Christos Razdajestsja! Slavite Jeho!

Христос народився!
Христос родился!
Hristos se naşte!

The season that marks the coming of the end of slavery to death is at hand, for with the birth of Christ the beginning of a new covenant arrives, one that will later be punctuated by His resurrection!

1. Give ear all you distant lands,
for God is with us. (1)
2. You mighty ones, submit yourselves,
for God is with us. (2)
3. If you strengthen yourselves again, again you will be defeated,
for God is with us. (1)
4. Form a plan, but the Lord will thwart it,
for God is with us. (2)
5. Whatever word you speak will not stand even among yourselves,
for God is with us. (1)
6. We will not fear what you fear nor shall we be dismayed,
for God is with us. (2)
7. Hallow the Lord our God and He will be your fear,
for God is with us. (1)
8. If you trust in Him, He will be your refuge,
for God is with us. (2)
9. We will hope in Him and by Him will we be saved,
for God is with us. (1)
10. Here am I with the children God has given me,
for God is with us. (2)
11. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light,
for God is with us. (1)
12. Upon you who dwelt in the shadow of death a light has shone,
for God is with us. (1)
13. For a child is born to us; a son is given to us,
for God is with us.(2)
14. Upon His shoulder dominion rests,
for God is with us. (1)
15. Of His peace there is no end,
for God is with us. (2)
16. They call Him Angel of Great Counsel,
for God is with us. (1)
17. Wonderful Counselor,
for God is with us. (2)
18. Mighty God, Master, Prince of Peace,
for God is with us. (1)
19. Father of the age to come,
for God is with us. (2)
20. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
for God is with us. (1)
21. Now and ever and forever. Amen,
for God is with us. (2)

I added some new links to my list...

Among then a funny, yet somehow sad look at what the western Catholic and Protestant churches have experimented with in the way of liturgical vestments. It is not another blog of mine, rather that of someone else who seems to have an eye for finding those garish liturgical vestments. :-)

http://badvestments.blogspot.com/

Our future Metropolitan......

I worry about the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church, more commonly known in the US as the Byzantine Catholic Church, Sui Juris. If the past pattern of selecting and elevating bishops who later become Metropolitans, our next Metropolitan would be Bishop William by virtue of seniority of elevation to the eparchial position.

Sadly, it seems that experience, orthodox views, and the will of the laity are not criteria for selecting the leader of our church. The Synod, consisting of three current bishops and one bishop emeritus, make the critical spiritual decision for all the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholics in the Pittsburgh Metropolia. Kind of a scary thought that these four men have such awesome power and that the choice they make will more likely than not be based upon which religious order (Fransican) the candidate is a member of rather than their positions regarding orthodoxy in Eastern Catholicism.

+Metropolitan Basil M. Schott+

Friday was the funeral for Metropolitan Basil who passed away a week before.
Video is from: www.stnickbyz.com posted on Youtube.
More pictures are available on the St Nicholas Byzantine page on Facebook.

This is the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it!

Христос Воскресе!
Hristos a înviat!
Cristo ha resucitado!

Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tombs, He granted life!

Some video of the Romainian Divine Liturgy

In mid December, the first regular Divine Liturgy for the Romaian Greek Catholic mission (Eparchy of Canton, OH) celebrated at the Ruthenian Cathedral of St. Mary (Eparchy of Van Nuys, CA).