the holy books of the gospels and to other sacred cult objects" - SECOND COUNCIL OF NICAEA, SEVENTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

It's been to late that i post this one, because i am busy with my School and with my Works. The reason why i post this is because of the Unending and Useless arguments some "Christians" have thrown our Catholic brethren, namely the Devotees of the Black Nazarene who flocked yesterday. Again they misinterpret again the First Commandment, of course, the "I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods in My presence.." There is always Misinterpret this part, never did Catholic revere Images but of course the one who represents the Statues or the Icons.Such argument, by the mercy and grace of God have been debunked nowadays, Though i have been one day late in making such Commentary after the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo which draws Million of Devotees, and of course this Killjoys trying to spoil everything by misinterpreting Sacred Scripture

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2 Eastern Catholic Hierarchs named member of the Sacred College of the Cardinals

Pope Benedict XVI announced on 2012.01.06 that he would elevate the following 22 prelates to the Sacred College of Cardinals in a consistory on 2012.02.18.  And among this list of this Ordinaries two Heads coming from 2 different Sui Iuris Eastern Catholic Churches, namely His Beatitude George Alencherry of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church and His Beatitude Lucian Muresan of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church. Below are the Information regarding this 2 Heads of their respective Sui Iuris Eastern Rite Churches.

Source cited from Wikipedia

"Cardinal-Designate Mar George Alencherry [Malayalam: മാര്‍ ഗീവര്‍ഗിസ് ആലഞ്ചേരി (Mar Giwargis Aalancheri)] (born 19 April 1945) is the current Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly succeeding Varkey Vithayathil as head of the Eastern Catholic Syro-Malabar Churchsince his confirmation by Pope Benedict XVI on 25 May 2011.^[1]. According to Syro-Malabar tradition, he should be granted the title of "Patriarch of Mar Thoma Nasranis and the Gate of All India." On Friday, January 6, 2012, it was announced that he would be among the list of prelates to be raised to the cardinalate by Pope Benedict XVI in a consistory scheduled for Saturday, February 18, 2012.

Alencherry was born in Thuruthy, Changanacherry. He was ordained a priest on 19 November 1972. He was secretary of the Archeparch of Changanacherry and assistant pastor of the cathedral as well as director of "Sunday Schools" in the archeparchy.

He studied at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Seminary of St Joseph in Alwaye and earned a doctorate at the Institut Catholique de Paris, where he specialised in catechesis. On his return from Paris, he was appointed director of the Centre for Catechesis. He then directed the Pastoral Orientation Centre, Cochin, inter-ritual, which depends of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Conference (KCBC).

He served as a professor of Pastoral Counselling and Systematic Theology at the Faculty of "Paurastya Vidyapitham, Pontifical Oriental Institute of Religious Studies of Vadavathoor, Kottayam, and at the Pontifical Institute of Theology and Philosophy in Alwaye. He was vicar general of the archeparchy from 11 November 1996 until he was appointed first eparch of Thuckalay and was ordained on 2 February 1997.

On 24 May 2011 he was elected Major Archbishop. Pope Benedict XVI confirmed the election on 25 May 2011. Major Archbishop Alencherry said his services will be for all people of India. He stressed inter-rite relations, inter-faith harmony and ecumenism.

He is the first head of the Syro-Malabar Church to be elected by its synod. When Pope John Paul II made the Syro-Malabar Church a major archiepiscopal church in 1992, appointing Cardinal Antony Padiyara as its first major archbishop, he reserved the power to appoint the major archbishop and bishops. However, in 2004, the Holy See granted full administrative powers to the church, including the power to elect bishops."

"Lucian Mureşan (born on 23 May 1931) is the Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Iulia(based in Blaj) and thus head of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic.

Lucian Mureşan was born in the village of Firiza (now the Ferneziu district of Baia Mare),Romania, the tenth of Peter and Maria Mureşan's twelve children. He attended primary school in Firiza and secondary school in Baia Mare. He was initially unable to pursue his dream of becoming a Catholic priest because the Romanian Church United with Rome had been outlawed in 1948.

On 6 January 2012 Pope Benedict XVI named him cardinal. He will be created cardinal in the consistory on 18 February."

