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On the Western Rite Edict of Metropolitan Anthony (Bashir)

By Fr. David Abramstov

Reprinted from The Augustinian (Jul–Aug, 1994), parish newsletter of St. Augustine’s Orthodox Church, Denver, Colorado.

Editorial note: On 31st May, 1958, His Beatitude, Alexander III, Patriarch of Antioch of blessed memory, in consultation with the heads of the other autocephalous Orthodox churches, authorized His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony (Bashir), of blessed memory, to establish the Western Rite in the Antiochian Archdiocese.

The late Metropolitan Antony (Bashir) of the Syrian Antiochian Archdiocese, was approached by leaders and individuals of various bodies. He always made it his policy to thoroughly investigate such seekers of unity with the Church, and has had occasion to refuse several. At the same time, however, in desiring to extend and implement Orthodoxy’s mission in America, Metropolitan Antony realized that there were also those outside of communion with the Church who were sincerely seeking the truth, who were desirous of becoming engrafted to the vine of Christ. After considerable meditation of the problem and taking into consideration the action of the Church elsewhere in the world, namely France, he came to the conclusion that the use of a Western rite in America could be of importance in facilitating the return to the Church of separated Western Christians in America. He turned for guidance to the late Patriarch Alexander III of Antioch who, in May, 1958, after consultation with the other Autocephalous Churches, gave an affirmative reply. Forwarding to the Metropolitan an Arabic translation of the famous 1936 Ukase of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Patriarch of Antioch authorized Metropolitan Antony to take the same action, leaving to your Orthodox zeal and good judgment the right to work out the details in the local situations.

Thereupon Metropolitan Antony issued his Edict of August, 1958, in which he set forth the general and provisional basis for establishing Western rite parishes within his Archdiocese. The Edict’s stipulations were:

  1. All converts to the Church must accept the full Orthodox doctrine of Faith.
  2. Parishes and larger units received into the Archdiocese retain the use of all Western rites, devotions, and customs which are not contrary to the Orthodox Faith and are logically derived from a Western usage antedating the Schism of 1054.
  3. All individual converts must be integrated into parochial life; there can be no individual converts to the Western rite unless to an established parish.
  4. The manner of reception of prospective Western rite groups as well as to whatever concerns the rite itself, the approval of text, &c., shall be handled by a special Commission appointed by the Archbishop.
  5. There can be no transference from one rite to another without special dispensation* Such dispensations shall be granted only to:
    1. the faithful of one rite who permanently dwell in the parochial limits of another rite and have no church of their own rite to attend;
    2. to Priests appointed for specific missionary duties; otherwise there shall be no bi-ritual privileges for any cleric of the Archdiocese; and
    3. to women who marry men of another rite—they automatically join the husband’s rite.
  6. Church schools in Western rite Orthodox parishes shall conform to the same Christian Education Program of the Archdiocese in teaching materials, etc. as the Eastern rite parishes. All candidates for the clergy must conform to the same standards regardless of rite…
  7. Western rite parishes and clergy are subject to the canons of the Orthodox Church and the laws of the Archdiocese.

*Note: It is no longer required that faithful of one rite must receive special permission to transfer to another rite…

Conclusion

The rebirth of Western Orthodoxy, however humble its beginning, however depreciated by its foes, has taken place. Oftentimes it may be heard that the Western rite is taking its place in the Church through the condescension and permission of Orthodox authorities, that the Western rite can be admitted, might be allowed, that it has certain possibilities, &c., but that the real, true Liturgy is that of Saint John Chrysostom. Rome also permits, allows, and sees certain possibilities in the Eastern rite—but for what reasons, and for what ends are obvious—but the only real Liturgy is the Roman Mass. Papalism, however, is not a heresy peculiar to Rome nor peculiar to the organization of the Church. Papalism exists as a potentiality in every Bishop, or even in every parish priest. Orthodoxy, however, has never held to the heresy of liturgical papalism.

Unless a truly indigenous African Liturgy can be foreseen, a truly indigenous Indian and Chinese Liturgy, composed according to the one unique structure of the Liturgy (a structure imposed interiorly, having its source in dogmatic and mystical theology—in the true sense of those words—and not exteriorly by stifling the life of other Liturgies, as was the case historically speaking, where St. John Chrysostom’s Liturgy is concerned), the truly Orthodox vision of the world has not yet been seen. Uniformity, imposition, external authority are the death of Orthodoxy, for she is a precious box encrusted with a thousand different (but equally lovely) jewels, each of which reflects the light of truth in a manner particular and unique.

It is not by the condescension of authority that a Western rite is celebrated. Those who live in the West and in the Western stream of tradition must, before God and the Angels and Saints, respect all that is good in her traditions. What is to be done with the ten centuries of Western liturgical life before the Schism? Reject them or ignore them or simply forget them? But St. Leo, St. Clement, St. Irenaeus, St. Gregory, St. Colomban, St. Chad and a thousand more lived by and were nourished upon the Orthodox Western Liturgy and Tradition. Is it by a condescending permission that some desire to celebrate after their example? St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom would give different answers.

