Non-Orthodox receiving Communion in ROCOR?

[Cavaradossi]

…I am not making it a battle issue; I am simply stating that Christians have been watering down things under the understanding of sensibilities–would you imagine Christ calling back those who left Him and saying something to the effect: ‘Please, friends, do not fret, here take some of this bread (not the consecrated one)…’ or ‘You know, when I said that I didn’t mean anything by it, you can go on and make the Temple’s outer yards a free market…’ or ‘Come ‘n now, that stuff about the narrow path… hey that was just a supposin’, everyone knows that God is Love and He welcomes all as they want to be…’

I am not suggesting that anyone group of Christian has failed Christ by becoming “politically correct;” I’m saying that all Christians are engaging this “sensibilities” business… and not for the better. Believers are set to be sentinels not “friends” of the world (that was A&P’s slogan).

Maran atha!

Angel

This has nothing to do with sensibilities. Antidoron is a normal thing in Orthodox liturgies, because the entire loaf of bread is not consecrated, but only a portion which is first cut out, called the lamb. Antidoron is distributed among the faithful as a blessing and as a measure of participation for those who could not partake of the Eucharist. It is, according to our best canonists, an acceptable and even commendable practice to allow those outside the Orthodox Church to eat the antidoron.

 

[5Loaves]

This has nothing to do with sensibilities. Antidoron is a normal thing in Orthodox liturgies, because the entire loaf of bread is not consecrated, but only a portion which is first cut out, called the lamb. Antidoron is distributed among the faithful as a blessing and as a measure of participation for those who could not partake of the Eucharist. It is, according to our best canonists, an acceptable and even commendable practice to allow those outside the Orthodox Church to eat the antidoron.

I would add that in my experience in the Greek Orthodox Church the priest also hands antidoron to everyone at the end of Liturgy when you go up to kiss his hand. Kiss hand, get a verbal blessing or greeting and be handed antidoron, or a visitor might not kiss his hand and just be greeted by the priest with his verbal blessing and be handed antidoron. In ROCOR and other Russian/Slav Churches the priest holds his hand cross for us to kiss. We kiss the cross and his hand, in some cases I’ve had the priest present his cuff for kissing, and any left over antidoron is in a bowl off to the side or maybe held by an altar server, for the taking.

There are some Orthodox jurisdictions who expect those who are going to eat the antidoron to have fasted as if for Eucharist, and it is meant only for Orthodox to consume. In that case a lay person wouldn’t be handing it to a visitor.

In the Russian and some other Slav traditions we also have individual prosphora we send with our prayer requests, which are brought to the priest by an altar server. (see image) After the priest has taken a portion while praying for those we have requested prayers for, these individual prosphora and the prayer intention paper or booklet with them are brought back out. People take back their prosphora and that also is often share with others.

 

[Reuben_J]

I would add that in my experience in the Greek Orthodox Church the priest also hands antidoron to everyone at the end of Liturgy when you go up to kiss his hand. Kiss hand, get a verbal blessing or greeting and be handed antidoron, or a visitor might not kiss his hand and just be greeted by the priest with his verbal blessing and be handed antidoron. In ROCOR and other Russian/Slav Churches the priest holds his hand cross for us to kiss. We kiss the cross and his hand, in some cases I’ve had the priest present his cuff for kissing, and any left over antidoron is in a bowl off to the side or maybe held by an altar server, for the taking.

There are some Orthodox jurisdictions who expect those who are going to eat the antidoron to have fasted as if for Eucharist, and it is meant only for Orthodox to consume. In that case a lay person wouldn’t be handing it to a visitor.

In the Russian and some other Slav traditions we also have individual prosphora we send with our prayer requests, which are brought to the priest by an altar server. After the priest has taken a portion while praying for those we have requested prayers for, these individual prosphora and the prayer intention paper or booklet with them are brought back out. People take back their prosphora and that also is often share with others.

