Your First Divine Liturgy

Before you go

• Find a parish near you using the parish directory. Each eparchy's website lists the parishes within it.
• Sunday morning is the typical time for the Divine Liturgy, but exact times vary. Check the parish website or call ahead. Some parishes also offer weekday Liturgies, vespers, and other services worth experiencing.
• Arrive 10–15 minutes early. This gives you time to settle in, get oriented, and pick up a Liturgy book if one is offered.
• It is OK to arrive "late." Often what looks like the start of the Liturgy is actually pre-Liturgy hymns, Matins, or Vespers being sung before the Divine Liturgy proper begins. If you walk in and the service already seems to be underway, that is perfectly fine. Byzantine Catholics tend to view things as a rolling start — you get there when you get there.
• Dress modestly. There is no formal dress code, but most parishioners wear what they would wear to any respectful family occasion. Dress as if you were meeting someone important for the first time — because you are.
• Bring the kids. Most Byzantine Catholic churches do not have "cry rooms" — you may occasionally see one, but they are rare. This reflects a deeper conviction that the Church is for everyone, including the youngest. "Let the children come to me" (Matthew 19:14) is taken seriously. Children are not excluded; parents with newborns are not ostracized. Bring quiet toys. Don't worry about a little noise.
• You do not need to be Catholic, baptized, or even believing to attend. All are welcome to observe and to pray.

When you arrive

• The church will be visually rich — icons covering the walls, candles, an iconostasis (a wall of icons with doors) at the front, golden vestments, the smell of incense. Take a moment in the narthex (the entryway) to reflect on all of this. Church is meant to be a spiritual experience. You'll usually see people bowing or making the sign of the cross when entering. Feel free to do so as well, but don't feel like you need to. You should at least take a mental moment to welcome God in your heart and set aside all earthly cares.
• Find a place to sit or stand. Some Byzantine Catholic parishes in the United States have pews; some do not. Sitting is allowed, but the Byzantine tradition prefers standing during the most important parts of the Liturgy. Watch what others do and follow along — there is no wrong choice.
• Take a Liturgy book from the back if one is offered. The Divine Liturgy is sung from beginning to end; the book contains the text (and often the music) you can follow along with.
• Greet your neighbors quietly. Ask for help if you need it. Let them know it's your first time attending. But don't be discouraged if there aren't "greeters" at the door chasing you down — you likely won't find that here. The church service itself is not for entertainment or socializing.

What to expect during the Liturgy

The Divine Liturgy follows a structure that has been essentially unchanged since at least the fourth century. A few elements will feel unfamiliar:

• Everything is sung. There are no musical instruments in the Byzantine tradition — only the human voice. The priest, the deacon, the cantor, and the congregation all sing. Join in if you can, but don't feel out of place if you don't. And don't worry if you don't have the best voice — most of us don't either.
• Incense rises throughout the service — a physical reminder that the prayers of the saints rise to God like incense (Revelation 5:8). Some find it intense at first; most find it beautiful by the third or fourth visit.
• Antiphonal call and response moves between the priest, the deacon, the cantor, and the congregation. You can listen, follow in the book, or sing along whenever you feel ready.
• "Lord, have mercy" and the sign of the cross — a lot of both. Byzantine Catholics pray "Lord, have mercy" (one of the oldest prayers in the Christian tradition, anchored in Gospel scenes where the desperate cry it out to Christ — Matthew 9:27, Mark 10:47, Luke 18:13) repeatedly throughout the Liturgy — sometimes in triplets, sometimes in litanies of a dozen or more in a row. We also cross ourselves often: at sacred names, at sacred moments, whenever the heart is moved. You will see people crossing themselves constantly throughout the service. There is no obligation to match the frequency — but no one will find it strange if you start to.
• The priest faces the altar rather than the congregation during much of the service — traditionally facing East, the direction of Christ's return, though not every church building is physically oriented that way. He is not turning his back on you; he is facing the same way you are facing. Though he serves as the priest, he is also a member of the congregation.
• The Divine Liturgy typically lasts 60 to 90 minutes, though feast days can run longer. There is no intermission, but if you need to step out for a moment, go ahead. There is so much organic movement throughout the Liturgy — clergy processing, faithful coming forward to venerate icons or light candles — that a brief exit doesn't draw the kind of attention it might in other settings. No one will whisper about it.
• It is OK to get distracted. It is normal at times to lose your place in the book, or to have an "ADD moment" when your attention is drawn to an icon, to a phrase that strikes you, or to a prayerful thought of your own. This is actually encouraged. The Liturgy is meant to be a spiritual experience, not a scholarly lecture. Let your attention rest where the Spirit takes it.

