Fragments of Latin in the Liturgy

[Tom Cook]

I was at a Divine Liturgy (St John Chrysostom) recently and, on one occasion, the (ROCOR) Bishop blessed the congregation with the words "Dominus Vobiscum". I thought that this was a wonderful gesture, expressing the catholicity of the Church and our communion with the Orthodox Latin Fathers of the first millenium.

Does anyone else have any experience of Latin in the Liturgy?

[M.C. Steenberg]

Dear Mr Cook,

At least in Great Britain, it is not uncommon to hear Latin used at various times - largely in this historical sense. It is routine in Paschaltide, as one of the common languages for the Paschal greeting, and as well for the reading of the Gospel at Paschal vespers. Metropolitan Kallistos, when blessing the people with the trikiri and dikiri during ordinary Divine Liturgies throughout the year, often says one of the three episcopal refrains ('Look down, O Lord, upon this vineyard which thy right hand hath planted...') in Latin. Etc.

INXC, Dcn Matthew

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

I was at a Divine Liturgy (St John Chrysostom) recently and, on one occasion, the (ROCOR) Bishop blessed the congregation with the words "Dominus Vobiscum". I thought that this was a wonderful gesture, expressing the catholicity of the Church and our communion with the Orthodox Latin Fathers of the first millenium.

Does anyone else have any experience of Latin in the Liturgy?

I also saw the same Latin blessing from one of our bishops.

At the Orthodox seminary I attended they also used to sing the Pascha tropar in Latin.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Tom Cook]

Thank you Father Raphael and Father Deacon Matthew.

[Patrick Leone]

I was at a Divine Liturgy (St John Chrysostom) recently and, on one occasion, the (ROCOR) Bishop blessed the congregation with the words "Dominus Vobiscum". I thought that this was a wonderful gesture, expressing the catholicity of the Church and our communion with the Orthodox Latin Fathers of the first millenium.

Does anyone else have any experience of Latin in the Liturgy?

We use the "Rites des Gaules" or the liturgy of Germain de Paris at our Divine Liturgies and we often use Greek and Latin with French, which is the principal language we celebrate. The trisiagon is chanted in Greek, Latin and French.

Many of our members are Romans returning to the Orthodoxy and were raised with the latin mass of Pius V. It may be by nostalgia, we often pray Our Lord's prayer in latin. Many of our young members tell me that hearing another language gives them the sense of greater mysticism.

In whatever language we pray Our Father who is in heaven hears, listens and undestands our prayers.

To introduce in particular parts of the Divine Liturgy other languages sends a welcoming message to visitors

+Patrick

[Andreas Moran]

Some use of Latin, in England, reminds us that Latin was used in church during the centuries before 1054 when England was Orthodox.

[Marin Popan]

Jesus laudetur

Permit me to put some questions to you :

(I) I translated since not long ago the liturgy of Saint John Chrysostome from Romanian into Latin. I applied for approval from the Mitropoly from Cluj (Romania) : The Dean of Theology Faculty from Cluj has told me that it would have been an old latin translation or fragments of this translation made eventually in Vatican of the Saint's John Chrysostome liturgy. So he gave me my liturgy translation back.

Could hep me anyone in telling me if such an old Saint's John liturgy translations has ever existed or no. If yes, where I can find it.

The translation made by Erasmus is known to me.

(II)An another question:
Where I could publish my latin variant of Saint John liturgy translated from Romanian into Latin.

(III) I also translated the little orthodox book prayer from Romanian into Latin. I would see the greek original of these prayer. Could anyone locate with a hyperlink this greek orthodox book prayer.

Thank you for response, if possible.


Marin Popan
Bistrita, Romania