confused about something

[MoNiCa4316]

Hi!

I've been trying to find out if Orthodox churches have tabernacles where they keep the Eucharist after Divine Liturgy. (like Catholic churches do). The reason is, sometimes I go to the Orthodox church with my family and it would be useful to know if the Eucharist is present there during DL before the consecration and Communion.... I was taught to bow when I pass the center of the church, is that out of respect for the Eucharist, or out of respect for the altar? Is the Eucharist there 24/7?

This is a Russian Orthodox church, btw.

I emailed my Orthodox friend who goes to this same church. She told me that no, EO churches don't have the tabernacle, and the Eucharist is only present during Communion. (and the deacon eats the remaining Body and Blood in the chalice).

But I vaguely remember....hearing otherwise... but I'm not sure where.. ? maybe it was here at TAW! I even remember someone posting a picture of a tabernacle!

Now I'm a little confused..

So I was wondering, especially about Russian Orthodox Churches, do they have the tabernacle, or not? does it vary?

thanks!

I'd love to know, and my family doesn't know either!

 

[E.C.]

The deacons typically consume the remnants after Liturgy. I would assume that the priest would do so if no deacon were present.


The exception would be during Lent. During Lent we have Pre-Sanctified Liturgies. During the normal DL on Sundays, the bread and wine are sanctified and thus we have the Body and Blood of Christ. During Lent, the gifts are sanctified on Sunday. Some are used that day while the rest is preserved for the Pre-Sanctified Liturgies. The remnants still consumed.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I see! thanks! I guess my memory is not very accurate at all, then

what about people who are sick and need the Eucharist? (I'm just wondering! how does this work out?)

 

[ThePilgrim]

Yes, Orthodox Churches have tabernacles. Pretty much every Orthodox Church has some of the Eucharist saved on the altar for communing the sick. The Eucharist for communing the sick is saved from the Liturgy on Holy Thursday morning.

Because of that, it is a common custom throughout the Orthodox world to make the sign of the cross when walking in front of the altar or when driving by an Orthodox Church.

Grace and peace,
Sbn John

 

[ThePilgrim]

I see! thanks! I guess my memory is not very accurate at all, then

what about people who are sick and need the Eucharist? (I'm just wondering! how does this work out?)

Monica, while EC was correct that the remaining gifts are consumed by the clergy after every liturgy, he was incorrect that there is only reserved Eucharist during Lent. There always is.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

ooh oki! wow this is confusing me so much cause everyone's telling me different things thanks though! I just found this picture...
Greek Orthodox Church: St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Lowell, Massachusetts

 

[MoNiCa4316]

So can it be said that whenever I drive by an Orthodox church, Christ is present there in the Blessed Sacrament? (I dont know if that's the terminology you use, sorry..).... are there any devotions related to that? (I don't mean adoration - in the Catholic way)

I believe that the Orthodox church has the Sacraments too so when I visit, I don't want to disrespect Our Lord in any way, or not pay attention to Him.

I don't know if my view is too 'Catholic' here lol..I know that the EOC tends to focus more on the Communion part of it? I'm actually kind of ignorant, forgive me!

 

[Greg the byzantine]

It's always to be found on the Altar containing some of the consecrated Eucharist reserved for the sick or dying. It is not placed in a separate location as in some Catholic churches. It usually looks like a gilded replica of a church and it's known as an Artophorion in Greek. Here are some pretty awesome looking examples:

 

[MoNiCa4316]

thanks!

 

[ThePilgrim]

The differing answers you're getting are just out of confusion. Since most people don't ever use the reserved Eucharist, not everyone necessarily knows that it's there. But it most certainly is there at any Orthodox Church, unless the priest is out taking communion to the sick.

Grace and peace,
Sbn John

 

[-Kyriaki-]

Yep, what Sbn John said. It's always there, in a special house - or tabernacle In lent there's also reserved gifts under a cloth or glass dome or something (to protect them) for the Presanctified Gifts liturgy.

The remainder from Communion on any normal day is consumed by the deacon or priest though, that's correct. What's in the tabernacle is only used in emergencies.

That is why we bow and cross ourselves when we cross the middle of the Church or walk past a Church at all, especially walking past the section containing the altar (if we're walking around the Church grounds)

 

[Joshua G.]

I concur as well

By the way, a custom I learned in Romania (and Im assuming is wide spread) is to always cross yourself when you go by a Church. My Romanian friend told me that her grandma said that during the communist era it was illegal to do this and so those who remained devout (like the yayas who would get their grandchildren baptized without the parents' permission... I LOVE IT!!! ) would "cross" them selves with their tongue inside their mouth when passing an Orthodox Church.

Every morning on my way to school (and later on my way back) I pass an Orthodox Church and always cross myself. And when my wife go past the exit that takes you to an Orthodox monastery in the area, we both cross ourselves.

I don't know of any devotion in particular. Just cross yourself as you pass a Church and say a quick prayer like Lord have mercy on me. How could you offend Christ with that?

God bless!

Josh

 

[Joshua G.]

That is why we bow and cross ourselves when we cross the middle of the Church or walk past a Church at all, especially walking past the section containing the altar (if we're walking around the Church grounds)

I missed this. So Im not crazy!

