Can Catholics Pray Eastern Orthodox Prayers?

[Jonathan3]

I’ve come to really like the Jordanville prayerbook (a Russian Orthodox book), other than calling the Blessed Mother the Theotokos the prayers are pretty similar to Catholic ones. But I’ve heard that Catholics aren’t supposed to pray with members of other religions. Does this apply to prayers of other religions as well?

 

[OrbisNonSufficit]

other than calling the Blessed Mother the Theotokos the prayers are pretty similar to Catholic ones

Eastern Catholics also call Blessed Mother the Theotokos. You can pray any prayer as long as it conforms with Catholic Faith. Orthodox prayers are fine, as long as there is nothing about pride of West or opposition to Catholic Faith.

 

[Anesti33]

Does it have an Imprimatur or Nihil Obstat from the Catholic Church? If not, it would not be the type of prayer book that a Catholic could use. Ecclesiastical approbation is the assurance that nothing contained therein is contrary to the faith. Unless you plan to meet with your priest and redact the Russian prayer book, I do not see it as being usable.

 

[edward_george1]

That’s not really true. Most prayers, both liturgical and devotional, used in the Orthodox Churches are fine for Catholics to use, and indeed are used in the Eastern Catholic Churches. I have a couple of Orthodox prayer books that I use, unredacted. I even pray Vespers at the local Armenian Orthodox Church with some regularity, and I don’t need to redact their books. I stand in the sanctuary with their clergy while we pray too.

It’s not as though having an Imprimatur is some kind of magical protection against bad prayers. There are perfectly good prayerbooks without it.

-Fr ACEGC

 

[Tis_Bearself]

But I’ve heard that Catholics aren’t supposed to pray with members of other religions.

You heard incorrectly. We’re allowed to pray with members of other religions as long as the prayer doesn’t contain anything contrary to our own beliefs. Since we share most beliefs of the Russian Orthodox, it is unlikely that their prayer book would contain anything contrary to our beliefs. If you found a prayer exhorting God to make the Catholic Church see the error of its ways, then you wouldn’t be able to pray that one.

 

[adamhovey1988]

I say the Jesus prayer everyday. Remember, most of these prayers are just as Catholic as they are Eastern Orthodox.