I would like to be brief and not get deeply into the RCC practice, so I will make a few highly generalized statements about Orthodox practice and perhaps the ideas will work out from that.
In the first place, I feel the letter posted in the other thread seems to be a correct position if I read it right: ie, only the priest is to confer blessings and there is a time in the liturgy for that.
In Orthodoxy only Priests and sometimes Deacons (not very often, but possible as the need manifests) may distribute communion. I am considering Bishops to be priests for purposes of this example. There is a primacy in the liturgy, if there are too many priests they might not all be able to serve, the priority going to the bishop, pastor and so forth. If there are enough priests, or any extra priests available, no deacon will serve.
Holy Orthodoxy has no such office as Extraordinary Minister of Communion.
Neither confession nor communion are anonymous. Confession is always face-to-face, no way out of it.
Priest (to all): * Approach with the Fear of God, Faith, and Love!*
(Those prepared come forth with reverence to receive Holy Communion while the people sing the communion hymn.)
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The priests calls the communicant BY NAME as he gives the precious Body and Blood of Our Lord (and the priest-to-layperson ratios are generally reasonable enough to make this possible).
Code:
When administering Holy Communion, the priest says:* **
The servant of God ***
Vocatio (or Cluny, Hesychios or Elizabeth etc.) receives the Body and Blood of Christ for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life.
The pastor will know if he hasn’t seen us the night before, or at least recently, for Vespers and confession. Communion is not possible without a recent confession, the priest can (and sometimes does) turn people away. One priest I know of has turned away believers who have tobacco breath during a fasting period! Perhaps that is rather harsh, but he will do it.
It would not be out of the realm of possibility that the priest will (as gently as possible) instruct the person to see him after liturgy and offer a blessing while separating the person from the chalice. No one is to approach for communion if they already know they are unworthy to receive, this is made very clear beforehand. People do not have an ‘automatic right’ (as such) to come up for a simple blessing at that time, it is specifically a time for sharing the cup.
http://ocaphoto.oca.org/filetmp/2002/August/483/Detail/P1010061.jpg
The practice of crossing the arms while awaiting the reception of the Holy Eucharist is ages old. It is not a sign of asking for any blessing except that of the Precious Body and Blood
Let us not forget that communion is in itself a blessing, perhaps the greatest of all. We can not separate the serving and the partaking. Communion is a dynamic holy event.
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There is always blessing after liturgy, when the entire congregation and all visitors are welcome to come forward and venerate the holy cross. The individual (again, usually recognized by name or having an opportunity to introduce themselves at this time) will kiss the cross and then the priests’ blessing hand. This is sometimes hard for visitors to get the gumption to do, I suppose especially so for visiting Protestants with ingrained resistance to such practices.
The priest then customarily invites the visitor to join the parish for refreshment after liturgy.
*
- Save, O God, Your people and bless Your inheritance.
