I went to a Byzantine Catholic Liturgy and

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Augustine said:
Well, I don’t pretend to know the rubrics of receiving Holy communion in the Byzantine Rite. However, some Easter Catholic cleric was being interviewed by Fr. Mitch Pacwa in his program, EWTN Live, and he explained it as I mentioned.

At that church I could confirm that others were receiving without closing the lips either, just reclining their heads backwards slightly and opening the mouth wide for the priest to deposit the Precious Species on the tongue.

I understand that the reflex act of closing the lips is hard to control, but it’s just a tiny piece of His Precious Body and a tiny amount of His Precious Blood, which easily run towards the sides of the tongue without risk of falling from the mouth or causing one to choke.

:blessyou:
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We close our lips upon the Holy Gifts thereby eliminating the possibility of the choking reflex.
 
<<People were lighting candles in front of icons, praying in front of icons, and it just seemed strange to me that they weren’t “where they should be” (i.e. the pews!)…very strange to me as a Roman…>>

They were EXACTLY where they were supposed to be–moving around lighting candles and praying before icons!
 
thefizzle656 said:
I actually am quite curious about this, because I always hear on the forums about how you are not supposed to close your mouth on the spoon when receiving communion. However, at all of the Orthodox Churches I’ve ever been to all of the faithful close their mouth on the spoon. To me it makes sense to do it this way because a) nobody is going to get sick, it’s Holy Communion! b) whenever people eat with spoons they usually close their lips on the spoon. I don’t just drop the ice cream into my mouth! 😉 It also seems to me to prevent the possibilty of the Precious Body and Blood from falling out of one’s mouth.

In Greece and Romania the practice is the same, people close their lips. Here in the US I was actually instructed by my priest the close my lips, and the same at a monastery here! I was visiting a monastery, and when I went up to recieve communion the hieromonk instructed me to close my mouth. Nobody I know seems to be grossed out by it. I’m not trying to say that not closing your lips is somehow bad, I just don’t really understand a person MUST not close their lips when practice seems to suggest that this is not the case. In fact, it’s helped me get over my slight germophobia.
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I too, would like some information about this. As a Byzantine Catholic I was instructed **not **to close my lips around the spoon. In many of my studies on Holy Orthodoxy I have read that the faithful do close the lips. When I was received into the OCA, I specifically asked this question and I was instructed **not **to close my lips around the spoon. Is it just various praxis according to jurisdiction?
 
The parish I was at did not close their lips around the spoon, so I didn’t either. They just held the cloth under their mouth and left it open while the priest said the prayer for their salvation.
 
ForeverAdam said:
I’m glad you enjoy the beauty of the Christian East. 🙂 I’ve always thought that Orthodox Christians have a lot of common ground with more traditional Roman/Eastern Catholics on the area of the liturgy and our beliefs regarding the sacraments. You mentioned Scott Hahn. I remember reading once (I don’t recall where) that he now attends the Byzantine Catholic Liturgy. Do you know anything about this, ThereseMarie? Thanks.

God bless,

Adam
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scotthahn.com/

You could contact him and ask.

To correspond with the Hahns or their staff, please write to:

Office of Scott Hahn
718 Belleview Blvd
Steubenville OH 43952
office@scotthahn.com

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
2228 Sunset Blvd, Ste 2A
Steubenville OH 43952
(740) 264-9535
office@salvationhistory.com
www.salvationhistory.com

I would not doubt he has attended the DL from time to time… But given his work environment and his commitment to daily communion and Mass attendance, I am rather certain he goes to Roman Mass daily at FUS or, the Josephinum.
 
thefizzle656 said:
Here in the US I was actually instructed by my priest the close my lips, and the same at a monastery here! I was visiting a monastery, and when I went up to recieve communion the hieromonk instructed me to close my mouth. Nobody I know seems to be grossed out by it. I’m not trying to say that not closing your lips is somehow bad, I just don’t really understand a person MUST not close their lips when practice seems to suggest that this is not the case. In fact, it’s helped me get over my slight germophobia. 🙂

