✦ Welcome
New to the
Eastern Catholic Tradition?
You are most welcome here. This guide will help you know what to expect, what things mean, and how to feel at home in our community.
✦ A Word of Welcome
You Don't Need to Know
Anything to Begin
The Eastern Catholic tradition is ancient, beautiful, and — at first — unfamiliar. The incense, the chanting, the icons, the standing, the language of the prayers: all of it can feel overwhelming when you encounter it for the first time. This is completely normal. Every person in our community was once a newcomer.
The Eastern Liturgy is not a performance to be watched correctly — it is a participation in the life of heaven, and it unfolds at its own pace, drawing you in gradually over time. Many people find that after several visits, something shifts: the chant becomes familiar, the movements begin to make sense, and the beauty of the tradition opens up like a door into another world.
At Magdalene House, we are a small and welcoming community. We will not stare at you for doing the wrong thing at the wrong moment. We will greet you, answer your questions, and share a meal with you after the Liturgy. Come as you are.
We are an Open and Affirming congregation — welcoming people of all races, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and backgrounds into full participation in our community’s life, ministry, and leadership. You do not need to hide any part of yourself to belong here.
✦ Practical Guidance
Six Things to Know
Before Your First Visit
Arrive a Few Minutes Early
The Liturgy begins promptly. Arriving 5–10 minutes early gives you time to pick up a service booklet, light a candle before an icon, and settle in before the service begins.
Follow the Booklet
We provide service booklets with the full text of the Liturgy in English. Don't worry about keeping up perfectly — just follow along as best you can and let the beauty of the service wash over you.
Bow with the Community
You will notice the faithful bowing at various points in the Liturgy. Feel free to follow along, or simply observe. There is no pressure to do anything you are not comfortable with.
Stay for Coffee Hour
After the Sunday Liturgy, we share a meal together. This is one of the most important parts of our community life — please stay! It is the best way to meet the community and ask questions in a relaxed setting.
Ask Questions Freely
There are no foolish questions. Fr. Joseph and the community welcome all questions about the faith, the Liturgy, and the Eastern Catholic tradition. We were all newcomers once.
Come Back Again
The Eastern Liturgy is deep and layered — it takes time to absorb. Many people find that the second or third visit is when it begins to open up. Give yourself the gift of returning.
✦ Common Questions
Frequently Asked
Questions
✦What should I expect when I arrive?
You will be warmly welcomed at the door. The church will likely be fragrant with incense, and you may hear Eastern chant as the service begins. Feel free to take a bulletin or service booklet — we provide these to help you follow along. There is no need to do anything in particular; simply come with an open heart and observe.
✦What is the Divine Liturgy?
The Divine Liturgy is the central act of worship in the Eastern Catholic tradition — the celebration of the Eucharist. It is the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, celebrated in English with some Greek and Church Slavonic. It lasts approximately 90 minutes and is a full sensory experience: incense, chant, icons, candlelight, and the movement of the priest through the Royal Doors of the iconostasis.
✦Why do people stand so much?
Standing is the traditional posture of prayer in the Eastern Christian tradition — it signifies our resurrection with Christ and our readiness before God. There are no pews in a traditional Eastern Catholic church; the faithful stand throughout most of the service. We do have seating available along the walls for those who need it. Please use it without hesitation — God is not honored by suffering in silence.
✦What is the iconostasis?
The iconostasis is the icon screen that separates the nave (where the faithful stand) from the sanctuary (where the altar is). It is covered in icons of Christ, the Theotokos, and the saints. The Royal Doors in the center open during key moments of the Liturgy. Far from being a barrier, the iconostasis is a window into heaven — a visual theology of the communion between the Church on earth and the Church in glory.
✦What are all the icons for?
Icons are not mere decorations or paintings — they are windows into the heavenly reality, sacred images of Christ, the Theotokos (the Virgin Mary), and the saints. In the Eastern Catholic tradition, we venerate icons by bowing before them and kissing them. This is not worship of the image itself, but an act of honor directed toward the person depicted, just as one might kiss a photograph of a loved one.
