I'm afraid to ask

[rainbowbright]

We have an aquaintance who is an Anglican priest and has recently performed a wedding for a family memeber at the western rite church. He and the priest there apparently went to seminary together and are very good friends, so the church was lent to him to for the wedding. Is that allowed and what if they serve communion?

 

[icxn]

Is that an Orthodox western rite church?

 

[rusmeister]

Doesn't sound kosher to me. The issues of heterodox rites performed where the relic of a saint rests (supposedly found in the altar of any Orthodox church) and the essential stamp of approval that results make it sound extremely dubious to me. I'd like to know if the Bishop in charge approved of it and why.

I've never been crazy about western rite ever since I heard of it - it sounds like (in our time) another attempt to conform the Church to ourselves. But I won't go any further than that.

 

[Philothei]

If he is Anglican ....he is not orthodox right? Then I would say no... But what are parish priests for? Ask nothing to lose ....

 

[Khaleas]

Did he go into the altar? If so, I'd say big no-no since no one of other faith should enter the altar (except for emergencies and with priest's permission for ex. if they change the carpet). I guess a Bishop could grant permission but I would doubt anyone would because of the noise it would cause.

 

[Musa80]

Doesn't sound kosher to me. The issues of heterodox rites performed where the relic of a saint rests (supposedly found in the altar of any Orthodox church) and the essential stamp of approval that results make it sound extremely dubious to me. I'd like to know if the Bishop in charge approved of it and why.

I agree it doesn't sound kosher, but I don't see how it could rest solely on the relic argument. Not every Orthodox Church is lucky enough to have a relic of their patron Saint. I mean the local WR Church here is Saint Peter's. I'd be extremely shocked if there were a relic from Saint Peter on that alter.

 

[E.C.]

I agree it doesn't sound kosher, but I don't see how it could rest solely on the relic argument. Not every Orthodox Church is lucky enough to have a relic of their patron Saint. I mean the local WR Church here is Saint Peter's. I'd be extremely shocked if there were a relic from Saint Peter on that alter.

I believe that a relic of any saint, be the identity known or unknown, must be in the altar.

My parish is called Holy Resurrection, obviously Christ has resurrected and ascended so how could we have a relic of Him?

 

[Musa80]

I believe that a relic of any saint, be the identity known or unknown, must be in the altar.

My parish is called Holy Resurrection, obviously Christ has resurrected and ascended so how could we have a relic of Him?

That's interesting. I didn't know another relic could be substituted. Learn somethin new every day I guess.

 

[Orchids]

Is there such a thing as a western rite Orthodox church?

 

[Anhelyna]

Is there such a thing as a western rite Orthodox church?

Yes - the Antiochians have a Western Rite Vicariate I believe

 

[Musa80]

Is there such a thing as a western rite Orthodox church?

Yup. http://www.westernorthodox.com/western-rite.html

 

[Khaleas]

I believe that a relic of any saint, be the identity known or unknown, must be in the altar.

My parish is called Holy Resurrection, obviously Christ has resurrected and ascended so how could we have a relic of Him?

Yes, as far as I know in the altar table... Then the parish can recieve relics as gifts (we have St Barbara in my MP parish)...

 

[Greg the byzantine]

It depends on whether the altar was consecrated, whether it had a relic, and whether the Anglican Priest used the Altar table.

Remember, often our congregations have to use other denominations places of worship because we don't have buildings in those areas. We never use their Altar table, but use a separate table where the priest places the Antimensinion (Antimins)

 

[ma2000]

Yes, as far as I know in the altar table... Then the parish can recieve relics as gifts (we have St Barbara in my MP parish)...

Exactly. Every church has holy relics in the altar table. If I remember correctly, it's because early churches were built near the tombs of the holy martyrs.

 

[Kristos]

sounds like a concern for bishops - not us.

 

[rainbowbright]

.

 

[gzt]

Every consecrated altar has the relics of some saint in it - it's part of the rite of consecrating an altar. It doesn't have to be the saint the church is named after (my parish is called "Christ the Saviour" - good luck with that!). If a church hasn't been consecrated yet, they may not have relics around yet, but they will, of course, have the antimens.

Anyway, I don't think it's completely productive for us to gossip about some parish where none of us were witnesses to what exactly happened. It probably wasn't kosher, but what good will it do us to speculate? If you have a real problem with it, consult the appropriate authorities (the Gospel gives us the procedure). For all we know, the priest said, "You can do X," which is perhaps permissible, but the visitor did Y and posted pictures on facebook.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

Not getting what this has to do with the WR, but I do agree this wierd at best. But as Kristos said... sounds like a job for the bishop.

 

[Musa80]

Not getting what this has to do with the WR, but I do agree this wierd at best. But as Kristos said... sounds like a job for the bishop.

Indeed. The fact that it happened in a WR parish doesn't really matter. It would be equally out of place in an ER parish. I'm doing my best to ignore certain opinions of laity these days and stay cool though.

 

[rainbowbright]

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