BOOK NOTES: A new publication to facilitate participation in the divine liturgy (03/20/05)

BOOK NOTES

A new publication to facilitate participation in the divine liturgy

The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship. Ottawa: Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies, 2004. Hardcover, 1,150 pp., $45

OTTAWA - A publication of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at St. Paul University in Ottawa, "The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship" has been published with the aim to facilitate and foster the practice of the full, conscious and effective participation of the faithful in divine liturgy.

As noted in the introduction, the core of the book is the English translation of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom published in 1988 by the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church. Published in the volume are prayers of thanksgiving after communion, the eight resurrectional troparia-kontakia, as well as the propers of the weekday cycle, the common of saints, votive propers, and panakhyda. The musical settings for the divine liturgy follow the chant of the Ukrainian Church, with several pieces from other traditions.

The book is the result of a five-year cooperative effort to bring together the best the Ukrainian Catholic musical tradition has to offer in the area of communal singing, and to apply that to English-language texts used for the celebration of the divine mysteries.

Among the many features of the book one finds: Sunday, festal and weekday musical settings for the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom; music for the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great; the Hours in English; propers for the liturgical year; tables for scriptural readings, chorales (hymns) and carols; blessings, usually employed in conjunction with the divine liturgy, with a section of newer blessings added that are of particular relevance to our day and age: and other brief rites.

The liturgical calendar includes the confessors, martyrs and righteous of Rus'-Ukraine, beatified by Pope John Paul II during his pastoral visit to Ukraine in June 2001, as well as wonder-working icons venerated in the UCC.

The additional material has been prepared by a group of pastoral liturgists and musicians, representing different regions of the UCC in North America. It has been reviewed by members of the Ukrainian Catholic Church's Liturgical Commission, Bishop Hlib Lonchyna and Bishop Lawrence Huculak.

The publication has the imprimatur of Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, primate of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and major archbishop of Lviv, who in the preface to the book welcomes the publication as one that "fills a very great need in our Church." He goes on to extend his gratitude to the pastoral liturgist and musicians who have worked on the volume, and heartily endorses and commends the publication for use in eparchies of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, where English is used as a liturgical language - in parishes throughout North America, Great Britain and Australia.

Editor-in-chief for the publication is the Rev. Peter Galadza, with Prof. Joseph Roll and Prof. J. Michael Thompson, associate editors; with the Rt. Rev. Roman Galadza and the Rev. John Sianchuk, CSSR, also collaborating on the project.

"The Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship" is dedicated to Father Andriy Chirovsky, SThD, founding director of the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the presbyterate.

The publication was published by SIECS, with the generous suport of St. Demetrius Ukraninian Catholic Church in Toronto, and the Committee for Ukrainian Christian Education, also of Toronto.

A two-set CD set recording of the (more important chants found in the book), titled "The Divine Liturgy for Congregational Singing" chanted by Schola Cantorum, under the direction of Prof. Thompson, director of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute of the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, is also available as part of the publication project.

The list price for single orders is $45 (U.S.) or $49.95 (Canadian). Also available are substantial bulk savings for orders of a box containing 24 books: $540 or $600 (Canadian). Shipping charges are extra. Orders may be placed by contacting the Sheptysky institute at (613) 236-1393, ext. 2332, or by e-mail at [email protected]. Order forms may also be downloaded from the institute website at www.ustpaul.ca/sheptytsky. The mailing address is Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies, 223 Main St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1SD 1C4.

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