Blessed bread at Byzantine liturgy?

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pollycarp

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Is blessed bread given out at any divine liturgies? There is a Byzantine church near me and I would like to attend at that time. Thanks.
 
pollycarp said:
Is blessed bread given out at any divine liturgies? There is a Byzantine church near me and I would like to attend at that time. Thanks.
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Most Melkite and Romanian Catholic churches distribute antidoron ( blessed bread) after the Divine Liturgy, most Ukranian and Ruthenian Catholic Churches do not distribute it. Blessed bread is also distributed at a Festal Vespers where bread, wheat, wine and oil are blessed.
 
ciero said:
Most Melkite and Romanian Catholic churches distribute antidoron ( blessed bread) after the Divine Liturgy, most Ukranian and Ruthenian Catholic Churches do not distribute it. Blessed bread is also distributed at a Festal Vespers where bread, wheat, wine and oil are blessed.
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Russian Eastern Catholics also distribute antidoron, but of course there aren’t any Russian ECs near OP unfortunately.

I’ve ended up several times with about half a loaf of gorgeous bread after Festal Vespers at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral near me because so few people turn up, there is loads of bread begging to be taken. I bring it on Sunday to my EC parish to serve at our lunch. Ecumenism through dough. 😉
 
ciero said:
Most Melkite and Romanian Catholic churches distribute antidoron ( blessed bread) after the Divine Liturgy, most Ukranian and Ruthenian Catholic Churches do not distribute it. Blessed bread is also distributed at a Festal Vespers where bread, wheat, wine and oil are blessed.
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On the occasions when blessed bread was distributed in the Ruthenian Catholic parishes I was familiar with, it was after liturgy.

In the OCA parishes in my area (many of these were also Ruthenian in origin) antidoran is always distributed immediately after communion, in such a way that the communicant would receive communion and step aside to the bowl of bread, or trot to the back near the vestibule (which is how it’s done at the cathedral). This is always accompanied by wine.
 
pollycarp said:
Is blessed bread given out at any divine liturgies? There is a Byzantine church near me and I would like to attend at that time. Thanks.
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As an example of one, the church I attend (see signature below) does indeed pass out blessed bread.

Side note. When I was on vacation in Greece last year, 6 weeks altogether. I would always inform the Priest that I was a Catholic. Although unable to have communion by Orthodox rules, they always made sure I had plenty of blessed bread to take on my way.🙂

Not to mention all the Orthodox blessings I got. I don’t know about you, but I need all the blessings I can get:D
 
Ruthenian parishes distribute it on feast days after the final blessing.
 
Our parish has Blessed Bread after the DL every time except at the pre-sanctified DL. The altar boys stand to the side and when we Honor the Cross or Icon after the DL those present are encouraged to take and eat it.

Yes we only use altar boys/men.
 
Hesychios said:
On the occasions when blessed bread was distributed in the Ruthenian Catholic parishes I was familiar with, it was after liturgy.

In the OCA parishes in my area (many of these were also Ruthenian in origin) antidoran is always distributed immediately after communion, in such a way that the communicant would receive communion and step aside to the bowl of bread, or trot to the back near the vestibule (which is how it’s done at the cathedral). This is always accompanied by wine.
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This has been my experience also at the OCA parish I attend. The Ruthenian Catholic parish I used to attend offered antidoron at the very end of Divine Liturgy (I think only on feast days), but not right after communion.

A few months ago I attended a ROCOR parish. Antidoron was given out right after communion, and I ate some, but during the coffee hour, I was informed that those receiving communion should not eat the antidoron right away (idea that one just communed of Christ, so why eat blessed bread?), while those who do not commune should eat the bread in the church.

While most Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches give antidoron to everyone, including those not of the faith, I once read an Orthodox article which said non-Orthodox are not to receive blessed bread, only Orthodox could receive it. I have not followed up on this, but wonder if this practice is still present in other parts of the world.
 
Madaglan said:
This has been my experience also at the OCA parish I attend. The Ruthenian Catholic parish I used to attend offered antidoron at the very end of Divine Liturgy (I think only on feast days), but not right after communion.

A few months ago I attended a ROCOR parish. Antidoron was given out right after communion, and I ate some, but during the coffee hour, I was informed that those receiving communion should not eat the antidoron right away (idea that one just communed of Christ, so why eat blessed bread?), while those who do not commune should eat the bread in the church.

While most Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches give antidoron to everyone, including those not of the faith, I once read an Orthodox article which said non-Orthodox are not to receive blessed bread, only Orthodox could receive it. I have not followed up on this, but wonder if this practice is still present in other parts of the world.
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Interesting…I was told the exact reverse…many years ago in Greece…that after receiving the Eucharist you MUST eat antidoron in order to insure that you didn’t leave any trace of the Eucharist in your mouth. On Mount Athos I was told after receiving the Eucharist you should never eat anything with a seed or pit that required you to spit it out, and not to eat fish as you might need to spit out a bone, thus giving the possibility that you accidently spit out a piece of the Eucharist. 🙂
 
ciero said:
Interesting…I was told the exact reverse…many years ago in Greece…that after receiving the Eucharist you MUST eat antidoron in order to insure that you didn’t leave any trace of the Eucharist in your mouth. On Mount Athos I was told after receiving the Eucharist you should never eat anything with a seed or pit that required you to spit it out, and not to eat fish as you might need to spit out a bone, thus giving the possibility that you accidently spit out a piece of the Eucharist. 🙂
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I’m not surprised. These reverse traditions are found in other areas, too. Some churches require you close your mouth on the communion spoon, while others say you should never do this. Some have you kiss the chalice, others say you must not kiss the chalice, and so on.
 
ConstantineTG said:
In our parish, we have it during some Feast Days. I remember having it during Christmas
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There are really 2 types of blessed bread. The first being antidoron…the rest of the loaf that the consecrated lamb was taken from. It is blessed over the consecrated Eucharist after the epiclisis and distributed after communion or at the end of Liturgy. The second is bread blessed at the Litia of Vespers on feast days…it is part of the blessing of wheat, wine and oil. This bread is often a sweet bread made with different spices and is traditionaly dipped in the blessed wine and eaten and you are anointed with the oil that has been blessed. In Ruthenian and Ukrainian churches (which usually dont serve Vespers), they often still retain the blessed bread and annointing, done after Liturgy instead of at Vespers. They call this myrovania, some people believe this part of Vesper has remained because it is customary in these churches to make a small offering after taking the bread and being anointed. The offering was pocket money for the priest in most places. There is still contention among priests who do not take the money and those that do.
 
Thanks so much everyone. I never knew any of this until now, as I was reading a book on St.Bernadette and it mentioned she took the blessed bread to the altar, I think this is such a nice custom and I’m going to call my local Byzantine church to see if they do it there, and I’m going to attend there when they do. 🙂
 
Cool. I’ve heard of people taking one piece for each day of the week, only just last week did I dare ask for a second piece to take home with me…
 
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