Communion for large groups

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ConstantineTG

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How is Communion done in the Byzantine Rite for large groups? Like outdoor, huge event Divine Liturgies? Like upwards of 1000 people. How is the preparation and everything?
 
ConstantineTG said:
How is Communion done in the Byzantine Rite for large groups? Like outdoor, huge event Divine Liturgies? Like upwards of 1000 people. How is the preparation and everything?
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Multiple chalices, and larger chalices. I’ve seen chalices with bowls as deep as 10" and as wide as 8"… and know that larger still have been made and used.

Priests and/or deacons commune the faithful in multiple lines; if large enough chalices are used to be difficult to hold in one hand, deacons and/or subdeacons hold them. Whether or not deacons are permitted to commune the faithful seems to vary by particular church.

Ruthenian Particular law limits to no more ministers of Holy Communion than 1 per 75 faithful. By extension, that also means 1 chalice per 75 faithful.

It’s possible to have multiple ministers working from the same Chalice, if the cup on it is big enough; usually a third holds it for them. I’ve seen Russian Orthodox do this on video.

I’ve seen the Antiochian Orthodox use 5 chalices for one liturgy… and 5 pattens, asterisks, and veil sets… I’ve seen Russians use 2-3 on video, 2 in person.
 
How about the bread/Lamb? Do they bring in 5 huge loaves? Or just bring as many as they think appropriate?
 
ConstantineTG said:
How about the bread/Lamb? Do they bring in 5 huge loaves? Or just bring as many as they think appropriate?
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Up to 5 per chalice. The Ruthenian Recension (Including the UGCC & Ruthenian Churches) allows the use of 1, 3, or 5 prosphora loaves per set.

At least one loaf per chalice used is required, and one lamb from the first loaf.

In jurisdictions where the particles are consecrated (rather than just the lamb), additional particles will be cut from the additional loaves. In Jurisdictions where only the lamb is consecrated, additional lambs will be cut.
 
ConstantineTG said:
How is Communion done in the Byzantine Rite for large groups? Like outdoor, huge event Divine Liturgies? Like upwards of 1000 people. How is the preparation and everything?
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At the Labor Day Otpust, there are a dozen or more “stations” set up where the priests distribute the Holy Communion. There are a dozen or more chalices already on the altar and large glass containers of pre-cut bread that are present on the Proskomedia table. As more communion bread is needed, they simple go to the Proskomedia table take some of the bread and mix it with the Precious Blood and continue distributing the Holy Communion.

Hope this helps…
 
Patchunky said:
At the Labor Day Otpust, there are a dozen or more “stations” set up where the priests distribute the Holy Communion. There are a dozen or more chalices already on the altar and large glass containers of pre-cut bread that are present on the Proskomedia table. As more communion bread is needed, they simple go to the Proskomedia table take some of the bread and mix it with the Precious Blood and continue distributing the Holy Communion.

Hope this helps…
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A HORRIBLE ABUSE!!! THIS SHOULD NEVER BE DONE and the canons forbid it! :mad:
 
ConstantineTG said:
What about at the time of Consecration the priest (or bishop) intended to consecrate those?
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Then he should have put them on the Holy Table, not left them on the proskomedia table.

For once, I do agree with Ciero on something… it’s an abuse. It violates the rubrics of the promulgated texts.
 
Aramis said:
Then he should have put them on the Holy Table, not left them on the proskomedia table.

For once, I do agree with Ciero on something… it’s an abuse. It violates the rubrics of the promulgated texts.
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Granted if the Holy Table is already full? Just giving the priest the benefit of the doubt. Just look at St. Elias’ Holy Table, its not big. Our parish has a big Holy Table, 9 priests and a Bishop comfortably celebrated Divine Liturgy last month there.
 
ConstantineTG said:
Granted if the Holy Table is already full? Just giving the priest the benefit of the doubt. Just look at St. Elias’ Holy Table, its not big. Our parish has a big Holy Table, 9 priests and a Bishop comfortably celebrated Divine Liturgy last month there.
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The big abuse is the putting of UNCONSECRATED particles into the consecrated Precious Blood. The using of pre cut particles in glass bowls is another abuse, but we can leave that for another time.
 
Aramis said:
Then he should have put them on the Holy Table, not left them on the proskomedia table.

For once, I do agree with Ciero on something… it’s an abuse. It violates the rubrics of the promulgated texts.
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😃

I don’t understand why following the rubrics and tradition is so hard to do!
 
ConstantineTG said:
Granted if the Holy Table is already full? Just giving the priest the benefit of the doubt. Just look at St. Elias’ Holy Table, its not big. Our parish has a big Holy Table, 9 priests and a Bishop comfortably celebrated Divine Liturgy last month there.
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Have the subdeacon hold the liturgikon, removing the stand, and put the additional gifts on the table in its spot.
 
Aramis said:
Have the subdeacon hold the liturgikon, removing the stand, and put the additional gifts on the table in its spot.
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Properly speaking the liturgicon shouldn’t be on the altar anyway…another abuse. 😃
 
ciero said:
Properly speaking this should be it…if you have 1 communicant or 1000…only the size of the lamb should change. The other particles on the discos are NOT consecrated but are only commemorations.
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That is not and has not been the Kyivan tradition.
 
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