Our Lady's Maronite Catholic Church
The Maronite Church is one of the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with the Pope, but allowed to operate autonomously. They are largely Lebanese, having roots tracing back to a monk named St. Maron, for whom they are named. Separate from Rome for many years, they later became affiliated with the Pope around the 12th century.
Our Lady's Maronite Catholic Church is largely Lebanese, but not exclusively by any means. I have passed the church on several occasions and have been curious about visiting. The building has a style similar to what you might see at an Orthodox Church. As you approach the entrance, you pass a memorial garden that's attractive enough that you almost want to just go sit there for awhile. Entering the building, I immediately smelled the familiar smell of incense throughout the place. If you have been in liturgical services that use incense, you understand how that smell can immediately put your mind and body in a place where you are ready to worship. Although the people were generally warm, no one greeted me coming in and I found my way to the service books and into the sanctuary on my own. The church isn't very large, so this was no problem.
The sanctuary is absolutely beautiful. It has stained glass windows with pictures of various saints and depictions of key scenes in the life of Christ throughout. There is an altar, which sits behind a curtain up front (it is similarly positioned as an iconostasis is in an Orthodox Church). The ceiling has a large icon of Christ on it and the ceiling above the altar has one of Mary. The sanctuary is not particularly large, but it is wonderful to be in! You can really feel the presence of God while sitting there in a place that has been specifically designed for worship and reverence of Him.
The service was equally beautiful. The Maronite Rite feels like a cross between an Orthodox and Catholic service (which makes sense, given it's an Eastern Catholic Church). The service has an ancient feel to it, with chanting, incense and beautiful music. There are quite a few prayers as well. Although the liturgical language of Syriac is used some, the services are largely in English. It was very heavenly and being a part of the service really brought me to a great place of worship. The prayers, chanting, music and all really bring you to a place where you appreciate and remember the greatness of God (and kind of makes you feel silly that you sometimes pray for things like your football team to win).
The focus of the service was on those who have died in the faith. There were pictures on display of family members and others. The homily also revolved around loved ones who have died. The minister was fairly brief and very interesting to listen to. There was also a baptism. This, of course, is always a special moment in the life of the church. The child was cute and cried several times, reminding us that in the midst of this life-giving sacrament, we are still just human. The baptism rite included the congregation renewing their baptismal vows. One thing the minister said about baptism that stuck in my mind was that it was like plugging in a lamp. It plugs us into the energy source. However, as he pointed out, we still have to turn the lamp on. That's our response to God and our baptism.
Anyway, I can't recommend this church enough. I wish I was more eloquent and could describe the service in a way where you can picture it, but instead I will just say this: You will truly know that you have been in a holy place set aside to honor God for worship as you leave.
The sanctuary is absolutely beautiful. It has stained glass windows with pictures of various saints and depictions of key scenes in the life of Christ throughout. There is an altar, which sits behind a curtain up front (it is similarly positioned as an iconostasis is in an Orthodox Church). The ceiling has a large icon of Christ on it and the ceiling above the altar has one of Mary. The sanctuary is not particularly large, but it is wonderful to be in! You can really feel the presence of God while sitting there in a place that has been specifically designed for worship and reverence of Him.
The service was equally beautiful. The Maronite Rite feels like a cross between an Orthodox and Catholic service (which makes sense, given it's an Eastern Catholic Church). The service has an ancient feel to it, with chanting, incense and beautiful music. There are quite a few prayers as well. Although the liturgical language of Syriac is used some, the services are largely in English. It was very heavenly and being a part of the service really brought me to a great place of worship. The prayers, chanting, music and all really bring you to a place where you appreciate and remember the greatness of God (and kind of makes you feel silly that you sometimes pray for things like your football team to win).
The focus of the service was on those who have died in the faith. There were pictures on display of family members and others. The homily also revolved around loved ones who have died. The minister was fairly brief and very interesting to listen to. There was also a baptism. This, of course, is always a special moment in the life of the church. The child was cute and cried several times, reminding us that in the midst of this life-giving sacrament, we are still just human. The baptism rite included the congregation renewing their baptismal vows. One thing the minister said about baptism that stuck in my mind was that it was like plugging in a lamp. It plugs us into the energy source. However, as he pointed out, we still have to turn the lamp on. That's our response to God and our baptism.
Anyway, I can't recommend this church enough. I wish I was more eloquent and could describe the service in a way where you can picture it, but instead I will just say this: You will truly know that you have been in a holy place set aside to honor God for worship as you leave.
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