Random Thoughts about a UkrainianByzantine Rite Mass We Attended

• My husband and I attended a Ukrainian Byzantine Mass yesterday afternoon in the chapel at Human Life International in Front Royal. It was the ancient rite of St. John Chrysostom. 

• The Mass was a beautiful mixture of the familiar and unfamiliar. 

• There were several icons in the front of the church and three poles with gold objects on top behind the altar: a cross in the middle (I think) and discs with designs on either side. At one point, two of the altar boys came with the discs and held them over the priest like what's being done in the photo on the right. 

• In front of the altar was a table with an icon (as pictured) and many people came up and venerated it before Mass. 

• There were six altar boys wearing gold vestments matching the priest's and quite beautiful; several couldn't have been more than six. They were very reverent and so sweet -- like little cherubs.