Divine Liturgy Question.

[ProCommunioneFacior]

Hello my brothers and sisters in Christ,

I was just checking out St. Anthony's monastery website. I live about 50 miles from this monastery. Anyways, I noticed on the website, that if I wanted to visit there and go to a service, since I am not Orthodox I would have to stay out in the narthex.

Is this true about any Divine Liturgy that I go to? Or is it only at monasteries? Or is it only at this specific monastery?

Anyways, the monastery looks beautiful, and would love to visit someday.

 

[nicodemus]

No, that is not the case in all Orthodox Churches and monasteries.. It is a tradition on Mt. Athos and this particular monastery was founded by an abbot of a Mt. Athos monastery and they've upheld that tradition here.

I haven't visited it yet, but I want to. My godfather is a monk there. My spiritual father has visited it and highly recommended a visit there. They don't do Liturgy in English I think. I believe its all in Greek.

 

[Matthias]

You don't have to be able to understand Greek though, as is the case with me.

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

Cool, thanks for the reply. The schedule that they do everyday is something that shocked me. I mean they start their prayers at 3:30 in the morning. Very cool. I hope to visit sometime.

 

[Eusebios]

.... The schedule that they do everyday is something that shocked me. I mean they start their prayers at 3:30 in the morning. Very cool. I hope to visit sometime.

Proud2b,
This is not untypical for Orthodox Monastics, slackers may start at 4!
His unworthy servant,
Eusebios.

 

[Matrona]

Cool, thanks for the reply. The schedule that they do everyday is something that shocked me. I mean they start their prayers at 3:30 in the morning. Very cool. I hope to visit sometime.

There is a Trappist monastery in my state that is like this. (It's called Mepkin Abbey, and it is located in Moncks [sic] Corner, South Carolina.) The monks get up at 3:30 AM and go to bed around 8:00 PM. I love that monastery--the monks are so gentle and pious.

My parents are strongly anti-Catholic and anti-monastic, but I was able to visit this monastery on school trips. (From a public school, even--things are different in Da South.)

 

[katherine2001]

Have you been to the OCA monastery at Wagoner--it's a women's monastery?

 

[Matrona]

Have you been to the OCA monastery at Wagoner--it's a women's monastery?

Yes I have. I love the nuns there--they are so sweet. When I was there, Mother Helena was kind enough to give me a tour of their grounds. They keep animals, bind books, make beeswax candles, and are starting a little orchard. I am so pleased to be so lucky to live in a state that has an Orthodox monastery.

 

[Photini]

Cool, thanks for the reply. The schedule that they do everyday is something that shocked me. I mean they start their prayers at 3:30 in the morning. Very cool. I hope to visit sometime.

THe monastery I visit (here in Florida www.panagiavlahernon.org ) is founded by the same Elder as the one in Arizona. They do everything exactly like is done on Mount Athos from what I hear. Believe me, you will not regret a visit.

 

[Photini]

Oh, and by the way...before I converted to Orthodoxy, I was attending the monastery. One of the monks there said that the only services that they request the non-Orthodox to participate from the Narthex in, are those services in which the Holy Gospels are read. Otherwise you can stay inside with everyone else. That may or may not be the same as in Arizona.

 

[Oblio]

THe monastery I visit (here in Florida www.panagiavlahernon.org ) is founded by the same Elder as the one in Arizona. They do everything exactly like is done on Mount Athos from what I hear. Believe me, you will not regret a visit.

Williston ! I used to stop there at the airport for fuel often when in that part of the country. Always a runway aligned into the wind (IIRC most old AAC fields are like that) and the fuel is cheap (well, relatively speaking).

 

[Photini]

Williston ! I used to stop there at the airport for fuel often when in that part of the country. Always a runway aligned into the wind (IIRC most old AAC fields are like that) and the fuel is cheap (well, relatively speaking).

The women's monastery is in nearby Reddick (about 10 minutes from the men's).
Holy Annunciation Greek Orthodox Monastery

 

[Cradle]

Hello my brothers and sisters in Christ,

I was just checking out St. Anthony's monastery website. I live about 50 miles from this monastery. Anyways, I noticed on the website, that if I wanted to visit there and go to a service, since I am not Orthodox I would have to stay out in the narthex.

Is this true about any Divine Liturgy that I go to? Or is it only at monasteries? Or is it only at this specific monastery?

Anyways, the monastery looks beautiful, and would love to visit someday.

To the best of my knowledge, literally speaking non-Orthodox Christians have to stay at the narthex during services, while non-Christians are not allowed in at all.

However, Orthodoxy is not legalistic by any means, and so there is a great deal of flexibility if there is a good reason, rightfully so, especially in small Orthodox communities within western multi-denominational multi-religious societies. E.g. by the "letter of the law" the non-Christian relatives of an Orthodox convert would not be allowed in his/her wedding. That could lead to ridiculous situations, you could imagine weddings with five people in the proper church, one hundread in the narthex and another hundread outside!

Monasteries are more likely to stick to the precision, since the reasons that suggest otherwise are less likely to be relevant.

 

[Oblio]

This reminds me of the first church I set foot in at the Monastery Ousios Loukas in Greece. We were told the same thing by our tour guide. I remember thinking, wow, these folks take their Christianity seriously. Later on, still a Baptist, I remember asking a EO friend on another board if this was really true and he explained that it was not usually followed in parish churches in the West for reasons cited above. I think that was the first little crack that opened the door for me to visit an Orthodox Church.

 

[Matthias]

It is so sad to hear, Matrona, that your parents are anti-Catholic! There is too much hate in the world! Why! Why! This world is on the brink of disaster! Noooooooooo!