Alex
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The actual practice is to keep your mouth open, and tilt your head back until such time as the priest has removed the spoon. Then, obviously, you close your mouth. This was brought to me especially when I was at a pilgrimage last weekend. I was at Holy Resurrection Monastery in Newberry Springs, CA, and just before the deacon came out with the chalice to intone, “With the fear of God and faith approach,” the junior priest came out and instructed the faithful on how to receive. His instruction was indeed to keep your mouth open and your head back. (This can lead to some extreme postures if the priest is shorter than the communicant, but I digress) For a full text of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chyrsostom, you may go to this link: byzantines.net/liturgy/liturgy.htm

For more information on Holy Resurrection Monastery, you may go to this link: hrmonline.org/

Hope this helps!
 
Frbrendan said:
The actual practice is to keep your mouth open, and tilt your head back until such time as the priest has removed the spoon.
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Yes, that is the custom for the Eastern Catholics (I beleive pretty much across the board). But it seems to vary for the different Orthodox jurisdictions.

Fr Ambrose, might you be able to comment on this? Thank you.
 
ThereseMarie said:
I have been posting all over the place about the beautiful, beautiful Divine Liturgy…
I really feel as though I am in heaven…
If there were a Byzantine church nearby, I would “switch” rites…
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We EO’s look at the Latin Rite today and just shake our heads…

The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom brings the whole person into the worship service, nose to toes, mind, body, soul, spirit, nous, everything…

The Latin Rite seems rather more intellectually focused, leaving the rest of the person aside…

To throw away the beauty of the services is just inconceivable to the East…

Arsenios
 
Mickey said:
I too, would like some information about this. As a Byzantine Catholic I was instructed **not **to close my lips around the spoon. In many of my studies on Holy Orthodoxy I have read that the faithful do close the lips. When I was received into the OCA, I specifically asked this question and I was instructed **not **to close my lips around the spoon. Is it just various praxis according to jurisdiction?
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It is a good idea, from the EO perspective, to not close your lips around the spoon, unless it is in an EO Church… We do, for ourselves, and there is never any ill effect, but outside our Holy Communion, we cannot give such advice…

It would appear that the Byz Cath’s believe in germs…??? That would be a good question to ask one of their priests… Why not close one’s lips on the spoon? Is it really fear of germs?

Arsenios
 
Reader_Arsenios said:
It is a good idea, from the EO perspective, to not close your lips around the spoon, unless it is in an EO Church… We do, for ourselves, and there is never any ill effect, but outside our Holy Communion, we cannot give such advice…

It would appear that the Byz Cath’s believe in germs…??? That would be a good question to ask one of their priests… Why not close one’s lips on the spoon? Is it really fear of germs?

Arsenios
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But in many EO Churches we are instructed not to close the lips around the spoon–including the Church I attend (OCA).
 
Mickey said:
But in many EO Churches we are instructed not to close the lips around the spoon–including the Church I attend (OCA).
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And there are, as well, many in my parish who do not close their lips around it either - Yet most do, and we have never been told otherwise… Sp maybe it is a mixed bag with no over-riding rubric governing it… Yet the Byz Cath does indeed seem to have just such a rubric… My Antiochian convert parish takes the active role in its reception, generally… Those lips eagerly receive!

I was certainly never instructed one way or the other, and have always been a lip closer…

Great topic for a coctail party of EO’s, Eh??😃

Arsenios
 
thefizzle656 said:
I’m not trying to say that not closing your lips is somehow bad, I just don’t really understand a person MUST not close their lips when practice seems to suggest that this is not the case. In fact, it’s helped me get over my slight germophobia. 🙂

Forgive for the rant!

Alex
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As far as germophobia–do you really think that Jesus would allow germs to linger where His Body and Blood are present? Personally, I don’t think so! However it is true that the alcohol content in the Wine which has become His Blood will kill any germs.

Frankly, I don’t think that there could possibly be any harm to take His Body and Blood, nor do I think that the Lord would allow it.

However, I have heard of some priests that, in pastoral care for their alcoholic sheep may put aside a small amount of the Lamb so that there will be no stumbling block for one who is in recovery, but firmly believes that the wine might harm him. However, this is an exception, and not the rule.

