Two Questions

[Epiphany]

Hello

I'm Lennie and I'm one of Epiphany's littles. I have questions about church. When you see the priest, how do you greet him? I read that you say hello Father and ask for blessing? I don't know.

I want to know what do you do while you're in line for Communion. Do you make sign of cross before you get to chalice? After you receive, do you kiss chalice and Father's hand? I don't know.

Epiphany and I like coming here and reading posts. We learn alot. Thank you

 

[MariaRegina]

Hello

I'm Lennie and I'm one of Epiphany's littles. I have questions about church. When you see the priest, how do you greet him? I read that you say hello Father and ask for blessing? I don't know.

I want to know what do you do while you're in line for Communion. Do you make sign of cross before you get to chalice? After you receive, do you kiss chalice and Father's hand? I don't know.

Epiphany and I like coming here and reading posts. We learn alot. Thank you

Dear Lennie:

How old are you? You have asked some very good questions.

The Orthodox Priest will gladly answer your questions as each church may have a different procedure. However, many churches say that making the Sign of the Cross anywhere near the chalice could be dangerous in that you might bump the chalice and cause the Precious Body and Blood of Christ to spill onto the floor or carpeting. This is what my priests have told me.

Yours in Christ our God,
Elizabeth

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

I just usually say "Hey, Father" and then shake hands with him. But maybe I shouldn't be doing that.

People usually just cross themselves after they take communion. I don't remember anybody kissing anything after they took it.

 

[Epiphany]

Dear Lennie:

How old are you?

Hello. I am 8.

OOOO thanks for answering question. We go to church for Orthos tomorrow. We take train and bus there. I like going to church. Epiphany hurt her foot, but she still go because she say she feel better after we have communion.

 

[MariaRegina]

I'm Lennie and I'm one of Epiphany's littles. I have questions about church. When you see the priest, how do you greet him? I read that you say hello Father and ask for blessing? I don't know.

Hi Lennie:

In the OCA and Antiochian Churches, you greet the priest by holding your hands with the right hand cupped into the left hand and extended out toward him while asking his blessing. He will bless you, and then put his hand into your hands at which time you kiss his hand. This is also true for hieromonks (priest-monks) or bishops.

I want to know what do you do while you're in line for Communion. Do you make sign of cross before you get to chalice? After you receive, do you kiss chalice and Father's hand? I don't know.

In the OCA immediately after receiving Holy Communion, you kiss the chalice but not the hand of the priest. Then you partake of blessed bread and wine if that is offered.

In the Greek and Antiochian Church, usually the priest does not raise the chalice to be kissed immediately after serving you Holy Communion. You would not kiss the hand of the priest either.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, you kiss the hand of the priest after you venerate the Holy Cross.

Hope this helps.

Yours in Christ our God,
Elizabeth

 

[Matrona]

In the Greek and Antiochian Church, usually the priest does not raise the chalice to be kissed immediately after serving you Holy Communion. You would not kiss the hand of the priest either.

In my Antiochian church, we kiss the chalice and the priest's hand after taking communion. But we're a weird parish, almost all converts.

 

[MariaRegina]

Dear Lennie:

In going to Holy Communion, most Churches request that you cross your chest with your right arm over your left arm. In OCA Churches, there is usually an Icon stand that you must navigate around to go to the priest. This is where people will venerate the Icon before receiving Holy Communion and make the Sign of the Cross at that point.

Your friend in Christ,
Elizabeth

 

[Epiphany]

Dear Lennie:

In going to Holy Communion, most Churches request that you cross your chest with your right arm over your left arm. In OCA Churches, there is usually an Icon stand that you must navigate around to go to the priest. This is where people will venerate the Icon before receiving Holy Communion and make the Sign of the Cross at that point.

Your friend in Christ,
Elizabeth

Hello

Thank you for answers. I will come back and talk again.

 

[Suzannah]

Dear Lennie,

I'm so glad you came over here, because I want to tell you that I saw your question about the Mormons/LDS church over in the Unorthodox Forum. I wanted to answer there, but I knew it would bring a lot of anger and bad feelings among the people there. So I want to answer here if that's okay.

First, I want to say I am very glad to meet you!!! I like your mom a lot!!! She's pretty cool!

I want to answer your question about the Mormons if you don't mind. Over there, in that part of the site, some people are going to say they are Christian. I'm sorry to have to tell you but while many of the people in the Mormon church might very well be Christians, the Mormon church itself is not Christian. It teaches many things that are contrary to Orthodoxy and to Christianity in general.
Examples of Mormon teachings that are not okay: These things are what Mormons believe and they are wrong and not okay in Orthodoxy.
1. Jesus is not the only son of God, but is also the spirit brother of Lucifer. This is not true. Jesus is the ONLY begotten Son of the Father. He has NO spirit brothers, especially not the Devil.
2. There is no Holy Trinity in Mormonism. They teach that Jesus, (the spirit brother of Lucifer) and God the Father and the Holy Spirit are all seperate. We know in Orthodoxy that these three are very , very important. They are three persons in one essence. They are not separated !!!
3. They believe that God the Father has a body just like you. This is wrong, Lennie. God is wayyyy above us, and is not describable as a human being. He is "Light from Light, True God of True God." God is not a man or a woman. God IS. Ask your Mum to explain this. Or your Priest maybe.
4. They believe it is okay to have more than one wife or husband and that this is God's will. Some of them still do that. This is not okay at all. God does not want this. And we are not to have more than one wife or one husband.
5. They believe that God lives on a planet near a star called Kolob. this is not true Lenny. There is no such star and God lives in Heaven, not on a planet.
6. They believe that there are three places in Heaven and that only Mormons go to the highest heaven. This is not true either.
7. They believe that Mormon people will become real live GODS after they die and that they will get their own planets to rule over. They believe that each man and woman will be a God and a Goddess of their own planet, making more spirit babies. This is totally not true, Lenny. After we die, we go to heaven to be with God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In Heaven, we will have work to do, but we will not have any more babies. And we will not be Gods and Goddesses seperate from the one God.

These are just some of the things that the Mormon Church teaches and all of them are completely against Orthodoxy.

These are just a few examples. I know that its very important for us not to go around pointing fingers and saying that people aren't "Christian". So we should just keep it to ourselves. But that's the Truth Lenny....just know in your heart, that YOU Lenny, are in a Christian church with your Mum.
If you have more questions about Mormons, you can send me an email but I think the best thing is to ask the Priest in your church. But I will always be here to answer those questions if you need to ask them.

How do I know so much about Mormons? Because my husband used to be one and so I have had to do a lot of reading about their church. Remember: Mormons are very nice people, but that does not make them Christians.
Love,
In Christ,
your friend,
Suzannah