Eucharist & divorce

The late, great Father John Meyendorff spoke to this issue in his book called "Marriage: an Orthodox Perspective"...Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective: John Meyendorff: 9780913836057: Amazon.com: Books

It is the best job I've seen of describing divorce and how it relates to the sacramental life. Basically Father Meyendorff talks about how the husband and wife must RECEIVE the sacrament of marriage. When a husband or wife falls out of love with a spouse or perhaps never had a healthy or solid love to begin with, or if the spouses have little in common and don't get along fighting constantly and holding ill will, etc. demonstrates that the couple didn't "receive" or "accept" the sacrament of marriage. They didn't accept it. They are permitted to divorce, though not without counseling from their priest and trying to work things out carefully and prayerfully, and remarry. Upon remarriage, a couple must go through a penitential rite in the ceremony. The second marriage is considered inferior to the first. Divorce is a last resort and definitely ECONOMIA...It is to be avoided, never taken lightly, and always seen as economia, the exception rather the rule.

One may take the Eucharist if the divorce is granted by the bishop/priest and is done correctly. These things should always be handled with a spiritual father/priest and with great prayer and seriousness.

stuff when it comes to the sacraments, at least in our Church, are typically case by case. so we admit that most cases would be similar, we often don't just have a blanket answer that doesn't consider the individual's circumstances.

A couple can choose to "break" their marriage in Orthodoxy.
Likewise, a priest can be devested and is no longer a priest.

In RCC, nothing sacramental can be "broken," so the justification is that the marriage never really happened.
Likewise, a priest who is de-vested is still a priest, just unable to serve.

So, the Orthodox stance is a little different. We dont claim "annulments," but instead recognize the broken condition of the individual and couple. Like any of our broken conditions, it requires repentance with regular confession to receive Communion, and there may be a blessing granted for another marriage depending upon the individual--but then, if both parties are marrying for a second time, much counseling is given and the service itself is different, containing more penitential prayers. There is never a blessing granted beyond 3 marriages--which would have to be a pretty special situation, but could happen, especially in situations dealing with widows and widowers who didn't necessarily end the earthly marriage by choice.