Masses & Divine Liturgies in Alternative Rites
Background Information
This page details Masses and Divine Liturgies in the geographical boundaries of the Latin Church Diocese of Arlington and the Latin Church Archdiocese of Washington in Catholic rites other than the traditional Roman Rite. These liturgies may be of interest to traditional Latin Catholics when a traditional Latin Mass is unavailable, or simply for the sake of breathing with both "lungs" of the Church.
Per Canon 1248, §1, of the 1983 Code of Canon Law, any "person who assists at a Mass [or Divine Liturgy or Holy Qurbono] in any Catholic rite" fulfills the obligation to attend Mass on Sunday or a holyday of obligation. Per the same canon, a Mass on the evening before a day of obligation is also satisfactory. The liturgies listed on this page all fit these criteria.
Glossary of Terms:
Divine Liturgy, the traditional Byzantine term for what Latins call the Holy Mass
Orthros: the Byzantine equivalent of Matins in the Divine Office
Great Vespers, the Byzantine equivalent of Solemn Vespers in the Roman Rite
Holy Qurbono, the traditional Syriac term for what Latins call the Holy Mass
Northern Virginia
Holy Transfiguration
Melkite Greek-Catholic Church
Byzantine Rite – Eparchy of Newton
Sun. Orthros 9 a.m. in English
Sun. Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. in English/Arabic
Sat. Great Vespers 6 p.m. in English
Wed. Vespers 6:30 p.m. in English
Epiphany of Our Lord
Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church
Byzantine Rite – Eparchy of Passaic
Sun. Divine Liturgy 9 a.m. in English
Sat. Divine Liturgy 5 p.m. in English (fulfills Sun. obligation)
Occasional weekday Divine Liturgy; see website
Maryland and Washington, D.C.
St. Luke
Ordinariate Catholic Church
Ordinariate Use of the Roman Rite –
Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter
2401 Brinkley Rd
Fort Washington, MD
Sun. 11 a.m.
Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. in the chapel
Sat. 10 a.m. in the chapel (1st Sat. in the church)
(Banner image)
National Shrine of the Holy Family
Ukrainian Catholic Church
Byzantine Rite – Archeparchy of Philadelphia
4250 Harewood Rd NE
Washington, DC
Sun. Divine Liturgy 9 a.m. in English
Sun. Divine Liturgy 11:30 a.m. in Ukrainian
St. Gregory of Nyssa
Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church
Byzantine Rite – Eparchy of Passaic
12420 Old Gunpowder Spur Rd
Beltsville, MD
Sun. Divine Liturgy 11:15 a.m. in English
Wed. Vespers 6 p.m. in English
Holy Trinity
Ukrainian Catholic Church
Byzantine Rite – Archeparchy of Philadelphia
16631 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD
Sun. Divine Liturgy 11:30 a.m. in Ukrainian
Feasts Divine Liturgy 7 p.m. in Ukrainian
St. Mary
Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
Malankara (West Syriac) Rite –
St. Mary, Queen of Peace Eparchy
1717 Ritchie Rd
Forestville, MD
Sun. Holy Qurbono 11 a.m. in Malayalam
Holy Transfiguration Outreach
Melkite Greek-Catholic Church
Byzantine Rite – Eparchy of Newton
1930 N Lawrence Ave
Annapolis, MD
Monthly Sun. Divine Liturgy 10:30 a.m. in English/Arabic; see website
Epiphany Mission
Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Church
Byzantine Rite – Eparchy of Passaic
9301 Warfield Rd
Gaithersburg, MD
Sun. Divine Liturgy 10 a.m. in English