Daily Eucharist

[mardukm]

It seems daily Eucharistic Liturgy with the laity was the norm in the early Church (it even mentions it in the Bible). The Latin Church seems to be the only one to preserve this tradition to this day.

What are the reasons you know of for reducing the number of times per week that the Eucharist was celebrated in the Eastern and Oriental Churches?

Would any Eastern or Oriental Catholic here object to a daily celebration of the Eucharist (I mean, outside of the monastic setting) in your Church, or do you consider that a Latinization?

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[Madaglan]

See: cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=227

Daily Eucharist was not the early norm, although in the 7th century it was adopted in certain parishes and monasteries. Crazy Franks.

The number was not reduced from daily to non-daily in the East, but rather the Eastern Churches from an early period celebrated according to the feast days on the calendar.

 

[bpbasilphx]

It wasn’t so much daily LITURGY but daily COMMUNION from the Reserved Gifts that people would bring home with them.

Many Fathers saw the phrase of the Lord’s Prayer “give us this day our SUPERSUBSTANTIAL (not “daily”) bread” as referring to the Eucharist.

There are hints about this even in the writings of Tertullian the terrible.

 

[Madaglan]

It wasn’t so much daily LITURGY but daily COMMUNION from the Reserved Gifts that people would bring home with them.

Many Fathers saw the phrase of the Lord’s Prayer “give us this day our SUPERSUBSTANTIAL (not “daily”) bread” as referring to the Eucharist.

There are hints about this even in the writings of Tertullian the terrible.

Did homes have their own tabernacles or pyx?

 

[Diak]

I would disagree that daily Eucharistic Liturgy was a part of any particular tradition in the ancient Church. Self-communion or partaking of the Eucharist at home is another question.

There are several suggested ancient rites or rules for self-Communion that still exist to this day (St. Sabbas included one for his monks that is still used as “Typika”), and there seems to be a confusion with daily partaking of the Eucharist with a daily celebration of a Eucharistic liturgy.

Aliturgical days were likely present from the beginning of the early Church, such as days commemorating the Crucifixion and Passion of our Lord.

To answer Magdalan’s question, yes, a special vessel was kept for home storage of the Holy Mysteries.

 

[mardukm]

Thanks for your answers, everyone.

Forgive my ignorance, but isn’t the taking home of the Reserved or Presanctified Gifts normally done only during Great Lent?

I’m talking about daily (even outside of the Easter season).

I especially appreciate the distinction between daily liturgy and daily communion. I’ll do some research.

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[bpbasilphx]

Forgive my ignorance, but isn’t the taking home of the Reserved or Presanctified Gifts normally done only during Great Lent?

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**Actually, the Holy Gifts have not been reserved in the homes of the faithful for well over a millennium!

I understand a few consecrated virgins living in the world and hermits of either sex can do so in the Latin Church.**

 

[Madaglan]

Forgive my ignorance, but isn’t the taking home of the Reserved or Presanctified Gifts normally done only during Great Lent?

---

**Actually, the Holy Gifts have not been reserved in the homes of the faithful for well over a millennium!

I understand a few consecrated virgins living in the world and hermits of either sex can do so in the Latin Church.**

When I was studying theology, I remember hearing that some monks (Irish?) used to wear the consecrated Host around their necks and close to their hearts. Anyone else hear about this?

 

[bpbasilphx]

When I was studying theology, I remember hearing that some monks (Irish?) used to wear the consecrated Host around their necks and close to their hearts. Anyone else hear about this?

I’ve not heard this about the Irish monks, but I have heard that the Bishop’s enkolpion or panagia was originally a pyx so he could give communion immediately to those needing it.

For that matter, the epigonation (aka sword-wiper) was originally his alms bag, carried for the same reason.

 

[Diak]

Forgive my ignorance, but isn’t the taking home of the Reserved or Presanctified Gifts normally done only during Great Lent?

Not in the ancient Church. The faithful took home extra Particles or the deacons would often commune those outside of the eucharistic liturgies. St. Justin Martyr attests to deacons communing the faithful in their homes outside of the Eucharistic Liturgy. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus attests to the faithful taking remaining particles home from the Eucharistic Liturgy as a normal practice.

After the time of Constantine with the proliferation of parish or village churches, the need diminished for home reservation and consumption with more regular parochial liturgical services, more clergy to visit the sick or distant, etc.

Monasteries kept this practice since during times when the monks went into the “desert” of solitude (usually fasting times, but sometimes in addition to those times for greater penance) they continued the practice of self-Communion reflected in the order of St. Sabbas.

Fr. Taft wrote an excellent article ‘Home Communion in the Late Antique East’ which while focusing on the Eastern manifestations of the practice summarizes all of the pertinent Patristic references to the practice.

 

[Madaglan]

Not in the ancient Church. The faithful took home extra Particles or the deacons would often commune those outside of the eucharistic liturgies. St. Justin Martyr attests to deacons communing the faithful in their homes outside of the Eucharistic Liturgy. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus attests to the faithful taking remaining particles home from the Eucharistic Liturgy as a normal practice.

After the time of Constantine with the proliferation of parish or village churches, the need diminished for home reservation and consumption with more regular parochial liturgical services, more clergy to visit the sick or distant, etc.

Monasteries kept this practice since during times when the monks went into the “desert” of solitude (usually fasting times, but sometimes in addition to those times for greater penance) they continued the practice of self-Communion reflected in the order of St. Sabbas.

Fr. Taft wrote an excellent article ‘Home Communion in the Late Antique East’ which while focusing on the Eastern manifestations of the practice summarizes all of the pertinent Patristic references to the practice.

Reminds me of a funny story. Last summer I took my sister to her first Divine Liturgy (at an Antiochian Orthodox church). I gave her some heads up, but I forgot to tell her about the andidoron. She was stunned when a woman in front of us put a piece of antidoron into her purse. She thought it was consecreated Eucharist!