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Many of our Eastern Catholic brethren has criticized some heads of these different Eastern Catholic Sui Iuris Churches for receiving the Cardinalate, being a title only use in the Latin Rite by those who received it and that Eastern Catholic Major Archbishops and Patriarchs should not be named into such, though in the History some Eastern Catholics who have become part of the Sacred College of the Cardinal has contributed a lot in the Catholic Church, even one almost being elected Pope in 1958 by named of Gregory Peter Agagianian, Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church. Being named as a Cardinal did not necessarily mean that they are becoming Subordinates in the Latin Church but rather being given more privilege, namely the right to participate in future Papal Conclave to elect the Pope. Now we have 5 living Eastern Catholic Hierarchs who are part of the Sacred College of the Cardinals, and they are the following: His Beatitude Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, Major Archbishop Emeritus of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church; His Beatitude Cardinal Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church; His Beatitude Cardinal Ignace Moussa Daoud, Patriarch Emeritus of the Syrian Catholic Church and Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation of the Eastern Churches; His Beatitude Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, Patriarch Emeritus of the Maronite Catholic Church and His Beatitude Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church. It will make them 7 to be precised though it is certain that most of them reached the Age of 80, losing their right to Vote in Conclaves. If you say that they do not elect the Pope because it is the only duty of Cardinals from the Roman Church, not the Eastern Church, well we are talking about the Catholic Church as a whole and not divided into Churches

On behalf of this Blog, including the Facebook Group and Fan Page, we congratulate the Eastern Catholic Hierarchs being named as members of the Sacred College of the Cardinals. AXIOS!!!!! 

His Beatitude Cardinal George Alencherry

Major Archbishop of Ernakulam Angamaly of the Syro Malabar Catholic Church

His Beatitude Cardinal Lucian Muresan

Major Archbishop of Fagaras si Alba Iulia of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church

For the Story of their Nominations to the Cardinalate, click at this link for more information

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Surp Badarak, the Hierarchial Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Church

One of the Video Clips featuring the Sacred Liturgy of our Eastern Rite brethrens from the Oriental Orthodox Churches, which the Armenian Apostolic Church belongs. It is also the same Divine Liturgy that the Armenian Catholic Church has been using, though unfortunately we cannot search for documentation so here is the "Surp Badarak", the Armenian named of the Divine Liturgy, with the Video footage been Blessed by His Holiness Vazgen I, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, one of the longest Eastern Rite hierarch who reigned this Church from 1955 to 1994.

N.B: This Blog promotes the Eastern whether it is Catholic in Communion with the Pope and also with our Brethren from other Eastern Christian Churches, namely the Assyrians, the Oriental Orthodox and the Eastern Orthodox. Our aim is to promote, in accordance to the to the Apostolic Letter of Blessed Pope John Paul II urging Latin Rite Catholics to be familiar with the traditions of the East. Let us pray that all maybe ONE!!! +

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AKATHIST Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos

Hymn

Kontakion 1, Eighth Tone

To Thee, the Champion Leader, we Thy servants dedicate a feast of victory and of thanksgiving as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos: but as Thou art one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be do Thou deliver us, that we may cry to Thee: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride! (Thrice)

Ekos 1: An archangel was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos: Rejoice! And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he was amazed and with his bodiless voice he stood crying to her such things as these:
Rejoice, Thou through whom joy will shine forth:
Rejoice, Thou through whom the curse will cease!
Rejoice, recall of fallen Adam:
Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve!
Rejoice, height inaccessible to human thoughts:
Rejoice, depth undiscernible even for the eyes of angels!
Rejoice, for Thou art the throne of the King:
Rejoice, for Thou bearest Him Who beareth all!
Rejoice, star that causest the Sun to appear:
Rejoice, womb of the Divine Incarnation!
Rejoice, Thou through whom creation is renewed:
Rejoice, Thou through whom we worship the Creator!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Kontakion 2: Seeing herself to be chaste, the holy one said boldly to Gabriel: The marvel of thy speech is difficult for my soul to accept. How canst thou speak of a birth from a seedless conception? And She cried: Alleluia!


Ekos 2: Seeking to know knowledge that cannot be known, the Virgin cried to the ministering one: Tell me, how can a son be born from a chaste womb? Then he spake to Her in fear, only crying aloud thus:
Rejoice, initiate of God's ineffable will:
Rejoice, assurance of those who pray in silence!
Rejoice, beginning of Christ's miracles:
Rejoice, crown of His dogmas!
Rejoice, heavenly ladder by which God came down:
Rejoice, bridge that conveyest us from earth to Heaven!
Rejoice, wonder of angels sounded abroad:
Rejoice, wound of demons bewailed afar!
Rejoice, Thou Who ineffably gavest birth to the Light:
Rejoice, Thou Who didst reveal Thy secret to none!
Rejoice, Thou Who surpassest the knowledge of the wise:
Rejoice, Thou Who givest light to the minds of the faithful!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!


