1920's through 1960's Acculturation and Assimilation

 

Because many Eastern Catholic communities were under the direction of local Roman bishops and because of the natural process of acculturation, many Western-stylings have been added to Eastern Catholic practices. Eastern Catholic Churches, especially in North America, have adapted to the prevailing Roman Rite tradition. Over the decades some parishes came to completely resemble their Western European counterparts. This was the case for St. George Melkite Church of Milwaukee, Wisconsin prior to the 1970's.

This 1930 photo of St. George Melkite in Milwaukee Wisconsin shows the Latinization of the church furnishings in the early part of this century.

 By 1927 when  Archimandrite Joseph Kandalaft became the pastor of St. George, the community was already becoming assimilated.  The church and its functions were very similar to any other Catholic Church in Milwaukee.  The girls wore white First Communion dresses and little veils while young boys wore suits and ties.  The back altar was surrounded by western-style statues of St. Patrick and St. George.

In 1934 Father Raphael Gedah started his tenure as pastor of the Milwaukee Community.

 

With Vatican II's pronouncements honoring the tradition and practices of the Eastern Rites, most churches began to remove the western rite symbols. St. George Milwaukee has very nearly eliminated all of these ''outside'' influences and the parish worships in the manner of the Eastern Fathers. Other Eastern Catholic churches have been more gradual in their return to their ancestral roots.

While it may be impossible to completely list all of the Latinizations and Westernization - the following listing (adapted from the CIN-East internet discussions) give a general picture of western practices which were formerly used in St. George Melkite.

 

 Interior of St. George - May 1957

 

Latinizations

1. Unmarried priesthood (Still generally true of Melkite clergy)

2. Statues

3. Altar rails

4. Confessional boxes

5. Stations of the Cross hanging on walls

6. 3-D Crucifixes on walls

7. Western-style paintings

8. Suppression of liturgical hours

9. Suppression of Presanctified in favour of Divine Liturgy

10. Use of Western style Mass instead of the Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom or St. Basil

11. Introduction of Western prayers: the Rosary, etc.

12. Introduction of Western music and songs

13. Use of musical instruments

14. Emphasizing the words of Institution and silencing the Epiklesis prayers

15. Truncation of prayers, esp. psalms in liturgies

16. Reduction of prostrations and reverences

17. Use of Genuflections, Kneeling

18. Combining Divine Liturgy with other services: marriage, funeral

19. Not distributing the antidoron

20. Elimination of using hot water during Consecration

21. Not having a curtain behind the Royal Doors

23. First Communion and Chrismation separated from Baptism

 

Go on a Virtual Church Tour

Return to St. George Home Page