Blessed Bread Question?

[Penguin50388]

Okay, so lately I've been going to an Eastern Orthodox Church around once a month. It's a smaller congregation (25-30 on an average Sunday). I have a question regarding the Blessed Bread. I'm aware that I am not allowed to take Communion as I am not Orthodox, and I am also aware that the Blessed Bread is available for me to take, but what is the proper way to go about it? Do I stand in the line of people going up for Communion and have the Father deny me from getting it and then walk over to the bread (this would follow the flow of everyone in the room)? Or do I just walk straight to the bread and stick out like a sore thumb?

Sorry for the stupid question, I'm just confused.

 

[gzt]

Neither, you wait until after the service. If it's not around after the service, then you just don't get any. Is this Greek, Russian, or what?

 

[Anhelyna]

Penguin

My impression is that you have confused 2 different things here

OK - now please remember I am Eastern Catholic

BUT when I attend DL in an Orthodox Church [ and yes I do at some times ] IF I receive the Antidoron it is at the end of DL when I go to Kiss the Cross and then Receive Antidoron from the Priest .

If I remember correctly the Blessed bread you see being given after they have Received Communion is given with some wine - and taking both ensures that you have consumed fully, the Body and Blood of Christ before you consume anything else .

I'll now cover myself and say that I have Received Antidoron in ROCOR and Greek Churches and RO- MP and this has been the practice in all 3.

 

[Penguin50388]

Neither, you wait until after the service. If it's not around after the service, then you just don't get any. Is this Greek, Russian, or what?

Unless I am much mistaken it is just Eastern Orthodox. It doesn't say Greek Or Russian (or anything of the sort) in the name and I have not seen anything to tie it to one group or another.

Just to check my understanding: I am supposed to wait until near the end of Liturgy and go up when people are kissing the Cross and receive it then?

 

[Anhelyna]

YES !!

See what I said earlier

 

[Protoevangel]

I am a little surprised that no one has offered you any.

You may want to ask the priest before taking any.

It is also strange that the parish doesn't indicate any nationality. Does it perhaps say, "Orthodox Church in America"? If not, would you feel comfortable sharing more information about this parish (name of the parish, city, state)? There are some "pseudodox" (false-Orthodox) parishes, who claim to be Orthodox, but are not. I would hate to think that you have fallen into one of these parishes.

 

[Chesterton]

I’m in your same situation. At my church the Blessed Bread is served differently, but however you handle it, I don’t think there’s any reason to worry about standing out. I admit I feel slightly funny each time I remain in my seat during Communion, but people understand when someone is seeking and learning. I’m sure everyone there would be happier that you’re standing out in the Church, and not standing outside the Church.

 

[Andrew21091]

It is also strange that the parish doesn't indicate any nationality. Does it perhaps say, "Orthodox Church in America"? If not, would you feel comfortable sharing more information about this parish (name of the parish, city, state)? There are some "pseudodox" (false-Orthodox) parishes, who claim to be Orthodox, but are not. I would hate to think that you have fallen into one of these parishes.

It may be an OCA church but it's best to check and make sure they are not part of any of the Old Calenderist extremist groups such as the "Genuine" or "True" Orthodox Church, or HOCNA (Holy Orthodox Church of North America), or one of the so called "Synod in Resistance" churches.

My guess would be it's an OCA church because I've seen some that just say for example Christ the Savior Orthodox Church or something like that. You should get antidoron after the service after getting the blessing. I haven't seen it done any differently in any of the churches I've been to.

 

[Julina]

I am a little surprised that no one has offered you any.

i was just about to say this. if you know someone who's allowed to take communion they could bring some back for you. but i've had strangers offer me some too, which is always nice.

 

[Kristos]

Okay, so lately I've been going to an Eastern Orthodox Church around once a month. It's a smaller congregation (25-30 on an average Sunday). I have a question regarding the Blessed Bread. I'm aware that I am not allowed to take Communion as I am not Orthodox, and I am also aware that the Blessed Bread is available for me to take, but what is the proper way to go about it? Do I stand in the line of people going up for Communion and have the Father deny me from getting it and then walk over to the bread (this would follow the flow of everyone in the room)? Or do I just walk straight to the bread and stick out like a sore thumb?

Sorry for the stupid question, I'm just confused.

Just talk to the priest. Different priest have different preferences. He might say that you can come up during communion, and he will give you a blessing along with the bread at that time. I think that is more correct than having someone bring back to you. Or he might tell you to just wait until after the service. There are other customs too, so it's best to just ask - I'm sure he would love to talk to you about it!

