| THE HOLY BYZANTINE CATHOLIC ORTHODOX CHURCH Le Saint Église Bizantine Catholique Orthodoxe A TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY |
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The Byzantine Catholic Orthodox Church reflects the traditions of the many diverse communities it serves in its Liturgical Rite via culture, language, art and music. Under the patronage of Russian Orthodox Church and Saint Aftimios, the Church in America was established and incorporated on the basis of an excellent Constitution, designed to bring true unity to American Orthodoxy. Our Community: We are an active community loving each other as members of Gods holy family. We belong to Christ and one another. Because of this great love we have for God we come together and join in worship celebrating the risen Christ among us with joy and jubilation. In the Byzantine Western tradition we are exposed to experience all of our senses in worship. We see icons, vestments, candles; we smell incense; we hear continual singing; we taste blessed foods and we use physical gestures such as bowing, prostrating and crossing ourselves to express our wonder at the glory of God. Our love for the risen Christ expresses itself in the community in the joy in each other's company, so we find the time to share frequent meals and social times. We open ourselves to support one another in the trials of daily life. As a community we live one day at a time in the unity with the Holy Trinity and a constant approach for our spiritual nourishment the Holy Eucharist. The Western Byzantines also stress a personal spiritual life "in secret, so that the Father, who sees all in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:6). Greatest of these is personal prayer in the silence of our own hearts, where we can speak honestly with God. We call to the Most High (Bless it be His Name) in the prayer that our Lord taught us to pray 'The Our Father' which sums up our constant need of the love of God. In addition, Byzantine Christians are called to fast and search within in secret as Jesus commanded (Matthew 6:1-8). By refusing to answer immediately to all of our "earthly desires, we express our need to continue our daily conversion by subjecting our weaknesses to the Power of the Holy Spirit that will work within us in order for us to unity with the Holy One. The most difficult obstacle to our growth is the weakness and brokenness of our personalities. This is why the Byzantine Churches call on their members to engage in "Spiritual Warfare" in the arena of their hearts and minds", with the help a Spiritual director (Priest, Deacon, Deaconess or Elder) in order to provide them advice and direction. Note: We are not part of the Byzantine Catholic Church INC under Mar +Markus. This jurisdiction is and will always be traditional. We are not Roman Catholic but we honor the Pope as the Patriarch of Rome. @2007 by The Holy Byzantine Catholic Orthodox Church. All right reserved |