✦Should I receive Holy Communion?
All are welcome at the table — without exception. Magdalene House is an Open and Affirming congregation and we maintain an open table. Christ himself ate with everyone — the outcast, the seeker, the doubter, people of every background and identity — and we follow His example. If you are drawn to receive, please come forward. If you would prefer a blessing instead, simply cross your arms over your chest as you approach. No one is turned away.
✦What is the Theotokos?
Theotokos is a Greek title for the Virgin Mary meaning 'God-bearer' or 'Mother of God.' It was formally defined at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD and is one of the most important titles in the Eastern Christian tradition. You will hear it frequently in the Liturgy and in Eastern Catholic prayers. It is not a title that elevates Mary above God, but one that affirms the full divinity of her Son.
✦What should I wear?
There is no strict dress code at Magdalene House. We ask only that you dress modestly and with the awareness that you are entering a sacred space. Many parishioners dress in their Sunday best; others come in everyday attire. Women are not required to cover their heads, though some choose to do so as a sign of reverence — this is entirely optional.
✦What is the difference between Eastern Catholic and Roman Catholic?
Both traditions share the same apostolic faith, the seven sacraments, and the same Creed. The Eastern Catholic tradition is one of the ancient rites of the Church, with its own liturgical language, theological emphases, and spiritual practices rooted in the Christian East. Magdalene House is an Independent Catholic community within the Ascension Alliance, celebrating the Eastern rite under the omophorion of Archbishop ALAN (Kemp) and Bishop HILDEGARD (Longoni).
✦What is Vespers?
Vespers is the evening prayer of the Church, celebrated on Saturday evenings and on the eves of feast days. It is a beautiful, meditative service of psalms, hymns, and incensation that prepares the community for the Sunday Liturgy. It typically lasts 45–60 minutes. Confession is available before Vespers on Saturday evenings.
✦What is the Rosary of Divine Love doing in an Eastern Catholic community?
The Rosary is a Western devotion to the Theotokos that has been embraced by many Eastern Catholics as a bridge between the two great traditions of the Church. At Magdalene House, we pray the Rosary of Divine Love weekly as a communal devotion, honoring the Mother of God and meditating on the mysteries of Christ's life. We also pray the Eastern Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos, which is the Eastern equivalent of the Rosary in spirit.
✦How do I learn more or become part of the community?
Simply come to Liturgy and introduce yourself! Fr. Joseph is available after every service to answer questions and welcome newcomers. We also offer a formal catechumenate program for those who wish to enter the Church, as well as ongoing formation for those already baptized. See our Formation page for details, or contact us directly.
✦ Eastern Catholic Vocabulary
A Brief Glossary of
Eastern Catholic Terms
Theotokos
"God-bearer" — the title of the Virgin Mary, affirming that she bore the Son of God incarnate.
Iconostasis
The icon screen separating the nave from the sanctuary, covered with icons of Christ, the Theotokos, and the saints.
Royal Doors
The central doors of the iconostasis through which the priest enters and exits during the Liturgy.
Troparion
A short hymn that summarizes the feast or saint being commemorated on a given day.
Kontakion
A longer hymn, similar to a troparion, that expands on the theological meaning of a feast.
Prokeimenon
A verse from the Psalms sung before the Epistle reading, setting the tone for the Liturgy of the Word.
Anaphora
The Eucharistic Prayer — the central prayer of the Divine Liturgy in which the bread and wine are consecrated.
Epiklesis
The invocation of the Holy Spirit over the gifts during the Anaphora, asking God to transform them into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Panikhida
A memorial service for the departed, offered on Saturdays of the Souls and at funerals.
Moleben
A service of supplication or thanksgiving offered for a particular intention or feast.
Akathist
A standing hymn of praise — the most famous being the Akathist to the Theotokos, sung during Great Lent.
Omophorion
The episcopal vestment worn by a bishop, symbolizing the lost sheep carried on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd.