Frequency of Infant Communion?

[AMM]

In my discussions with Lutheran priests about my inquiry to Orthodoxy, I've been bringing up infant communion, since that is the issue that I am most convicted by for various reasons. (I am in full support, and recognize that Lutheranism cannot permit this.) One thing that is brought up by them is that the Orthodox usually only commune infants at their initiation in to the Body of Christ (Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist), and then infants and young children are not communed again for a period of time, maybe a few years, until the child is older.

Is this correct? How often do infants and small children commune? Do they partake of the Eucharist regularly, or just once when they are baptized and not again until they are able to cognitively, rationally, discern the Body of Christ (or some criteria like that)?

 

[ArmyMatt]

no, infants commune every Liturgy. they are fully members of the Church from the get go.

 

[AMM]

no, infants commune every Liturgy. they are fully members of the Church from the get go.

Thank you. I thought I had seen infants commune the couple of the times I've been at a liturgy, but after hearing this for the 3rd time, I figured I'd check to clarify.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Thank you. I thought I had seen infants commune the couple of the times I've been at a liturgy, but after hearing this for the 3rd time, I figured I'd check to clarify.

yeah, it's definitely not our teaching.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Thank you. I thought I had seen infants commune the couple of the times I've been at a liturgy, but after hearing this for the 3rd time, I figured I'd check to clarify.

Yeah, that's a new one on me! Infants & children always commune.

 

[~Anastasia~]

They come up first in our parish and there is always a good long line of infants and children Communing.

 

[prodromos]

All the children in our parish sit in the front rows, then head out to Sunday school immediately after communing.

 

[prodromos]

They come up first in our parish and there is always a good long line of infants and children Communing.

Parents with young children always get moved up towards the front of the line.

 

[~Anastasia~]

All the children in our parish sit in the front rows, then head out to Sunday school immediately after communing.

That's the reason in ours too.

My only problem is that I'm in the choir loft singing and our Communion hymn is done in 4 parts - sometimes I'm needed until the end ... and I'm supposed to be already down front receiving Communion as soon as it ends so that I can go up before the children and unlock the room. It works out each week though through different means. Though I could wish not to be distracted by logistics in the moments leading up to receiving Communion.

 

[ArmyMatt]

back to the OP, but another thing to keep in mind is since we view the Church as a hospital, the Eucharist is the medicine. so if an infant can be healed with earthly medicine, it stems to reason an infant would also be healed by heavenly medicine.

 

[AMM]

back to the OP, but another thing to keep in mind is since we view the Church as a hospital, the Eucharist is the medicine. so if an infant can be healed with earthly medicine, it stems to reason an infant would also be healed by heavenly medicine.

That's sort of why infant communion is a hill I'm willing to die on, so to speak. It's not because "John 6 says you need Christ's flesh and blood to be saved so everyone without the Eucharist is condemned!! So if they just do it once then it's totes fine like whatever after that, I don't care"

But because Christ sustains us and feeds his people the heavenly manna to heal them, unite them to him, and make them partakers of the divine nature.

I'm glad to hear it is a frequent practice, or else it would be really no different than waiting until the child were older.