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Tyuiop411
Guest
I’ve been invited by one of my friends to a Antiochian Orthodox church this Sunday and I’m wondering if, as a Catholic, I’m allowed to take part in Communion and Reconciliation?
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TheosisM
Guest
Orthodox Churches only allow Orthodox to partake in their Eucharist and Reconciliation. Also, this link may be helpful:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=162190
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SingleMomMonica
Guest
Hi! I hope you enjoy your experience at the Orthodox Divine Liturgy!
Because the Catholic Church is not in communion with the Orthodox Church and because, even if you were, this is your first time going to that parish meaning the priest doesn’t know you - you will not be permitted to receive the Mysteries of the Church.
In the Orthodox Church, communion is only given by the priest and only to those he knows what parish they come from, when/where they were baptised, who have kept the fast he requires of them when they initially receive the Mysteries from him, and who he knows are properly disposed to receive.
Holy Eucharist, the very Body and the very Blood of God is kept Sacred within Orthodoxy and is not given to just anyone.
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Rolltide
Guest
Let me add, however, that although the Orthodox will almost certainly not let you partake in it, that the Orthodox Churches DO have a valid Eucharist, since they have maintained Apostolic Succession. Attending their service does not, however, fulfill your Sunday obligation.
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Dirk_Skene
Guest
I have attended several Orthodox services. Beautiful 
I even had the chance to attend at St. Andrews in Patras, Greece with my host, an Orthodox preist. But I did not approch Holy Communion. We are still seprate. Maybe someday we will all get our act together & get back together again. That would be great :heaven:
I even had the chance to attend at St. Andrews in Patras, Greece with my host, an Orthodox preist. But I did not approch Holy Communion. We are still seprate. Maybe someday we will all get our act together & get back together again. That would be great :heaven:
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SingleMomMonica
Guest
Actually there is an official Roman Catholic document, wish I remembered the name, that the Eastern Catholic Churches quote from that basically says something to the affect of for purposes of family unity or there is not a Catholic Church around or for an ecumenical visit attending a Divine Liturgy of our seperated Orthodox brethern on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation fulfill the Obligation.
I don’t know if it’s part of the same document or in the Catholic Code of Canon Law but from the Catholic Church says that Catholics May receive theEucharist in the Catholic Churches, but that it’s just not allowed by the Orthodox Church at this time.
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Tyuiop411
Guest
Fulfilling obligation isn’t a problem since we are going to the 11AM Mass after the Orthodox service.
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SingleMomMonica
Guest
If Divine Liturgy starts at like 10 am, then the Orthros or Matins begins about an hour earlier and then from the start of Divine Liturgy to the end is about an hour and a half or two as usually there’s a Memorial or something extra going on. Once DL is over, then Coffee Hour begins, most Churches provide a lunch and some just snacks. Be prepared to stay for that too, the priest comes about 10mins after DL to bless the food. Some parishes offer Theology Class after the coffee hour taught by the priest, but not all do.
What I’m trying to let you know is if you want to also attend a Catholic Mass in addition to an Orthodox Divine Liturgy, you’ll want to either attend Sat. Night Mass or a Sun. Afternoon or evening Mass due to time constraints as if you attend the prayer and Divine Liturgy and Coffee hour (w/out Theology) then you can expect to be there for about 4 hrs, or 3 if you don’t attend the morning prayers.
My recommendation is that you come for the full experience if you can and to be sure to sit up front and center so you can see beyond the iconostasis into the holy of holiess, but stand behind @ least 1 Orthodox Christian so you will know when it is appropriate to bow and if/when it’s appropriate to sit (wear flats!). Also if incense gives you a runny nose be sure to bring tissue.
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Hesychios
Guest
You need to go to the 7:30AM ‘quick’ Mass. This 11:00AM idea probably will not work.
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Wesley7
Guest
Hello, I am of the Antiochian Archdiocese. To be able to properly take holy communion you first have to be instructed and chrismated by the orthodox priest.
I hope this helps.
~
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SingleMomMonica
Guest
I’d love to hear about your experience today. How do you like it? What did you think of it?
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Tyuiop411
Guest
I honestly liked it a lot, it was quite different from the Catholic Mass, but it was different in a good way. I especially enjoyed the use of incense and wish it would come back into favor in Catholic churches. The icons and decoration of the church was extremely beautiful and inspiring it made it all feel really “inviting”. Overall the experience was kinda surreal and it made me feel the way i felt when i attended Mass for the first time. About the Sunday obligation fulfillment, We went to the 7AM Mass my parish has and then went to the Orthodox Divine Liturgy, and since they are right across the street from each other this worked perfectly for both of us.
