Eastern theology regarding the Eucharist

[ScottEH]

I have a couple of quick questions regarding the Eucharist in Eastern theology.

First of all, I have to say that I love the beauty of the byzantine Divine Liturgy. It was very soothing, and if there was a Byzantine Catholic parish near me, I would probably go there every sunday. But when I went to an Orthodox parish a few months back (I also went to Mass earlier), something struck me as odd. A great deal of the parishoners did not go up to receive communion. I thought this was strange that so many were electing not to go up, so I asked the priest about it later. He kinda misinterpreted my question and told me all about the strict fasting rules of the East, but I didn’t have enough time to stay and ask more.

So my questions are as follows: is this normal in an Orthodox/EC parish? Is it because these parishoners may not have stuck to the fast during the week? Or maybe its due to a lack of confession on their part? Is confession then any different in the east?

I know when I go to Mass, I’m sometimes the only one out of a couple hundred people who won’t receive communion. Sometimes some others won’t go up, but it’s nowhere near what I saw in the greek parish I went to.

 

[Angel_Gabriel]

I have a couple of quick questions regarding the Eucharist in Eastern theology.

First of all, I have to say that I love the beauty of the byzantine Divine Liturgy. It was very soothing, and if there was a Byzantine Catholic parish near me, I would probably go there every sunday. But when I went to an Orthodox parish a few months back (I also went to Mass earlier), something struck me as odd. A great deal of the parishoners did not go up to receive communion. I thought this was strange that so many were electing not to go up, so I asked the priest about it later. He kinda misinterpreted my question and told me all about the strict fasting rules of the East, but I didn’t have enough time to stay and ask more.

So my questions are as follows: is this normal in an Orthodox/EC parish? Is it because these parishoners may not have stuck to the fast during the week? Or maybe its due to a lack of confession on their part? Is confession then any different in the east?

I know when I go to Mass, I’m sometimes the only one out of a couple hundred people who won’t receive communion. Sometimes some others won’t go up, but it’s nowhere near what I saw in the greek parish I went to.

from what I’ve read and heard this used to be the norm for those in the Latin Church as well. Things changed after Vatican 2 (for better or worse depending on how you look at it). It’s good that more people are receiving but I honestly believe that there are lots of people who do receive who are not “properly disposed” to do so. I think that the catechesis is not up to par in this area…among other things.

As far as confession goes, in my experience it varies…some people won’t receive until they go to confession (which might be weekly) and others might only go to confession a few times a year and receive then.

Fasting is a personal thing to do and should be done under the guidance of a spiritual adviser…not everyone can or should keep the fast especially in the strict form…which is why it’s important to seek counsel on that. Whether or not most Orthodox keep the fasts or even the Eucharistic fast is an individual matter. For example, I’m pregnant and I have to eat in the mornings right now to keep my blood sugar stable. When I’m not pregnant I have no problems fasting from food from midnight before.

 

[RyanBlack]

I have a couple of quick questions regarding the Eucharist in Eastern theology.

First of all, I have to say that I love the beauty of the byzantine Divine Liturgy. It was very soothing, and if there was a Byzantine Catholic parish near me, I would probably go there every sunday. But when I went to an Orthodox parish a few months back (I also went to Mass earlier), something struck me as odd. A great deal of the parishoners did not go up to receive communion. I thought this was strange that so many were electing not to go up, so I asked the priest about it later. He kinda misinterpreted my question and told me all about the strict fasting rules of the East, but I didn’t have enough time to stay and ask more.

So my questions are as follows: is this normal in an Orthodox/EC parish? Is it because these parishoners may not have stuck to the fast during the week? Or maybe its due to a lack of confession on their part? Is confession then any different in the east?

I know when I go to Mass, I’m sometimes the only one out of a couple hundred people who won’t receive communion. Sometimes some others won’t go up, but it’s nowhere near what I saw in the greek parish I went to.

I’m not so sure the priest misinterpreted your question. According to the strictest Orthodox traditions, one does not receive communion without having confessed and observed the Wednesday and Friday fasts (no meat, no eggs, no dairy, no alcohol, no oils). Of course, if it is during Great Lent, the Apostle’s Fast, the Dormition Fast, or the Nativity Fast, then one is to fast daily. If a parish is a community that takes seriously these traditions concerning preparation for communion through confession and fasting, then it would be of no surprise for several people not to receive communion.

 

[ScottEH]

I’m not so sure the priest misinterpreted your question. According to the strictest Orthodox traditions, one does not receive communion without having confessed and observed the Wednesday and Friday fasts (no meat, no eggs, no dairy, no alcohol, no oils). Of course, if it is during Great Lent, the Apostle’s Fast, the Dormition Fast, or the Nativity Fast, then one is to fast daily. If a parish is a community that takes seriously these traditions concerning preparation for communion through confession and fasting, then it would be of no surprise for several people not to receive communion.

That makes sense. It just seemed like there might be more to it than just fasting, but I get it now

 

[twf]

As others have pointed out, this was indeed the historical norm in the Latin Church as well. At the very least one had to fast from midnight the previous night in order to receive Our Lord in holy communion. People also took confession seriously - as in, they wouldn’t receive if they had unconfessed serious sins on their conscience. Today, in talking to various pastors, everyone receives each Sunday, but very few go to confession…so we’re either dealing with congregations filled with extremely holy people (who I admire - as I personally am not always properly disposed to receive, wretched sinner that I am)…or people who aren’t taking the sacraments as seriously as they should.

