Eastern Divine Liturgy and Episcopal Consecration in Santa Maria Maggiore

Thanks to one of our Eastern Christian readers for pointing out the today's Divine Liturgy in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, for the occasion of the episcopal consecration of Archbishop-elect Cyril Vasil' S.J.

The Archbishop is the secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches and has been the Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. He is a Slovak Byzantine Rite priest of the Society of Jesus.

Here are a few photos, though apologies for the poor quality of the screen shots as the coverage is coming from an Eastern European television source whose bandwidth output is apparently of lower quality. The NLM will endeavour to find better photos of this important liturgical event within Eastern Christendom, but these will at least give you a taste.

(We pick up in the midst of the Divine Liturgy with the new Archbishop being fraternally greeted after having been vested with his pontificals)








(Do note the two large icons that have been place on the pillars of the ciborium for the purposes of the Byzantine liturgy)


(The altar incensed)


(Litanies)