As Orthodoxy continues to develop in the west more and more Roman Catholics are converting and asking about the western rite.
The western rite can be simply described as doing divine liturgy and other church related activities in a western traditional manner as seen below.
This is sometimes taken to an extreme of adding organs and pews but at it's simplest form it is very similar to the Byzantine rite. But with different architecture, melody/chants and vestments. Typically right now there is only two groups that do the western rite that is ROCOR and Antioch. ROCOR is more hesitant to make bigger additions like organs typically while sometimes if you went into a antiochian church you wouldn't be sure if it was Anglican/Catholic at first glance. All of this being said so much more gets extrapolated by Orthodox converts.
What is unfortunate is just how little is understood about it by the majority. You get the constant questions from more established orthodox converts about its validity. The most common assumption is that because it looks like papism it must be papism. This is such a shallow take that many have toward it. Another more extreme take that I personally heard is that if it is where the Roman Catholic Church comes from it must be the source of all of the Latin heresies. This could not be further from the truth the Roman Patriarch for the longest time was seemingly immune to heresies; St Gregory The Great (The Dialogist) even giving such a harsh criticism of the modern "popes" before even seeing them in the heresy.
Blessed St Gregory would undoubtedly be giving a "St Nicholas styled" performance to Pope Francis if he was here right now. That being said the fear of western orthodoxy is not unwarranted. We see on multiple occasions of Anglican and Catholic converts online that seemingly believe the theology they had from their previous heterodox church is okay. Also that they can continue believe things like "branch theory" or purgatory as long as they're in communion or as long as they rebuke the pope.
None of this is true.
To be truly Orthodox, you must put on the phronema and dogmas of Orthodoxy. The western traditions that had been so well preserved sometimes even older than the eastern liturgical traditions are beautiful and part of Holy Tradition. But if you are choosing the aesthetics of the church but throwing away the mind of saints and therefore Christ himself you are doing a massive disservice to your own salvation and scandalizing others.
All of this harshness aside this is not what true western orthodoxy is or what it could be. Western orthodoxy could be a reestablishment of a historical tradition and may bring a massive amount of people searching for Christ that are tired of the pope destroying Holy Tradition while also a maintaining of things like Hesychasm and essence energy distinction. What the western rite is at its core is a reclaiming of an Orthodox tradition in the past stolen by heretics that wished to be the "Vicar of Christ". It's not something to be feared but it is something to be scrutinized and made sure it is done properly. If the liturgical tradition is recovered and restored it could be salvific for millions of disenfranchised Roman Catholics that could hopefully be grafted onto the true body of Christ like their ancestors once were.
As a final word to those in Byzantine traditions please do not think you know better than St Gregory who developed western liturgy by critiquing the liturgy itself. But be vigilant to people dishonoring it by mutilating it with things like sacred heart worship. We live in a pivotal time. The world is dark and people need the one true church now as much as ever before. Please use the tools the saints gave us (or at least don't throw them away) to help our lost brothers and sisters into the ship.
Never, never, never let anyone tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must be Eastern. The west was fully Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies.
- St John of Shanghai and San Francisco
(Pictured below performing the western rite)
