Crossing arms during the Eucharist

[RobNJ]

Do y'all have your lips wiped before you kiss the chalice?

Well, in my case... it's more an issue of getting the mustache wiped off

 

[irishseventysix]

I cross my arms as I approach the chalice as a physical reminder of my Baptism. That's how the practice was explained to me. I go to a GOA church, and quite a few of us do it there, though I've never seen them kiss the chalice, nor do I.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

I cross my arms as I approach the chalice as a physical reminder of my Baptism. That's how the practice was explained to me. I go to a GOA church, and quite a few of us do it there, though I've never seen them kiss the chalice, nor do I.

That makes sense (the baptism thing).

 

[Greg the byzantine]

(however, I woudl wonder if such as ever been a problem at a Greek Church... my guess off hand would be no???).

In all my years I have never seen it become a problem. Usually most people keep their hands at their side, or folded in front (like the posture for prayer).

 

[The Virginian]

Friends,

Do you place right arm over left, or left over right when waiting in line for the Eucharist, and why?

Thanks.

There's a problem with this practice, in that some priests will assume that if your arms are crossed when you approach the Chalice, you do not wish to partake of the Eucharist, but only wish to receive a blessing.
Being aware of what I just said above; I usually have right over left, so that when I cross myself with my right hand, there's as little movement as possible.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

In all my years I have never seen it become a problem. Usually most people keep their hands at their side, or folded in front (like the posture for prayer).

That's what I would think. I jsut like the symbolism and the bodily reminder of what's about to happen.

john

 

[JasonV]

Canon 101 of the 6th Ecumenical Council does not specify one hand over another. It just says cross your arms.

So is the right over the left idea just an accepted form?

 

[Monica child of God 1]

I was told that the way vampires are depicted with arms crossed in front, comes from this custom. In eastern European cultures, the reposed would be placed in the middle of the church with arms crossed in front just as they did when they were about to partake of the Gifts.

M.

 

[Akathist]

I was told that the way vampires are depicted with arms crossed in front, comes from this custom. In eastern European cultures, the reposed would be placed in the middle of the church with arms crossed in front just as they did when they were about to partake of the Gifts.

M.

I have only been to an Orthodox Funeral at my own parish (OCA). I assumed all of the reposed were placed in the middle of the church with arm crossed in front.

 

[Peter]

I onlywent through the first three pages of responses ( so ADD). No one there suggested that the crossing of the arms is the same as in our repose. Though I had never heard an explanantion as to why we cross our arms, this is what was first to come to my mind.

Peter

 

[Ioan cel Nou]

We also get our lips wiped with a cloth (this is VERY important to my priest and if they start to walk away not realizing they were supposed to he asks them to come back). then you always kiss the chalice.

We also have our lips wiped, though I've never yet seen anyone kiss the chalice - looks like another instance of Romanian tradition being 'Gravonic' (That's my joke word for it, much like my wife and I speaking 'Romglish'). I don't recall ever having my lips wiped in the Greek church and nor did I ever see anyone kiss he chalice there.

Another thing I note is that someone said some priests would assume you didn't want he Eucharist but just a blessing instead if you crossed your arms. If you get in line in a Romanian church you want to partake - full stop. Blessings are done at the end (when some traditions kiss the cross) and are accompanied by an annointing with myron on the forehead and sometimes the backs of the hands (haven't yet figured out if there's a method behind the variation) in the shape of a cross. I haven't ever seen this tradition in any other church either, and it's probably my second favourite after the candles. Smelling the myron for the rest of the day continually takes me back to my Chrismation - it's a powerful reminder for me.

That is almost exactly the procedure at my parish. Except that we all venerate an icon on a middle table before getting into line. (and as said before those Chrismated carry a lit candle but we usually only do Chrismation on Holy Saturday.)

We do similar. We all venerate an icon of Christ (the Resurrection - not sure if this is standard in all parishes but it's certainly appropriate) and of the parish's patron saint. It's not really before we get in line though, as the line tends to wind past the icon stand on the way to the priest. I didn't ever see anything similar in the Greek church, though.

James

 

[theoforos]

That is almost exactly the procedure at my parish. Except that we all venerate an icon on a middle table before getting into line.

Sorry, I forgot that. It's quite common to venerate the icon in the middle of the church here too, but there's some variation between churches and persons. It's either the resurrection icon or the icon of the feast, except during the feasts of the cross (three times a year?) when the icon is replaced by a priest's blessing cross, which is venerated in the same way as when it's an icon. During the great lent the icon is usually the icon of Christ made without hands (Spas nerukotvornyj).

 

[JasonV]

My friends,

I have an answer to my question. The arms crossed over the breast is called the Sign Of The Good Shepherd. I'd like to produce a short entry for you:

"When Jesus was relating (Luke xv.) the parable in which one having lost a sheep goes into the wilderness to search for it, he said: "And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing." Mr. Hettner, a German writer on Greek customs, says: "When the Greek carries home his lamb, he slings it round his neck, holding it by the feet crossed over the breast....The Good Shepherd bearing the sheep upon his shoulders, the two hands of the Shepherd crossed upon his breast and holding the legs of the sheep, is a very common subject in the paintings of the earliest Christian era. It is an expressive symbol of the Saviour's love..." (Mackey, 317.)

So there you go.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

That's interesting. Thanks.

 

[JasonV]

Of course I can't be sure about the information given above, but at least it's thought provoking!