Mortal Sin?

[Knowledge3]

Hi everyone. Does the Orthodox Church believe in mortal sin? If not, why not? Also, what kinds of sins condemn a person to Hell in Eastern Orthodoxy?

Orthodoxy does not classify sins and put them in categories.

 

[Kristos]

Orthodoxy does not classify sins and put them in categories.

Read post #19

 

[Philothei]

Actually St. Nicodemus the Agiorite is a great father on confession the website

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com

has a link to regarding advice for confession and why frequent communion is important.

God bless,
Philothei

 

[Akathist]

In the process of my conversion I had the same question... when do you not recieve communion because a sin is weighing on you... and when do you go ahead and wait until your next confession...

Because I was told by my Priest that I was not to receive communion if I had a sin "weighing heavily on me."

I asked him how do I tell? He said: You will just "know".

He is right too. There have been a couple times at least when I knew I really needed confession and I tried to schedule it before Sunday but if I couldn't, I would not participate in the Eucharist that one week. It is not a very common thing to miss the Eucharist however.

 

[Knowledge3]

I think the more conscious you become aware of God's presence and also become more aware of sin.

 

[KATHXOYMENOC]

Okay well how do you know which sins to confess and which not to confess?

I think it's like taking a shower - i.e., how much dirt and sweat do you want to wash off, and how much do you want to leave on your body and soil your clean clothes with?

 

[elizabethcynthia06]

Confession is not directly linked to reception of communion. Generally, one's spiritual father will tell you how often to make confession. I suppose if a particular sin is weighing heavily on you, you might abstain. One must also follow the Friday and Wednesday fast, as well as the eucharistic fast from all food and drink from the night before receiving communion. Back before Vatican II, the Catholic eucharistic fast was from before midnight the night before. My mother raised us to observe this fast eventhough it was changed to an hour before reception, now.

However, if you have a health concern, you can have something small to eat (not a six course meal, as my priest says) before communion. I have hypoglycemia, so I can have something small, plus carry something in my purse with me just in case.

 

[elizabethcynthia06]

I think it's like taking a shower - i.e., how much dirt and sweat do you want to wash off, and how much do you want to leave on your body and soil your clean clothes with?

My priest has a "cheat sheet" and he asks that you read it and you can omit any sins you haven't committed (I usually read the whole thing) and anything else you can think of that you want to name you name, he discusses the extra thing you named, and then you are forgiven for all those sins you mentioned whether in reading or in extra naming, and any sins you didn't name because you forgot to name them. So I guess this covers them all. He also asks that you go to confession during the main fasting periods like Nativity, Lent, Apostles Fast, Dormition Fast, etc.... and any other time you feel you need to go, although he did say that weekly was excessive and said that monthly was more like it for frequent confession.

 

[IgnatiusOfAntioch]

St. Theodore the Studite wondrously describes the benefit one receives from frequent Communion:

Tears and contrition have great power. But the Communion of the sanctified Gifts, above all, has especially great power and benefit, and, seeing that you are so indifferent towards it and do not frequently receive it, I am in wonder and great amazement. For I see that you only receive Communion on Sundays, but, if there is a Liturgy on any other day, you do not commune, though when I was in the monastery each one of you had permission to commune every day, if you so desired. But now the Liturgy is less frequently celebrated, and you still do not commune. I say these things to you, not because I wish for you simply to commune—haphazardly, without preparation (for it is written: ”But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the Bread, and drink of the Cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body and blood” [1 Cor. 11:28–29]). No, I am not saying this. God forbid! I say that we should, out of our desire for Communion, purify ourselves as much as possible and make ourselves worthy of the Gift. For the Bread which came down from heaven is participation in life: ”If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jn. 6:51). Again He says: ”He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him” (Jn. 6:58).​

.

I had been told that Divine Liturgy was only celebrated on Sunday. The above seems to indicate daily Divine Liturgy. Do you have daily Divine Liturgy?

 

[Kristos]

I had been told that Divine Liturgy was only celebrated on Sunday. The above seems to indicate daily Divine Liturgy. Do you have daily Divine Liturgy?

That quote was referring to a monastic community, but still applies to laity. We do frequently have mid-week services though throughout the year and during Great Lent, we have the service of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts to maintain the solemn nature of Lent, but allow the people to be renewed in their struggle.

 

[IgnatiusOfAntioch]

That quote was referring to a monastic community, but still applies to laity. We do frequently have mid-week services though throughout the year and during Great Lent, we have the service of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts to maintain the solemn nature of Lent, but allow the people to be renewed in their struggle.

Thank you. One other question. When does the Great Lent start in the Eastern Churches? We are starting this Wednesday.

 

[ma2000]

It starts today, February 19th.