A note on the sign of the cross

Byzantine Catholics make the sign of the cross from right shoulder to left shoulder — opposite from the Latin Catholic pattern. The thumb, index, and middle fingers are joined (representing the Trinity); the ring and little fingers are folded against the palm (representing Christ's two natures, divine and human).

In practice: with your right hand, join the thumb, index, and middle fingers, and bring them in turn to your forehead ("Father"), to your belly ("Son"), to your right shoulder ("Holy"), then to your left shoulder ("Spirit").

You may also see people bowing as they cross themselves. This is not required — something to do if you feel moved. To do so, bow low and touch the floor (or your knees, if reaching the floor is difficult) with your right hand, then proceed as usual: forehead, belly, right shoulder, left shoulder.

If you are accustomed to the Latin pattern, do not worry — no one will correct you. Many newcomers do not cross themselves at all until they feel comfortable. The gesture is not the point; the prayer is. (For more on the sign itself, see Where in the Bible is the Sign of the Cross?)

Communion

• Catholics in good standing — Latin or Eastern — may receive Communion. The Body and Blood are distributed together: the consecrated Bread is soaked in the Wine and placed in your mouth on a small golden spoon. Approach with your hands crossed over your chest, tilt your head back slightly, and open your mouth wide. The priest may speak your name (if he knows you) and the formula of distribution.
• Children, including infants, receive Communion in the Byzantine tradition. This may surprise visitors from other traditions.
• If you are not Catholic, or not prepared to receive, when it's your turn just quietly ask the priest for a blessing. It's not uncommon for people to abstain from Communion for any number of reasons, so nothing about this will stand out. You can also stay in your pew for a few prayerful moments if you'd rather not come forward at all.
• If you are unsure what to do, ask the priest before or after the Liturgy. He will be glad to talk with you.

The Oil Blessing (Mirovanje)

On feast days — and sometimes more often, depending on the parish — the priest performs a blessing called mirovanje (Slavic for "anointing"). At the end of the Liturgy, the faithful line up again, which may at first look like a second Communion. It is not. Each person receives a blessing with holy oil on the forehead and a piece of blessed bread (called antidoron in Greek — meaning "instead of the gifts").

This blessing and bread are open to everyone — Catholic or not, baptized or not — and are far less formal than Communion. If you would like to meet the priest, this is a natural moment to do it. Pause briefly as he anoints your forehead, introduce yourself, and ask whether he will be around to talk after the service.

After the Liturgy

• You will know the Liturgy is over when the royal doors close. Those are the central doors of the iconostasis — the ones the priest passes through during the service. After they close, the cantor may sing a few short closing hymns. You are welcome to stay through them, but once the doors are closed, you are good to go.
• Most parishes hold a coffee hour in the parish hall after the service. Stay if you can. Byzantine Catholic parishes are small enough that newcomers are noticed, and almost universally welcomed.
• Introduce yourself to the priest, deacon, or cantor. They will likely recognize you as a visitor and want to talk with you. Do not feel you need to explain why you came. In some parishes the priest serves multiple parishes and may not be available immediately after the Liturgy — the deacons and cantors are usually well-versed in the faith and happy to answer any questions you have.
• Take a parish bulletin home with you. It will have the schedule for upcoming services, classes, and events.
• If you want to learn what you just experienced, The Divine Liturgy: A Scriptural Tour walks through every element of the service and shows where each piece comes from in Scripture.