Kontakion 3: The power of the Most High then overshadowed the Virgin for conception, and showed Her fruitful womb as a sweet meadow to all who wish to reap salvation, as they sing: Alleluia!

Ekos 3: Having received God into Her womb, the Virgin hastened to Elizabeth whose unborn babe at once recognized Her embrace, rejoiced, and with leaps of joy as songs, cried to the Theotokos:
Rejoice, branch of an Unfading Sprout:
Rejoice, acquisition of Immortal Fruit!
Rejoice, labourer that labourest for the Lover of mankind:
Rejoice, Thou Who givest birth to the Planter of our life!
Rejoice, cornland yielding a rich crop of mercies:
Rejoice, table bearing a wealth of forgiveness!
Rejoice, Thou Who makest to bloom the garden of delight:
Rejoice, Thou Who preparest a haven for souls!
Rejoice, acceptable incense of intercession:
Rejoice, propitiation of all the world!
Rejoice, good will of God to mortals:
Rejoice, boldness of mortals before God!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Kontakion 4: Having within a tempest of doubting thoughts, the chaste Joseph was troubled. For knowing Thee to have no husband, he suspected a secret union, O blameless one. But having learned that Thy conception was of the Holy Spirit, he said: Alleluia!

Ekos 4: While the angels were chanting, the shepherds heard of Christ's coming in the flesh, and having run to the Shepherd, they beheld Him as a blameless Lamb that had been pastured in Mary's womb, and singing to Her, they cried:
Rejoice, Mother of the Lamb and the Shepherd:
Rejoice, fold of rational sheep!
Rejoice, torment of invisible enemies:
Rejoice, opening of the gates of Paradise!
Rejoice, for the things of Heaven rejoice with the earth:
Rejoice, for the things of earth join chorus with the heavens!
Rejoice, never-silent mouth of the Apostles:
Rejoice, invincible courage of the passion-bearers!
Rejoice, firm support of faith:
Rejoice, radiant token of Grace!
Rejoice, Thou through whom hades was stripped bare:
Rejoice, Thou through whom we are clothed with glory!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!


Kontakion 5: Having sighted the divinely-moving star, the Magi followed its radiance; and holding it as a lamp, by it they sought a powerful King; and having reached the Unreachable One, they rejoiced, shouting to Him: Alleluia!

Ekos 5: The sons of the Chaldees saw in the hands of the Virgin Him Who with His hand made man. And knowing Him to be the Master, even though He had taken the form of a servant, they hastened to serve Him with gifts, and to cry to Her Who is blessed:
Rejoice, Mother of the Unsetting Star:
Rejoice, dawn of the mystic day!
Rejoice, Thou Who didst extinguish the furnace of error:
Rejoice, Thou Who didst enlighten the initiates of the Trinity!
Rejoice, Thou Who didst banish from power the inhuman tyrant:
Rejoice, Thou Who didst show us Christ the Lord, the Lover of mankind!
Rejoice, Thou Who redeemest from pagan worship:
Rejoice, Thou Who dost drag us from the works of mire!
Rejoice, Thou Who didst quench the worship of fire:
Rejoice, Thou Who rescues from the flame of the passions!
Rejoice, guide of the faithful to chastity:
Rejoice, gladness of all generations!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!


Kontakion 6: Having become God-bearing heralds, the Magi returned to Babylon, having fulfilled Thy prophecy; and having preached Thee to all as the Christ, they left Herod as a babbler who knew not how to sing: Alleluia!

Ekos 6: By shining in Egypt the light of truth, Thou didst dispel the darkness of falsehood; for its idols fell, O Saviour, unable to endure Thy strength; and those who were delivered from them cried to the Theotokos:
Rejoice, uplifting of men:
Rejoice, downfall of demons!
Rejoice, Thou who didst trample down the dominion of delusion:
Rejoice, Thou who didst unmask the fraud of idols!
Rejoice, sea that didst drown the Pharaoh of the mind:
Rejoice, rock that doth refresh those thirsting for life!
Rejoice, pillar of fire that guideth those in darkness:
Rejoice, shelter of the world broader than a cloud!
Rejoice, sustenance replacing manna:
Rejoice, minister of holy delight!
Rejoice, land of promise:
Rejoice, Thou from whom floweth milk and honey!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Kontakion 7: When Symeon was about to depart this age of delusion, Thou wast brought as a Babe to him, but Thou was recognized by him as perfect God also; wherefore, marveling at Thine ineffable wisdom, he cried: Alleluia!

