What Is Meant By Maronite Rite?

The Maronite Church, an Eastern rite church, is a prominent Christian ethnoreligious group in modern Lebanon, tracing its origins to St. Maron and St. John Maron. The church enjoys independence for much of its history, both ecclesiologically and sociopolitically. It retains the West Syrian liturgy and has its own patriarch. The Maronite rite is one of 22 eastern Catholic rites in full communion with the Holy See of Rome.

The Maronite church belongs to the Antiochene Tradition and is a West Syro-Antiochene Rite. Syriac is the liturgical language, instead of Latin, which was a tradition of the Roman Rite. The Maronite liturgy celebrates the Eucharist in anticipation of the coming of the Lord. The Maronites are intensely aware that they are not actually in the glory of the Lord and in the plenitude of His glory.

The Maronite rite uses the same internal order in the Qurbono and the rite for the consecration of chrism (myron) and the consecration of the sacraments. The sacred Liturgy is congregational prayer with its own structure and is in full communion with the Bishop of Rome.

The term “Maronites” refers to disciples of Saint Maron, a hermit who lived between the fourth and fifth centuries A.D. in a region near Antioch. The Maronite Catholic Church gives communion by intinction, dipping the host into the precious blood and then giving the communicant communion on the host. The Maronite Divine Liturgy is addressed to God the Father, and prayers of intercession are always paid to the Father.

Why do Maronites speak Syrian?

The Maronite Church, a part of the Syriac Christians and the West Syriac Rite, is rooted in the early 4th-century Syriac monk Maron. Before the conquest of Arabian Muslims, the Lebanese people, including those who would become Muslim and the majority who would remain Christian, spoke a dialect of Aramaic called Syriac. Syriac remains the liturgical language of the Maronite Church.

Phoenicianism is an identity on the part of Lebanese Christians that has developed into an integrated ideology led by key thinkers, including Charles Corm, Michel Chiha, and Said Aql. In post-civil-war Lebanon, politically, Phoenicianism is restricted to a small group.

Leaders of the movement, such as Etienne Saqr, Said Akl, Charles Malik, Camille Chamoun, and Bachir Gemayel, have expressed anti-Arab views. Akl, a famous Lebanese poet and philosopher, believes in emphasizing the Phoenician legacy of the Lebanese people and has promoted the use of the Lebanese dialect written in a modified Latin alphabet, rather than the Arabic one.

Is Maronite under the pope?

The Maronite Church is an Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular church in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, with self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. The head of the Maronite Church is Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, elected in 2011 following the resignation of Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir. The church is officially known as the Antiochene Syriac Maronite Church and is part of Syriac Christianity by liturgy and heritage.

The early development of the Maronite Church can be divided into three periods: from the 4th to the 7th centuries. The first period saw a congregation movement led by Saint Maron from the Taurus Mountains, followed by the establishment of the Monastery of Saint Maroun on the Orontes, which was described as the “greatest monastery” in Syria Secunda. After 518, the monastery de facto administered many parishes in Syria Prima, Cole Syria, and Phoenicia.

The third period saw John Maron elected as Patriarch by bishops of the Saint Maron Monastery, and the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch reestablished their patriarchate in 751 AD. The Maronite ethno-religious group remains a principal grouping in Lebanon, with smaller minorities in Syria, Cyprus, Israel, and Jordan. Emigration since the 19th century has led to about two-thirds of the Maronite Church’s roughly 3. 5 million members being located outside the Antiochian’s Range, where they are part of the worldwide Lebanese diaspora.

Can Roman Catholics go to Maronite Mass?

All Catholics are permitted to attend services at any Catholic Church or register in any parish, regardless of their religious affiliation. Nevertheless, Maronites bear a moral obligation to provide financial and practical assistance to their Church and to attend services at a Maronite parish.

Do Maronites believe in Jesus?

The Maronites, primarily Antiochene in character, were the first to be designated as Christians by Christ’s followers. They share a historical, liturgical, and spiritual heritage with other Catholic and Orthodox Antiochene Churches.

Can Maronite Catholics marry?

To marry, both parties must present an original Certificate of Baptism, which must be less than six months old. If one party is not a parish member, a letter from their priest stating they have never been married must be presented. If the party is unknown, two witnesses must sign affidavits stating they have never been married before. The couple must attend marriage preparation classes required by the Church, which will be provided by the priest.

A civil marriage license from the civil authorities must be given to the priest at least seven days before the ceremony. The ceremony music must be liturgical and approved by the priest, and modest wedding dresses for the bride and attendants are required. Recorded music is not allowed in the church.

What Rite is Maronite?

The Maronites are an Eastern Catholic Church in the West Syriac Antioche tradition, originating in the Fourth Century. They have maintained their loyalty to the Catholic faith and have maintained communication with the Pope and the Church of Rome. The Maronite Catholic Liturgy is based on Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ. The Maronites are one of 22 autonomous churches that form the Catholic Church, each with its own hierarchy and clergy, headed by a patriarch or metropolitan. Each ecclesiastical jurisdiction is called an eparch, and there are over 20 million Eastern Catholics worldwide.

The Holy Valley of Kadisha, with its hermitages carved in rocks and overhung by the Cedars, symbolizes the Maronites’ tenacity, vitality, and independence. The Patriarchal Monastery of Qannoubin, perched as an eagle’s nest, summarizes their entire history. The Maronites have never broken communication with the Pope or the Church of Rome.

Are Lebanese Maronites Arab?

The early Maronites were Hellenized Semites, natives of Byzantine Syria who spoke Greek and Syriac, but were also associated with the Greek-speaking populace of Constantinople and Antioch. They maintained independence in Mount Lebanon and its coastline after the Muslim conquest of the Levant, maintaining their Christian religion and distinct Lebanese Aramaic. Maronites identify primarily as native Lebanese of Maronite origin, but some wish to identify as Arab Christians or descendants of Phoenicians. Some Maronites argue they are of Mardaite ancestry, while others reject this.

Mass emigration to the Americas, World War I famine, the 1860 Mount Lebanon civil war, and the Lebanese Civil War between 1975 and 1990 greatly decreased their numbers in the Levant. However, Maronites now form more than one quarter of the total population of modern-day Lebanon. They also show presence in the neighboring Levant and a significant part in the Lebanese diaspora in the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Africa.

What is the difference between Orthodox and Maronite?

The Orthodox Church in Syria has a more autonomous relationship with their patriarch, allowing them to make some organizational decisions without Damascus’ approval. However, all theological issues still follow the hierarchy in Syria. Access to content on Oxford Academic is typically provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. Members of an active account can access content through IP-based access, which is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses.

To access content remotely, members can choose to sign in through their institution using Shibboleth/Open Athens technology, which provides a single sign-on between their institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

What do Maronite believe?

Maronites revere the Lord as the Holy One through their “Service of Mysteries”, a concept that sets the perspective of awe and worship. They recognize the Lord as the Creator-Father and profess the unworthiness of the creature before the Source of their being. After St. Maroun, the pious Maronite hermits sought union with God through a solitary and austere life, along with a spiritual and pastoral ministry to pilgrim visitors.

They started with the Word of God, which called, invited, and personally summoned them. They transformed rock into fertile soil, growing wheat and other grains. Their lives of prayer, abstinence, and retreat to solitude increased their awareness of the concerns and suffering of others.

How is Maronite different from Catholic?

The Maronite Church, an Eastern Catholic Church, is in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. It affirms Roman Catholic teachings and recognizes the Pope as the head, while simultaneously practicing its own unique rite distinct from the Roman Rite.