 

[Madaglan]

Not in the ancient Church. The faithful took home extra Particles or the deacons would often commune those outside of the eucharistic liturgies. St. Justin Martyr attests to deacons communing the faithful in their homes outside of the Eucharistic Liturgy. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus attests to the faithful taking remaining particles home from the Eucharistic Liturgy as a normal practice.

After the time of Constantine with the proliferation of parish or village churches, the need diminished for home reservation and consumption with more regular parochial liturgical services, more clergy to visit the sick or distant, etc.

Monasteries kept this practice since during times when the monks went into the “desert” of solitude (usually fasting times, but sometimes in addition to those times for greater penance) they continued the practice of self-Communion reflected in the order of St. Sabbas.

Fr. Taft wrote an excellent article ‘Home Communion in the Late Antique East’ which while focusing on the Eastern manifestations of the practice summarizes all of the pertinent Patristic references to the practice.

With the practice of self-communion, could a person only self-commune once per day? Was consecrated wine ever included? Just curious.

 

[bpbasilphx]

With the practice of self-communion, could a person only self-commune once per day? Was consecrated wine ever included? Just curious.

Generally, it seems to have been in one kind, or perhaps dyed with the Precious Blood.

I would think it would be only once a day.

I’ve read about during the days of the Soviet ascendancy, especially in the prison of Sokolovsky, which was originally a monastery, devout Orthodox would carry a Pearl (as we call them) in an aspirin tin or other innocuous looking container to be able to receive their last Communion before execution.

After the time of Constantine with the proliferation of parish or village churches, the need diminished for home reservation and consumption with more regular parochial liturgical services, more clergy to visit the sick or distant, etc.

And it was also shortly after this time that lay communion at the Liturgy fell off sharply everywhere, though this decline was considerably delayed in Rome, known for its conservative churchmanship.

 

[Diak]

Communion was only once a day since the pre-Communion fasting and prayer preparation applied whether at home or within a Liturgy.

 

[steve_b]

It seems daily Eucharistic Liturgy with the laity was the norm in the early Church (it even mentions it in the Bible). The Latin Church seems to be the only one to preserve this tradition to this day.

What are the reasons you know of for reducing the number of times per week that the Eucharist was celebrated in the Eastern and Oriental Churches?

Would any Eastern or Oriental Catholic here object to a daily celebration of the Eucharist (I mean, outside of the monastic setting) in your Church, or do you consider that a Latinization?

Blessings,
Marduk

Hi Marduk

From the OT, Malachi prophesied about the coming of daily mass. Where a perfect offering to the Father is acceptable.

Mal 1:
6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised thy name?’ 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. And you say, ‘How have we polluted it?’* By thinking that the LORD’s table may be despised. 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that no evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that no evil? Present that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. 9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. 10 Oh, that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire upon my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that the LORD’s table is polluted, and the food for it* may be despised. 13 ‘What a weariness this is,’ you say, and you sniff at me, * says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished; for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is feared among the nations

From the rising of the sun to its setting, i.e. daily

• in every place
• a pure offering for my name is done daily, says the Lord of Hosts

 

[Diak]

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

Actually that could apply to Vespers and Matins as easily since censing is done at these services at the setting and rising of the sun, respectively.

 

[twf]

Diak:
I disagree. The ‘pure offering’, to me, implies a sacrifice: hence, the holy sacrifice of Christ made present during the Eucharist.

Keep in mind that Providence has deemed it fitting for the largest Catholic Tradition (Latin) to embrace and promote a daily celebration of the Eucharist. This was not originally our tradition, but something the Spirit led us to adopt as a fuller understanding of the nature of the mass came to fruition. Have not many Eastern Catholic churches also adopted the practice of a daily Eucharist?

 

[Aramis]

Diak:
I disagree. The ‘pure offering’, to me, implies a sacrifice: hence, the holy sacrifice of Christ made present during the Eucharist.

Keep in mind that Providence has deemed it fitting for the largest Catholic Tradition (Latin) to embrace and promote a daily celebration of the Eucharist. This was not originally our tradition, but something the Spirit led us to adopt as a fuller understanding of the nature of the mass came to fruition. Have not many Eastern Catholic churches also adopted the practice of a daily Eucharist?

Not exactly. Generally, Mondays and Fridays are “aliturgical”… no DL, unless a holy day. More penitential propers for vespers and matins. Some traditions use wednesday, as well, as an aliturgical day, at least in some seasons. Both Catholic and Orthodox.

Rome is a maveric, liturgically.

 

[mardukm]

Dear brother Tyler,

I disagree. The ‘pure offering’, to me, implies a sacrifice: hence, the holy sacrifice of Christ made present during the Eucharist.

Keep in mind that Providence has deemed it fitting for the largest Catholic Tradition (Latin) to embrace and promote a daily celebration of the Eucharist. This was not originally our tradition, but something the Spirit led us to adopt as a fuller understanding of the nature of the mass came to fruition. Have not many Eastern Catholic churches also adopted the practice of a daily Eucharist?

The only other Church who has historically had daily LITURGICAL Eucharist AFAIK is the Church in Alexandria.

The Church in Antioch came a close second with Eucharistic Liturgical services four times a week.

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[Robertwilliam]

If I may add my two cents worth:In the Eastern Church, most parishes have married clergy. In order to receive communion, the priest must refrain from sex. The same goes for laity. I only know of one married priest who had daily Liturgy, St. John of Kronstadt. He was a married CELEBATE priest in the Russian Orthodox Church, he and his wife lived as brother and sister their whole marrage.
I would advise every one to read up on his life.

That is the reason most Eastern Churches do not have daily communion.