Eucharistic Communion

[Reader Antonius]

Dear EO brethren,

The Peace of the Lord be with you!

I was thinking about something to day and I thought it would be good to ask here, I will do more research on it mind you, but I wanted to get a general idea from the Orthodox Christians here.

As I understand it, during the final day of the infidel Turkish siege of the Holy City of Constantinople (NOT "Istanbul"!!!! ) the Italians who were trapped in the city, who were presumably Roman Catholics, attended and received the Holy Eucharist in the Hagia Sophia along with the huge crowd of Orthodox Christians that had flooded into the Cathedral to find refuge.

I really started to wonder whether there is an "exceptional cases" part to the canonical question of letting non-Orthodox Christians receive Holy Communion.

For example, in the Catholic Church (if I am not mistaken), Eastern Orthodox Christians, Oriental Orthodox Christians, and Assyrian Eastern Christians can receive Holy Communion in Catholic churches, should they wish it.....however even then it is only allowed in certain exceptional cases (such as the imminent death of a non-Catholic Christian, and even then the recipient must believe Catholic doctrine concerning the Eucharistic Mystery).

Is there a similar practice in the Orthodox Church? It would appear, at least in the case of the Hagia Sophia, there are times when Holy Communion can be extended (such as the case of imminent slaughter by blood-thirsty Turkish barbarians ).

I humbly and eagerly await your responses!






Your servant in Christ,

-Antonius Ioannes

 

[Michael G]

No, there is no such thing in the Orthodox Church. Only Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared to receive the Eucharist (keeping the fast the night before reception, recent confession) may receive the Eucharist. There are no exceptions.

 

[Reader Antonius]

No, there is no such thing in the Orthodox Church. Only Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared to receive the Eucharist (keeping the fast the night before reception, recent confession) may receive the Eucharist. There are no exceptions.

So why then were the Roman Catholics allowed to receive communion on that terrible day?

From all the accounts I read the Patriarch did not object when the Italians came up for Holy Communion. Was the Patriarch just wrong in what he did?

 

[Michael G]

So why then were the Roman Catholics allowed to receive communion on that terrible day?

From all the accounts I read the Patriarch did not object when the Italians came up for Holy Communion. Was the Patriarch just wrong in what he did?

Yes he was wrong. Recently there was a bishop in somewhere like Romania, I forgot exactly where, who gave communion to Catholics and was severely punished by the Church for his actions.

 

[Kristos]

I can understand your concern about possibly falling under siege by barbarians and having no where else to turn for Communion than the Orthodox Church.

For the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night, and worthy are those whom he finds watchful...

Seems like there is only one way to alleviate this fear

 

[Reader Antonius]

Yes he was wrong. Recently there was a bishop in somewhere like Romania, I forgot exactly where, who gave communion to Catholics and was severely punished by the Church for his actions.

I remember something similar to that when an Romanian Orthodox bishop received communion in a Romanian Byzantine Catholic Church with the Romanian Catholic Archbishop.

I do not know of what became of him though.

 

[Andrew21091]

I remember something similar to that when an Romanian Orthodox bishop received communion in a Romanian Byzantine Catholic Church with the Romanian Catholic Archbishop.

I do not know of what became of him though.

He was forgiven for what he did.


The only exception I've ever heard made for communion is with Oriental Orthodox. I've heard of some OO who live here and they don't have a church to go to but if they get permission from the bishop, then they will be able to receive the Holy Mysteries, but that is only if they are unable to commune since they have no church.

 

[Reader Antonius]

He was forgiven for what he did.


The only exception I've ever heard made for communion is with Oriental Orthodox. I've heard of some OO who live here and they don't have a church to go to but if they get permission from the bishop, then they will be able to receive the Holy Mysteries, but that is only if they are unable to commune since they have no church.

Then is Michael wrong in his statement that there are no exceptions in the Orthodox Church?

 

[Mikeb85]

Then is Michael wrong in his statement that there are no exceptions in the Orthodox Church?

This is the thing. It's been affirmed that EO and OO share the same faith (although there's still the minority who might disagree). There's been joint agreements between certain EO and OO churches to share communion to members who have no church nearby.

There are no exceptions when it comes to communing heretics (Roman Catholics, Protestant sects, and non-Christians), but exceptions can be made for other Orthodox Christians (Oriental Orthodox).