No Altar = No Church

Dorothea

One of God's handmaidens
Jul 10, 2007
21,553
3,534
Colorado Springs, Colorado
✟240,029.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Antimension.

And the Church is the body of Christ, not the building.
I've read it's both. It's physically present building that one enters and worships God and it's also His Body.
 
Upvote 0

Searching_for_Christ

simul justus et peccator
Nov 14, 2009
2,410
201
33
In my mind.
✟18,609.00
Faith
Lutheran
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Yeah but....is it really the Altar, or just the fact that Communion is held with the altar? I mean....its not like the Orthodox have any perpetual adoration, or keeping the body in a little box on the altar....see what i'm saying? then again I'm not Orthodox so I'm probably blowing hot air.
 
Upvote 0

choirfiend

Senior Veteran
Supporter
Jul 2, 2005
6,598
527
Pennsylvania
✟54,941.00
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
We do have reserved communion in a box on the altar. It's not actively worshiped like Eucharistic Adoration, but is there in order to take it to someone who is sick in an emergency. It's typically replaced once a year if it is not used up.
 
Upvote 0

Dorothea

One of God's handmaidens
Jul 10, 2007
21,553
3,534
Colorado Springs, Colorado
✟240,029.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Yeah but....is it really the Altar, or just the fact that Communion is held with the altar? I mean....its not like the Orthodox have any perpetual adoration, or keeping the body in a little box on the altar....see what i'm saying? then again I'm not Orthodox so I'm probably blowing hot air.
Yes, what choirfiend said. See, the important part is that a church isn't a church without the holy of holies...without the sacredness of it. For instance, the "auditorium" which is what it's called at my sons' private Christian school, is supposedly where the school kids gather to sing praise songs. They don't even have a cross in the auditorium. Just a couple of "Born Again" banners. I know that the church affiliated with the school is on the grounds and maybe they have some type of sacred part in their church, but doubt it, seeing how it's the Church of Christ church.

What I've found is that without the Altar - that sacred area, the place is no different than the hall or community center where we eat and have coffee after services.
 
Upvote 0

Mariya116

Newbie
Dec 3, 2011
846
60
✟16,306.00
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Private
We do have reserved communion in a box on the altar. It's not actively worshiped like Eucharistic Adoration, but is there in order to take it to someone who is sick in an emergency. It's typically replaced once a year if it is not used up.
Which sucks, because as opposed to Catholic churches where doors are open for several hours during the day for folks who need to pray or just be before the Lord, the Orthodox church is usually only open for those two miserable hours on a Sunday morning. Not far from my job there is a 24-hour adoration chapel - what a blessing if you need a quiet place to pray.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums
Dec 16, 2011
5,208
2,548
57
Home
Visit site
✟234,667.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
Which sucks, because as opposed to Catholic churches where doors are open for several hours during the day for folks who need to pray or just be before the Lord, the Orthodox church is usually only open for those two miserable hours on a Sunday morning. Not far from my job there is a 24-hour adoration chapel - what a blessing if you need a quiet place to pray.

There are a lot of things that we Orthodox Churches in America could do better; this being one, especially in the noisy and hectic environments found in sizeable cities, where finding solitude can be difficult.
 
Upvote 0

Mariya116

Newbie
Dec 3, 2011
846
60
✟16,306.00
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Private
There are a lot of things that we Orthodox Churches in America could do better; this being one, especially in the noisy and hectic environments found in sizeable cities, where finding solitude can be difficult.
I agree and glad I'm not the only one feeling this way. In NYC, the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral on E. 74th is always open for quiet prayer until 2:00 pm daily. But it's only Orthodox church in NYC I know that does this.
 
Upvote 0

Antony in Tx

a sinner
Dec 25, 2009
1,098
230
Texas
✟25,450.00
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
It is actually the Antimension that makes the place of the gifts on the altar holy. It is said that even on an unconsecrated altar, as long as the service involving the Body and Blood is done on the Antimension, it is sacred. I was also taught that it is the antimension and its signature by the bishop who gave it to the priest that gives the priest license to perform the worship, and that without it, the service would not be valid. Also, only one Eucharist service per day can be performed on a given Antimension.
 
Upvote 0

ikonographics

In patience I waited patiently on the Lord
Apr 27, 2008
2,530
497
Greece
Visit site
✟27,987.00
Country
Greece
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Single
It is actually the Antimension that makes the place of the gifts on the altar holy. It is said that even on an unconsecrated altar, as long as the service involving the Body and Blood is done on the Antimension, it is sacred. I was also taught that it is the antimension and its signature by the bishop who gave it to the priest that gives the priest license to perform the worship, and that without it, the service would not be valid. Also, only one Eucharist service per day can be performed on a given Antimension.

This.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Cappadocious

Well-Known Member
Sep 29, 2012
3,885
860
✟30,661.00
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
In Relationship
Politics
US-Others
I've read it's both. It's physically present building that one enters and worships God and it's also His Body.
The Church building houses the Body of Christ and is set aside for that purpose, hence it is Holy and filled with Divine Grace. But the building itself is not the Church.
 
Upvote 0

Kristos

Servant
Aug 30, 2006
7,379
1,068
Minnesota
✟37,552.00
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Married
Is a church really a church without an altar? I think not. What say you?

I can't think of a reason why a permanent church building would not have an altar. Is this what you are talking about? Of course there are situations especially with mission parishes, where the building is rented, so a permanent altar is not possible, but that doesn't make the community anything less.
 
Upvote 0

Ann_of_Love

Regular Member
Aug 16, 2011
224
19
✟7,944.00
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Engaged
This is just an outsider's opinion, but I believe any space used regularly for prayer to God is sacred in some way. I may not be especially thrilled with non-liturgical Christian forms of worship, but hey, they're trying, and therefore I don't disrespect their space. I also believe that even if particular locations in Jerusalem, or particular relics are not "really relics", by veneration and the love of the faithful, they become blessed.
 
Upvote 0

Dorothea

One of God's handmaidens
Jul 10, 2007
21,553
3,534
Colorado Springs, Colorado
✟240,029.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
I can't think of a reason why a permanent church building would not have an altar. Is this what you are talking about? Of course there are situations especially with mission parishes, where the building is rented, so a permanent altar is not possible, but that doesn't make the community anything less.

I wasn't really speaking of Orthodox or other Apostolic Churches.
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Dorothea

One of God's handmaidens
Jul 10, 2007
21,553
3,534
Colorado Springs, Colorado
✟240,029.00
Country
United States
Faith
Eastern Orthodox
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
This is just an outsider's opinion, but I believe any space used regularly for prayer to God is sacred in some way. I may not be especially thrilled with non-liturgical Christian forms of worship, but hey, they're trying, and therefore I don't disrespect their space. I also believe that even if particular locations in Jerusalem, or particular relics are not "really relics", by veneration and the love of the faithful, they become blessed.
I wasn't speaking of individuals and their faith. I was speaking of the correct set up of a Church, and therefore, those who don't have altars, I don't consider them truly churches, and I'm not talking about exceptions such as mission churches and such.

I listened and watched Fr. James Bernstein's talk on how he came to Orthodoxy from Orthodox Judaism and how he talked about how nothing is sacred anymore. There's a loss of believing things are sacred and/or holy.
 
Upvote 0