This afternoon, an annual event took place in the large chapel of Mount Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic Seminary and University in Emmitsburg, MD. A Byzantine Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Father Lee Gross, Dean of Students and Professor of Liturgy, with concelebrants Father John Basarab, pastor of Epiphany of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church in Annandale, VA, Father Conan Timoney, pastor of Protection of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Church in Baltimore, MD, Father Leonard Martin, SJ, Administrator of Saint Ann Byzantine Catholic Church in Harrisburg, PA, and Msgr. George Dobes, retired Navy Chaplain and assistant at Epiphany Church in Annandale. A dozen Roman Catholic faculty members also concelebrated. For the first time Bishop William Skurla of the Eparchy of Passaic presided, with Deacons Elmer Pekarik and Gerald McDonnell serving. I served as Lector and chanted the Epistle reading.

Father Lee holds bi-ritual faculties allowing him to serve in both the Latin Rite and the Byzantine Rite of the Catholic Church, and he schedules this Divine Liturgy on the Feast of Saint Andrew every year. The church was filled with over 150 seminarians, students, faculty and other local faithful. A schola of the seminary choir has learned the Carpathian Chant music in English and leads the singing of the congregation.

This annual special liturgy provides exposure and education to the seminarians in the Byzantine Liturgy and demonstrates the Eastern traditions of the Catholic Church.

Also this year, OLTV recorded the liturgy and after editing the results may appear on our website sometime in the future at www.oltv.tv.