visiting an Eastern orthodox church

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Opie90

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This seemed to be the best place to post this. I am planning to visit an Greek Eastern Orthodox weekday Orthos and Divine Liturgy this Friday to enrich my medieval church history class experience (We are studying Eastern Orthodoxy next week). What should I expect? I don’t know much about Eastern Catholic or Eastern Orthodox Liturgy. Is it very different from Mass? My understanding is that as a Catholic, I will not be able to receive the Eucharist. Should I actively participate otherwise? It would seem like it would probably be okay to actively participate from a Catholic standpoint because the Eastern Orthodox have apostolic succession.

If anyone has any resources to share that would help me prepare to appreciate and understand what is going on that would be great.
 
Also is there a dress code? I work in the afternoon. If I was going to daily RC Mass I would probably just wear my work clothes (black pants and a pole shirt).
 
You can participate by praying and following the books. If possible, meet the priest an hour or more earlier than the posted time to introduce yourself.
Do not approach for Eucharist, but if they had out blessed bread at the end, usually Orthodox allow non-Orthodox to receive that - ask the priest.

Also, I would recommend keeping a head covering with you incase that is the communities custom - these can vary parish to parish.

Consider visiting a few Eastern Catholic Churches of varying Traditions in the future, you will be able to participate more fully and receive the Eucharist, as well as understand the fullness and richness of the Catholic faith!
 
If you go to an Eastern Orthodox Church you will not be able to take communion. Just be friendly and observant. I remember when I just went in to visit an Orthodox church, I wore a head-covering. It would be wise.
 
Latingirl, do you think a latin rite style chapel veil would be okay if I tied it in an eastern way or something? Or should I try to find something else?
 
Don’t approach for Communion, and don’t get in line for a blessing (we don’t do that).

Your clothing sounds fine for the vast majority of parishes. If you’re visiting a Russian parish that could be different (you said you were going to a Greek parish?)

Can’t hurt to take a chapel veil just in case. There’s no special ‘Eastern way’ of tying it. Most Greek parishes won’t have women covering. Most Russian will.

You can do everything you see anybody else doing except receiving Communion.

**Wear comfortable shoes! **
 
Thanks everyone for the responses thus far. It is a Greek Orthodox parish. The website says its bilingual - at least some of the Liturgy is in Greek. I don’t know if that ups the chances of more dressy clothes being appropriate or not.
 
Rawb said:
, and don’t get in line for a blessing (we don’t do that).
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This is another thing that can depend on the parish, actually. I’ve known priests who discouraged the practice, and priests who encourage it, though never one who would refuse it (but I’ve only met a small minority of the Orthodox priests in the world).

However it is something that a priest will invite people up for beforehand if they are of the category that doesn’t discourage it, and therefore whether or not the OP should go up for a blessing will be answered through that.

Regarding Dress Code, it depends on the parish, but your work clothes should be fine.
 
I am in the Antiochian jurisdiction and at least in our parish we encourage coming up for a blessing. I’ve been told by our priest tha head covering is not encouraged. Wear clean clothes ,obviously nothing immodest you should be okay. But a lot varies by jurisdiction
 
Opie90 said:
Thanks everyone for the responses thus far. It is a Greek Orthodox parish. The website says its bilingual - at least some of the Liturgy is in Greek. I don’t know if that ups the chances of more dressy clothes being appropriate or not.
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I don’t think you’ll have to wear anything fancy. It sounds as if your work attire would be ok, but polo shirts can sometimes be rather form-fitting so you might want to consider a sweater or a light jacket over it.

As for the veil, a lacy chapel veil – preferably the longer type and not the kind that just sits on top of the head without a little overhang on the sides – would work. Keep it in your pocket or purse and look around to see what other women are wearing. If they have one on, then don yours. In some Eastern and Oriental communities (whether Orthodox or in union with Rome), women don’t necessarily have to wear the veil during the entire service, but most (if not all, again depending on the particular place) will put it on if they are receiving communion.
 
Thanks again everyone for the replies thus far. I am looking forward to going.
 
Rdunbar123 said:
I am in the Antiochian jurisdiction and at least in our parish we encourage coming up for a blessing. I’ve been told by our priest tha head covering is not encouraged. Wear clean clothes ,obviously nothing immodest you should be okay. But a lot varies by jurisdiction
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Well yeah, I know they do the blessings in the Western Rite (I wish they didn’t, only for the reason that the Western Rite “please give me a blessing” position is exactly the same as the Eastern “I’m receiving Communion” position) but Nine Two’s is the first time I’ve heard of it in the East.

Not encouraging head covering? That’s bizarre. I’ve only ever heard of priests encouraging it or being neutral towards it. To discourage it would need a better reason than I think any priest could give. Ah well, not a huge deal.
 
Opie90 said:
Latingirl, do you think a latin rite style chapel veil would be okay if I tied it in an eastern way or something? Or should I try to find something else?
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By now you’ve probably already gone and I hope you enjoyed your experience 🙂

Re: latin style chapel veil, do you mean those see through doily lace ones? In Orthodoxy, if a woman wears a headcovering, it covers her hair. The (pre-schism (Orthodox & Catholic) & pre Islam-invention) Fathers specifically mentioned that lace doilies are not acceptable as headcoverings because they’re see through and neither are turbans as the back of the head is exposed. Per the Fathers, the headcovering must be of opaque material & cover from the forehead down to cover the length of the hair when unbound.

In St. John Chrysostom’s writings on 1 Cor. 11, the explains in great detail how headcovering is part of & required by both natural law & divine law for women & virgins, not just at prayer, but at all times she ought to have her head covered & be “carefully wrapped up on all sides”- many of the Fathers wrote the same that women must wear headcoverings at all times from the “turn of their age” and that in public only her hands & face should be visible- in fact one Father even wrote that Christian women must cover “not only her head, but her face also, especially her eyes” while in Church and while in public - although the witness we have of the Christian women through the holy icons, they all cover & do show their face & hands only (with the sole exception: St. Mary of Egypt who was naked in the desert). Personally, I wear headcoverings while at Church, but based on my research am seriously considering expanding that into daily life perhaps within the next year- first more prayer & conversation with my spiritual father on the matter.
 
"latin style chapel veil, do you mean those see through doily lace ones? "

I do. Thank you for the information. I actually did not get to go yet. The day I had planned to go it started snowing during the night and was still snowing when I woke up. I didn’t think it was bad enough for the Liturgy to be canceled, but when I got there the parking lot was not shoveled yet and the doors were locked. I am planning on going this Tuesday.
 
Opie90 said:
"latin style chapel veil, do you mean those see through doily lace ones? "

I do. Thank you for the information. I actually did not get to go yet. The day I had planned to go it started snowing during the night and was still snowing when I woke up. I didn’t think it was bad enough for the Liturgy to be canceled, but when I got there the parking lot was not shoveled yet and the doors were locked. I am planning on going this Tuesday.
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Depending on the parish you may get to attend the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete. One of the most beautiful Lenten services, done during the first week of Lent…
 
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