The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-21

usual Tn Amer1can arCHlCeCCuIe' It rises in five distinct stries, surmounted by a cross. In the cen- ter, above the main entrance, is 8 polychromed figure of St. George, mounted upon a very odd-looking horse, staying the dragon with a huge lance or pike. On one of the double doors leading to the vesti- bule is a plaque of iron: "St. Georges Roman Catholic Church. Beneath are words in Syrian script.
 This is a church of the Melchite rite. The mass is said in the Syr- ian language, and, while essen- italy the same as the Mass in the Latin rite, differs from 1t in some respects.
 (I'm being careful in telling about this church, so strange to most Americans of all religions, because know I'll have letters from readers who will accuse me of not knowing what I'm talking about. My information is exact, and comes from the pastor).
 In this rite, the communicants receive communion under the two forms of bread and wine. The wa ter is dipped into the chalice of wine and administered by the priest to the conmunicant.
 Monsignor Bernard Ghosn, pas tor lives in 8 very modest apart ment, poorly furnished, over the church. He is a stout, elderly man with white, curly hair and white pointed beard. He speaks English with a strong accent, but fuently and correctly. An intelligent con- versationalist, he told me many things about his interesting church which will surprise many of my readers, including Cath olics.
 For instance, he told me that the number of people who hear the mass in the Syrian language is surprisingly large. Verifying his statement by the Catholic Ency- clopedia, find that that author. ity places the number of Melchites at 130,000.
 Another interesting fact, also verified by me from the same source: There are married priests in the Melchite rite, in the Near East. Not many, but a few. These are men who were married be- fore ordination, and nave been permitted to retain their wives.
 'What, exactly, is the relation of your church to Rome?" I asked.
 we owe allegiance to the Holy Father in matters of faith," re- piled Monsignor Ghosn. other wise, we have our own church government, going far back into the early history of the church"
 The head of the church, under the Pope, is the Patriarch of An- tioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem and all the East. That is hss title. He lives in Damascus.
 The form of Mass we use was first abbreviated by St. Basil, and later further abbreviated by St. Chrysotom," he said. '"The Pope, far from forbidding this rite, merely insists that tsIe form may not be changed in any way, but must be preserved exactly as 1t is and has been since St. Chryso- tom"
 A member of the household Several relatives who attend to do- mestic matters live in the rec tory) told me that the younger members of the congregation, in many cases, prefer to go to the regular Catholic churches in New York, hearing the service in Latin and the sermon in English. Merely evidence of the desire of Amer ican-born children to adopt Amer ican ways.
 Regarding the marriage of priests in the East. Monsignor Ghosn said, "Yes, it is a custom where there is a great shortage of priests, sometimes to ordain married men. None marry after ordination, however, and the cus- tom of ordaining married men is growing always less popular" The Encyclopedia verifies this in these words, Priests (of the Melchite rite) who are not monks may keep wives married before ordination, but celibacy is very common, and the married clergy are looked upon rather askance."
 St. Georges is the only church of the Melchite rite in Manhattan. It seats only few more than hundred people. Its communicants live in the neighborhood, where there is a big linen district. Many Syrian stores handling foodstuffs and spices imported from the Near East are hereabout, also.
 I have gone into some detail about the nature of the rite. be- cause it is so strange to most Americans that many might doubt its very existence.
 Copyright 1889, McNaught
 Syndicate)
 
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