EDINBURG, TEXAS — Shalom World TV, a global Catholic television network dedicated to evangelization through media, has announced the launch of “Beauty of the Rites,” a new television series offering a unique and immersive look at the Lenten traditions of the Catholic Church’s diverse liturgical rites.
While many Catholics recognize the Church’s universality, few have had the opportunity to experience the depth and beauty of its rich liturgical diversity. Beauty of the Rites invites viewers to encounter this universality in a profound way by journeying through Lent and Holy Week across multiple Catholic traditions.
The series features the Maronite, Byzantine-Ruthenian, Syro-Malabar, Melkite Greek Catholic, Syro-Malankara, and Latin Catholic Churches—each offering a distinctive expression of prayer, fasting, and worship. Though liturgically diverse, these traditions remain sacramentally united, revealing the fullness of the Catholic faith. Viewers will encounter ancient prayers, sacred symbolism, time-honored chants, unique fasting disciplines, and deeply rooted Holy Week rituals that illuminate the path toward Easter.
Six episodes of the series have been released this year, marking the beginning of an ongoing project that will continue in the years ahead, exploring the rich Lenten journeys of additional rites within the Catholic Church. Six episodes released this year are now available to stream on demand during Holy Week at:
shalomworld.org/beautyoftherites
“How can we truly love something we do not know? The more we come to know the one Catholic Church, expressed through the rich diversity of its 24 rites, the more deeply and passionately we can love her. One of Shalom World’s dream projects has now begun—a journey to reveal the unique beauty and spiritual heritage of each rite within the universal Church. It is an extraordinary experience to witness the unity of faith expressed through such vibrant diversity. We are confident that Beauty of the Rites will inspire viewers around the world to discover the depth, richness, and universality of the Church, and to live their faith with greater meaning, love, and passion.”
— Joseph Varghese, Director, International Operations, Shalom World
Since its founding in India over thirty-five years ago, Shalom Ministry has been guided by a vision to serve and represent all rites within the Catholic Church. This commitment continues through Shalom World’s global media platform, which consistently showcases the Church’s rich liturgical heritage.
Inspired by this mission, Beauty of the Rites was produced to help current and future generations better understand the spiritual significance and diversity of Lenten and Holy Week traditions across the Catholic world.
At a time when many faithful may be unfamiliar with Eastern Catholic traditions and other liturgical expressions, the series offers a meaningful opportunity to rediscover the Church’s spiritual heritage. It seeks to deepen reverence for the sacred liturgy and invite viewers into a fuller participation in the mystery of Christ’s Passion, death, and Resurrection.
Church leaders from different rites who collaborated on the series have welcomed it as a timely and meaningful contribution to the faithful’s Lenten journey:
“I hope ‘Beauty of the Rites’ will help everyone around the world rediscover the depth and beauty of the Church’s liturgical traditions, especially during Passion Week, and see how diverse expressions of worship all lead to the same mystery of Christ’s saving love. The episode on our Maronite Church offers a glimpse into one of the Church’s ancient Eastern traditions, showing how its prayers, rituals, symbols, and hymns reveal the richness of the Catholic Church’s universal heritage. Through it, you can encounter the beauty of unity in diversity within the one Catholic faith. I am also grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Shalom World in sharing this treasure with a global audience and helping more people encounter the beauty of the Eastern Catholic traditions." - Bishop Gregory Mansour, Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, USA
“It is my hope that the inspiring and professional release of Beauty of the Rites will impact Catholics throughout the world in helping our faithful realize the great richness of the Universal Church and how its singular Truth is lived out in diverse and efficacious ways. The episode that features the liturgical rituals of the Byzantine-Ruthenian Catholic Church during the Great Fast, Holy Week, and Pascha provides a colorful, musical, and thoughtful look at the unique liturgical services of the Byzantine Catholic Church in the United States.” - Bishop Robert M. Pipta, Bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, USA
“I particularly love the title of this new series offered by Shalom World, ‘Beauty of the Rites’. Liturgy in our Catholic tradition, when celebrated well, is always a thing of beauty. This series is a powerful reminder that there are many Rites within the Catholic family. The journey of Lent is not a standalone practice; we travel with others. To be an Easter people is to meet the Risen Christ through the journey of our lives. Lent, Holy Week, and the Sacred Triduum offer a roadmap. The coordinates may vary from one Rite to another, but the destination is always the same. Lent is a powerful time to rediscover the importance of beauty”. - Bishop Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Ireland, the Patron of Shalom Media Ireland.
The episodes released by Shalom World under the title ‘Beauty of the Rites’ will have a great impact on the Catholic world. Many parts of the world are unaware of the ancient, beautiful Eastern Liturgies that originated in the time of the Apostles and were handed down through generations by their disciples. The Syro Malabar Liturgy, especially the practices of the Lenten (great fast) season, is profoundly beautiful. It has a blending of East Syrian traditions, culturally Indian and Christian in faith. It forms part of the divinely revealed and undivided heritage of the Universal Church. ‘Beauty of the Rites’ will be a helping hand to understand these mysteries. - Bishop Joy Alapatt, Bishop of St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago and Patron of Shalom Media USA
About Shalom World
Shalom World is a global Catholic media network committed to proclaiming the Gospel and sharing the peace of Christ through all forms of media. Through its television network, publications, podcasts, Kids TV, News programming, and conferences, the network reaches audiences worldwide—accompanying the faithful and guiding people to a deeper personal encounter with Christ across countries, cultures, and rites of the Catholic Church.
For more information, visit shalomworld.org or download the FREE Shalom World app on your phone or TV devices.
For media contact, please email us at press@shalomworld.org.