Welcome to our Eastern Catholicism specialty store.

We are pleased to be able to provide resources to the faithful of the Eastern Catholic churches and to others who are interested in the traditions, practices and theology of the Eastern Catholic churches.

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Although it is not commonly known in our Western world, the Catholic Church is actually a communion of Churches. According to the Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, the Catholic Church is understood to be "a corporate body of Churches," united with the Pope of Rome, who serves as the guardian of unity (LG, no. 23). At present there are 22 Churches that comprise the Catholic Church. The new Code of Canon Law, promulgated by Pope John Paul II, uses the phrase "autonomous ritual Churches" to describe these various Churches (canon 112). Each Church has its own hierarchy, spirituality, customs, and theological perspective.

Because of the particularities of history, there is only one Western Catholic Church, while there are 21 Eastern Catholic Churches. The Western Church, known officially as the Latin Church, is the largest of the Catholic Churches - approximately 94% of Catholics belong to this ritual church. The Latin Church is immediately subject to the Roman Pontiff as Patriarch of the West. The Eastern Catholic Churches are each led by a Patriarch, Major Archbishop, or Metropolitan, who governs their Church together with a synod of bishops. Through the Sacred Congregation for the Eastern Churches, the Roman Pontiff works to assure the health and well-being of the Eastern Catholic Churches.

While this diversity within the one Catholic Church can appear confusing at first, it in no way compromises the Church's unity. In a certain sense, it is a reflection of the mystery of the Trinity. Just as God is three Persons, yet one God, so the Church is 22 Churches, yet one Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us:

"From the beginning, this one Church has been marked by a great diversity which comes from both the variety of God's gifts and the diversity of those who receive them... Holding a rightful place in the communion of the Church there are also particular Churches that retain their own traditions. The great richness of such diversity is not opposed to the Church's unity" (CCC no. 814).

Another way to think about the "diversity in unity" of the Catholic Church is to consider Our Lord's words "In my Father's house there are many mansions."

Although there are 22 Churches, there are only eight "Rites" that are used among them. A Rite is a "liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony," (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canon 28). "Rite" best refers to the liturgical and disciplinary traditions used in celebrating the sacraments. Many Eastern Catholic Churches use the same Rite, although they are distinct autonomous Churches. For instance, the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Melkite Catholic Church are distinct Churches with their own hierarchies but they both use the Byzantine Rite.

At present, our Eastern Catholicism specialty store carries products of interest primarily to Eastern Catholics of the Byzantine Rite. In the future we hope to be able to add more products of

The Quartodecimans were early Christians who maintained the tradition derived from Judaism, and observed Pascha on the same occasion that the Jews observed Passover. In this work, Alistair Stewart-Sykes, the leading authority on Melito and the Quartodecimans, presents a unique collection of material in a format ideal for classroom use as well as for the general reader. At the head of this …

St Symeon the New Theologian was abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in Constantinople at the turn of the eleventh century. He was also perhaps the most remarkable and certainly the most forceful advocate of the mystical experience of God in the history of the Byzantine Church. Though they were on occasion suppressed by ecclesiastical authorities wary of his fierce enthusiasm, as well as his …

The sermons of St John Chrysostom are noted as classical commentaries on the Christian life. Knowing well the realities of life in the world, the temptation of rich and poor alike, this great orator — "the golden-mouthed" — addresses the questions of wealth and poverty in the lives of people of his day. And yet, as the modern reader is confronted with his words, it …

St Basil the Great wrote his treatise On the Holy Spirit during the closing phase of the Trinitarian controversies of the fourth century. The Arians had previously denied the full divinity of the Son and the debate then turned to the Holy Spirit. In this work, without explicitly calling the Spirit "God," St Basil demonstrates that He, like the Son, is of one and the same nature with …

Since the time of the early Church, Christians have honored Mary, the Mother of God, with special solemnity on August 15. From the sixth century on, that celebration has been explicitly associated with her death, as the culmination of a human life uniquely "full of grace," uniquely involved in the Mystery of our salvation and transformation in Christ. This volume brings together the …

St Symeon the New Theologian was abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in Constantinople at the turn of the eleventh century. He was also perhaps the most remarkable and certainly the most forceful advocate of the mystical experience of God in the history of the Byzantine Church. Though they were on occasion suppressed by ecclesiastical authorities wary of his fierce enthusiasm, as well as his …

