COVID-19, the Eucharist, and Celiac Disease

[ArmyMatt]

Repeatable miracle that could be verified and you think some bishop would not have tested it to announce to the world that this was the sign of true faith......?

Or some curious Orthodox scientist ?

Nobody ever ? Honestly how likely is that ?

Instead we have sites like

https://www.celiac.ca/pdfs/GF_Communion.pdf

Which clearly demonstrate that there is a need for gluten free or low gluten products when partaking Eucharist.

Anyway can you link Holy Synod or something official to confirm this or is it more of custom that should not be questioned or talked about ?

don't need it. I know people who can't do gluten, and yet take communion with no problems. I know folks who have consumed the chalice and blown a zero on a breathalyzer.

plus the saints are very clear (St Cyril of Alexandria, St Ignatius of Antioch come to mind) that communion doesn't spread disease.

and that link ain't an Orthodox one, because we don't use gluten free bread.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

don't need it. I know people who can't do gluten, and yet take communion with no problems. I know folks who have consumed the chalice and blown a zero on a breathalyzer.

plus the saints are very clear (St Cyril of Alexandria, St Ignatius of Antioch come to mind) that communion doesn't spread disease.

and that link ain't an Orthodox one, because we don't use gluten free bread.

Well some Orthodox churches seem to

Gluten-free bread during communion 'worth the small effort' for some local churches

Leaving Covid aside people getting a reaction from gluten in Eucharist are not being transmitted a disease rather their body is reacting because they already have a disease so if you look at it that way it is in accordance with Saints message.

 

[All4Christ]

Well some Orthodox churches seem to

Gluten-free bread during communion 'worth the small effort' for some local churches

Leaving Covid aside people getting a reaction from gluten in Eucharist are not being transmitted a disease rather their body is reacting because they already have a disease so if you look at it that way it is in accordance with Saints message.

Honestly, I don’t see anything in the article saying that the Orthodox Church referenced offers gluten free communion.

 

[prodromos]

Repeatable miracle that could be verified and you think some bishop would not have tested it to announce to the world that this was the sign of true faith......?

Do not cast your pearls before swine.

Or some curious Orthodox scientist ?

We don't treat that which is Holy as something common to perform experiments with.

Nobody ever ? Honestly how likely is that ?

It seems we Orthodox have a completely different mindset to western Christians.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Well some Orthodox churches seem to

Gluten-free bread during communion 'worth the small effort' for some local churches

Leaving Covid aside people getting a reaction from gluten in Eucharist are not being transmitted a disease rather their body is reacting because they already have a disease so if you look at it that way it is in accordance with Saints message.

the article says the Orthodox Church does NOT have gluten free communion....

and no, it's not in accordance with the saints. only a lack of preparation is harmful when it comes to communion.

 

[trulytheone]

there is a difference between the Eucharist itself, which cannot transmit disease, and the spoon which might be able to.

The usual EO explanation for the continuation of the common spoon is that the Eucharist would bless the part of the spoon of that was dipped in the Precious Blood so that it couldn’t transmit disease. The Russian Orthodox apparently disagree with that. Was this practice of disinfecting the spoon after each partaker receives communion really common in Eastern Orthodox Church during epidemics or plagues?

 

[buzuxi02]

The Russian Orthodox apparently disagree with that. Was this practice of disinfecting the spoon after each partaker receives communion really common in Eastern Orthodox Church during epidemics or plagues?

I dont believe it was common. Probably more to ease the concerns of the common laity weak in faith during outbreaks and when visiting hospitals in the infectious disease areas etc.
Partaking of Holy Communion With Lepers and Those With Infectious Diseases | MYSTAGOGY

 

[buzuxi02]

There are medical experts in traditional Orthodox countries that affirm disease cannot be spread from Holy communion. Even secular experts have theorized the silver or gold plating of the chalice has anti-bacterial properties coupled with the alcohol content makes Infectious matter inert.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

There are medical experts in traditional Orthodox countries that affirm disease cannot be spread from Holy communion.

That is awesome. Link a few studies ? Always so much better than those “I know a guy” stories.

 

[buzuxi02]

That is awesome. Link a few studies ? Always so much better than those “I know a guy” stories.

There are no studies these are doctors in hospitals that deal in infectious disease in places like Greece and Cyprus where priests come and commune everyone and then the priest drinks the remaining communion.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

It seems we Orthodox have a completely different mindset to western Christians.

Of course, looking at the church operate with politicians like Putin it is totally apparent that church is above sordid every day matter like politics.

Speaking of Putin....don’t you think if there was something that would promote Orthodox view to miracle level Putin wouldn’t have used that to strengthen the church and his chosen position as the guardian of it ?

Bit of honesty here ?

While the church is of course only concerned of it’s flock we can probably agree that Putin has certain political ambitions now and then.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

There are no studies these are doctors in hospitals that deal in infectious disease in places like Greece and Cyprus where priests come and commune everyone and then the priest drinks the remaining communion.

Maybe a bad choice of words. Of course there is no studies. Few links of even some invidual doctor saying that Eucharist does not transmit disease ?

Even secular experts have theorized the silver or gold plating of the chalice has anti-bacterial properties coupled with the alcohol content makes Infectious matter inert.

Some metals have that effect from what I remember copper coating is good for this purpose.

Amusingly now we are talking about how the chalice or the
spoon might make the communion safe while the Orthodox starting point has been that Eucharist can not transmit the disease but the spoon or chalice might.

 

[prodromos]

Of course, looking at the church operate with politicians like Putin it is totally apparent that church is above sordid every day matter like politics.

Speaking of Putin....don’t you think if there was something that would promote Orthodox view to miracle level Putin wouldn’t have used that to strengthen the church and his chosen position as the guardian of it ?

Bit of honesty here ?

In all honesty, I believe you are here to pick a fight. That is not the purpose of this forum.

 

[prodromos]

Amusingly now we are talking about how the chalice or the
spoon might make the communion safe while the Orthodox starting point has been that Eucharist can not transmit the disease but the spoon or chalice might.

That is the secular theory. The Orthodox view has not changed.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

In all honesty, I believe you are here to pick a fight. That is not the purpose of this forum.

It is a debate forum at least so feel free to defend your position instead of only adding non contributing ad hominems.

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

That is the secular theory. The Orthodox view has not changed.

There will probably be certain amount of soul searching later on these issues.

Russia’s Orthodox Church Sticks to Its Traditions Despite Coronavirus Threat - The Moscow Times

Interesting times.

 

[trulytheone]

I dont believe it was common. Probably more to ease the concerns of the common laity weak in faith during outbreaks and when visiting hospitals in the infectious disease areas etc.
Partaking of Holy Communion With Lepers and Those With Infectious Diseases | MYSTAGOGY

I think the problem most of us non-EasternOrthodox have with this belief about the Eucharist is that it is apparently falsifiable. I know the Roman Catholic Church has a strong view of the Real Presence in the Eucharist, but this view is formulated in such a way that it is unfalsifiable (cannot be disproven by scientific advancement).
If it were to discover that a pandemic has its primary source in the shared cup in some EO temples, it would apparently shatter the faith of many EO.

 

[prodromos]

It is a debate forum at least so feel free to defend your position instead of only adding non contributing ad hominems.

Defend it against what?

 

[Jonathan Walkerin]

Defend it against what?

Germ theory seems to be a real tough opponent these days.

 

[prodromos]

Germ theory seems to be a real tough opponent these days.

2000 years of infectious diseases and sharing the eucharist and there has never been a case where an Orthodox priest has contracted disease from consuming the last of the gifts.