 

[ScottEH]

As others have pointed out, this was indeed the historical norm in the Latin Church as well. At the very least one had to fast from midnight the previous night in order to receive Our Lord in holy communion. People also took confession seriously - as in, they wouldn’t receive if they had unconfessed serious sins on their conscience. Today, in talking to various pastors, everyone receives each Sunday, but very few go to confession…so we’re either dealing with congregations filled with extremely holy people (who I admire - as I personally am not always properly disposed to receive, wretched sinner that I am)…or people who aren’t taking the sacraments as seriously as they should.

I suspect as much as well. I know many Catholics that don’t even believe in the real presence. Very sad

 

[Nine_Two]

That makes sense. It just seemed like there might be more to it than just fasting, but I get it now

Prayer.

 

[5Loaves]

I’m not so sure the priest misinterpreted your question. According to the strictest Orthodox traditions, one does not receive communion without having confessed and observed the Wednesday and Friday fasts (no meat, no eggs, no dairy, no alcohol, no oils). Of course, if it is during Great Lent, the Apostle’s Fast, the Dormition Fast, or the Nativity Fast, then one is to fast daily. If a parish is a community that takes seriously these traditions concerning preparation for communion through confession and fasting, then it would be of no surprise for several people not to receive communion.

I agree. I’ve heard stories of people saying “congratulations” to someone receiving Holy Communion in past decades, because so few people did go up to receive.

Depending on the jurisdiction, married couples also abstain from marital relations as part of fasting. For Russians the expectation is typically confession right before Eucharist. It’s not unusual to see people in line for confession, and confessing, during Divine Liturgy in a Russian Church where there are enough priests to have a celebrant as well as someone hearing confessions. Confessions are usually being heard right after Vigil Saturday evening.

ScottEH Was it a Russian Orthodox or Greek Orthodox parish, or some other jurisdiction?

 

[Rafkqa]

I am not sure about the specific Parish context that the OP was referring to, but I wonder if in some contexts this could be partly cultural.

I grew up in a Maronite Parish in Australia whose parishioners largely originated from one area in Lebanon. We had the same priest for a very long time. When it came to communion hardly anyone would receive the Eucharist, perhaps a few of the women and hardly any of the men. I remember as a child I would also feel awkward about going because hardly anyone else went and you felt like all eyes were on you. For example I do not ever remember my father receiving the Eucharist when I was growing up.

After the old priest retired and a new priest came, I remember he was quite surprised about the fact that hardly anyone received the Eucharist. I still remember his very detailed homily on the topic. He went into great detail about the Eucharist (including confession and being properly disposed). He asked everyone to focus on the words of the Liturgy and think about why they were receiving communion, (it probably helped that for the first time many of us were also beginning to understand the Liturgy because it was finally in English). Slowly many more starting to receiving the Eucharist, including my father.

 

[ScottEH]

ScottEH Was it a Russian Orthodox or Greek Orthodox parish, or some other jurisdiction?

It was a Greek parish. They flew the flag of the Constantinopolitan Patriarchate outside. Do the greeks have different rules? I would assume they’re at least close to being the same in regards to fasting if they’re using the same DL of St. John Chrysostum

 

[rciadan]

Fasting is a personal thing to do and should be done under the guidance of a spiritual adviser…not everyone can or should keep the fast especially in the strict form…which is why it’s important to seek counsel on that. Whether or not most Orthodox keep the fasts or even the Eucharistic fast is an individual matter. For example, I’m pregnant and I have to eat in the mornings right now to keep my blood sugar stable. When I’m not pregnant I have no problems fasting from food from midnight before.

Congratualtions! Glory to Jesus Christ! May God grant you and your child in your womb many blessed years!

 

[twf]

I agree. I’ve heard stories of people saying “congratulations” to someone receiving Holy Communion in past decades, because so few people did go up to receive.

Depending on the jurisdiction, married couples also abstain from marital relations as part of fasting. For Russians the expectation is typically confession right before Eucharist. It’s not unusual to see people in line for confession, and confessing, during Divine Liturgy in a Russian Church where there are enough priests to have a celebrant as well as someone hearing confessions. Confessions are usually being heard right after Vigil Saturday evening.

ScottEH Was it a Russian Orthodox or Greek Orthodox parish, or some other jurisdiction?

In some more traditional Latin parishes this is also the case - people in line for confession before and during the liturgy.

 

[Zekariya]

This is an excellent article by Protoprebyter Alexander Schmemann: schmemann.org/byhim/confessionandcommunion.html It goes into the error of infrequent Communion and its lack of patristic support.

I like this quote from St John Cassian in the same article:
“We must not,” writes St. John Cassian, “avoid communion because we deem ourselves to be sinful. We must approach it more often for the healing of the soul and the purification of the spirit, but with such humility and faith that considering ourselves unworthy . . . we would desire even more the medicine for our wounds. Otherwise it is impossible to receive communion once a year, as certain people do . . . considering the sanctification of heavenly Mysteries as available only to saints. It is better to think that by giving us grace, the sacrament makes us pure and holy. Such people manifest more pride than humility . . . for when they receive, they think of themselves as worthy. It is much better if, in humility of heart, knowing that we are never worthy of the Holy Mysteries we would receive them every Sunday for the healing of our diseases, rather than, blinded by pride, think that after one year we become worthy of receiving them.”