Three volume set of the Ethical Discourses of St Symeon the New Theologian. St Symeon was abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in Constantinople at the turn of the eleventh century. He was also perhaps the most remarkable and certainly the most forceful advocate of the mystical experience of God in the history of the Byzantine Church. This set includes: Volume I — The Church and the Last …

In the early fifth century the Christian world was racked by one of the fiercest theological disputes it had known since the Arian crisis of the previous century. The center of debate turned on the nature of the personhood of Christ, and how divine and human characteristics could combine in Jesus without rendering his subjectivity hopelessly divided, or without reducing his authentic humanness …

The Menaion contains the Propers for the Great Feasts and Saints of the month for Vespers and Orthros (Matins and Lauds combined). The Menaion is published in twelve volumes, one volume for each month. The editions are spiral-bound—designed to lay flat for easy use on cantor’s stands. These editions are newly revised and expanded. The Menaion series are spiral bound with …

The resurrection of the body, perhaps more than any other Christian doctrine, requires us to face the implications of faith for our personal lives and for our understanding of the world. This issue faced St Paul in his dealing with the early church and also troubles St Gregory of Nyssa in the fourth century AD . St Gregory, educated in the prevailing Greek philosophical system, yearned to …

St Symeon the New Theologian was abbot of the monastery of St Mamas in Constantinople at the turn of the eleventh century. He was also perhaps the most remarkable and certainly the most forceful advocate of the mystical experience of God in the history of the Byzantine Church. Though they were on occasion suppressed by ecclesiastical authorities wary of his fierce enthusiasm, as well as his …

This informative and enjoyable little book serves as a valuable introduction to major themes in Greek Patristic anthropology-the image of God in the human being, the Fall of humanity, and the cause of evil-and brings together the main writings of St Basil the Great, fourth-century archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, on these subjects. St Basil deftly addresses the questions posed by the …

St Athanasius stood contra mundum for the Trinitarian doctrine 'whole and undefiled,' when it looked as if all the civilized world was slipping back from Christianity into the religion of Arius, into one of those 'sensible' synthetic religions which are so strongly recommended today and which then, as now, included among their devotees many highly cultivated clergymen. The glory of St …

The cult of the saints is a phenomenon that expanded rapidly in the fourth century, and John Chrysostom’s homilies are important witnesses to its growth. Until now, the majority of John’s homilies on the saints and martyrs have been ignored. However, in this volume,Wendy Mayer investigates the liturgical, topographical, and pastoral aspects that marked the martyr cult at Antioch …

The Menaion contains the Propers for the Great Feasts and Saints of the month for Vespers and Orthros (Matins and Lauds combined). The Menaion is published in twelve volumes, one volume for each month. The editions are spiral-bound—designed to lay flat for easy use on cantor’s stands. These editions are newly revised and expanded. The Menaion series are spiral bound with …

Jacob of Serug was born at Curtem on the Euphrates, ca. 451. Very little is known of his life. He probably studies at the school of Edessa. He became a monk and priest. Early in life he began writing and is thought to have composed more than 700 homilies. Jacob, "flute of the Holy spirit and harp of the faithful church," has a great love of the Mother of God. In this volume, four …

These are the only three existing ante-Nicene treatises on the Lord's Prayer. Candidates for baptism in the ancient Church were trained in prayer, a practice that gave rise to a tradition of commentary on the Lord's Prayer. These classic texts became the starting points for many other commentaries. Of the three, however, only the discourse of Cyprian is an address to catechumens. Tertullian's …

The Triodion contains the Propers of Great Lent for the Presanctified Liturgy, the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, and for Vespers, Sext, and Orthros. It also contains the Canons of Great Lent, including the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the narrative of St. Mary of Egypt. It is published as a four-volume set: Volume 1 contains the three preparation weeks before Great Lent. Volume 2 contains …

The Triodion contains the Propers of Great Lent for the Presanctified Liturgy, the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, and for Vespers, Sext, and Orthros. It also contains the Canons of Great Lent, including the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete and the narrative of St. Mary of Egypt. It is published as a four-volume set: Volume 1 contains the three preparation weeks before Great Lent. Volume 2 contains …

The Great Octoechos contains the Propers for Vespers and Orthros for each week according to the eight Byzantine liturgical tones. Published as a four-volume set, each book contains two of the eight tones. Spiral-bound for easy use on cantor’s stand. The Great Octoechos (Paraclitiki) series are spiral bound with a black paper cover and black spiral binding. Service Books of the Byzantine …