SABATTUS – The Rev. Robert A. (Basil) Parent will celebrate the Byzantine Eucharistic Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 12, at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 131 High St. Stephen McGrath, a deacon candidate for the Melkite Church, will lead the chanting of the Divine Liturgy.

Parent is a Byzantine Greek-Catholic priest of the Diocese of Newton, Mass., for the Melkite Greek-Catholic Church. He was born and raised in Lewiston and was ordained in 1986 for the Melkite Greek-Catholic Diocese of the United States.

Parent has served Melkite parishes in Central Falls, R.I.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Scranton, Pa.; and Danbury, Conn. Parent is bi-ritual in the Roman Rite and is working for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland as the administrator of the parishes of Our Lady of the Rosary in Sabattus and St. Francis Mission in Greene.

The Melkite Greek-Catholic Church is one of the numerous Eastern Churches of different rites in communion with Rome. It follows the Byzantine Rite, the second largest rite in the church.

The church is governed by His Beatitude Gregory, Patriarch of Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem and all the East, successor of St. Peter on the throne of Antioch where the followers of Christ were first called “Christians.”

The Melkites, as they are called, came to the United States over a century ago from their native countries in the Middle East. Their churches are scattered throughout the United States and form one Eparchy or Diocese governed by His Grace Bishop Cyril Boutros.

All are invited to attend the Divine Liturgy and experience and learn how Catholics of a different rite celebrate their faith. Discussion and a time for questions and answers will follow the liturgy for those interested.

Anyone interested in Byzantine Catholic Churches or anyone who is a member of any of the Eastern churches and is interested in future services is invited to see Parent after the liturgy or contact him at Our Lady of the Rosary at 375-6581.