What can the rebirth of Western Orthodoxy bring the Church as a whole Dr. Overbeck, who hoped for the restoration of the Western Church a hundred years ago, said that when that great day came a new current of life would flow to all of Orthodoxy. Eastern and Western minds, he said, would meet on common Orthodox grounds instead of on heretical soil. There would be no more one-sidedness, the Church would be Catholic territorially as well as theologically.

New paths would be found to an invigorated spiritual life. A copious exchange of talents and ideas would cause a stirring up of life such as it was in the Patristic age.

The Western Orthodox movement is not yet large enough to reap all these benefits, but wherever Western Orthodox parishes have been founded the outlook of Eastern Christians has been enriched and deepened; intolerance has lessened; a fraternal, Christian love towards the separated Christians has been strengthened; and a fuller vision of the Church’s goal in the world realized.

Excerpt from the Report of Metropolitan Anthony (Bashir) to the 1958 Archdiocesan Convention

From the November 1958 issue of The Word, reprinted in The Lion, newsletter of St. Mark’s Parish.

Editorial note:On 31st May 1958, His Beatitude, Alexander III, Patriarch of Antioch of blessed memory, in consultation with the heads of the other autocephalous Orthodox churches, authorized His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony (Bashir), of blessed memory, to establish the Western Rite in the Antiochian Archdiocese.

With the blessing of the Patriarch and following the example of other Orthodox Patriarchates we have made it possible for Western Christians to enter the Church and preserve ancient forms which are so precious to them as ours are to us. This privilege is extended to groups, not to individuals.

Even before the Papacy broke away from the Orthodox Church in 1054 Western Orthodox Christians did not worship with our services. They used Western services much like those still employed by Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, and some Lutherans. For centuries our Church was virtually isolated from Western Europe. In the past forty years Orthodoxy has entered the Western world as never before. Many Westerners have joined our Church and adopted our Eastern modes of worship. Others have asked why they must become Eastern to become Orthodox. Their French and German and English ancestors were Orthodox before the Popes took them out of the Church in the eleventh century, but they were Western Orthodox. Our scholars and theologians have examined this claim, and found it just and reasonable. For over 20 years various Orthodox hierarchs have been receiving Western Christians and permitting them to use rites congenial with the old Orthodox history and Western culture and way of life.

This is not, of course, a new phenomenon in the religious world. The Roman Catholic Church claims to be the whole Catholic Church and long ago permitted Eastern Orthodox to accept the Papal authority while retaining their Eastern Orthodox rites. Our Melkite brethren are Syrian examples of this policy. We Orthodox teach that we are the one, holy, Catholic Church. We must not then force the whole world to become Eastern in order to enter the true Church and be saved! The faith must be one, and Orthodox, but its expression has always been suited to the races and nations which accepted Christ. Food is necessary to life, but it attracts different races when prepared differently. We know that Yorkshire Pudding and Sauerkraut and Spaghetti are just as nourishing as Kibbi, it’s just that we don’t enjoy them as much!

You know that I hope and pray for Christian Unity. Those of us who have lived in the Middle East with its confusion of religions know how precious religious unity is. Numerous responsible non-Orthodox leaders have consulted with me about union with us as Western Rite Orthodox. I have wanted to help them and to strengthen the Orthodox witness to our daily prayer for Christian reunion.

About ten years ago I began a careful study of the use of the Western Rite in our Church. I examined the history of the existing movements, read the pertinent literature of our theologians, and surveyed the history of the experiments made at various places and times. I also studied the possible advantages of initiating the program for the United States, when I became convinced of the soundness of the theory, and the practicality of bringing it to this country—while all the time serious petitions were made to me from outside the Church—I referred the matter to His Beatitude the Patriarch. His Beatitude of Glorious Memory, was already well aware of the movement in Europe, and this year he wholeheartedly blessed the work. My Edict is the first official step since that blessing.

I should like to clarify some issues. First, we must not expect immediate results on a massive scale. This program is simply to prepare us for possibilities, and to inform others that we are hospitably disposed. I am unable to discuss the confidential overtures made to us by leaders of other bodies. If their plans come to fruition, we shall thank God who guides all things to His purposeful ends; if there is no immediate response, we shall know that Providence awaits another day.

Secondly, I must emphasize two points. This is a work for specialists, men who are trained to adapt heterodox theologies and rites to Orthodoxy. Each and every case will be carefully analyzed by theologians of our Church, by whose skillful judgement I shall be guided. All cases, of whatever origin, must be referred to the Archdiocese at once; no action can be taken on any other level. On the other hand I am not planning adventures of any kind: I shall entertain only applications from stable groups of proven seriousness. I have rejected many overtures from persons and sects of uncertain composition and purpose. Some eight years ago a number of former Roman Catholic priests and parishes in Central America sought admission to our Patriarchate with their Latin rite. My delegate reported unfavorably and the application was refused. Subsequently the movement took a course which fully justified my refusal. No one can avoid every failure, but in this delicate situation, so new to us, every precaution is necessary.

Of course the Orthodox Church is always open to every man, saint or sinner, of any race or background, who purposes to lead a new life in Jesus Christ. Such persons have but to apply to the nearest parish priest. But applicants seeking unusual concessions of rite or rank must meet our unusual conditions.

This, then, is our latest project. It may not bear fruit for many years, or it may result very soon in significant action in our church. Give it your study, and pray that God may use it to hasten the conversion of the non-Orthodox.