 

[Mary of Bethany]

In my OCA parish, the antidoron and small cups of wine are on a small table where we go after receiving the Holy Gifts and take some wine and a few pieces of the bread. On a Sunday, the bread is already gone by the time we go up and venerate the Cross. So usually, people will notice visitors and take some of the bread to them while Communion is still going on, as a sign of hospitality. I've never seen a non-Orthodox go up and get any bread himself, but that doesn't mean you couldn't. We just try to make sure you wouldn't have to.

Mary

 

[gzt]

Good grief! Do we have to, every time some new person mentions their parish and isn't sure about something, suggest that they make sure that their parish is really actually truly in fact an Orthodox parish and not some obscure faker group or schismatic Old Calendarist group? I mean, seriously. If they were schismatic Old Calendarists, he'd know. Obscure fakers, on the other hand, are less than 1% of all parishes. So quit suggesting every visitor to the board double-check to make extra sure unless they throw out some signs that give you a real reason to doubt they're in a "real" Orthodox Church. Otherwise, we just look like we're silly.

 

[Greg the byzantine]

That's interesting. I've only been to Greek churches but usually if you stick around until after the priests Homily and whatever announcements he might have, the priest distributes the antidoron to the entire congregation as they go up to kiss the cross the priest holds and the priests hand.

 

[Anhelyna]

Same in ROCOR Greg

 

[katherine2001]

Actually, I think more churches are starting to not indicate their jurisdiction in the name. I know my church, which is OCA, just goes by St. Nicholas of South Canaan Orthodox Church. The Serbian Orthodox parish in Butte, MT is Holy Trinity Orthodox Church. I wonder if that isn't an effort to not get so into the ethnicity. At least you won't have people asking if they have to be Greek, Serbian, Russian, etc. in order to attend that parish. My parish has every traditionally Orthodox ethnicity and many converts.

In my parish, if someone isn't Orthodox and can't receive communion, usually someone will bring them a piece or two of the antidoron. Also, as others have stated, it is kept out after communion, so that people can get a piece after kissing the cross at the end of the DL.

 

[Damaris]

I am a little surprised that no one has offered you any.

Not every parish gives antidoron to non-Orthodox. It was originally meant for Orthodox who were unable to commune, so they were given the blessed but not consecrated leftover bread. Somehow this shifted to everybody getting a piece and then everybody getting a piece and sharing it with visitors and so forth.

To the OP, don't worry about it-- if nobody gives you a piece, it doesn't mean they don't like you or that they are rejecting you, it just means they have not picked up this practice. I would not recommend going up and taking a piece.

It might help if you posted what jurisdiction the church is in. I know the concept of jurisdictions is kind of confusing, but if you ask they will certainly tell you. It's no big deal, though.

 

[ClementofRome]

Yea, concerning name, we are ACROD, but the sign out front says Eastern Orthodox Church... In fact, unless you asked someone, or took a close look at the bulletin, you may never know which EO it is...

 

[Penguin50388]

Actually, I think I remember seeing a sign on the door to the Parish Hall that said OCA on it.

Thanks for all the posts! It has truly helped me to understand.

 

[Protoevangel]

Good grief! Do we have to, every time some new person mentions their parish and isn't sure about something, suggest that they make sure that their parish is really actually truly in fact an Orthodox parish and not some obscure faker group or schismatic Old Calendarist group? I mean, seriously. If they were schismatic Old Calendarists, he'd know. Obscure fakers, on the other hand, are less than 1% of all parishes. So quit suggesting every visitor to the board double-check to make extra sure unless they throw out some signs that give you a real reason to doubt they're in a "real" Orthodox Church. Otherwise, we just look like we're silly.

The first parish I visited was HOCNA. I had no idea, and I wouldn't have known what that meant, if I did know. Someone here asked me for more information about the parish, because something "didn't sound quite right". They gave me a brief explanation about so-called "Orthodox" who weren't really Orthodox. I dug a little, and found the HOCNA and "Genuine" Orthodox Church of Greece connections.

Maybe that person was just being "silly", but I am grateful nonetheless.

 

[Protoevangel]

Actually, I think I remember seeing a sign on the door to the Parish Hall that said OCA on it.

Thanks for all the posts! It has truly helped me to understand.

Quite a helpful group here.

Please feel free with any questions you may have!