Sounds like sacramentals. Like we can bring bottles of water during chrism mass, blessed by the priest and then to be brought back home as holy water (which can be drank if one wants to).

This is unique only in traditional churches which we can’t find in modern churches today.

 

[LutheranScholar]

…in some parishes they are welcomed to receive a Blessing instead of the Eucharist.

Maran atha!

Angel

That is the practice of my parish in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod as well. You kneel at the altar, cross your arms and the pastor will put a hand on your head and pronounce a blessing. Receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is quite a serious matter. It isn’t elitism, but a charitable act of protecting the soul of a dissenting guest to keep him/ her from receiving the Body and Blood to his or her condemnation.

 

[jcrichton]

That is the practice of my parish in the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod as well. You kneel at the altar, cross your arms and the pastor will put a hand on your head and pronounce a blessing. Receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is quite a serious matter. It isn’t elitism, but a charitable act of protecting the soul of a dissenting guest to keep him/ her from receiving the Body and Blood to his or her condemnation.

…it’s so simple, for me: the solemnity of Breaking Bread should remain a solemnity… as you pointed out it is not about the membership but the Celebration of the Body. While I understand the issue (as it has happened several times in my presence) people do feel left out (Americans want what they want when they want it and how they want it–otherwise, it becomes a “sensitivity” issue); some are even very outspoken… yet, would they learn to value the Bread and Blood more if an alternative is offered, one which demands little or no personal conviction/obligation?

…the best parable that I can think of is that of the banquet… the original guests all refused to partake of it; when a general invitation was issued, at least one person thought that he could come as he pleased–needless to say, he was promptly removed…

Yes, let’s be generous and welcoming… but let’s not interchange Breaking of the Bread with hanging out!

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[5Loaves]

Sounds like sacramentals. Like we can bring bottles of water during chrism mass, blessed by the priest and then to be brought back home as holy water (which can be drank if one wants to).

This is unique only in traditional churches which we can’t find in modern churches today.

We have blessing of waters at various Feasts in the East and then people tend to bring jars to fill and take home, and there is a ladle and cup at the tub where the blessed water is for people to drink directly from it for the next week or so. There is a Blessing of Water coming up for the beginning of the Dormition Fast, August 1, 2016/August 14, 2016 Old Calendar.

At the great Feast of Theophany we process to nearby creeks, rivers, bays etc and those are blessed. See attached photo. If you google “greater blessing of water orthodox” you can see various pictures of Theophany blessing of the water. None of the four parishes is very “traditional”.

The four parishes in the RC Deanery where I live all have tanks of Holy Water with spigot people use to bring home Holy Water.

 

[Reuben_J]

We have blessing of waters at various Feasts in the East and then people tend to bring jars to fill and take home, and there is a ladle and cup at the tub where the blessed water is for people to drink directly from it for the next week or so. There is a Blessing of Water coming up for the beginning of the Dormition Fast, August 1, 2016/August 14, 2016 Old Calendar.

At the great Feast of Theophany we process to nearby creeks, rivers, bays etc and those are blessed. See attached photo. If you google “greater blessing of water orthodox” you can see various pictures of Theophany blessing of the water. None of the four parishes is very “traditional”.

The four parishes in the RC Deanery where I live all have tanks of Holy Water with spigot people use to bring home Holy Water.

Thanks, and for the pictures too. It is really wonderful for the churches to make the holy water available in bulk like that. We have a jar of holy water near the baptismal fountain inside the church for parishioners who want to replenish their supply at home but frankly which I wouldn’t drink. Thus we would bring our own water for blessing should we want to drink from it.

 

[5Loaves]

None of the four parishes is very “traditional”.

The four parishes in the RC Deanery where I live all have tanks of Holy Water with spigot people use to bring home Holy Water.

I don’t know how the comment " None of the four parishes is very “traditional”. " ended up there. It referred to the RC Deanery.