Ekos 7: The Creator showed us a new creation when He appeared to us who came from Him. For He sprang from a seedless womb, and kept it incorrupt as it was, that seeing the miracle we might sing to Her, crying out:
Rejoice, flower of incorruptibility:
Rejoice, crown of continence!
Rejoice, Thou from whom shineth the Archetype of the Resurrection:
Rejoice, Thou Who revealest the life of the angels!
Rejoice, tree of shining fruit, whereby the faithful are nourished:
Rejoice, tree of goodly shade by which many are sheltered!
Rejoice, Thou that has carried in Thy womb the Redeemer of captives:
Rejoice, Thou that gavest birth to the Guide of those astray!
Rejoice, supplication before the Righteous Judge:
Rejoice, forgiveness of many sins!
Rejoice, robe of boldness for the naked:
Rejoice, love that doth vanquish all desire!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!


Kontakion 8: Having beheld a strange nativity, let us estrange ourselves from the world and transport our minds to Heaven; for the Most High God appeared on earth as a lowly man, because He wished to draw to the heights them that cry to Him: Alleluia!

Ekos 8: Wholly present was the Inexpressible Word among those here below, yet in no way absent from those on high; for this was a divine condescension and not a change of place, and His birth was from a God-receiving Virgin Who heard these things:
Rejoice, container of the Uncontainable God:
Rejoice, door of solemn mystery!
Rejoice, report doubtful to unbelievers:
Rejoice, undoubted boast of the faithful!
Rejoice, all-holy chariot of Him Who sitteth upon the Cherubim:
Rejoice, all-glorious temple of Him Who is above the Seraphim!
Rejoice, Thou Who hast united opposites:
Rejoice, Thou Who hast joined virginity and motherhood!
Rejoice, Thou through whom transgression hath been absolved:
Rejoice, Thou through whom Paradise is opened!
Rejoice, key to the kingdom of Christ:
Rejoice, hope of eternal good things!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Kontakion 9: All the angels were amazed at the great act of Thine incarnation; for they saw the Unapproachable God as a man approachable to all, abiding with us, and hearing from all: Alleluia!

Ekos 9: We see most eloquent orators mute as fish before Thee, O Theotokos; for they are at a loss to tell how Thou remainest a Virgin and could bear a child. But we, marveling at this mystery, cry out faithfully:
Rejoice, receptacle of the Wisdom of God:
Rejoice, treasury of His Providence!
Rejoice, Thou Who showest philosophers to be fools:
Rejoice, Thou Who exposest the learned as irrational!
Rejoice, for the clever critics have become foolish:
Rejoice, for the writers of myths have faded away!
Rejoice, Thou Who didst rend the webs of the Athenians:
Rejoice, Thou Who didst fill the nets of the fishermen!
Rejoice, Thou Who drawest us from the depths of ignorance:
Rejoice, Thou Who enlightenest many with knowledge!
Rejoice, ship for those who wish to be saved:
Rejoice, harbor for sailors on the sea of life!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!


Kontakion 10: Desiring to save the world, He that is the Creator of all came to it according to His Own promise, and He that, as God, is the Shepherd, for our sake appeared unto us as a man; for like calling unto like, as God He heareth: Alleluia!

Ekos 10: A bulwark art Thou to virgins, and to all that flee unto Thee, O Virgin Theotokos; for the Maker of Heaven and earth prepared Thee, O Most-pure one, dwelt in Thy womb, and taught all to call to Thee:
Rejoice, pillar of virginity:
Rejoice, gate of salvation!
Rejoice, leader of mental formation:
Rejoice, bestower of divine good!
Rejoice, for Thou didst renew those conceived in shame:
Rejoice, for Thou gavest wisdom to those robbed of their minds!
Rejoice, Thou Who didst foil the corrupter of minds:
Rejoice, Thou Who gavest birth to the Sower of purity!
Rejoice, bridechamber of a seedless marriage:
Rejoice, Thou Who dost wed the faithful to the Lord!
Rejoice, good nourisher of virgins:
Rejoice, adorner of holy souls as for marriage!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!


Kontakion 11: Every hymn is defeated that trieth to encompass the multitude of Thy many compassions; for if we offer to Thee, O Holy King, songs equal in number to the sand, nothing have we done worthy of that which Thou hast given us who shout to Thee: Alleluia!