 

[Anhelyna]

Not at all - believe it or not

 

[Kristos]

Probably some confusion because it's kept out of sight - most people never see it.

 

[Michael G]

So can it be said that whenever I drive by an Orthodox church, Christ is present there in the Blessed Sacrament? (I dont know if that's the terminology you use, sorry..).... are there any devotions related to that? (I don't mean adoration - in the Catholic way)

I believe that the Orthodox church has the Sacraments too so when I visit, I don't want to disrespect Our Lord in any way, or not pay attention to Him.

I don't know if my view is too 'Catholic' here lol..I know that the EOC tends to focus more on the Communion part of it? I'm actually kind of ignorant, forgive me!

Of course the Orthodox Church has sacraments, but we do not call them sacraments. We call them mysteries.

No, there are no devotions to the sacrament. It is not kept there to be venerated in any way or shape. It is kept there in case the Priest is in need of taking the Eucharist with him on a sick call. This is the reason while very little is kept on reserve and everything that is consecrated on non-Lenten Sundays is consumed that Sunday. That being said you will not find devotions such as adoration of the Eucharist in Orthodox Churches. It is not what we do, or where our focus is. The Eucharist is to be consumed, not worshipped.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

thanks

 

[MoNiCa4316]

Of course the Orthodox Church has sacraments, but we do not call them sacraments. We call them mysteries.

No, there are no devotions to the sacrament. It is not kept there to be venerated in any way or shape. It is kept there in case the Priest is in need of taking the Eucharist with him on a sick call. This is the reason while very little is kept on reserve and everything that is consecrated on non-Lenten Sundays is consumed that Sunday. That being said you will not find devotions such as adoration of the Eucharist in Orthodox Churches. It is not what we do, or where our focus is. The Eucharist is to be consumed, not worshipped.

oki here comes a stupid question.....

(get ready )

why?

lol I'm not debating at all. I'm just wondering, why there's this difference why in the Orthodox church, you guys don't venerate the Eucharist that's kept in the church, and in the Catholic church, we do. I guess there's some sort of historical difference as well as theological, perhaps.. but Im just curious lol. My logic is that since it's Jesus, we should pay attention to Him and venerate Him when inside the church. BUT - it seems the Orthodox approach is different??? I'm confused.. I understand that the Eucharist exists for Communion, I agree with that, in fact, but why do you disagree with the veneration? I'm not debating, honestly.. I want to know.. lol

Well I'm glad I know now that the Eucharist is kept there... I'll be sure to bow when walking by oki here's another question. Sorry if this is dumb, I'm just trying to figure things out. Would it be incorrect if during the Liturgy (or before Liturgy), someone prayed to Christ in the Eucharist - in the tabernacle? Do you believe we can worship the Eucharist and pray to Jesus in the Eucharist? Is His Soul and Divinity present as well as His Body and Blood? I've actually always wondered this. If someone could help me out.. that would clarify many things does Christ in the Eucharist hear our prayers?

thanks.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Hi Monica!

Your question isn’t stupid, it’s honest and reasonable.

From what I can gather, Eucharistic Adoration was Rome’s response to the Reformation questioning the Real Presence in the Eucharist. As there never was a Reformation in the East, the need to drive home the theology of the Real Presence was never needed.

In regards to praying to Christ in the Eucharist, to me, it sounds like you’re trying to put God in a box. (Or in a cup of bread and wine to be more precise.) Christ, being a member of the Holy Trinity is omnipresent and omnipotent. While Orthodox Christians are extremely respectful of the gifts and understand the importance of the Eucharist, we do not direct our prayers to the Eucharist per se. We direct them to God. Although the Eucharist is God, we are not saying “Oh Lord who is now present in these Eucharistic gifts, please hear my prayer.” We just ask God, who is everywhere, to hear our prayer.

Make sense?

In XC,

Maureen

 

[MoNiCa4316]

thanks

Hi Monica!

Your question isn’t stupid, it’s honest and reasonable.

From what I can gather, Eucharistic Adoration was Rome’s response to the Reformation questioning the Real Presence in the Eucharist. As there never was a Reformation in the East, the need to drive home the theology of the Real Presence was never needed.

maybe that is true.. I also heard it started in monasteries in the middle ages when monks were asked to keep the Eucharist in their cell for a time, and they began venerating it. I guess the difference might be due to historical reasons

In regards to praying to Christ in the Eucharist, to me, it sounds like you’re trying to put God in a box. (Or in a cup of bread and wine to be more precise.) Christ, being a member of the Holy Trinity is omnipresent and omnipotent. While Orthodox Christians are extremely respectful of the gifts and understand the importance of the Eucharist, we do not direct our prayers to the Eucharist per se. We direct them to God. Although the Eucharist is God, we are not saying “Oh Lord who is now present in these Eucharistic gifts, please hear my prayer.” We just ask God, who is everywhere, to hear our prayer.

Make sense?

In XC,

Maureen

thanks for the explanation.. I guess I see things sort of differently, but I'd rather not debate in TAW I do pray 'to Jesus in the Eucharist' sometimes, like at Adoration, cause I believe it's physically Him, I don't know if I shouldn't do it, but it's helped me believe in the real presence..

anyways...

God bless