TLM Workshop in Vitebsk

By Katerina Lavrinenko

An abbreviated translation from Belarussian by Oleg-Michael Martynov

A workshop for priests who want to learn how to celebrate the Holy Mass according to the Roman Missal published by the Blessed Pope John XXIII in 1962, or the so-called Tridentine Mass, was held in Vitebsk, Belarus on July 13 to 17, 2010.

The Belarussian participants were priests of the dioceses of Pinsk (Fr. Witalis Myszona of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Fatima parish in Lelczyce and Fr. Wikenty Siawruk of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross parish in Narowla) and of the diocese of Vitebsk (Fr. Dmitry Ivanov of the Most Holy Trinity parish in Sienno). Also a Russian Dominican priest from St. Petersburg attended. Among the lay participants there were the representatives of Una Voce Russia as well as young men from Lithuania who serve as altar boys at the traditional Masses.

The Cathedral of St. Barbara in Vitebsk and the nearby Dominican house were selected as the place for the workshop thanks to Fr. Michal Jermaszkiewicz OP, the parish priest there, who started celebrating the Tridentine Mass for the faithful in 2007.

The instructor was Fr. Ivo Õunpuu, the rector of the Holy Ghost parish in Valga, Estonia. Ever since his ordination, he has been celebrating the Tridentine Mass regularly. This is not his first experience as a teacher, for he has already taught three priests in Estonia how to say this Mass. Also lecturing was Mgr. Athanasius Schneider ORC, the Auxiliary Bishop of Karaganda, Kazakhstan. Bishop Wladislaw Blin of Vitebsk sent him a personal invitation. Mgr. Schneider is a professor in the Seminary of Karaganda, teaching liturgics among other subjects.

Every day, Fr. Ivo celebrated a Tridentine Mass in the cathedral, going "from the simple to the complex": on the first day it was a Missa Lecta (Recited Mass) with one server, on the second, a Missa Lecta with two servers, on the third day, a Missa Cantata (Sung Mass) with the use of a thurible. There also were hands-on trainings for the priests in the mornings.

After lunch, there were conferences by Bishop Athanasius Schneider. The first of them was about the inner unity with Jesus during a liturgical celebration, which prohibits discrepancy between the outer form and the inner participation and the inner sanctity. The priest's sanctity is the first task, and the liturgical form is to help achieving this sanctity. Bishop Schneider said also that everything is to be done with love and in the spirit of the Church. In the other part of his conference he made a historical review of the liturgical reforms before and after Vatican II. The topic of the other conference was: "Holy Mass as a sacrifice". After the conference, the participants were able to converse with the Bishop and to ask him questions.

On Friday, July 16, the commemoration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Bishop Athanasius Schneider celebrated a Missa Praelaticia (a Prelate's Mass). Many faithful coming from all the parishes of Vitebsk attended, as well as a choir that arrived from the country's capital, Minsk. Bishop Schneider said the sermon during the Mass.

The participants of the workshop had positive comments about its results. Says Fr. Witalis Myszona: "It was worth to come to this workshop if only just to see how His Excellence, Bishop Schneider makes the sign of the cross and kneels".

The workshop was organized by Una Voce Russia, Una Voce Albaruthenia (Belarus) and the parish of St. Barbara in Vitebsk. Much support was rendered by the curia of the Diocese of Vitebsk that issued official invitations for the foreign participants required for them to get Belarussian entry permits.

TLM Workshop in Vitebsk

Photos by Katerina Lavrinenko

Photos by Dmitry Lyalin