Ekos 11: We behold the holy Virgin, a shining lamp appearing to those in darkness; for, kindling the Immaterial Light, She guideth all to divine knowledge, She illumineth minds with radiance, and is honoured by our shouting these things:
Rejoice, ray of the noetic Sun:
Rejoice, radiance of the Unsetting Light!
Rejoice, lightning that enlightenest our souls:
Rejoice, thunder that terrifiest our enemies!
Rejoice, for Thou didst cause the refulgent Light to dawn:
Rejoice, for Thou didst cause the river of many streams to gush forth!
Rejoice, Thou Who paintest the image of the font:
Rejoice, Thou Who blottest out the stain of sin!
Rejoice, laver that washest the conscience clean:
Rejoice, cup that drawest up joy!
Rejoice, aroma of the sweet fragrance of Christ:
Rejoice, life of mystical gladness!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Kontakion 12: When the Absolver of all mankind desired to blot out ancient debts, of His Own will He came to dwell among those who had fallen from His Grace; and having torn up the handwriting of their sins, He heareth this from all: Alleluia!

Ekos 12: While singing to Thine Offspring, we all praise Thee as a living temple, O Theotokos; for the Lord Who holdeth all things in His hand dwelt in Thy womb, and He sanctified and glorified Thee, and taught all to cry to Thee:
Rejoice, tabernacle of God the Word:
Rejoice, saint greater than the saints!
Rejoice, ark gilded by the Spirit:
Rejoice, inexhaustible treasury of life!
Rejoice, precious diadem of pious kings:
Rejoice, venerable boast of reverent priests!
Rejoice, unshakable fortress of the Church:
Rejoice, inviolable wall of the kingdom!
Rejoice, Thou through whom victories are obtained:
Rejoice, Thou through whom foes fall prostrate!
Rejoice, healing of my flesh:
Rejoice, salvation of my soul!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!


Kontakion 13: O all-praised Mother Who didst bear the Word, holiest of all the saints, accept now our offering, and deliver us from all misfortune, and rescue from the torment to come those that cry to Thee: Alleluia!

This Kontakion is sung thrice. And again:

Ekos 1: An archangel was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos: Rejoice! And beholding Thee, O Lord, taking bodily form, he was amazed and with his bodiless voice he stood crying to her such things as these:
Rejoice, Thou through whom joy will shine forth:
Rejoice, Thou through whom the curse will cease!
Rejoice, recall of fallen Adam:
Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve!
Rejoice, height inaccessible to human thoughts:
Rejoice, depth undiscernible even for the eyes of angels!
Rejoice, for Thou art the throne of the King:
Rejoice, for Thou bearest Him Who beareth all!
Rejoice, star that causest the Sun to appear:
Rejoice, womb of the Divine Incarnation!
Rejoice, Thou through whom creation is renewed:
Rejoice, Thou through whom we worship the Creator!
Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Kontakion 1, Eighth Tone: To Thee, the Champion Leader, we Thy servants dedicate a feast of victory and of thanksgiving as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos: but as Thou art one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be do Thou deliver us, that we may cry to Thee: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Prayer to the Most Holy Lady Theotokos
O most holy Sovereign Lady Theotokos! Higher art thou than all the angels and archangels, and more honourable than all creation, a helper of the wronged art thou, the hope of the hopeless, an intercessor for the poor, the consolation of the sorrowful, a nourisher of the hungry, a robe for the naked, healing for the sick, the salvation of sinners, the help and protection of all Christians. O all-merciful Sovereign Lady Virgin Theotokos! Through thy mercy save and have mercy on the most holy Orthodox patriarchs, the most holy metropolitans, archbishops and bishops, and all the priestly and monastic orders, the military leaders, civic leaders, and Christ-loving armed forces, and well-wishers, and all Orthodox Christians do thou defend by thy precious omophorion, and entreat, O Lady, Christ our God Who was incarnate of thee without seed, that He gird us with His power from on high against our ene­mies, visible and invisible, O all-merciful Sovereign Lady Theotokos! Raise us up out of the depths of sin, and deliver us from famine, destruction, from earthquake and flood, from fire and the sword, from invasion of aliens and civil war, and from sudden death, and from noxious winds, and from death-bearing plagues, and from all evil. Grant, O Lady, peace and health to thy servants, all Orthodox Chris­tians, and enlighten their minds, and the eyes of their hearts unto salvation; and vouchsafe unto us, thy sinful servants, the kingdom of thy Son, Christ our God; for blessed and most-glorified is His dominion, together with His unoriginate Father, and His Most-Holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen

At this very first day of 2012 in the Latin Rite  we commemorate the Feast of the Most Holy Virgin and Blessed Theotokos, though in the earlier times it was originally celebrated by the Eastern Rite Churches. For more, here is the Information regarding this Solemnity of the Latin Rite Roman Catholics, and the Eastern View regarding the Theotokos.