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SingleMomMonica
Guest
I’m really glad you liked it and that it was a positive experience for you!
Prince Vladimir’s emmeceries described attending Divine Liturgy as, “We knew not if we were in heaven or on earth.”
Did you attend the Orthros or Matins first and did you stay after for coffee hour? Did they have Theology after Coffee Hour?
Do you plan to visit again anytime soon?
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Tyuiop411
Guest
We attended Orthros before and stayed for the theology class afterwards. I may visit the church with her again during a weekday or on Saturday sometime. Honestly i don’t understand why the Catholic and Orthodox churches aren’t in communion when we have so much in common.
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SingleMomMonica
Guest
That’s wonderful!
The reason the two Churches has so much in common is that they both have roots that extend all the way back to the Apostles.
The reason they are not in communion is because of the difference in the understanding of theology re: a couple of issues:
Catholics believe in the Filioque addition to the Creed of the first two Ecumenical Councils, Catholics believe in a second temporal fire called Purgatory, Catholics believe that the Role of the Pope of Rome is Supreme above all other Patriarchs and Bishops & is Infallible and only with the Pope of Rome is the Catholic Church whole and complete (catholic).
Orthodox believe in God exactly as revealed in through the first 2 Ecumenical Councils without any additions or alterations, Orthodox believe that there is only one eternal fire while continuing to pray for the dead who are in “Abraham’s Bosom” (as Jesus described and is recorded in the New Testament) awaiting the resurrection & their transformed bodies so they can enter Heaven, Orthodox believe that the Church is whole and complete (catholic) with the local Bishop and the celebration of the Eucharist.
There are some other differences too. Like in what you decribed in the differences between the Mass and the Divine Liturgy in addition to other things.
Feel free to ask any questions here and when you go back for a visit.
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Tyuiop411
Guest
Yeah i knew the Primacy of the See of Rome was the main issue.
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SingleMomMonica
Guest
“Primacy” is not an issue in and of itself. But the current claim of “Supremacy” and “Infallibility” are together with the issue of the “Filioque” the main issues.
Orthodox Christians do recognize that in the early Church that an Ecumencial Council gave “Primacy” to the Bishop of Rome as it is recorded in a later Ecumenical Council (28th Canon of the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon) that the earlier Ecumenical Council (Canon 3 of the 1st Ecumenical Council of Constantinople) gave Rome Primacy because it was the imperial city of the Roman Empire - it was politically based.
Orthodox Christians maintain that early Churches understanding of the reason for the Primacy as outlined in the Councils.
The Catholic Church says that the Primacy of Rome is because of the person of St. Peter, but that position is a little confusing since St. Peter first established the Church of Antioch and was there for many years before going with St. Paul to establish the Church in Rome. St. Peter has direct successors in both Sees/Patriachates. And it also is a little confusing since the Catholic Church in the 4th Lateran Council, Innocent III, confirmed Canon 28 of the Ecumencial Council of Chalcedon and it was reaffirmed in the 2nd Council of Lyons.
For me the Ecumencial Councils were clear on “why” Primacy was given to Rome and the Orthodox Churches’ understanding of it today echos the Ecumencial Council Canons. Which makes sense.
I have a hard time to reconcile the Catholic Churches position of “why” Primacy was given to Rome as that position is not found in the Ecumencial Councils. No, I shouldn’t say I have a hard time, but rather I simply cannot reconcile the Catholic position in this matter.
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Hesychios
Guest
Basically, your misunderstanding of primacy would be an issue.
Primacy and supremacy are two different things, entirely.
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SingleMomMonica
Guest
I think he’s saying “your” not to refer to the OP personally, but Catholics in general.
Catholics and Orthodox view the “primacy” differently.
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Hesychios
Guest
Yes, thanks for the clarification.
If some one was to say “i knew the supremacy of the See of Rome was the main issue” I would probably not have even mentioned it (other than to point out that it is one of several important issues, not really the “main” one), but it is very common and understandable that Latin Catholics regard ‘primacy’ and ‘supremacy’ as synonyms, as that is how they are taught. I was not intentionally singling out the OP.
Poor construction on my part.
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