One thing of interest–the Melkite Catholics do not use a spoon. Rather, they cut the Lamb into small strips, and the priest takes a small strip of the Body, dips it into the Blood, and places the whole in the communicant’s mouth–again, the idea is to open your mouth, tilt your head back, and let the priest place the whole in your mouth. Then you may close your mouth, after he has removed his fingers.
 
Frbrendan said:
As far as germophobia–do you really think that Jesus would allow germs to linger where His Body and Blood are present? Personally, I don’t think so! However it is true that the alcohol content in the Wine which has become His Blood will kill any germs.

Frankly, I don’t think that there could possibly be any harm to take His Body and Blood, nor do I think that the Lord would allow it.
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If you read the first part of my post, you would see that this was my point! My comment about germophobia was related to ME, that the practice of closing my mouth on the spoon has helped me get over my slight germophobia about things like that.

I’ve read about people who have said not to close their lips on the spoon because of the fear of spreading germs. My response was that because it is Holy Communion, their is no need to fear germs or anything.
One thing of interest–the Melkite Catholics do not use a spoon. Rather, they cut the Lamb into small strips, and the priest takes a small strip of the Body, dips it into the Blood, and places the whole in the communicant’s mouth–again, the idea is to open your mouth, tilt your head back, and let the priest place the whole in your mouth. Then you may close your mouth, after he has removed his fingers.
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I remember this from the short amount of time that I attended a Melkite Church before becoming Orthodox. Does anyone know where this practice originated from? Antiochian Orthodox use a spoon like the other Orthodox.
 
bpbasilphx said:
They were EXACTLY where they were supposed to be–moving around lighting candles and praying before icons!
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But the Divine Liturgy wasn’t over and they were out of their seats and everything! It just confused me because we would never think of going over to the oratory or lighting a votive during a Roman Mass. We’d be square in our seats and humbly singing, but the Eastern Catholics ask others to pray for them and say prayers whenever and wherever they want during the Divine Liturgy…it was strange to me, but I liked it.
 
scapularkid8 said:
But the Divine Liturgy wasn’t over and they were out of their seats and everything! It just confused me because we would never think of going over to the oratory or lighting a votive during a Roman Mass. We’d be square in our seats and humbly singing, but the Eastern Catholics ask others to pray for them and say prayers whenever and wherever they want during the Divine Liturgy…it was strange to me, but I liked it.
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Congratulations!

You have experienced temple worship for the first time! 🙂
 
Cool. I really liked it, and it was even more surprising that there were only about 30 people there but they all were talking and praying and going up to icons. I didn’t know if it was over or not!!
 
Reader_Arsenios said:
We EO’s look at the Latin Rite today and just shake our heads…

The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom brings the whole person into the worship service, nose to toes, mind, body, soul, spirit, nous, everything…

The Latin Rite seems rather more intellectually focused, leaving the rest of the person aside…

To throw away the beauty of the services is just inconceivable to the East…

Arsenios
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I am not really certain how this fits into the discussion to this point, but good to see you maintain form and never miss a beat in denegrating the awful west.
 
I just found out from the priest who says Liturgy at the parish I went to last week that I can come any weekend I like!! YAY! That means I’ll be going every time I get the chance!!👍
 
scapularkid8 said:
I just found out from the priest who says Liturgy at the parish I went to last week that I can come any weekend I like!! YAY! That means I’ll be going every time I get the chance!!👍
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In case any others are reading this who would like to visit an Eastern Catholic parish, I want to clarify this point: the priest was only stating a fact to him, not giving permission.

All people are welcome in an Eastern Catholic parish for a visit or as a regular parish home. Roman Catholics have the canonical right to attend any Catholic Church, and it *does *fulfill their Sunday and holy day obligations to do so.

Some Eastern Catholic parishes maintain the traditional schedule of Vespers on Sat evening and Liturgy on Sunday morning, and it is being restored in many more places. In that case, Vespers does not fulfill the Roman Catholic’s Sunday obligation like a Saturday Mass would. All are welcome to attend, but Roman Catholics would need to come back (or go to another Catholic church) for a liturgy to fulfill their canonical obligation.
 
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