Orthodox obligation on Sunday and Holy Days?

[Yeoman]

This is admittedly a really ignorant question, so my apologies in advance.
Catholics have a legal obligation under the canon’s of the Church to attend Sunday Mass and Mass on Holy Days under pain of mortal sin (assuming they can go, not ill, etc.).
Do the members of the various Orthodox churches have a similar obligation?

 

[phil19034]

This is admittedly a really ignorant question, so my apologies in advance.
Catholics have a legal obligation under the canon’s of the Church to attend Sunday Mass and Mass on Holy Days under pain of mortal sin (assuming they can go, not ill, etc.).
Do the members of the various Orthodox churches have a similar obligation?

Yes, they do.

However, I don’t know if they use Canon Law or “peer pressure” to maintain the tradition.

 

[dochawk]

The Eastern notion of obligation is not the legalistic “penalty of sin” notion of the West.

The best explanation I’ve heard is that we are obliged to participate in the Divine Liturgy in the same sense we are obliged to breathe–we simply can’t live and function without it.

And that’s certainly been the feeling I’ve had the times I haven’t been able to make it, and I’m desperate for the next Sunday to roll around.

hawk

 

[Wife.of.Gabriel]

Do the members of the various Orthodox churches have a similar obligation?

No, but if an Orthodox Christian misses Church on 3 consecutive Sundays, they’ve excommunicated themselves & need to go to Confession first.

 

[Mary888]

Yes the obligation exists but is not inforced the same way as by RC. Sunday is the day of the Lord. The liturgy is also a form of giving thanks to the Lord. So give thanks to the Lord. Maybe you forget right? The enemy never sleeps only we do. If you go to Church you never forget to respect the Commandment to worship and give thanks to the Lord. It’s easier to just do it than to keep it in mind to do it.

 

[twf]

The excommunication after three consecutive absences rule suggests a legal obligation of some sort, doesn’t it?

We definitely approach it differently. Why are Latin Catholics obliged to go to Mass o Sunday? Because we need the Mass to live… so like a parent, Mother Church gives us rules to help us make the right choices.

A mature Catholic doesn’t need obligations. A weaker brother does.

 

[dochawk]

The excommunication after three consecutive absences rule suggests a legal obligation of some sort, doesn’t it?

calling that “legal” might be a bit much, and is putting a western spin on it. It also doesn’t look at individual Sundays.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

No, but if an Orthodox Christian misses Church on 3 consecutive Sundays, they’ve excommunicated themselves & need to go to Confession first.

Is “excommunication” the actual word they use, and if so, does it have the same very stringent connotations that it does in Roman Catholicism? Or does it simply mean that they cannot receive any sacraments until they have been to confession?

Those who unfortunately fall into mortal sin, in the Catholic Church, are not “excommunicated”, they must merely regain the state of grace through repentance, confession, and firm purpose of amendment.

 

[Wife.of.Gabriel]

does it simply mean that they cannot receive any sacraments until they have been to confession?

Yes, but usually the repentant person will be banned from Holy Communion for a time frame after receiving forgiveness through Confession… maybe no ban, maybe a month, maybe 3 years, maybe 10 yrs - the Spiritual Father takes into account that he knows the one Confessing & how many times the sinful situation has occurred. Orthodox don’t go to various Confessors and it’s not an anonymous Sacrament (Mystery), the priest & penitent see each other. There’s alot more personal accountability, no hiding.

 

[dochawk]

Is “excommunication” the actual word they use, and if so, does it have the same very stringent connotations that it does in Roman Catholicism?

Very much, no.

Many (most? all?) Orthodox are fairly quick to impose and remove excommnunicxation for far lesser offenses Than the RCC.

I don’t want to put words in their mouths, but to some extents it’s a “wakeup call.”

I recall someone on another forum noting that each of his handful of excommunications led to spiritual growth . . .

And, generally speaking, a priest can impose this; it doesn’t take a bishop as generally called for in the RCC.

hawk, who years ago met a former Episcopalian who had framed his letter of excommunication from his former priest, and displayed it in his office. It was for being vocally pro-life . . .

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Then it sounds more like a probationary period, for the penitent to make sure that he has reformed his ways, and is willing to “sit out” the sacraments for a period of time, until it really “soaks in”.

That’s not problematical at all. I could get behind that.

 

[dochawk]

That’s a fair description of a large number of short-term excommunications, yes.

 

[CoffeeFanatic]

Not in such a defined way, no. If there is no reason for you not to go to Divine Liturgy, then you should make an effort to be there. In the Liturgy we pray for those that are ‘absent with just cause’- so if one was sick, or had to work, or circumstances kept them from getting to church- and they wanted to be there- then they have a valid excuse, I suppose.

Technically, if you miss three Sundays in a row you’ve excommunicated yourself from an Orthodox perspective. Generally, we’re encouraged to go to confession and then we can commune again. However, if your parish is quite large (like mine) you won’t necessarily go through this. The priest may not necessarily be aware if you’ve missed.