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Please tell me if i am committing a Calumny??!!!

I have been silent for so many days, doing nothing at those heavy load of tirades and smear attacks against the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and other so called "Uniate" Church. But now that i am still grasping to regained the Christian Charity here, i am going to make a full Statement, just Paragraphs so that Readers could ever read it and i will not post any Links, Pictures or Videos pertaining such so that i can make myself clear to all as i give my thoughts on some violent and if i may said it, uncharitable, attitude of our Orthodox Brethren on their Sister Counterparts in the Eastern Catholic Churches.

First, i was disturbed on some post in Facebook which contain some Anti Eastern Catholic polemical attacks, namely directed to the Largest Sui Iuris Church by the name of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Though knowing that all of this are just Political in nature (I hope it is, i really need help from the most learned ones, namely the Historian of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) i am still disturbed honestly and that, if such Atrocities are being made after the 1595 Union of Brest, then we should ask forgiveness among our part. Unfortunately the Historical facts that our Eastern Rite Orthodox brethren has given us is somewhat exaggerated in feature. Well, even if i say that what do i expect from a Orthodox who use it to sound that Greek Catholics of Eastern Europe are the most violent and demonized them because of this "Unia" claim. Even if i say it might be compared to the Sack of Constantinople, i do not see any reason why this have to end up in a Conflict because of Historical misunderstanding, Centuries in the making

Not that i am also trying to make a bad impression to or brethrens in the Eastern Orthodoxy, because some of them have a good relationship with their Sister Eastern Catholic Churches, unlike this one. Let us be reminded that by Accusing the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Churches politically, it can also have a backlash to them?!! Why such?? First, what is your concern on a Autonomous Church that you does not seem to belong to, remember the Orthodoxy has 14 Autocephalous Churches and most of them don't mind each other, so what is the reason of defending a dis united Church?? And second, this Religious problem is only concentrated in Ukraine, and please do not extend it even here in the Philippines. It is not our problem to meddle to them, and we do not have any knowledge of the Situation here. Yes, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Churches is the most persecuted one, though it is also not just the fault of the Orthodox, namely the Russian Orthodox Church, to be blamed but also the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Polish who also shared this kind of Atrocities to them (Though as i write here, i am only confronting few hostile Orthodox here and not Roman Catholics, cause i have a separate article into it)

I am not also forgetting here that i write here for the sake of defending those others who have no idea what kind of slanderous they are facing, which is the so called "Uniates" of Eastern Europe. Here i show the problem of One sided exposition of arguments. Thus i better suggest that our Eastern Catholic brethren answer such accusation against them. Before this Year ends, i just have longing to write this one, because i cannot bear anymore the Slanderous and Malicious barrage against our Byzantine Catholics in Europe, with evidence demonizing them as Proselytisers as such, though it seems this proof is not that sufficient in substance. Here is my full statement not just in defense of Eastern Catholicism, but also defending the Byzantine Catholicism in Eastern Europe as well.

Before this Year end, i want to make things as it were, to put the record straight. I am not singling out one Orthodox or a entire Church, though i say that not all of them have the same Attitude and instill a Historical grudge to the so called "Uniates" i write this for their sake, that they may defend themselves on this one side accusation of murders and violence that these "Uniates" wage against the Orthodox in the late 16th century.

And by the way, my Statements here are my Personal opinions and i do not include the Integrity of this Whole Blog nor its Contributor and my Second Head Moderator. I am ready to face everything as i write here, but i also stated above that each of this side must give their Arguments here as fair square. And again, i do not forget this Apology i made many Months ago, though i never forget this is a reality that is happening.. If what i am saying here is Calumny or Malicious lies, then it is your Problem anymore, not mine!!!! Have to set the records straight cause i no longer can hold my Silence. Please read little by little this very First Article in this Year of our Lord 2012, and the Great Feast of the Most Holy Virgin and Blessed Theotokos in the Latin rite

PRESVJATA BOGORODICE, SPASI NAS 
(MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS, PROTECT US)
GOSPODE ISUSE KRISTI, SINE BOZJI, POMILUJ GRJESNOGA
(LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME A SINNER)

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