Lots of tourists go go Frascati, just outside of Rome. That's where you go in the autumn for some enjoyable wine tasting.
Just near there is another little town in the shadow of the Colli Albani hills. This town is called Grottaferrata and it's a must if you have a strong interest in liturgy.
September 26 is the feast of St. Nilo, abbot and founder of the famous Greek rite monastero of Grottaferrata, just southeast of Rome. It's a two-day celebration and really a very special event.
The monks there are Italians, from the south, mostly from old Greek colonies. They are Catholic, but Greek rite, and sing a magnificent liturgy.
All of your intentions will be carried there today to the altar where you will be remembered in pious prayer.
Father, send us more vocations!
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2 comments:
There's a sad footnote about this Greek Catholic monastery not many people know.
The monastery is one of perhaps only 2 foundations of this Greek Catholic branch of the Basilian monastic Order.
They number only about 20 monks.
Never a large Order or Congregation, this particular Byzantine monastery had close to 60 monks before Vatican II, several houses, and flourishing vocations.
The purpose of their community was to have been preserving the Greek/Byzantine influence in the Catholic Church, but also being a bridge between Rome and the Greek Orthodox, with the emphasis on the Papacy and the Roman Catholic Faith being the one true Church.
Even after Vatican II, for a long while, this charism continued.
Around 1986, at bout the time of the infamous "Assisi Gathering", the community changed it's charism and apostolate to be more open and ecumenical....not only towards the Greek Orthodox (the emphasis on the one True Church etc. was dropped), but also (and this is what helped kill the Order)...ecumenism towards Protestants.....seeing them as real "churches" etc. Which of course they are not in the least.
Meanwhile, vocations and members to this Greek Catholic congregation began to die out. Memembership rapidly dropped from about 40, to the present 18-20.
A sad result of "updating" and ecumenism.
But then this scenario can be repeated thousands of times in Catholic Orders since Vatican II.
This group however, was one of the last holdouts.
where are the photos of the procession?
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